A Nightly Walk

“I can’t sleep.” Aerin rose from the mattress, sliding out of the covers and making to grab their phone. The time was 11:45. It wasn’t unusual for Aerin to find themself awake late at night. There was something comforting about the quiet brought by the dark. Aerin was content staying awake until the crack of dawn, opting for hardly any sleep most nights. However, tomorrow was an important day. Aerin had a job interview that couldn’t be missed. There had been struggles to make ends meet, even with the previous job. Now that Aerin had been laid off they needed to find a new source of income as quickly as possible. It was crucial that Aerin woke up on time tomorrow. 

        “A walk might do me some good.” Aerin slipped out of bed and made to the dresser.They rummaged through the contents for a bit before pulling out a thin jacket. It would have to do. Phone in hand, Aerin felt their way to the kitchen, which was currently lacking in both appearance and food. The counter was littered with dirty dishes, containers, and mail.

“..I should probably stop by the convenience store.” They found their wallet next to a particularly pungent box of takeout. Aerin decided it could wait until they were back from their walk. Having made sure there was a decent amount of money in the wallet, Aerin stuffed it in their pocket and made for the door. Aerin grabbed the keys to their apartment and slipped on a pair of shoes. Before Aerin stepped out the door they pulled out their phone once more. 11:51.

It was decent outside, the only sounds being the buzz of cicadas and Aerins own footsteps. The neighborhood wasn’t in the best condition, with most buildings being either on the verge of collapse or having already been demolished. Aerin found these buildings fascinating.Usually, Aerin would stop for a while to admire the sight but at night they found the structures to be unnerving. It often felt as if something was watching from the shadows, waiting. Aerin pulled the jacket tighter around themself.

Unfortunately, Aerin had forgotten their earphones back at the apartment complex so they would have to walk the entire way in silence. In order to keep entertained Aerin opted for kicking any stones they happened to come by. It would take around 10 minutes to get to the convenience store.

Walking to the convenience store alone felt wrong, especially at night. Without the comfort of music it was even worse. The silence allowed Aerin’s thoughts to roam and this tense feeling gradually pooled in the pit of their stomach.

“Ah..Finally.” Aerin rounded the corner to see the fluorescent lighting coming from the convenience store. It looked mostly empty, with only a few cars out front sitting at the gas pumps. 

A little bell chimed above the door when Aerin pushed it open. A cheery employee greeted Aerin as they entered. “Hello there! Can I help you find anything tonight?”

“No thank you, I’ll manage on my own.” There was nothing worse than asking for help from a store employee. Aerin grabbed a basket and made their way to the section for instant food. While cup noodles may not be incredibly healthy, they made for an awfully convenient meal. They grabbed a few cups before making their way to the coolers. Aerin made a beeline for the energy drinks. It was like coffee but better. Not nearly as bitter with the added bonus of a higher chance for a heart attack. Aerin put a twelve pack of the energy drinks next to their cup noodles. Truly the epitome of health. 

Aerin then made their way to the section with boxes of cereal. They were trying to decide whether they should get some while they were out. If they got cereal they would also need to get milk. There was a pretty good chance that if Aerin had any, it had already gone bad. A breeze had ghosted over Aerins neck as they weighed their options.

“Well hey there, doll.” A voice broke out by Aerins shoulder, startling them out of their daze. To their left now stood a big man that towered over Aerins own form. He looked to be in his late 40’s. The man had already lost most of his hair, save for the monstrous goatee occupying his face. 

“...Pardon?” It was odd to start a conversation with a stranger in public, especially if they had been minding their own business. Aerin didn’t recognize this man at all, even if he did look quite generic. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help noticing how lost you looked. I could help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.” Aerin just got some massive bad vibes from this man.

“....um..I think I’m fine, thank you. I was actually just about to leave.” Aerin had decided that the cereal wasn’t worth it. They had already been in the store for longer than planned. 

“How ‘bout a ride then? My car is parked right outside, and I sure wouldn’t want to make you carry all that heavy stuff yourself.” How forward. 

“..A kind offer, but I think I’ll be fine by myself. After all, I wouldn’t wanna bother you. Now, would you mind letting me check out?” Aerin wanted to get home as soon as possible, they still had their interview tomorrow and tired wasn’t an ideal look for the first meeting.

“Oh, come now, don’t be like that. It’s just one little ride, there’s nothing to worry about, doll.” While talking, the man had shifted closer to Aerin.

“Please stop calling me that, sir. Now if you would excuse me, I really must be going, my fiancé is waiting for me at home.” Every time this man spoke Aerin felt more uncomfortable. If this man was hitting on Aerin, bringing up a supposed partner might deter him.

“..Fine then. Have it your way. But do be careful out there, doll..It’s not safe to be walking alone at night. Never know what kind of people are out there.” This man was by far one of the creepiest Aerin had ever met. 

