The sun set, the partially full moon
showing its face in the darkened night sky; this was always his time to run. He
had a route mapped out, a one-mile loop he used at least three times, sometimes
five if he was in the mood. Turning on his wireless headphones, he heard the
music flood into his ears. His feet hit the ground with each heavy beat, and he
darted down the road, nearly completing his first mile before the song reached
its end. He could see a dark, glowing orb along the edge of the road just next
to the curb. He came closer and saw that it was a black pumpkin. There was no
face, but it appeared that somebody had had cut off the top as though beginning
on a jack-o'-lantern. The shell was scraped thin so that the flame inside cast
an orange glow through the black exterior.
Sweat dripped down his face, stinging
his eyes, spraying out with each breath. He kept going, kept running in the
dark streets lit dimly with street lamps on every intersection. Whenever he
passed an overhead light, he found himself staring at his shadow stretched out
before him. He observed the motions it made as it duplicated his actions.
He continued on to the next
intersection, and the light overhead created shadows all around. He passed a
yard filled with dogs that always barked with insanity whenever he passed Tonight,
the dogs were silent.
His shadow grew larger, spreading and
filling the street. It rose up into the trees, darkening their leaves to black.
It climbed the lamp post, covering the light and engulfing it. The shadow
filled the night sky, extinguishing the stars like candle flames. The moon
clouded over and disappeared. The blackness became suffocating. He couldn't
catch his breath. When he tried to cry out, it filled his lungs and consumed
him.
The dogs in the backyard barked incessantly.
The empty streets showed no other signs of life. Two shoes, some shorts and
underwear, a t-shirt, and wireless headphones rested in a pile on the concrete.
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