0:00

Hi I'm Kristen. And I'm her little

0:02

brother William were. From the podcast guide to

0:04

the Unknown we only talk about scary stuff and

0:06

have a good time doing at com during the

0:08

scary fun every one. Wherever you get your

0:11

podcasts, you'll find guide to the Unknown.

0:16

Down here. Those.

0:18

Were the words my friend whispered to me that

0:20

night. And though a year has

0:22

passed, the first run my mind. Shapeless,

0:25

And meandering make a blinding fog.

0:28

When I entered his house the lights the front

0:30

were. Outside the weather

0:32

was still. The. Air thick and

0:34

muggy as of waiting for a breath. It

0:37

seemed as though the summer had been building towards

0:39

that evening. Stifled. Sweat

0:41

drenched sleepless nights one after

0:44

the other, We. Just needed

0:46

a little rain to clear the air. Forecasts,

0:48

Warned us that we were in for a lot worse

0:51

than that. But. They had been wrong

0:53

so often that many in our little suburb

0:55

did not listen. I was one

0:57

of them. I. Had received

0:59

a phone call from Aliyah an hour earlier.

1:01

It had been awhile since we had spoken. A

1:04

couple of years, In fact, When. I

1:06

answered the call. There was a momentary silence

1:08

before she spoke. For. Words trembled

1:11

with nervousness. I. Put this

1:13

down to anxiety. Is she probably

1:15

thought I would yell at her considering everything

1:17

that had happened before, but now I know

1:19

that was much more to it than that.

1:22

After a brief exchange of reluctant pleasantries, we

1:24

finally got down to the root of the

1:27

phone call. Days. Hit. Her

1:29

voice said quietly like. Seal.

1:33

Those. Were the last words I ever expected

1:35

her to say. Two. Years previous

1:37

my had cut both of them out of my life.

1:40

Only. And I had been in a relationship. albeit

1:42

in it's early stages. But. I

1:44

cared for her deeply. Eric. Was

1:47

a close friend. I need not

1:49

tell you what went on between them. It.

1:51

Was too painful then and still is

1:53

now. Why would Eric

1:55

need me I asked. Feeling the

1:58

old resentment, the festering but. Rail

2:00

still burning a poisoned hole somewhere in

2:02

the back of my mind. A.

2:04

Slight crackle of interference hummed over the

2:06

line. He said. We.

2:09

Broke up a few weeks ago. It's a won't get

2:11

help. I. Tried to get

2:13

through to him his parents to. Swat.

2:16

Listen to any of us. And.

2:18

You think you'll listen to me? What makes

2:20

you think I'd want to help him anyway?

2:22

Please Does it? Say. Interesting

2:24

side for a minute. If.

2:26

You can't do it for at. Do.

2:29

It for his parents. Are you

2:31

was right? There. Experience had always been good

2:33

to me when I was growing up. My.

2:35

Own parents were pretty cold, but Ericsson

2:37

always welcome be into their home with

2:39

open arms like a surrogate son. At.

2:42

First, I wasn't sure what held back to be.

2:45

But. From what are we are told me. David

2:47

have been suffering from delusions and refused

2:49

to seek medical help. It

2:52

shouldn't have come as a surprise to me. Eric

2:54

had been diagnosed with paranoid Schizophrenia

2:57

several years prior. It.

2:59

Had been a tough time for everyone who knew him. After.

3:02

Spending nearly a year in the psychiatric

3:04

wards, he was released back into the

3:06

community. Everyone. Rallied around

3:08

him and in time with

3:10

medication, therapy and support his

3:12

symptoms became manageable. As.

3:14

Long as he stayed away from booze and drugs,

3:16

it looked like he'd be able to live a

3:18

normal life. Things that obviously

3:21

changed since then. Of

3:23

the A sound, desperate and when she finally

3:25

told me that she had split up with

3:27

Eric a few weeks earlier, that soften the

3:29

blow to a degree. If. Eric

3:31

didn't have room men and least he could not

3:33

hold that over me. I'm ashamed

3:36

to admit it, but. Were. Lovers

3:38

involved. pettiness seeps through the

3:40

morrow. It gets into your

3:42

bones. As it turned out, Aliyah

3:44

had tried to phone Eric earlier that night and

3:46

check in on him. Although. They

3:48

were no longer an item. She still wanted to

3:51

make sure that he was okay while his family

3:53

was out of town. she had

3:55

promised eric's parents but she would check in on him

3:57

a couple of times while they were away on an

3:59

and important business trip. When

4:01

she knocked on his front door, Eric refused to let

4:04

her in, his voice sounding

4:06

manic and confused. I'm

4:08

afraid she's going to kill himself. The

4:12

pain in her voice was evident. The

4:14

fact that she still cared so much for him

4:16

stuck in my throat like a jagged lump of

4:19

ice, and yet I was unable

4:21

to resist the pain in her voice. She

4:23

was asking me for help, and there

4:26

was a satisfaction in that. Not

4:28

something I'm proud of, but there nonetheless.

4:31

Bolstered by this, and giving in

4:34

to what little affection I still had for Eric,

4:36

most of it from memories of us playing together

4:39

as children, I did as Aaliyah asked

4:41

and headed over to his parents' house. The

4:44

big storm weather forecasters had predicted still

4:46

had not hit. We

4:48

were warned that when it did we were

4:50

likely to see 100 mph winds, which

4:53

would bring with it damaged roofs, falling

4:55

trees, and power cuts. Driving

4:58

for 10 minutes to Eric's house, I looked

5:00

at the sky, which was a deep purple

5:02

red, with night about to fall.

5:04

Above, the clouds moved swiftly like sea

5:07

foam on a torrent, while

5:09

down at ground level things were deathly

5:11

quiet. Pulling up outside

5:13

Eric's family home, I got out of the

5:15

car and was immediately struck by the smell

5:17

of ozone in the air. I'd

5:20

always loved that smell, and the charged

5:22

feeling only present before a storm, but

5:25

in the back of my mind I knew I

5:27

could not hang around for too long.

5:30

Hopefully I would get back to my own place before the

5:32

storm hit. When I

5:34

reached Eric's front door, I expected to knock,

5:36

but as I raised my hand, the door

5:38

opened slowly. There, standing

5:40

in the light of his hall, was my

5:42

old friend. His black hair was

5:45

longer than I remembered, reaching down

5:47

to his jawline, which was covered in thubble,

5:50

and his eyes were red, as if

5:52

he'd been up all night or crying, probably

5:54

both. His unshaven face

5:56

stared at me in disbelief for a moment and

5:59

before I could so How much as muster a hello, Eric

6:01

reached out and wrapped both arms around me.

6:04

He held me close and let out a

6:07

short whimper, as if overcome with emotion. The

6:10

smell of tobacco and sweat from him

6:12

was strong and sickening, and immediately those

6:14

smells conjured up an image of Eric,

6:17

awake for several nights, smoking, pacing,

6:19

and trying to figure out some

6:21

horrid delusion. It's so

6:24

good to see you, David," he said, letting

6:26

go of me and ushering me inside. I've

6:29

missed you. Deep down

6:31

inside, I still sheltered resentment towards him

6:33

for stealing Aaliyah from me. But

6:36

seeing him in such a state of distress,

6:38

I felt the older feelings of care and

6:40

friendship returning to me, like blood

6:42

flowing to a limb, long gone to sleep.

