The gate looked ordinary enough. In the day it was a wrought iron door surround by shrubbery. If one was to walk the length of it, they would even see a few buckets where others had attempted to plant other flora as well as the frames filled with pictures of oddities and loved ones. In other words, it seemed mundane to the everyday passerby that had no business in the little section of the park.
However, one might find it a bit strange to see someone walking the length of this gate at night. Then again, most people should be asleep at the dead of night when someone is walking the length of this gate at night. On the other hand, someone people get curious or some people are just up to no good to be honest. When someone is about, however, it always winds up being a lot more of a hassle to handle everything before the crack of dawn.
You see, the thing about this gate is that it isn’t very particular on who it allows entry to. Generally, that wouldn’t be a big deal during the day as it functions as any other gate would but it can become quite troublesome in the late hours of the night when it functions as something else completely. As mentioned before, one might find it a bit strange to see someone walking the length of this gate at night. Generally, onlookers shouldn’t be able to see someone at all unless it’s their time.
You may be curious to what that must mean. In layman terms, you won’t see me until you’re time runs out.
Please don’t worry about a big bag of bones staring you down. He works in a different section altogether though we do cross paths from time to time. I look to him as a mentor of sorts as I get all sorts of people due to this gate’s location. However, I digress. I’m just your typical worker, in a typical all black suit and tie. I’ll have a clipboard or book in hand to record what happens as well. Every now and then I will wear glasses if I don’t have a pair of contacts but it’s not like you’ll see any of this unless… it’s your time.
I have but two tasks: one is to usher in those that are ready to cross – whether they like it or not – as well as keeping what has crossed on the other side. It sounds quite simple and, frankly, it is for the most part but sometimes… it can get a bit messy you see.
Messy how? Well, let’s review what happened just a few nights ago.
As mentioned before, and to hammer this home, it is a bit strange to see someone walking the length of this gate at night. If anything, a sane bystander may contemplate on keeping away from said individual; however, what if that particular bystander has a haughty demeanor due to particular ties with a local and powerful gang in the city? Quite honestly, it means nothing to me and flaunting one’s status also means nothing to me. It means nothing to me and definitely means nothing to my gate. However, when you damage or disrespect the gate… well, it generally doesn’t end well.
It didn’t help that this person was already quite arrogant but one of the things I find to be in poor taste is being abhorrently intoxicated in a public place. Even more, I find it quite unbecoming to decide to, how should I say, “take a leak” on said gate. Normally, I wouldn’t quite be able to intervene but seeing how this person had already acknowledged me meant that it was his time.
Considering how he had the audacity to relieve himself on my gate and then proceed to hit on me no less, promising nonsense that only a drunk could, I snapped my book shut to cut him off altogether. There was no need to tolerate this farce any longer as I brushed aside the unclean hand with my pen and took a step to the side. He thought I was being coy initially and took one forward. I continued to retreat until we both stood on either side of the gate.
It cringed and shifted; wrought iron bowed and stretched until an otherwise gnarly and unusual doorway took its place. It went unnoticed by the man up until the door swung open slowly with a steady creak to reveal a darkness that no natural light would penetrate. It was only when he caught movement did he turn to see something stretching its way towards his shadow.
Once it latched on, it took an unnaturally strong pull to jolt the man into a state of sobriety to know that something was not right. By this point, however, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter when the next pull had him running past me. He wouldn’t get far.
They never did.
A click of my pen and the darkness attached to his shadow went taut making him fall face first. Another click of my pen had it dragging him back, despite his clawing and grasping at nothing. The way his fingertips bled as they scraped across the concrete did a lot to take away from all that bravado he had boasted just a few minutes prior. However, I did find it troublesome when he grabbed onto my ankle to keep from being pulled in. I could do nothing but scowl at the thought of having to launder out the bloodstains but that was why I wore black.
It hides bloodstains quite well.
Toeing off the man’s grasp, I listened to the string of profanities that filtered out the mouth of his before turning just in time to see him being enveloped in that ungodly blackness that snaked and slithered at the entrance. My attention then turned back to the bloody finger trails that man left. I wished he’d be more of a man and accept his fate. Resistance always prolonged the inevitable and left the gate to linger open longer than it should which usually leads to unneeded issues.
Case in point being that not even shortly after the man was dragged in, a few teenagers happened to go by. Obviously they paid me no mind as they were curious about the trails of blood on the pavement. As they drew near, I could only wish that the gate closed quicker. Unfortunately, that man’s struggles allowed it to linger a tad longer than it should and it never closed quick enough when it was actively pulling something into it.
My attention then went to the door in time to see the ever lingering darkness had managed to snake its way out as one teen came close enough to snatch up. It was so sudden that her friends wouldn’t have noticed she had been snatched if they weren’t immediately behind her. I can recall her screaming the minute she was pulled into the entryway, hands at either side of the gate to keep her from disappearing inside. However, the longer she stayed meant the longer the gate stayed open and I certainly couldn’t have that so I walked over to her before being surprised as she acknowledged me.
Perhaps it was her time after all.
I gave her a cursory glance before prying her fingers from the edge, ignoring the cries for help. I didn’t want to get involved more than this. A simple click of my pen and she was gone. Her screams lingered in the dark for a brief moment before I felt something warm splatter on my cheek as I went to turn away to see the other three teens looking at me with mouths agape.
This truly was going to be a messy night.
The second teen tried to bolt before their shadow had been ensnared and they were pulled towards the awaiting door, nails scratching along the ground until they bled. The third teen had been snagged by the second but they were quick to kick them off before trying to run away. The darkness had not snagged them by the shadow this time and went for a more frontal approach, snaking its way around the individuals waist and yanking them back with enough force to potential snap them in two.
I did nothing but adjust my glasses as I watched the pair get dragged into the doorway, leaving the last teen frozen in horror. I then made my way over to them and clamped my hand over their mouth as they went to scream.
We were at one of the furthest ends of the park but it would be rude to allow such a racket to wake or bring the attention of anyone in the vicinity. All too soon did the darkness come to take the third, snaking itself around their waist with enough force to potentially crush it but my attention was brought to the hands fisting the front of my suit. As my gaze slid towards the teen’s expression, I wasn’t surprised by the fear in their eyes before they were ripped away, disheveling my suit even further when they tugged me to the edge of the door just shy of entering it myself.
Again, muffled screams lingered for a moment before I felt a familiar warm spray across my face. Taking a step back to watch as the gate began to bow and twist, I removed my pocket square and began to dab away the blood from my face before moving on to clean my glasses.
Now, I will leave it up for you to decide on whether or not to believe my tale but I must say this, it is the wee hours of the night and yet you approached the individual walking the length of this gate. Most individuals would find that weird and decide to stand clear yet here you are. 687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pU6ytEjBx
Are you curious person or are you up to no good?
Then again, it doesn’t matter how you really choose to answer this question because one thing is certain.
No matter how much you struggle as this gate opens behind me just know that you won’t escape. And please try not to think so ill of me after all because I already told you that if you see me then you’re time is up. 687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7KoO0m2Y7
