The Masked Stranger

I’ve always heard stories about the masked stranger. People say that he only appears at night in deserted places like parking lots and intersections. Nobody knows his identity. Whenever someone sees him, they quickly lose sight of him, and the only thing they can tell is that he is dressed all in black and has his face covered. What is known is that a few days after being sighted, a resident of the area where he was, suffers some kind of misfortune that leads to his death.

I never believed these stories. I thought they were just a joke that started to scare people, and that inevitably became a legend. At least that’s what I believed until a few seconds ago, before I photographed it…

I knew it was a bad idea to come to the forest at dawn, but I really needed to finish the Photography assignment that I have to deliver on Monday morning, and I thought that the pepper spray I have in my pocket and those self-defense classes I attended a few months ago could help me face any danger that might arise. The problem is that none of these things can help me in this situation, since I don’t even know what’s in front of me. Tall stature, a thin body, and strangest of all, it has no face. I understand now why no one could see its face, after all, you can’t see what doesn’t exist. If I had to describe it in a single word, I think it would be something like a figure, or a shadow.

Very carefully, I try to turn off my camera before it notices my presence, however, it is at this precise moment that someone remembers to send me a message, which gives away my presence. I close my eyes immediately. Maybe it didn’t hear the notification sound, or it will just disappear like in all the other sightings. Suddenly I notice a change. It seems like all the noise in the forest has disappeared. Everything around me is deadly silent. Fearfully, I open my eyes, and to my relief, there is no sign of the figure in front of me. Relieved, I let out a sigh. But this rest doesn’t last long, because when I turn to go home, all I see is a big dark emptiness. My breath hitches, and all I can hear is the slow beating of my heart. It, whatever this is, is right in front of me, bent over, with its head just inches away from mine. After what seems like an eternity, something wakes up inside me, and after taking a few steps back, I flee as fast as I can from that place.

Crickets sing, birds chirp and the wind blows. It seems like the whole forest started screaming. I feel a burning in my lungs. I don’t know how much longer I can run at this pace. Fear and adrenaline race through my veins, propelling my legs to move at superhuman speed. I don’t look back once. Even if I can’t see it, I know it’s there. My whole body can feel it watching, chasing. I feel like the prey on one of those wildlife shows who uselessly flee their predators, only to be caught in the following scenes. The thought crosses my mind about whether it’s possible to escape this thing. After all, what makes me think it’s possible to escape this clearly non-human being? Still, I can’t give up. I prefer the uncertainty of my escape to the certainty of my capture. In the distance, I can see the first traces of the street lamps. Fortunately, I’ve spent several afternoons of my childhood exploring this forest with my cousins, so I know it like the back of my hand. After a few more steps, I feel the terrain change from dirt to tarmac. There are no cars on the road. My breath is wheezing and the noise of my sneakers hitting the floor echoes around me. It only takes a little longer to finally reach the safety of my home.

Joy fills my chest when I see my white gates. Quickly, I pull the keys out of my pants and open the entrance gate. With long strides, I cross the few steps that lead to the door of the house, and after a few tries, I manage to unlock it. But as I get ready to go in, I notice it is there, standing in the middle of the room, as if it’s been waiting for me. For the second time tonight, I feel my body freeze and realize there’s no way I can escape it. My vision blurs, and gradually my cheeks get drenched. Is this my end? Killed, because of some stupid Photography work? Slowly, the figure in front of me lifts its arm and points to my chest. Afraid I expect something to happen, but after a few seconds without any change I get confused. Why is it pointing at my chest? I lower my head and notice that there is my camera, still hanging around my neck. At that moment something lights up in my brain. The photo! Until today, no one had ever been able to see it up close and realize that it wasn’t human, but I not only saw it, I also got a record of what it looked like! Does it want me to erase it, and was all this stalking for that reason? I face it again, this time with hope in my heart.

-Do you want me to delete the photo I took of you?- I ask weakly.

Slowly, and without uttering a word, it nods. With shaky hands, I turn the camera back on as quickly as possible and open the last captured photo. If all goes well, after deleting this photo, this being will disappear as if it were just a dream. My finger hovers over the trash icon. Now the moment of truth has arrived. Will I still have a life to enjoy after tonight? With one last push, I select the button and confirm the action. Hesitantly lifting my face, I look around and see that whatever has chased me so far has finally completely disappeared. I feel relief run through my entire body, and with a sigh, I drop to my knees on the floor.

It’s been a few days since my encounter with the masked stranger. I still haven’t been able to tell anyone what happened, and without the photo, I doubt anyone will believe my story. Even today I don’t know what it was, or what it wants walking around like that in the middle of the night. What I do know, is that this experience will forever remain embedded in my memory.