"Her"

(This is for you @danielandangel)

I started making a habit of walking home from work. It originally started out due to my car being in the shop and me being too cheap to use public transit. Over time I started to enjoy the quiet walks in the dark where I eventually made it a habit even after my car was fixed. My family got worried at first but I told them they had nothing to fear since I didn’t live far from my place of employment. Plus the area I live in hardly had any reports of crime. The most we’d get would be a noisy dog. 

Over time the late night walks were as second hand to me as it was breathing. I never had issues till that one night when “she” appeared. As I walked home I would walk by what looked like some kind of fancy apartment complex. I never gave it much thought with its sliding double doors and lighted entry. But it wasn’t till I noticed her standing just under the overhang canopy in front of those doors. At least I thought she was a “she”. When I first walked passed from across the street I almost didn’t notice her standing just shy from the canopy’s overhead lights. From my distance she was nothing more than a silhouette thanks to the said lighting. I merely turned my head and continued on my way home but since then, each night I walked home, I found her standing in the exact same spot.

Each night I would see her and each night I grew more curious. I at first just looked and nodded at her as I passed. When that elicited no response the following nights I’d try more direct methods of contact. A simple wave one night, a thumbs up the next, I even said “hi” a couple of times. But each night “she” didn’t respond. She only stood at the entrance. I honestly didn’t even think she was looking at me. That’s when I started to get concerned. If “she” had been standing there all this time you’d think I’d feel her gaze as I passed by at least once during my late night walks. 

As each night passed the more apprehensive I was feeling toward her. When did she start doing this? Was she always there since I started walking home? Why doesn’t she say anything? Is she stalking me? Ignoring me? Waiting for something? Or someone? Finally I approached her one night in hopes of getting some answers. She didn’t seem that menacing in her pink long coat, school uniform and boots. It struck me odd that parts of her face looked paper white from behind her dark hair. Before I could say something alarm bells went off in my head: There’s no schools nearby and it’s the middle of summer. At that moment she took a step towards me and I was then able to look at her eyes. 

I’ve been driving home from work ever since.