6:45

A tingle, then a surge of emotion.

6:48

I had forgotten just how much I missed Eric

6:50

too. His parents' home was

6:52

a good size. Before Bedroom

6:55

Townhouse, Eric's mother had made a

6:57

tidy sum as a real estate agent, and so

6:59

the street they lived on was one of the

7:01

more affluent in the area. Since

7:04

Eric's breakdown, he'd been living with his family,

7:06

but they were away on a business trip for a

7:08

few days. I suppose they needed to get on with

7:11

their lives as much as anyone, and

7:13

that had left Eric to delve deeper into his

7:15

delusions. I followed him down

7:17

the hallway, and as I did so, I noticed

7:19

that the cellar door was open slightly. A

7:22

solitary lightbulb glowed at the foot of a

7:24

flight of stairs burrowing under the house. As

7:27

I peered down there, Eric turned

7:29

to me and reacted quickly to my curiosity.

7:32

He reached across and pushed the cellar door

7:34

shut, and as he did

7:36

so, a draft caught the lightbulb dangling below.

7:40

It moved slowly like a pendulum, catching

7:42

wooden beams in boxes with its light,

7:45

spreading shadows momentarily before the door

7:47

clicked shut. How have

7:49

you been, Eric? I asked,

7:51

walking through the doorway into the living room.

7:55

Slumping into an armchair, he didn't answer me

7:57

at first. He reached up

7:59

with his hand and rubbed his head. his forehead,

8:01

pushing his long hair against his eyes as if

8:03

in pain. Aaliaphoned me. That

8:06

was enough to get his attention. He

8:08

looked up at me as I sat across from

8:10

him in a wicker chair, which I knew was

8:12

once his grandmother's. We stared

8:15

at each other across the tiny space between us.

8:18

Outside, the clouds swirled and closed

8:20

in, visible through a large

8:22

window which looked down on a sloping hill.

8:25

You know he broke up then. Eric

8:27

didn't take his eyes off me for one second, as

8:30

if he were searching for a tell. Perhaps

8:32

he was frightened that I was now entangled with her.

8:36

Yeah, I know. I answered,

8:38

looking him straight in the eye. He

8:40

scratched the stubble on his neck. Are you two a

8:43

thing now? I laughed. It

8:46

was a ridiculous question, after everything

8:48

she and Eric had put me through. No,

8:51

we're not, and won't ever be. I'm

8:54

here because I don't want your parents to come back from

8:56

their trip to find you swinging from a rope. There

8:59

was a silence between us. Eric looked

9:01

at me through thin strands of hair. Aaliyah

9:04

thinks you're suicidal, are you? I

9:07

took off my jacket, placing it next to me. I…

9:11

The hesitation told all. Christ,

9:13

Eric, what are you thinking? I

9:16

was getting agitated. I had

9:18

hoped that I would come and see him and

9:20

find that Aaliyah's claims were exaggerated, but

9:22

his soul and expression, the fact that

9:25

he had not watched for days and the look in his

9:27

eyes, there was every chance that I

9:29

would have to phone an ambulance and let a psych ward

9:31

deal with him. You don't

9:33

understand, David. You

9:35

can't. Try me. I

9:38

moved to the edge of my seat, clasping my hands.

9:41

Eric, I'm here for you, believe me. I

9:43

wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be. Sign.

9:47

Eric rubbed his eyes, as if to rid

9:49

himself of tears or tiredness. Perhaps

9:52

both. Just promise me you'll stay away from Aaliyah. I

9:55

don't think I could cope. And

9:57

I could. You don't understand, David.

10:00

I'm on the edge here. One

10:02

push. And I'm finished."

10:06

I'm not interested in her. She left me

10:08

for you, Eric. You're best done with

10:10

her. We both are. Now, are you

10:12

going to tell me what's happening or what? Have

10:14

you been taking your medication?" A look

10:16

fluttered across Eric's face. Guilt,

10:19

shame, helplessness. Take

10:21

your pick. There's your answer, then. I

10:24

was relieved that there was a solution. Where

10:27

are they? We need to start taking them

10:29

to help you balance out. You know that. It's

10:31

not the medication, David. He now gazed across

10:33

at me intently. It's… She

10:37

won't believe me. Something

10:39

then tapped against the window. Eric

10:41

recoiled back in his chair, his eyes wide

10:44

with fear. What's that? It

10:46

was almost dark, and something outside was

10:48

attracted to a lamp, which sat next

10:50

to the window. It's just

10:52

a moth or something. Is it? Well,

10:55

yes. I assured him,

10:57

as the indistinct shape now moved off,

11:00

what else would it be? Oh, God.

11:03

Eric started whimpering, bringing his hands up

11:05

to his mouth. He stared

11:07

at the rich red carpet at his feet

11:09

and shuddered as if a great anxiety were

11:11

trying to escape from inside. Seeing

11:14

Eric like that, I could not help but feel pity

11:16

for him. The illness had robbed

11:19

him of his mind in the past, and now it

11:21

was threatening to do the same again. Eric,

11:23

please, just tell me what's upsetting you.

11:26

I can help. At first,

11:28

he seemed unresponsive, but

11:30

after fetching him a glass of water, he finally

11:33

gave in to my request. His

11:35

only stipulation was that I had to be open-minded

11:37

about what he had to tell me. Sitting

11:40

forward on the edge of his chair, the night

11:42

now in full effect as the wind began to

11:45

howl outside, Eric told his tale.

11:48

Everything was fine up until a few weeks ago. Things

11:51

seemed great with Aliyah. My

11:54

parents were really pleased because we were talking about

11:57

getting a place together. I

11:59

think mum and dad... It's time I try and

12:01

get back out on my own two feet. And

12:04

with Aaliyah, anything

12:06

seemed possible. I'm

12:11

sorry, David. I

12:13

know it's not fair to go on about her to you.

12:16

I just mean that I've been stable for a

12:18

good while now and I was ready

12:20

to move on with my life. Every

12:23

day I go for a long walk. It

12:25

gets the endorphins going. It helps my mood. The

12:28

doctor says exercise is critical for mental health

12:30

and I've really felt

12:32

that. It's made a big

12:34

difference. I go for a walk

12:37

and listen to a podcast. That

12:39

walk is something I look forward to each and

12:41

every day. But on

12:43

that day, about three weeks ago, it was

12:46

different. I just finished listening to

12:48

something on my phone when I came to my usual spot,

12:51

just next to King's Park train station. Now

12:54

normally, I walk back up past the

12:56

primary school and up towards home but

12:59

something caught my attention. I

13:02

know it sounds weird, but I thought I

13:04

could see smoke coming from the railway bridge. From

13:07

the street on top at least. I mean, you

13:10

ever looked at a road on a hot day and

13:12

you see that haze coming off of it? Well,

13:15

it was like that. But there was a

13:17

kind of... a little fuzziness to

13:19

it. Like some of it was

13:22

transparent and the rest... I

13:25

thought something was burning, so I walked across King's

13:27

Park Avenue and ended up standing at one end

13:29

of the bridge. When

13:31

I got closer, I couldn't

13:33

believe what I was seeing. There

13:36

was no traffic around that time, but I

13:38

swear to you, David, I

13:40

saw this black haze in the middle of

13:42

the road. There was no

13:44

fire. It was just

13:47

sitting there on the top of the road

13:49

surface about three feet high. Looking

13:51

around, I was alone with it on the bridge. I

13:54

started to walk towards it. And

13:57

as I did, things got stranger.

