The Old man From The Tiles Market - Part 2

Nayo halted her boat. She could already see the colourful Glowing lights, and hear the loud sounds of the roaring lot in the bay. The sky already changed its colour to a sort of reddish purple. She too out her lantern from the compartment underneath the seat in front of her, and organized it on a long folding stick which she also took from there, before resting the stick diagonally at the front of the boat, so the lantern swayed above the water. As she was leaning forward, she noticed a change in the water, and soon enough he emerged, just a small bit of its head poked outside, but it was enough to reveal its enormous eye that watched her. It was the Big Eel, which would swim close to the bay and was a mental disturbance to the fishermen. Because it was a remnant of the Horrible Past, everyone tried to avoid it. Even it tried to keep to itself, so that one could almost forget it existed. But from time to time it would come out, most of the time it wouldn't do anything apart from watching boats and ships float across the water. Nayo felt after the switch passing her fingers across the lantern made of paper and metal strings. She herself had encountered the Big Eel once or twice, it would look at her for a few minutes before diving back to its boring loneliness below the surface. Her finger rested on the small round switch at the bottom of her lantern, which she pressed. The Glowing Light lit up in a warm yellowish glow-y buzz. Nayo started rowing once more, Ignoring the big staring, almost lonely eye of the Big Eel watching her.

She slowly drifted away, and the Eel dived back underwater in a tired silence. She drifted into the harbour, where dancers with extravagant red ribbons and actors dressed in complicated costumes performed with liveliness and grandness, on equally spectacular ships which drifted along the harbour, passing by each other with grace and a tinge of unspoken competition. The Glowing Lights glowed in a myriad of colours, mainly yellow red and orange, on the harbour bank and the ships. various artists jumped from the Glowing Lights into smaller lanterns and vice versa. twirling in the air, as painters hurriedly splashed paint on their canvases. noisy sounds of music from the various performances and singers who decided to try their luck in the harbour, blasted in the air. And the passing by who were enjoying the variety of restaurants and food and shows chattered no less. All this added to the festive atmosphere that characterized the port every evening. The festivities prevailed quietly throughout the day, But intensified greatly with the first clue to the sun's tiredness in the sky, and would continue until Lights Out time. And then, almost all at once, all the lights go out and all the attractions close , and the performances end, and everyone runs to their houses, where they are safe.

Nayo turned to the Tiles Market, which was bustling no less. Passing by the wooden tiles and the fancy decorated stands decorated with elaborate festive colours, passing by screaming merchants trying to convince the passers by to buy their goods. She surrendered after a few tries and bought a stick with little dough balls dipped in a sweet sauce. She toom another turn to a darker, more deserted route. Where the first residential neighbourhoods from the bay began. she floated along the river, passing by the banks and docks from cement and wood that lead to the houses, thick bushes and ivies grew from the private gardens and along the stone walls and sidewalk. Few of the windows were lit up, the rest already went to sleep. Nayo turned left, soon the lights will go out, but she will also be home soon; She's usually return with the twins, so that the sounds of the water, or the chilly wind who announced itself through the wind chimes hanging from the houses, were less scary. But alone she suddenly noticed every single sound and crack in the wall, in everything no matter how minor it was. Every strange shadow on the walls, which looked terrifying and threatening all of a sudden. She gazed up to the stars, who started disappearing one after one. They too, were seemingly shying away from the dark.

She drifted along a couple more streets, noticing the stars disappearing rapidly and the dark, which spread in a quiet, deafening crawl. She already got used to the morbid lifeless atmosphere, by the time she noticed shadow leaning over the dock above the river. The figure was completely dark, its reflection the water was dark as well; it wasn't probable that it would be a citizen, for everyone walked around with their Glowing Light at all times; especially at night. Nayo flinched, haunting thoughts about the sweeping tales she was familiar with, that were meant for scaring children, filled her head with mortifying shadows who kidnap youngsters or drown them in the river, just for their miserable lifeless body to turn up the next day to their poor parents horror. She strengthened her grip on the oars, took a deep breath and braced herself. Maybe the figure wouldn't notice her if she passed by quickly and carefully enough, she tried lying to herself. The closer she got, the more she could hear rapid mumblings coming up from the figure, the voice was similar, but Nayo couldn't recall from where. Perhaps it was a drunk, who forgot his lantern and was in need of someone who'd host him for the night. That thought calmed her down.

Steadily and slowly the light from her lantern revealed his wrinkly facial features, and his fragile little teeth, and his ragged clothes. It was the Old Man. Looking more pitiful than ever, muttering to himself madly while he subconsciously poked at the water with a stick. Nayo noticed that he had nothing apart from the ragged clothes on his body and the stick in his hand. Usually he would poorly drag his belongings behind him unattentively rolled up in the carpet from his little stand. Therefore it was quite disturbing to see him here, with none of his belongings apart from his clothes.

It was wise to keep away from the Old Man, that she knew. However it was also customary not to leave anyone alone in the dark. And so the locals would bring anyone wandering alone close to their homes in approaching the Light Out time, without thinking twice about who they are letting in their homes, just so no one would be left by themselves once the lights went out. Therefore, Nayo halted her boat and tied it to the dock. The Old Man quit his mutterings and eyed her with his old bulging insect eyes. She stood on the dock and looked at the repulsive pitiful creature, she knew she would regret this deeply, alas she still opened her mouth;

"Why are you here alone?" the Old Man stared at her for a moment, and suddenly his face saddened,

"YOU! yOU! From today morning!" he screamed. he pointed at her with a wrinkled finger and approached her with a stumble. From up close, Nayo could notice the rotten stench that edged from his fragile little body as she helped him stabilize. "Why are you here alone? Where are your stuff?" she gently asked, talking to his old ear. The old man opened his mouth wide and his expression darkened mor so as he said, "They took! they took!" Nayo released her grip on him and he stmbled, tears pouring out of his eyes like waterfalls. He began sobbing loudly. "They took! They took EVERYTHING!" He screeched. if she wasn't aware that he cried whenever he felt joy, she would've thought that something terrible has happened. But somehow, him being joyful worried her more.

