Who's There?

The sun was beginning to set over the city landscape. Rudy’s tail flicked from side to side in frustration as they paced around the small apartment. School was kicking their ass and it was making their anxiety spike again. They glanced up as the sun began to shine in their eyes. A thought ran through their mind. 

“Maybe a quick walk would help clear my mind.” The thought was quite appealing. Fall was in full swing, bright oranges and reds coloring the trees lining the streets. Tullest Park was only a short walk from their apartment too. Their mind was made up. Rudy collected a light jacket out of the closet and grabbed their keys and phone from a ceramic dish on a table by the door. With that, they opened the door, clicked the lock on the inside doorknob and stepped out. They heard a quiet ding. Wiggling the knob to make sure it was locked Rudy spun around and spotted the doors of the elevator opening. Their neighbor, a small black cat, stepped out. The cat looked frightened and after a moment's hesitation, they bolted to their apartment door. Fumbling with their key they unlocked the door and with a fleeting backward glance, they caught Rudy's gaze for a split second before slipping into the room. Rudy continued to eye the door for an instant before turning to leave.

The wind ruffled Rudy’s fur as they stepped outside into a brisk breeze. Rudy took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. A puff of steam escaped their mouth in the chill. They smiled and turned heading for the direction of the park. Looking up toward the sun Rudy thought to themself “With where the sun is right now I probably have about half an hour.” They stood a minute longer mulling it over and creating a game plan before shaking their head and continuing toward the park. Spotting the first signs of the park fencing Rudy couldn’t help the slight skip that entered their step. As they rounded the corner of the block a crosswalk came into view. Rudy smiled as the looked left and right before dashing across the road into the park.

The park was small yet it was alive with color. The setting sun helped create a certain glow to the autumn embossed trees. Fall was always Rudys favorite season; the weather was finally getting cooler from the heat waves of summer. Yet it wasn’t quite like the bitter cold you get in winter. And there was no questioning that the cool breeze on sunny days was far superior to the warm but rainy days of spring. Crunchy leaves littered the park walkways. 

“Oh sorry,” Rudy exclaimed as they roughly bumped a young-looking pup on the shoulder. The puppy jumped staring around fear flickering through their wide eyes. They seemed to stare right past the point where Rudy stood. Rudy’s brows furrowed in confusion. Taking a step forward, Rudy crouched in front of the pup and waved their paw in front of their face quietly whispering “hello?” The pup didn’t react.

“Ivan?” a concerned voice called. The pup jumped, gazing around before hurriedly running toward an older-looking dog that Rudy could only assume to be the pup’s mother. Rudy watched them as they became distant and eventually became too faint to see. They stared at the spot the two dogs disappeared a second longer before slowly tilting their head to review their paw. It seemed very real to them? Why couldn’t the pup see or, to add to the weirdness, hear them? Questions flew through their head. Rudy slowly rose to their feet again. They surveyed the rapidly growing darkness. The lights lining the park paths began to flicker on and probably a hundred yards away, an old graying rabbit sat on a bench reading a thick book. Rudy began making their way toward the rabbit. Their heart was pounding as anxiety’s sticky paws began to poke in Rudy’s chest. Reaching the bench Rudy hesitated for a moment before deliberately sitting next to the rabbit.

“Excuse me?” Rudy paused for an instant contemplating what to say next. “Do you know how to get to Strak Lane? I’m new to the city and I seem to have lost my way.” (That was a lie, but at the moment they couldn’t think of what else to say.) Rudy waited expectantly. No reply. Rudy’s heart began to beat faster as a knot began to form in their throat. After several tense moments, Rudy carefully leaned to the side so he could stare at the rabbit. They were a mear two inches from the rabbit’s gray muzzle. Yet the rabbit just gazed at his book, eyes sliding from line to line of minuscule text. Tears began to form in their eyes. “Okay, thanks anyway.” Rudy stood and turned to head back to their apartment. They paused, secretly hoping the rabbit would stop them. Yet the rabbit did nothing. Rudy sighed and walked away.

The streets were baren as Rudy walked home. A thin stream of tears ran down the face. Questions blocked any other thoughts from their mind. “What was happening? Why couldn’t anyone see them? Why couldn’t anyone hear them?” Before they knew it they stood outside their apartment building. Looking up Rudy sighed and entered. The doors were motion censored and as they opened Rudy could see the concierge, a stern-looking leamer, glance up from her computer. She grumbled going back to viewing her computer obviously not able to see Rudy. “Just like everyone else.” Rudy thought to themself. 

Rudy hung their head as they dejectedly walked through the open doors on the opposite side of the room. Taking a left Rudy pulled a card from their pocket and swiped it on a pad outside the elevator. It made a little ding before turning green and opening the elevator doors. Rudy entered the elevator and subconsciously clicked the level four button. The elevator gave a little jerk before moving up.

An odd sight greeted Rudy as they exited the elevator. Their neighbor’s door was wide open and a faint green light emanated from further in the room. Rudy couldn’t help but be curious and figuring “what the hell with it, they won’t be able to see me anyway.” They crossed the hallway and went into the apartment. 

The walls were lined with odd drawings and symbols that Rudy couldn’t understand. The light was getting brighter the further they went into the apartment. Anxiety began to claw at Rudy’s stomach again as they heard a quiet humming coming out of a slightly cracked door. They took a deep breath standing before the door. Nodding Rudy cautiously pushed the door open.

A huge machine filled the room. The door creaked and from behind the machine, a figure stood. Their outline was a solid green. They looked in the direction of the door and in that instant, Rudy felt something was wrong.