14:00

I could hear my footsteps but they sounded sort of

14:04

muddied, deep by... It

14:08

may sound dull, it may

14:11

even manana, but this

14:13

is what miracles sound like. This

14:16

is the sound of a child's surgery being

14:18

performed by a robot. Our

14:21

personalized care leads to miraculous things,

14:26

like innovative procedures with less

14:28

pain and faster recovery. Children's

14:31

Hospital Colorado. Here, it's

14:34

different. And stifle

14:36

somehow, no echo or

14:39

nothing. Like I'd walked

14:41

into a small room and looked

14:43

up and the sun blinded me for a

14:45

second. It was brighter than

14:47

before but I swear, it was

14:50

like I was looking at everything through water.

14:53

You know how it bends light? Then

14:55

the black haze, smoke, whatever

14:57

it was, it started moving off

14:59

to the side. It

15:02

mounted the pavement and then reached the wall

15:04

above the train station. It

15:06

started moving. I

15:09

swear to god, David, it started

15:11

moving like a person or an

15:13

animal or something like it had

15:15

hands. It climbed

15:17

over the wall and disappeared over the edge of the bridge.

15:20

There was another silence. I

15:22

guess that Eric was waiting for me to react

15:25

but I didn't know what to say except, Eric,

15:28

you were hallucinating again. That's

15:30

all it was. You need to take your

15:32

medication. Eric looked at

15:34

me with bleeding eyes. No,

15:37

it wasn't a hallucination. I

15:40

swear, it was real. And

15:43

this is what's been on your mind. Eric

15:45

calmed for the moment and sank back into his

15:48

story. As soon

15:50

as it disappeared under the bridge, everything

15:52

went back to normal and I ran home

15:54

in a panic. I thought just

15:56

like you do now, I thought it

15:58

was a hallucination. But

16:00

David, I was still

16:02

taking my medication then." That

16:04

made things worse. If Eric's

16:07

medication was wearing off or he was

16:09

relapsing, there was no telling how bad he

16:11

would get. I had seen him

16:13

at his worst years before. It

16:15

took him and his family years to get over it.

16:18

Eric, I said, not

16:20

sure what I was going to say next. Let

16:23

me finish. I need

16:25

to get this off my chest. I

16:27

wish I'd been able to leave what I saw at

16:29

the back of my mind, but over the

16:31

next couple of days, I started to obsess

16:34

about what I'd seen. And

16:37

not doing a very good job of putting it into words,

16:40

but I kept thinking about the haze coming

16:42

off the ground and the black smoke inside.

16:45

Once, I couldn't stop thinking

16:47

about how it climbed over the wall like

16:49

it had arms. He went back?

16:53

I asked, knowing the answer before I'd

16:55

even asked the question. Something

16:57

tapped against the window again. Eric

17:00

looked at the sheet of glass, his face

17:02

drained of color. The outside

17:04

world was now a deep, abyssal black,

17:07

orange streetlights from the city beyond the

17:09

only reprieve. Sweat

17:11

dripped from my friend's forehead and his

17:13

mouth began to tremble. Eric,

17:15

look, I said standing up. I

17:18

walked over to the side and pulled the tall

17:20

lampstand over to the glass. There,

17:23

a large moth bumped against the glass,

17:25

feverishly trying to reach the light. See,

17:28

it's just a moth. Nothing to worry

17:30

about. Can you be sure? said

17:33

Eric, slumping back into his chair, looking

17:35

exhausted. Moving back to

17:37

my chair, I sat down, ready to continue

17:39

the conversation. What happened when you

17:42

went back to the bridge? I couldn't help

17:44

myself. I had to see if it

17:46

had just been all in my head. What

17:48

did you see? Nothing. I

17:51

saw nothing. Well,

17:53

there you go, Eric. It was just

17:55

a one-off incident. I'm sure once

17:57

you take your- I Saw nothing. But

18:00

I heard something the delusion had obviously

18:02

taken full hold. My old friend and

18:05

I worried that it was becoming more

18:07

likely as the storm closed and that

18:09

I would have to phone an ambulance

18:11

to have him committed. was sectioned. What

18:14

did you hear? I said hoping that

18:16

by talking through it, I could persuade him

18:18

out of his obsession. I got to the

18:20

bridge. It was raining but not

18:23

too has he does nothing that's just a

18:25

couple of taught causes. Some I'm walking with

18:27

an umbrella on the other side of the

18:29

street. Ah Me was delighted

18:31

that I could see anything. But.

18:33

Another path. She wanted to

18:36

know more about that strange thing on the road.

18:39

When I reached a section of the

18:41

war with Singh had climbed over I

18:43

hesitated for a second. The wolves to

18:45

high dps stray over us. But.

18:47

It was just above one of the arts is

18:49

with the train line runs through. Stood there for

18:52

a moment. Waiting. Just

18:54

as much of it's myself that it was all in my

18:57

mind. I felt

18:59

that strange oppressive atmosphere.

19:01

can't. Split. The sounds of the

19:03

world had been dead and. Then

19:06

I heard a voice. A

19:08

team from under the bridge and said

19:10

enough for a response. So.

19:18

Terrified. I. Caught to

19:20

say how sinister was, but I saw a

19:22

strange to Paulson to do just as it

19:24

said, Or. Assed.

19:27

I'm not sure if it was a commander

19:29

of quest. To. Lose

19:32

it mean was it other me was under

19:34

the bridge which I had to see what

19:36

was it was spring that phrase for some

19:38

other purpose. Struggled.

19:41

Against the out to follow Knowing that to

19:43

given to was loosely she would be such

19:45

a huge step back for me. Say.

19:47

Would jeopardize my state of mind. Letting.

19:50

Be illness schemes. So I

19:52

came home. But

19:54

with each step towards my mom and

19:56

dad's house. The thought that it was

19:58

a hallucination tugged at. me, that

20:01

I'd witnessed, and heard, something

20:04

incredible. Those thoughts

20:06

wouldn't leave me, and so by

20:08

the next day I knew I'd have to return. I'd

20:11

have to find out what it was without facing it,

20:14

without putting myself in danger. I hoped

20:16

that I would find nothing, and

20:18

so then I could be sure that it was all in my head." Rain

20:21

now joined the window outside, tapping

20:23

the glass furiously like a thousand

20:25

unseen fingernails. It looked like

20:27

that storm arrived. My

20:29

heart sank a little. I had

20:32

hoped to avoid driving home in it, especially

20:34

given the weather warnings. I

20:36

knew I would have to leave soon, but

20:38

I was gripped by Eric's account of his

20:40

hallucination. I wanted to be sure

20:42

that he would not do anything silly once I had left.