"They took?" she asked. But why would they take something? After all no one had any interest in the Old Man's stand. The Old Man started nodding frantically, "Everything! Everything!" he exclaimed and added, "How wonderful! how wonderful!" he did an impressive twirl and raised his hands up towards the sky where the stars where almost but none... - Something which reminded Nayo of the time. She should leave wondering who took his stuff for after she brought him home, she decided.

"Soon the lights will go out." she told him, it didn't seem as if he were listening. So she added, "It's better not to be alone." Still, no response. It seemed as if he returned to his pointless mutterings. "Come with me so that you won't be alone in the dark." She tried once more, she tried resting her hand on his shoulder but he suddenly turned around to face her, the shadowed dents and sockets in his carved face creating his tragically sad expression and bringing about an uncomfortable, chilling air to it. "No! There's no need!" He cried, bobbing forward and backwards. "I stay here! I can! I can!" he announced, at first only to himself in low murmurs that grew louder rapidly. suddenly he started laughing, his expression shifting almost immediately to a smile so happy that it was horrid. "Leave me here! Leave me here!" He jumped and rejoiced in a surprising manner for an old man. Nayo backed off, while the old man got closer with cheerful glee. "The darkness is coming! coming!" he laughed hysterically and approached her with such speed that Nayo almost fell into the water. She already regretted deeply that she ever started talking to him. "If you want to remain here that much, so be it. Sorry for disturbing you." She said and put a foot in her boat, three stars remained in the sky and she planned on rowing as fast as she could, far away from the Old man, back to her house.

The Old Man jumped at her.

He grabbed the hem of her skirt with unreasonable force to his glass thin hands. "Don't leave me alone." He giggled, she noticed his shaking body. He was scared, she realized. She felt her body freeze as a chill crawled up her spine. "Then come home with me." She forced herself to say, the Old Man shook his head frantically. "No, no, no, no, no!" he mumbled; laughing and then crying and then laughing. He started pulling her with force back to the dock, Nayo tried backing back to her boat.

The third star extinguished.

"Not alone! Not alone! Not alone!" he screamed, laughing again in a chillingly hysterical way, Nayo felt that he was winning their "Pulling" game. Anxiety washed over her, like an especially uncomfortable bad dream. She gathered all her strength to try and pull the Old Man on the boat. "Not alone!" He screeched, Nayo fell roughly on her knees. "Come take a deep breath..." she tried calming him, grabbing him strongly. The Old Man squirmed like an animal in her arms. "Not alone! Not alone! Not alone!" he started crying, drenching her shirt with salty tears.

A second star extinguished.

"Come already..." She almost begged, worry started seeping into her voice. She felt as if she were about to go nuts like the Old Man if this were to go on. "NOT ALONE!" he screeched, and again, started laughing. He released himself from her with a hop and she tried catching him a second time. Suddenly he stopped, sat on the floor, his shoulders close to his neck and started chewing his nails as he laughed as if he heard the best joke in the world. Tears of laughter started poring from his eyes like a fountain. This little calm moment calmed Nayo down somewhat, just as it disturbed her more. She leaned towards him and put her calming hand on his shaking shoulder as she tried to collect herself. "Come with me." She said softly, "It will be okay." The Old Man looked at her and didn't resist this time. She gently picked him up and brought him to the boat. Now, all she had to do was arrive home as soon as possible. She started undoing the knot of her boat while the Old Man rocked himself back and fourth whilst giggling to himself lost in thought.

"If we hurry, we could arrive in half an hour." She informed the Old Man, she didn't expect him to listen, not to mention reply; she just wanted a reason to break the chilling silence that filled the air. She started rowing, it seemed as if the sounds of the paddling in the water seemed to calm the Old Man. She was about a street and a half away from her house when the final star extinguished.

In an instant it were as if the Old Man sprang to life.

"IT COMES! IT COMES!" he screeched with a ringing laughter. He clutched Nayo's head suddenly, she started screaming. Her lantern started flickering unstably. "STOP! STOP!" he screeched in her ear. "Leave me alone!" she shouted.

"BABY SHOES WERE NEVER WORN!" He cried out loud. Her boat swayed furiously, threatening to plop over. "GOODNESS GRIEF! What's your problem!?" Nayo screamed. In a burst of anger and terror she stood up and sent the Old Man over her to the back seat. The Old Man rubbed his head and watched her breathing heavily, a dumbass smile spread all across his disgusting face. She turned around and sat back down, organizing the lantern. His dumb face was annoying already.

"Not... Alone?" the Old Man hesitated. Nayo shot him a glare. She started rowing again, her stupid lantern flickered frantically, as if it felt Nayo's nerves. The Old Man giggled quietly to himself. Nayo tried to ignore him, wondering again why she insisted on bringing him to her home. There was nothing better than leaving him all alone in the dark in her opinion. An even so, something about him was so pitiful that she couldn't abandon him.

The dark space between flicker to flicker in the lantern lengthened....

"Oh... Goodnight!" The Old Man rejoiced in a quiet giggle, almost singing. Nayo was about to respond, she was tired of his creepy remarks, which weren't of any help at this hour. Suddenly her Glowing Light lantern flickered rapidly and consistently before it lit out completely. Within a moment they both remained alone, and everything was dark.