Short Story 2 - The Road into Nowhere

Have you ever made up little stories about people in your mind? A long, mundane walk through a busy street, you trudge along with your head flying through the clouds of imagination. Some entertainment would be nice. See that grim looking fellow with the menacing gaze and stocky figure? He’s just misunderstood, thinking about when he can get home to his equally misunderstood pup (a pitbull most likely). Then they can wander the streets in the glorious company of nobody but each other. No wonder the dogs reflect their owners, they are the missing life partner, an extension of personality. 

You can never mistake the strut of wannabe perfection. Faux suede coat, large sunglasses, long nails, iPhone in hand. Closely monitoring any notifications on that iPhone, each one signaling a potential rise to Instagram fame. Her story is coming back home to her gym junkie boyfriend and them arguing over why certain girls keep liking his photos. It’s alright though, he will buy her a designer handbag of her choice and the issues will be temporarily forgotten. Only to resurface once her insecurities rise high and tolerance drops low once again. 

My favorites are the serious businessmen and women. Suits and briefcases. Determination in every step. You can almost smell their sense of self-importance. Doesn’t take a genius to realize that their after hours are usually full of cocaine, alcohol, and meaningless sex. Look good and feel even better is the motto. Nobody asks how they feel so much better though. 

They’re all templates, mirroring one another. Ironically fitting into the mold even more after embarking on a search for their individuality. 

However, one day I found something different. Or rather, someone. I was once again on the subway, suppressing my contempt for mundane routine when she walked on. The perfect story. Sunglasses. Heels. Hair extensions and short skirt. Fur jacket. It was a Tuesday morning and she clearly had no idea where she was. Stumbling and swerving. Mumbling to herself. Where on earth could she have come from? Already my mind was teeming with possibilities: corporate bar night gone wild, very successful first date, or a grimmer back story perhaps. She was obviously not alright. Drunk at 9am, uncharacteristic for her type of human. 

Luckily, the planets have aligned to get me answers, she stumbled off on the same stop as me, and I chose to walk along slowly. Work be damned, I was curious.

Broad daylight, the girl is walking in zig-zags, frightening the passerby pedestrians along the way. They all do a small double take at the sight but continue on their way, it’s a big city, they’ve seen stranger. She makes it to a larger intersection, slowly crosses over and collapses upon reaching the other side. People gather around. Each trying to pick her up but the girl won’t budge. I just stand there, staring from afar, unable to repress the feeling that something was terribly wrong. I could feel a pair of eyes on me. Bright blue and piercing, the eyes belonged to a man standing a few feet away from where the girl collapsed. He didn’t fit a template. The man was as terrifying as he was simple. His features common, the outfit nondescript. Yet his gaze instilled fear, I could not help but think he had something to do with the girl. I fled. Walked away as quickly as I could without raising suspicion. I felt his eyes follow me all the way until I turned the corner. No story came to mind. A murderer, a rapist, or maniac maybe. I had goosebumps all the way until I got home. 

Ever since the incident I have been troubled. I had witnessed a person pass out and most likely die (based on a hunch, I had no actual proof). And the menacing man, both beautiful and terrifying in his glare. Nightmares plagued me since. I saw darkness and monsters. Curses and devils. Something was not right. A few weeks after, I was sleep deprived and depressed. I had to get out. From where or why I could not tell. I just had a hunch and the little voice in my head gave me no rest. 

I traveled far. Spending a few months in almost every corner of the planet. The escape helped quiet my restless soul. I became friends with strangers, found temporary jobs, reset my personality at each destination. Yet as soon as I got comfortable, the feeling would return. The paranoia. Disquiet. I could not function. So with a heavy heart I would pack up once again and leave. Silently praying that the girl would not return to plague my nightmares. Little did I know that my last stop was just around the corner. 

The moment I stepped out of the bus, I knew I had found the place. Towering mountains and strong ocean breeze. The silence and isolation of the place was deafening. I was completely lost in it. Sloping hills with bright flowers, rocky little streams sparkling in the sunlight. No people. Not a single story to imagine. It was all there, written in the stars. The pesky voice had finally quieted down, it knew I had arrived at my destination. I imagined a quaint, wooden cabin by the stream and behold, there it was, at the foot of the next hill. Whatever addition I could imagine, it somehow turned up in the perfect spot. My own, real-life, oil painting. Complete with fruit trees and vegetable patches. 

A few months in, I realized what was missing. I had no idea how I had arrived to the place as it was completely surrounded by mountains, hills, and water. But I felt like I needed a road. And as all things go in this place, a paved path that led to the entrance of my cottage appeared when I woke up. And parked on it was a gorgeous old, black cabriolet. With its roof down, obviously. 

The difference was that inside the cab sat a man. A man I had seen before. There was no mistaking those piercing blue eyes. I did not imagine him here, nor have I seen any humans since my arrival god knows however long ago. He was staring at me expectantly and for some reason, all my fear and perceived menace was gone. All memories of dead girls forgotten, I could not help but study him in amazement. Normal, yet, so extraordinary. 

I naturally gravitated towards him, like he was the piece I had forgotten I needed. The one thing I was missing. 

I could see emotions flicker across his face, happiness, slight frustration at my delay, hope. It had after all taken him so long to get me in the right place, at the perfect time. The hints, nudges, and suggestions that were dropped on me from the heavens. And I had successfully ignored them for the most part. Not this time though. 

I got into the car and we took off. Following the beautiful road into nowhere. As the sky assumed a deep pinkish purple hue, we zoomed through the planets and stars circling around us. The view only got better with each turn and the road ahead of us knew no end. Our hands lightly touched and I could feel myself smile. I have found where I belong. I was home.