20:45

Just a little longer, I thought. Eric

20:48

looked out at the water, dripping down the outside of

20:50

the glass. You should go, David. Before

20:53

this gets worse. It's

20:56

okay, Eric. Please, at

20:58

least tell me the rest of your story, and then we can

21:00

chat about how to get you back on the right track. I

21:02

went back to the bridge the following day, but

21:05

this time I took a camera with me. My

21:08

DSLR. I wanted to

21:10

see if I could capture an image of whatever that thing

21:12

was. So, I

21:15

waited until about 2pm. The

21:17

place was always quiet at that time. No

21:19

school kids running around at their lunch break and no

21:21

one else coming and going from their work. I

21:24

got to the bridge and… He trailed

21:26

off for a moment, turning his attention to the

21:28

window, where the rain now

21:31

lashed against the house outside. There

21:33

was a look on his face, just a

21:35

flicker as if he thought he saw something, before

21:38

shaking his head slightly and whispering a few

21:40

words to himself. I never

21:42

heard what it was, but it had

21:44

all the hallmarks of someone reassuring themselves that

21:46

all was well in the world, even

21:49

though trouble clearly brewed. Composing

21:52

himself, he continued, "...at

21:55

first, I stood where the thing had

21:57

climbed over the wall, just waiting to

21:59

see if anything was said. But

22:02

all I heard was a train moving underneath

22:04

and stopping at the station before heading off

22:06

to Glasgow Central. So

22:09

I walked down the station stairs and took a couple

22:11

of shots of the stone arches from about half

22:13

way down. I'd never been afraid

22:15

of that place before. I used to

22:17

play around there as kids. Remember? I

22:20

mean, Kingsbark train station can be a little

22:22

isolated but apart from that, in

22:25

fact, I'd always enjoyed getting the

22:27

Newton train on my way home from town. But

22:29

something was different about it. Looking

22:32

at the stone arches, I could

22:34

see where the trains passed under the

22:36

bridge. But I realised then that that was not

22:38

where the haze would have hidden. On

22:40

the embankment, directly beneath that part of the

22:43

wall, was another half arch which

22:45

was covered by overgrown form bushes. There's

22:48

no train line through that. Do you

22:50

know what I'm talking about? We climbed down there

22:52

a couple of times when we were kids. Remember?

22:55

I laughed. That was something I

22:57

had long forgotten about, but it was true.

23:00

We had climbed down there once. I

23:02

remember being egged on to run across the train

23:04

tracks. When we had gotten

23:07

to the half arch, we found it filled mostly

23:09

with soil, but there was a pretty big

23:11

space inside. It was dark and

23:13

spanned the width of the street above. Once

23:16

inside, you could stand up. It

23:18

felt like another world in some ways. When

23:21

Eric and I had been kids, we had

23:23

built countless dens around Kings Park and

23:25

found several places away from prying eyes.

23:28

Those were secret places where we would visit,

23:31

our crowd of friends feeling like a group of

23:33

bandits in their hideout. That

23:35

thought was exciting, but we didn't frequent the

23:37

half arch under the bridge very often. It

23:40

was too dark, too cold and damp.

23:43

I think we were about twelve at the time, and

23:45

I remember we found some smudges in the

23:47

soil, which our friend Stuart swore were footprints.

23:49

I guess we only went

23:52

back once or twice after that. And

23:54

when we found more markings in the ground, we decided

23:56

we didn't want to run into the owner down there

23:59

in the dark, but away from the world. That,

24:02

and when the trains passed through the

24:04

main archway, which we were about a

24:06

foot of solid stone away from, the

24:08

place vibrated like hell. The

24:10

noise was deafening. I remember

24:12

thinking I could feel my insides moving as

24:14

the trains passed. It was

24:16

not a pleasant sensation. Did

24:18

you see anything in the half arch? Not

24:21

at first. Eric scratched the stubble

24:23

under his chin. I

24:25

took two pictures and checked them on my

24:27

DSLR. I could only snap the

24:29

opening of the half arch as it's further away on

24:31

the other side of the train tracks. There

24:34

was nothing unusual about the photos, so I turned

24:36

to walk all the way onto the platform to

24:38

see if I could get a better view. The

24:40

train station was empty. Again, I

24:42

took a few pictures on the edge of the platform,

24:45

but all I got was the blackness of the opening under

24:47

the bridge. A train neared,

24:49

and I heard the high-pitched whine on the tracks

24:52

before it reached me. When

24:54

it stopped, a few people got

24:56

off, but not many. Then, the

24:58

train continued on its way far down the

25:01

line towards Glasgow Central. When

25:03

I turned to look at the archway once more, I was

25:05

struck by what you saw. A

25:07

form of some kind, peeking out,

25:11

glaring at me from the archway. A

25:14

transparent haze with something black,

25:16

like smoke or mould at

25:18

its centre. Quickly,

25:20

I raised my camera and took a picture as it

25:22

moved back under the bridge. Then

25:24

it was gone. Let me guess, when you

25:27

looked at the picture, there was nothing there. A wry

25:30

smile crept across Eric's face as

25:32

the storm, wind, rain, and all

25:34

was now in full effect outside.

25:37

He stood up excitedly and rushed out of the

25:39

room. Moments

25:41

later, he returned, camera in hand.

25:44

With a click, the camera powered on, and

25:46

a dull glow emanated from the LCD

25:48

screen, uplighting Eric's face

25:51

like a macabre gargoyle as he smiled

25:53

down at his work. Here,

25:57

take a look for yourself, handing me

25:59

the camera. camera, he sat back down in his

26:01

chair, the excitement in his face

26:04

now diminishing, replaced once more

26:06

with worry. I looked down

26:08

at the LCD screen. It was

26:10

indeed a picture of a half arch under the

26:12

station bridge. At first glance

26:14

I could see nothing, but as

26:16

I zoomed in, sure enough there it

26:18

was. A shape of

26:21

some description cast in shadow. It

26:24

was difficult to make out. It

26:26

could have been almost anything. This

26:28

is your ghost? Ha! A

26:31

ghost? Who knows? Maybe

26:34

that's exactly what it is. Maybe

26:36

it isn't. Maybe it's something

26:39

we're not meant to see and for some

26:41

reason I was unlucky enough to cross paths

26:43

of it on that day. Something

26:46

which usually stays at a sight. Now

26:49

it doesn't want me to go on telling people

26:51

about it. You're putting far too much

26:53

weight on a blurry image, Eric. It

26:55

could be dirt on the lens or an

26:57

insect moving quickly in front of the camera.

26:59

No! Eric was getting angry. Look at it!

27:01

He stood up and practically leapt over to

27:03

me. Look at the shadow cast

27:05

across it! That's from the bridge! Whatever

27:08

it is, it was there, and

27:10

it's under the half archway. The

27:13

wind battered against the window, the glass

27:15

reverberating, and with it a flash

27:17

of lightning across the sky. Eric

27:19

turned to it for a moment, then returned

27:21

his gaze to mine, standing above me. You

27:24

should go. You don't believe me.

