Twisting Fog

My ordinary day got interrupted by a strange knocking on my window. It was odd because I was sitting in my desk chair upstairs. At first, I didn’t think much about it. Maybe it was just a bird who flew into it or someone knocking at the neighbours' door. I don’t know how many times I had mistaken that for someone visiting me. But then there it was again, and again. I got up to open up my curtains and had a look. It wasn’t easy finding the source; a heavy fog had enveloped everything around me. I couldn’t even see my garden outback. It was all slightly moving, cloudy, light grey - my attempts to find anything worthwhile failed.

I didn’t stop until I heard another knock, although now it came from my stairwell window. 

Had someone gotten stuck on my kitchen roof and now tried a different window? 

Slowly I approached the staircase and made my way down the two steps needed. The scarf hanging around the curtain pole as a makeshift drapery felt more ominous than ever before. Like its black background would suck my hand in if I touched it. With an uncontrollable gulp, I gingerly moved the scarf to the side. The fog met me once again. My reflection in the glass stared back at me. There was a slight visual of the dark roof poking up through the mist. But no sign of anyone knocking. To my short-lived relief, nobody was out there, and I started to relax just a little bit. 

Before I could even turn to get back to my desk, what sounded more like panicked banging could be heard from downstairs. A creeping tingle went through my spine as I froze in place on the stairs. Had I become insane and started to hear nonexistent knocks on my windows? Did something magically transport everything to a different reality where a consistent mist lingered around? And the knocking was just the fog playing tricks on me? More knocking startled me out of my state. A slightly too loud and shaky “hello?” escaped my lips as I started to move towards the window by the sofa. I peeked around as I reached the last step to see if I could catch whatever was knocking. But all I could see was was my ordinary living room and the fog filling up the outside. Just like the roof, there was a tiny sighting of the pavement through the cloudiness. 

Even though the fear was growing, my curiosity needed to quenched. I had to figure out what was going on. There had to be someone with answers outside. I went to quickly put on my shoes and an outdoor jumper. Instinctively I brought an umbrella as some protection just in case. Stepping outside gave me no sense of clarity. I could barely see the door as I closed it. The usually narrow street felt relatively open, considering there was nothing to be seen when looking around. Using the stone brick facade, I guided myself to the affixed neighbouring houses. I tried looking inside to find someone else, getting their attention by gently tapping their windows. 

My search became almost frantic as there was no sign of life inside any homes. The taps turned into knocking, slamming, pounding, accompanied by me shouting for anybody. The nothingness became worse with every house, no responses, no furniture, no stairs. Until the windows were gone, the bricks I saw every day slowly faded underneath my hand as I travelled. I almost fell as I was now running, and my guidance disappeared too soon. All I could feel was the ground underneath me and the umbrella I held. The slight temperature change or wetness from the fog did not happen. It started to feel like this was no fog at all, but instead true nothingness. 

My fears fell more and more into place when I turned around, feeling for my lost, now empty wall. And it was not there anymore. 

Panicked, I started running, now shouting at the top of my lungs for anyone. Running back from where I came, at least that is what I thought I did. With nothing to guide my direction but my memory, I hoped to run into something. To show me there was something still in or on this street. Instead, I stumbled on my own feet and fell. 

It felt like I was falling forever, or did it? Nothing hurt, and I felt fine. I felt the roughness of the pavement with my fingers. The more they explored, the more of it changed until the texture was gone. There was no indication of where the umbrella had landed. Maybe it had vanished into the bright void that was this place. My last piece of physical evidence from my home was gone. I wanted to give up, let myself sink into whatever was below me. I closed my eyes and let my tether to this place go. 

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. I opened my eyes as the sound of someone walking reached me. To my surprise, I could see parts of my street again. Although the fog lingered around, the pavement under me and the walls to my left was visible. Knock, knock, knock. Looking around, it was still impossible to see anybody. At least I could hear more knocking and someone else looking for answers. I shouted that I was there and that they were not alone, as I stood up preparing to find them. Briskly walking next to the reappeared windows, taking a quick look before I passed. I stopped when my own face looked back at me, more defined than a reflection. 

"Hello?" echoed around me. Startled, I looked around still there was no one. When looking back into the window, "I" was gone. The fog started to grow thicker again as the voice distorted and dissipated. 

Determined to get to the bottom of what was going on, I darted away. Now going the opposite direction from before. The untouchable mist got thicker and closer behind me, almost reaching for me. I rounded the corner leading out of my street into the main road. Everything looked like it usually does, except no cars. 

Feeling like I was going in the right direction, I continued my fast pace to get further away from the clawing fog behind me. Following the road, I reached a small bridge. When I glanced down to where the river should be flowing, there was only a dark and twisted void. And I got the same feeling I had gotten from the scarf. 

What was this place? How did I get here? Was it somehow still home? Would I ever find anyone else trapped here with me? Countless thoughts went through my head, and nowhere to find answers. 

In the corner of my eye, there was movement from something else. It disappeared, then reappeared at a continuous pace. I slowed down and headed towards whatever this was.

As I got closer, the contour made it appear humanoid, but it looked ethereal with a slightly greyish tint. The figure seemed to be circling a decorative tree, and I could see its feet touching the ground. For some reason, it felt almost comforting that at least they weren't floating. When I was close enough not to shout, I tried making conversation. My newfound hope was shattered as there was no response or reaction to my presence. 

Defeated, I slumped down at the base of the tree with my head in my hands. 

And there I sat, for what felt like hours. But weirdly enough, it also just felt like seconds. My despair almost instantly turned into anger. I got up just as fast as I had sat down. With bitterness, I started to punch and kick the peaceful tree. Bark flew off as I went berserk, hitting the unidentifiable creature. Finally halted in its tracks, it staring into nothing before turning to me. The lifeless eyes peered into what felt like my soul before oozing down their face as a black sludge. As its head followed the liquidised eyes, I tumbled to the ground and crawled backwards, unable to avert my gaze. Its tar-like muck formed into tendrils, some reaching around the tree as others were feeling for me. Terrified, I tried my best to get away while watching as it consumed the entire tree and left a mound of black slime behind it. 

Running again with both fog and ooze following me, it felt like I was getting nowhere. Both were catching up to me as I stumbled my way forward. I could see other figures turning into the same sludge as the one chasing me. Forming into different faceless, horrid creatures; fanged, with claws, thin, tall. I closed my eyes as I was running, maybe if I couldn't see them, they wouldn't exist. But instead, I saw myself knocking at my window over and over again. Hearing my shaky "hello" and "I'm here, you're not alone" repeatedly. Taunting me as they turned into dreadful sounds coming from the abominations.

I ran into something and was on the ground again. I fixed my gaze onto the asphalt, scared of what I might find if I looked up. The shoes of the ethereal person revealed what I had crashed into. Their shadow twisting as they bent down. I expected them to help me. But I was met with my own face looking back at me. I backed away and saw their neck twisted to reach down before also turning. I could feel its claws digging into me as their toothy maw opened up to consume me.

The brightness of my screen hit me as I shot awake from my nightmare. With my heart pounding in my chest, I looked around. I had just fallen asleep at my desk. Paranoid, I looked out my window. It was as dark as the nights can become here. Streetlights still lit up outside, and no fog to be seen. With a sigh of relief, I sat back down at my desk. That will teach me not to watch anything remotely scary before dark. 

I powered everything down and started getting ready for bed. I had just finished my teeth as I heard it again. 

Knocking that turned into scraping.