“..Right… I think I’ll be going now.” Aerin quickly made their way around the man, hoping to never see him again. Over at the counter, the cashier was looking down at their phone with earbuds plugged in, ignoring the world around. If only Aerin had brought theirs along with them. The cashier had been tapping their foot along to whatever music they had been listening to, only noticing Aerin when they had rapped on the counter.

“Ah, sorry about that.” The cashier quickly took out their earbuds and shoved the phone into their front pocket, no doubt leaving the wires a tangled mess. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m ready to check out now.” Aerin put the basket on the counter and watched as the cashier scanned the items. While the cashier was bagging items, Aerin whipped out their phone to check the time once more. 12:07 

“Are ya pulling an all nighter or something?” People tonight seemed to like small talk. Though the cashier can’t really be blamed, it was part of the job after all.

“Sure..So what do I owe you?” Small talk was not Aerins strong suit. They pulled out their wallet to grab the needed cash.

“We got a grand total of $36.81.” Not too bad considering how many noodle bowls were grabbed. Aerin took out a slightly crumpled $50 and handed it to the cashier. Once Aerin got their change it was mercilessly shoved into their wallet. 

“Thank you, have a good night.” Aerin said their farewells before checking around the store one last time. The man was nowhere to be seen. Aerin shook off the thought of him before pushing past the door.

The air was a little chillier now. Aerins arms were getting tired from carrying their bags which shouldn’t be surprising considering how lacking they were in the strength department. Thankfully, it would all be over soon. Aerin reached into their pocket for their phone, wanting to check the time again. 12:14.

“Almost home..” A sigh left Aerins lips. Soon they would be home, back in the comfort of their bed. Sleep had finally started to look somewhat desirable. Aerin slid their phone back into its pocket and looked around for any unsuspecting rocks on the path. A few seconds later, the phone was back in Aerins hand. Playing a quick game would probably keep them occupied long enough to ge–*Hoonk 

“OH MY GOD!        “ Aerin had almost dropped their phone at the sudden honking. When they turned back they could hardly see anything with the headlights blinding them. Aerin stepped off to the side to let their eyes adjust and once they were able to properly see again they could make out the outline of a large truck.It was too dark to make out the person behind the wheel.

“Haha..Fancy seeing you again.” Even without a face, Aerin couldn’t yet forget that voice. It was the same man that had approached Aerin in the convenience store.

“What the hell is your problem! F–k off!” This man was seriously starting to get on Aerins nerves, he was creeping them out.

“Calm down, doll. I just wanna talk.” The man opened his door and hopped out of the car. “You know, it’s pretty dangerous to be walking home all alone. How’s about that ride? No one would know if you don’t tell.” The man took a step forward. He was smiling

“I’ve asked you to stop calling me that.” The man’s smile remained, he might have even been smiling a little wider than before. “My fiancé is already waiting for me outside and you’ve kept me here long enough.” Aerin moved around the man and tried backing away. Turning around didn’t feel like the best move. The man was probably drunk and just looking to hit on the first person he saw.

The man grabbed Aerins wrist before they could move any farther away. “That’s alright..I can just drop you off a block or so away.” His hold tightened. “Just get in the car.”

“I said I didn’t want a ride! Let go of me!” Aerin tried thrashing out of the man's hold but it was a futile attempt. This man far overpowered Aerin. “Please..let go.” Aerin was scared. 

“..Get in the car.” The man had started pulling Aerin towards the truck. No matter how hard they pulled the man's arm remained tight around their wrist.The man had grabbed the arm that was carrying their bag so all they could rely on was their own strength. They needed to do something.

“I said..let..GO!” Aerin thrust themself forward, aiming their head at the right side of the man's face. Before they could be pushed away Aerin latched their teeth onto the man’s ear and bit down as hard as they could. The man let out a blood-curdling scream before pushing Aerin away from his body.

“What the F–k!” Aerin spit out a solid chunk of bloodied mass before sprinting off towards their apartment complex. “HEY! Get back here you B–h!” The man swung the door to his back seat open and grabbed something before pursuing Aerin’s fleeting figure.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god.. HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!” Aerin was shouting as loud as they possibly could. Why was no one coming to help? Could no one hear them? Did they not care? “HELP ME! PLEASE! ANYBODY!” Aerin could hear his footsteps. The man was catching up to them. There was no way Aerin could outrun him. They could see the outlines of the semi-demolished buildings. Just a little farther. Aerin could make it. “HEL–!” 

…

Aerin abruptly cut off. They couldn’t shout anymore. Aerin had collapsed and their body now lay on the ground. Blood poured from a wound on the side of their head. Above Aerin stood a man holding a dirty hammer. He bent over and picked up Aerin’s unconscious body and threw it over his shoulder. 

The man was humming a tune while he walked back to his truck.