27:27

And this storm is only going to get

27:29

worse. It's not

27:31

that I don't believe you saw something, Eric,

27:34

but look at it objectively. Either

27:36

you saw something otherworldly that can't be

27:38

explained or you hallucinated, which has happened

27:40

to you before when your medication needed

27:43

tweaking. Which seems more likely. It's

27:45

nothing to do with my schizophrenia. It

27:48

has everything to do with that thing under the

27:50

bridge. His voice trailed off

27:52

for a moment, as if a distant

27:54

threat made itself known in his mind.

27:56

David... it spoke to

27:58

me. Said.

28:01

Down. Here. It

28:03

wants me to go somewhere I can

28:05

feel it. Have you been back to

28:07

the bridge since you took the photo? He

28:09

shook his head. Nine. Five.

28:12

No need to. More. Do you mean.

28:15

I. Asked worried. I. Don't

28:17

think I've ever been alone, says the day

28:19

I took his picture. Not.

28:21

Truly, you mean you've seen

28:23

elsewhere know exactly? A look

28:25

of frustration swept across his

28:27

face. He started pacing up

28:29

and down, ringing his hands as

28:32

he spoke the heights. It

28:34

hides in the dark. And.

28:37

I think he can last long in the light. I

28:39

think the day I saw in the sun

28:41

and the haze around it. Think

28:44

it might have been burning. Burning.

28:46

Come on Eric, Snap out of it. Let

28:48

me prove it's you. David, Come with me

28:50

to the bridge tomorrow. What's the storm? As

28:53

past. Is there's nothing there? Than

28:55

I'll concede. it's in my mind. And

28:57

is this something the maybe ruby the first

28:59

come face to face with. Has

29:02

I know what exactly? But it

29:04

can be monumental when someone is kind such

29:07

a delusion, Trying to persuade them out of

29:09

it can be a thankless task. I.

29:11

Had to change my strategy. Okay

29:14

or tomorrow will go to the

29:16

bridge on one condition. Name.

29:18

It. You. Start taking your medication

29:20

right now. Eric. Reluctantly agreed

29:22

to my terms and I watched as

29:24

he took his medication pill by till.

29:27

I knew how the drugs worked. It

29:29

would be some time perhaps even weeks before

29:31

they would start to affect to system and

29:33

bring him back to earth. But

29:36

the earlier he took them, the sooner he'd be

29:38

back to his usual self. After.

29:40

That he assured me that he would be okay.

29:43

My. Promise of going to the bridge the next

29:45

day seem to have lessened his feverish behavior.

29:48

He. Actually thanked me. Now

29:50

he did not feel so alone. After.

29:53

That. He then walked me to the front door

29:55

and we said our goodbyes. Tomorrow.

29:57

We would see what we would see. I.

29:59

hope hoped that it would be reason. Outside,

30:04

the complexion of the night had

30:06

changed markedly. The storm was

30:08

now rampant, and so I hurried out onto

30:10

the street and to my car, pulling my

30:12

jacket around me. Thunder

30:14

roared overhead, up in the black clouds, and

30:16

the wind raged against it in return, nearly

30:18

knocking me off my feet as I reached

30:20

the door of my car. As

30:28

I sat in the driver's seat, even with

30:30

my windshield wipers on, I was staring through

30:32

a sheet of water which warped the world

30:34

and all of its shadows. What

30:36

had been a simple drive earlier in the night was

30:38

now going to be fraught with danger. Above,

30:41

the lightning sparked, and soon after,

30:43

the thunder clapped like gods waging

30:45

war in the sky. I

30:48

was taken back to being a child on a

30:50

caravan holiday. I remembered the

30:52

thunder sounding like it was just above where I

30:54

slept, roaring so loud that

30:56

I imagined my bones shaking. It

30:59

was the first time I realized that man is

31:01

powerless when faced with the will of nature. This

31:04

is crazy. I said to

31:06

myself, commenting on both the ferocity of the

31:08

storm and my foolish attempt to travel home

31:11

during it, but I felt I

31:13

had already done my bit and did not want to spend

31:15

more time with Eric than I had to. I

31:18

wanted to help, but our friendship was

31:20

far from mended, and the thought

31:22

of spending the night in his company was something for

31:24

which I was not ready. The

31:27

car grumbled to life, and I waited for a

31:29

moment to see if the rain would subside enough

31:31

for me to see better. The

31:33

windshield wipers flashed back and forth over

31:35

the glass in excited motion, barely

31:37

providing a split second of good visibility

31:40

through every movement. The

31:42

lightning and thunder screeched once more, it

31:44

felt closer that time, and

31:46

as I looked around me, two trees

31:48

further along the road were being shoved around,

31:50

bending and leaning in the wind, so

31:53

much so that they looked like they could give in

31:55

at any moment. Another

31:57

flash of lightning, this time forked. cutting

32:00

across the sky like a bloodied scar, peeking

32:03

through the dark clouds. Just

32:06

as I concluded that the weather was not going to

32:08

get any better, in fact, it looked

32:10

like it was getting worse, I turned

32:12

my attention to Eric's house again. The

32:15

lights were off. The storm

32:17

must have caused a power outage, as the

32:19

other houses in the street were also now

32:21

bathed in darkness, and the

32:23

streetlights were no longer working. He's

32:25

an adult, I said to myself. He

32:28

can take care of himself. Then I

32:30

thought about something he had said earlier in the evening. It

32:33

hides. It hides in the dark. I

32:37

berated myself for even considering it. No,

32:39

whatever he saw that day under the

32:42

bridge was a hallucination, but

32:44

now, stuck in the dark, I

32:46

had an image of Eric in my mind,

32:48

besieged by his own illness, seeing

32:50

and hearing things that were not there. And

32:53

with myself that I could not just drive away, I

32:56

opened my car door to the elements and headed

32:58

back towards Eric's house. The

33:00

street was in complete darkness, the only

33:03

light source the increasing cracks of lightning,

33:05

which drew hideous caricatures of the world

33:07

around me in shadow. Taking

33:10

out my phone, I turned on the flashlight

33:12

and used the underpowered narrow beam to light

33:14

my footsteps as best I could. A

33:17

gust of wind blew towards me, and in it

33:19

I found it difficult to breathe. I

33:21

walked at an angle against it, passing a tree

33:23

which groaned under the weight of the wind, which

33:26

itself swirled around everything, consuming

33:29

it in an elemental roar. Quickly

33:32

I moved down the garden path, and

33:34

finally I reached Eric's front door. I

33:37

was expecting to have to knock, go in and

33:39

make sure he was okay, perhaps even

33:41

reluctantly spend the night until the power came

33:44

back on, but when I reached the

33:46

front door, it was lying open. The

33:49

winds now carried the rain into the open doorway.

33:52

All I could see was the blackness therein,

33:54

and presented with it, I felt nervous

33:57

about stepping inside. Eric? It's

34:00

David, how are you Okay I shouted

34:02

trying my best to be heard of

34:04

the storm that nothing was said in

34:06

return. Moving inside, I

34:08

was cautious of where I was stepping in

34:10

the dark. The. House was a

34:13

mirror image of the world outside. The

34:15

ferocity inverted. The space

34:18

was still and lifeless. Eric.

