Standard disclaimers apply.
Chilling Tale(s) on Chilly Nights Chapter 1: Silence is all there isHe flicked off the gym lights, as he was the last person to leave that night. Coach Taoka ended practice two hours ago but made him stay back to discuss tactics for the upcoming match. After that, he was forced to clean up before he left. He inhaled deeply and shut the gym doors with a slight 'bang'.
The new captain of Ryonan shivered lightly as a chilly breeze blew past. It was early spring after all. He glanced briefly at his digital watch and decided to take the usual route home instead of the shortcut that would save him ten minutes worth of walk. It was a nice night for a walk. The cool night air would probably rejuvenate him more than facing history questions like: Elaborate on three main factors of ancient Rome's downfall. Who cares about ancient Rome anyway?
He trudged lazily on the sidewalk, his backpack slung over his right shoulder. Occasionally, he ran his fingers through his spiked-up hair as if to maintain the shape of the hairdo. He met no one on the streets and that was considered unusual, as this was the main road in town. Not even a car zoomed pass or even a lost tourist asking for directions. He swore to himself that he would be able to hear a pin drop from a hundred meters away. Shrugging off the uneasy feeling, he continued his journey home, accompanied by the occasional chirping of crickets.
As he rounded a corner, he saw a lone figure standing, waiting for someone. The figure was fully cloaked and hooded – it had stuck him as strange. No one wears these clothes anymore. The hooded figure turned towards him, head moving slowly as if just noticed his presence. He could not see a face beneath the hood but he could feel the figure gazing intently at him. Goosebumps began erupting on his arms as a shiver ran down his spine. Cold sweat trickled on his forehead and he was very puzzled by his body's reaction toward this figure/creature/person/thing. Certainly, there was nothing to be afraid about. He did not believe in ghosts, ghouls, vampires, demons and all otherworldly beings.
The slight breeze had picked up again and was rustling the leaves of a big birch tree nearby. However, there was no sound of the leaves' rustling. He was sure he saw the leaves move but did not hear a thing. The tall figure was still staring intently at him, it's eyes blazed in a queer hue of blue. The tired boy swallowed and forced his legs to take him home. His legs would not obey and he stood, rooted to the spot, as his own blue eyes locked gazes with the strangers'.
The silence that enveloped the two of them was unbearable. This silence pressed itself against him, suffocating him as he struggled to inhale and exhale. The figure moved towards him. With each slow and deliberate step forward, the silence pressed harder against him, making it more difficult for him to breathe. His heart pounded and blood rushed in his ears. And yet, all he could hear is the unbroken silence.
The figure was now two inches away but he could see nothing of the stranger's face, save the blazing blue eyes. Irrational fear engulfed him and the urge to run was building within him at such an overwhelming rate, he felt he could explode. Somehow, his limbs would not react to the adrenaline rush or his will. Instead, the unnatural silence commanded him to stand still, as he trembled all over.
The breeze suddenly died down and he slumped hard onto the ground. The impact his knees made when they hit the ground was noiseless but the pain seared white-hot. He tried to stand but the figure's presence and the silence pushed him down onto the moist ground. Through the silence, he could almost hear a dry whisper. The voice was familiar but he could not place it. The whispers were incomprehensible and muffled, but loud enough for him to hear it.
The pressure applied by the numbing silence became greater and he gasped even more desperately for oxygen. His throat was tight as he lay, sprawled on his neighbor's front lawn. The smell of grass seeped into his nostrils and his fists clenched tight. The figure towered over him its eyes blazing with more intensity than ever. The usual smile on the boy's face was replaced by a twisted look of pure agony and fear, as spasms, erupted all over his body. He screamed as loudly as he can, trying to rid himself of the silence and the hooded figure – no sound escaped his lips.
The dry whispers became louder as an invisible force crushed him against the ground. He shut his eyes as air was forced out of his lungs. With a last mutter of incoherent words, the boy was no more. There was nothing left of him. His lifeless body had vanished, along with the gym bag he had slung over his right shoulder. Even his trusty comb was gone, and so were the lucky purple socks he put on that morning.
The lone figure lingered for a moment. Then it too, melted into the silence of the night, leaving no clues of the night's incident. The rustle of leaves could be heard again and the wind carried whispers of the crickets. Somewhere, a dog's bark could be heard as well as the slow drip-drip of a water tap in the neighbor's garden.
With a last purr of a black cat that sat on the wall, the world soon forgot the existence of a boy who once went by the name Sendoh Akira.
~owari~
1.24 a.m.
March 11, 2004
What do you think? Should I continue with this genre or just stop here? I need your views and criticism so I can work on a better plot next time.Thanks for reading anyway.