34:21

I shouted again. The door creaked along

34:23

the hallway for me and so phone

34:25

and hand I made my way towards

34:27

the living room where we had spoken

34:30

before. The two chairs in

34:32

which we sat now they empty. The glass

34:34

of water Eric had drunk from when taking

34:36

his pills lay on it's side. The

34:38

remnants of the water dripping onto the floor. And

34:41

was about to shout Eric's name for the third

34:43

time, but something stayed on my tongue. A

34:46

feeling that someone was watching me. Footsteps.

34:49

Now quit the sounded behind. They rushed down

34:51

the hallway and then were accompanied by the

34:53

sound of a door opening up. Turning

34:56

to the hallway, I cannot see

34:58

anyone there, but now something had

35:00

changed. the door halfway along. Blown

35:02

out and open Ericsson I was

35:04

put under my breath, almost scared

35:06

by the idea of what might

35:08

answer. I cannot explain the irrational

35:10

thoughts which were running through my

35:12

mind, clamoring for images and forms,

35:15

was surrounded by the nothingness of

35:17

night. Mentally. Filling the void

35:19

with something tangible. Walking. Towards

35:21

the door. Slowly I peered around it.

35:24

And saw that led down into the cellar. A

35:27

steep set of wouldn't stairs delve deep

35:29

below the house. Eric: Are you there's?

35:31

A sunset. My voice louder this

35:34

time. I thought I heard

35:36

an almost inaudible creek below, but it

35:38

was quickly drowned out by not a

35:40

crash of thunder. The wind

35:42

howled like a banshee, finding cracks in the

35:44

building through which to seat. And

35:46

I was gripped by uncertainty. I

35:49

could have run, or at the very

35:51

least, state upstairs. Perhaps I should have.

35:54

but the nine image of eric

35:56

cowering terrified below was enough to

35:58

shake me into action I

36:01

resented him for what he had done to me, for

36:03

taking a lea from me. But

36:05

I knew how debilitating his illness was, and

36:07

I could not in good conscience leave him to it, or

36:10

it to him. Wearily, I descended

36:12

the stairs, knocking the dust from

36:14

them as I did so. They

36:16

were evidently rarely trodden, but there was no

36:19

doubt that Eric had used them recently, perhaps

36:22

just moments before, as

36:24

I could see large smudges in patches of

36:26

dust which looked like footprints on each step.

36:29

My own footsteps sounded like dim remnants

36:31

of the thunder outside, with

36:34

a dark storm of unknown waiting for me at

36:36

the foot of the stairs. Lightning

36:38

clattered near the house again, the momentary spark

36:41

shining through a small vent near the roof

36:43

of the cellar. The light

36:45

from my phone was not enough to illuminate the entirety

36:47

of the room, but from what I could see, I

36:50

was amazed at how empty it was. The

36:52

floor was like powdered concrete, the

36:54

occasional cardboard box sitting upon it, filled

36:57

with childhood memories and toys. A

36:59

thick layer of dust covered the little that was there.

37:02

It was clear then that the cellar had never

37:04

been converted into a habitable part of the house.

37:07

There should have been no one down there, good or

37:09

bad, but the sight of a darkened

37:11

doorway in front of me filled me with dread

37:13

no less. Ducking

37:15

underneath, I found myself in another empty

37:17

room. The walls made from old,

37:20

red and brick, but the color was

37:22

dampened by the dust. The cellar

37:24

was a copy of the house above, like a

37:26

dark twin. The same layout,

37:28

the same rooms, the same hallway at

37:30

its center. But while the house

37:33

above was filled with the things of the living,

37:35

the cellar was filled with their absence. Eric!

37:38

I whispered now. I'm not sure

37:40

why. I had never been one

37:42

to be frightened by the dark, not since I was

37:44

a child, but down there in

37:46

the darkness, while lightning crackled up high

37:49

in the atmosphere, I felt justified in

37:51

my caution. The sound

37:53

of a foot scuffling the powdered concrete floor

37:55

sent a cold shiver through my veins. Apprehension

37:58

took hold of me. and a deep

38:00

desire to go back upstairs threatened to

38:02

overthrow any notion of finding or helping

38:05

Eric. A self-preservation which,

38:07

like the dust hanging in the

38:09

air, blanketed my emotions. My

38:12

heart raced, my breathing rasped as I

38:14

inhaled the dust, moving in a panic,

38:16

I headed back to the stairs. At

38:19

least that was my intention. For

38:21

a moment, caught in the grip of

38:23

anxiety, I became disoriented, turning

38:26

I could see two doorways, and I was

38:28

unsure which one I had come through. Staring

38:31

at them anxiously, I tried to set my

38:33

thinking on a more sensible course. All

38:36

I had to do was walk through one of the doorways.

38:39

If I then found myself in an unfamiliar part

38:41

of the cellar, I would turn back and go

38:43

through the other door. Then,

38:45

it felt as though the air became

38:47

charged, like the tense warning before

38:49

lightning struck. My skin turned

38:51

to goosebumps and, reaching up, I could

38:53

feel the hair on the back of

38:56

my head standing on end from the

38:58

static electricity. My attention momentarily distracted from

39:00

the two doorways, but was quickly

39:02

brought back into focus. When, from one of

39:05

the rooms ahead, I heard it. A

39:07

voice, in a barely audible

39:10

whisper, where I could hear more breath

39:12

and saliva in the mouth than speech,

39:14

someone spoke two words. But

39:17

they were so indistinct that I could not be

39:19

sure what they were, nor even if

39:21

they had been a figment of my imagination, a

39:24

product of my strange surroundings. Whether

39:26

it was because of Eric's story or not,

39:28

I cannot say, but the only

39:30

phrase I could fit to those two

39:32

whispered sounds was, Down here. A

39:35

cold sweat clung to my body, and a

39:37

nervousness gripped me as my hand began to

39:39

shake while holding the phone. The

39:42

light from it vibrated in return, and

39:44

I stood for what felt like a

39:46

lifetime staring at the two doorways. And

39:48

which one contained the voice? Which

39:50

one contained my path to freedom? Excitement

39:53

then grew as I remembered the powdered concrete

39:55

at my feet. Looking down,

39:58

the blue light from my phone dimly

40:00

lit smudged markings on the floor, which I

40:02

was certain were my own. They

40:04

led back through the doorway on the right. Feeling

40:08

courage return, I stepped through, and in a

40:10

moment of utter shock, I realized that the

40:12

markings were not made by me. I

40:15

found myself in an unfamiliar part of the

40:17

cellar and turned immediately to leave. When

40:20

I did so, it all

40:22

happened so fast. My light caught

40:24

something in front of me, a person or

40:26

a form. It moved past

40:28

me and headed through another doorway. Then

40:31

I heard the scream, Eric scream.

40:33

It's here! He shrieked, manic,

40:35

clearly in the throes of his delusion.

40:38

I followed quickly, then heard panicked

40:40

footsteps accompany the cries, which

40:42

now turned to a plea. A

40:44

direct plea to me. Follow

40:46

it, David, it's here! The footsteps now ran

40:49

up the staircase, and as they did, I

40:51

noticed that the charged feeling in the atmosphere

40:53

had dissipated. The lightning must

40:55

have struck elsewhere. The

40:58

feeling of dread lifted and was then

41:00

replaced with a kind of anxiety. Up

41:02

above, I heard Eric run down his hallway

41:05

and out into the night, screaming, I see

41:07

it! I see it!

41:09

Clamoring through the cellar, I finally found

41:11

the staircase, and, relieved that I was

41:13

leaving that dark place behind, rushed up

41:15

them in pursuit of my friend. I

41:19

gave chase and headed out into the night. The

41:21

rain was coming down in sheets, and

41:24

above, the lightning and thunder coerced each

41:26

other into terrifying displays of combined might.

41:29

But there was no sign of Eric in the garden. The

41:33

water streamed down my face, making it difficult to

41:35

see as the wind battered me from left and

41:37

right, a swirling and visible

41:39

force intent on leaving no stone

41:42

unturned. Rushing out

41:44

to the street, I looked again. At

41:46

the top of the hill, some way away, I

41:48

saw him. Eric was running through

41:50

the night. He had too

41:52

much of a head start, and in any case,

41:54

was faster. I would never catch him on

41:56

my feet. A gust of wind

41:59

and rain buffeted my feet. me around before I

42:01

finally reached my car and got inside,

42:03

turning the ignition. The engine

42:05

burst to lay, growling as if threatened by

42:07

the storm. Putting my

42:09

foot down, I drove up the street in his direction.

42:12

It would only take me seconds to catch up to

42:14

him, even in that damned weather. But

42:17

the night had other plans for me. I

42:19

was gaining, but just as I reached within

42:21

a few feet of him, ready to stop

42:23

and pull him into my car, a painful

42:25

creek shrieked nearby. The

42:27

groan of a life ending, a

42:30

tree which had stood for at least

42:32

a hundred years, found actually climbing. Instinctively,

42:35

my foot slammed onto the brakes. I

42:37

felt a thump as the part of my car smashed

42:40

into the tree trunk lined before me. A

42:42

large branch jutted out, and as I

42:44

crashed, it smashed through the windshield. While

42:47

thoughts only a second before and hit

42:49

into the dashboard, my heart pounded. The

42:53

glass shattered over me, and the wind and rain broke

42:55

into the car like a swarm of rats. Disoriented,

42:58

I opened the door to my right and

43:00

fell face first onto the road. The

43:03

concrete surface gushed with water, carrying with

43:05

it leaves and dirt. As

43:07

I hit the ground, the water splashed up into

43:10

my mouth, and I gasped and coughed as some

43:12

of it stuck in my windpipe. Lightning

43:15

shattered the sky and the thunder raged as I

43:17

caught my breath. Pulling

43:19

myself to my seat, I looked at the car. It

43:22

was caught in the clutches of the fallen

43:24

tree, the branches enveloping it. Steam

43:27

rose from somewhere, and the engine answered my cough

43:29

with one of its own. It

43:31

would take some effort to get the car out, and

43:33

even then, I was not sure it could be salvaged.

43:36

Any feelings of grief from my car were

43:38

quickly wiped away as a squall of wind

43:40

wrenched at the garden fence across from me.

43:43

It tore several wood slats from the housing and

43:46

launched them further down the street. A

43:48

lamppost above rattled in the wind. The

43:51

light still extinguished, and I feared

43:53

that it too would topple, crushing me in

43:55

the process. If it was too dangerous,

43:57

I had to get back to Eric's house and I'd be

43:59

back. of the storm. I

44:01

guess I felt more for Eric than I

44:03

could admit to myself that night, even after

44:06

everything he had done to me. I

44:08

saw up ahead through the storm, the rain

44:10

lashing against my eyes and blurring my vision.

44:13

I saw the distinct figure of Eric, not

44:16

much further along the street, heading deeper into

44:18

the storm. Something indistinct

44:20

then flew through the air, carried on

44:22

the wind. At least it

44:24

appeared that way. Perhaps it

44:27

was a plastic bag? No,

44:29

a piece of cloth? Whatever

44:31

it was, it weaved and darted through

44:33

the rain, and I watched as Eric

44:36

waved his hands above him, trying to

44:38

batter it away. The

44:40

object must have carried more weight than I thought,

44:42

as it struck Eric on the head. He

44:44

fell to the ground and the object continued on its

44:46

way, carried by the fierceness of the night.

44:48

I could not leave him

44:51

lying on the road, so I climbed over the

44:53

fallen tree and ran along the street towards him.

44:56

The wind blew in my face, and as it

44:58

did so, I found it almost impossible to breathe,

45:01

turning my head to the side just to

45:03

inhale barely enough air to continue. As

45:06

I approached Eric in the dim light of my

45:08

phone, I saw a cut on his unconscious head,

45:11

blood trickling from it. Meaning

45:13

down, I reached out in an attempt to

45:15

wake him, but as I did so, he

45:17

opened his eyes and let out a hideous

45:19

scream, a sort of panicked

45:21

cry, make a child sing something awful under

45:23

its bed. His arms flailed

45:25

as he pushed me back. Eric, it's me,

45:27

David! I yelled, but the thunder

45:30

drowned out my voice. Eric,

45:32

we need to get you back to the house! I

45:34

could barely hear my own voice, and

45:36

I imagined that for Eric, it was a

45:38

nightmarish scene, waking up disoriented,

45:41

seeing your friend above you, the

45:43

lightning illuminating his face and his

45:45

mouth opening and shutting without apparently

45:47

conveying any meaning. He

45:50

lashed out, striking me on the nose. I

45:53

fell to my knees for a moment, dazed, as

45:55

he climbed to his feet and dashed off into the

45:57

night. Eric, no! It

46:00

was madness, it was madness, madness

46:03

which had gripped him, madness to

46:05

follow. But follow I did.

46:08

I ran down the street as the hill now

46:10

descended on the other side. Then

46:12

through a small forest across from the primary

46:14

school we had both attended as children. Finally

46:18

I struggled across Kings Park Avenue. Along

46:21

the street, usually bustling with traffic, now

46:24

doused in darkness, rain and dread.

46:27

And there we were, on Station Road,

46:30

the bridge which crossed above Kings Park

46:32

train station, that innocuous little

46:34

place where all this had begun. Eric

46:37

stopped for a moment, in the middle of the empty

46:39

road. Whether it was terror

46:41

or confusion, I could not really tell, but

46:44

it was as if he was waiting for something to

46:46

happen, perhaps hoping for evidence

46:48

of the thing under the bridge which he

46:50

believed had been hounding him. I

46:53

saw nothing but the raging storm. Filting

46:56

his head as if he heard something, as

46:59

if you could in that storm, he suddenly

47:01

ran to the staircase which led steeply down

47:03

to the station. I

47:05

followed as quickly as I could, still gasping

47:07

for air, fighting the wind which threw itself

47:09

with all its might against me. Reaching

47:12

the stairs, I saw Eric below me on

47:14

the platform, peering across the train line to

47:17

the half archway under the bridge. Eric! I

47:20

screamed again, this time a momentary lapse of

47:22

thunder allowed my voice to be heard. He

47:25

looked up at me, looked up and

47:27

pointed across the tracks to the half tunnel.

47:30

I shook my head. No, Eric, please!

47:32

We need to get out of here! But

47:35

he paid no heed to my words, if

47:37

he heard them at all. He

47:39

dashed across the platform, running to the bottom

47:41

of the stairs. I was

47:43

helpless to stop him. By the

47:46

time I reached the platform, he had already climbed

47:48

down it onto the tracks and was making his

47:50

way across the underside of the bridge. Above

47:53

the line, the power cable swayed aggressively

47:55

in the wind like necrotic veins, and

47:57

a cold feeling now passed through my

47:59

body. How I wished I

48:01

had rushed across the tracks to stop my

48:03

friend immediately, but I could not. Something

48:06

gripped me, a fear like no other,

48:09

something primal like the terror which

48:11

spiders and snakes elicit automatically even

48:14

from those who have never encountered

48:16

such creatures. It felt as

48:18

though we were not alone, and that

48:20

whatever accompanied us was something which should not

48:22

have been. Eric

48:24

pushed on. I watched as he reached the other side

48:26

of the tracks. Something there

48:28

before him was the half tunnel, its

48:30

mouth gaping and dark. Yes,

48:33

what was it? That place

48:35

was darker than everything around it, a

48:38

place not fit for people. Perhaps

48:40

fit for something else, something

48:43

inhuman. That irrational

48:45

thought finally spurred me into action. Jumping

48:48

from the platform, I peered down the train

48:50

line which continued for miles, vacantly. Then

48:53

I rushed across them to my friend. The

48:55

thunder and lightning coalesced once more, and as

48:58

it did so, Eric stepped into the half

49:00

tunnel. I moved forward, the

49:02

gaping maw of it seeming bigger somehow than

49:04

I remembered. Once again

49:06

the paralysis of that strange fear. That

49:09

uncanny feeling of otherness took me, and

49:12

so I stood for a moment, waiting. My

49:15

only company, the howling wind and seething

49:17

trees on the side of the tracks

49:19

as they spasmed rhythmically with the storm.

49:23

I could not see inside, nor could I see

49:25

any trace of Eric. It was

49:27

as if he had entered into another plane,

49:29

another place, and vanished, to a

49:31

Stygian abyss into which human beings were not

49:34

meant to wander. I

49:36

tried desperately to free myself from Eric's

49:38

own delusion as I stared at the

49:40

nothingness of the half archway, but

49:42

I could not help but question what

49:44

was meant by the two words which had started

49:46

all this down here. A

49:49

hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed hold of

49:51

me. Eric's drawn face appeared

49:53

too, and he pushed me down the

49:56

embankment. I tumbled and fell onto my

49:58

back, my chin and shoulders crossed. rushing

50:00

against the cold, wet metal in the train track.

50:03

Above me, Eric stood, his eyes

50:05

wide and bright, but his face

50:07

etched in terror. He

50:09

said something, and the elements covered it like

50:11

a shroud. What? I

50:14

said, standing up, feeling blood gushing from

50:17

my chin. He spoke

50:19

again, this time more fervently, but again,

50:21

I could not hear him for the storm.

50:24

Rushing forward, he pushed me away again, pointing

50:26

up the stairs to the road above. He

50:29

screamed and yelled, his arms flailing, glancing

50:31

back several times to the mouth of

50:33

the half tunnel, but I could not

50:36

hear him. All I could see

50:38

was the fear in his face. For

50:40

the last time, he pointed back to the half

50:42

archway. Lightning cracked, and

50:45

did I see something inside? Was

50:48

it illuminated by the lightning? Just

50:50

for a moment, a shape, a

50:53

shadow. I cannot be certain.

50:56

Lightning cracked nearby, the sound of wood

50:58

splintering. Eric pushed me out of the

51:00

way, as a large tree from the

51:03

embankment above us gave way. Falling

51:06

several feet from him, I watched in horror

51:08

as the tree cut through the power lines

51:10

above, cut through them in sparks of electric

51:12

blue, and then swallowed Eric whole. I saw

51:15

it, the main trunk hitting him,

51:17

crushing him into the ground. The

51:20

power lines flailed around, thousands of

51:22

volts emanating from them. The

51:24

electricity like an enraged prisoner unleashed.

51:27

If they touched me, I was dead. Instinctively,

51:30

I pulled myself quickly back onto the

51:32

platform and fell onto my hands and

51:35

knees, scrambling away. Turning back,

51:37

I watched as the power lines smoked

51:39

and growled. Somewhere under it

51:41

all, Eric's body lay. I

51:44

called for an ambulance, and for the fire department.

51:46

I guess they were busy that night, the thunder

51:48

and lightning still sounded, but now miles away. The

52:00

way on the horizon. Lot. Of

52:02

ferocious animal moving off. Well.

52:04

Said him. After

52:06

the power lines had been shut off, I

52:08

watched as the firefighters sifted through the smoking

52:11

embers of the tree. Watched.

52:13

As They find me. Lifted the tree trunk

52:15

off the line and discovered the pulverized body

52:17

of Eric. He had been

52:19

bred to a crisp from the electricity. Whether.

52:22

It was that which had finished him off or

52:24

the impact from the tree. I do not know.

52:26

I'll you know is that now he's gone.

52:29

On hold friends. I often tell

52:31

people that it was his illness the killed him. That

52:34

the hallucinations were too much for anyone to

52:36

cope with. They believe

52:38

me. Know I wonder sometimes if

52:41

I believe myself. I'll

52:43

conclude my account by simply saying this:

52:45

Sanity. Is a fleeting,

52:48

temporary condition. We. All

52:50

have our delusions. Ideas of

52:52

how the world works and what

52:54

constitutes reality. Bites. Such things

52:56

are not concrete. They. Are

52:58

merely interpretations of what the world truly

53:01

is? A. Shadow of the

53:03

Universe. An. Echo of what is

53:05

really their. Of a similarly

53:07

put together by our brains collecting

53:09

data from are unreliable senses. And

53:12

this way we are always removed from the

53:14

truth. Staring. Out from behind

53:16

the what glass of our own eyes. Who.

53:19

Knows what the world is actually made of

53:21

and what is contained within it. For.

53:23

Eric, whatever he heard, whatever

53:25

he saw, It was real for

53:28

him. Real. Enough to make him

53:30

believe in something far removed from the ordinary.

53:32

Something. Most people are not meant to see.

53:35

For. Myself. I truly hope

53:38

that such a revelation is kept

53:40

far away and that the world

53:42

remains understood, calculated, and known. I

53:45

choose to believe that what Eric saw

53:47

was not objectively real despite his belief,

53:49

and never visited the station at Kings

53:51

Park since that night. For

53:54

in my we can moments I fear that

53:56

I may hear those same two words. Those

53:59

two words real or imagined. which led

54:01

my friend to the dark recesses of

54:03

the human mind. Where. Our

54:06

own personal monsters lie in wait.

54:08

Ravenous, And ready to

54:11

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54:50

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