Dreams ~ Strangers Begone!

Running away is what I can only think of now. I am sweating like as if hell gate has been opened here. I cannot run though. Being trapped in a car and having nowhere to look at but the predator right in front of you, watching you with a sinister look? Yeah.

Who would have thought how dangerous it could be even if the predator is in another car that's right next to you? He was there staring at me with eyes that want to lick my every being. I can only shudder at the thought of what could be happening next... No where to run, my fingers are frantically pressing the buttons of my one and only handphone.

That handphone, my only hope of escape but how much damage could have been done by then when help arrives?

He's still sitting in the car facing me. His smirk is sinister. I do not like the looks of it. No, he's crouching, not sitting. As if he's a strong animal cornering a weakling... Yeah, a weakling like me. I cannot run out the door of the car either. His running speed will definitely be frighteningly fast. He will outrun me in no time. My knees are already knocking. I do not have any more ways to escape.

Grandma, where could you be? I should not have lied to you or my parents! Why didn't I use my brain?

I bet you are curious now. Why in hell would I be here in this shitty situation?

The day was as hot as summer. Cicadas can be heard from a distance. Things were like usual, boring. I had nothing else to do. Meeting someone new would be great as long as the person's fun. A simple request, right? After all, I was so bored out of my mind.

My friends all already left for an adventurous vacation. Damn, why am I stuck here playing with sticks and stones? I feel like a village kid.

An idea popped out of my mind. It was one that anyone else would have thought of right away but my slow brain gave me this idea later than it should be. My "brilliant" plan was to walk around. I do not know this place that well anyways.

Strolling was what I did. In fact, it was ALL I did.

There was this big building with a magnificent arch built on the outside, indicating the entrance. I was enchanted by its pure beauty. The arch was so detailed. Oh yeah, it was evening by the way. My face was somewhat cold from the endless sweating thanks to the summer heat. You have just gotten yourself your very own roasted human here. My sweat have all dried up by the time I was right in front of the amazing arch.

The arch was all white. The building was white as well, with a bit of blue here and there. It was an attractive building. The sign is blurry now due to my bad memory. I cannot remember what is the building for.

Near the building and on the right side of the arch, the most beautiful resting place stood firm on the ground. It was a nice white square with little seats on it. The seats were green with white stripes. There were many green plants. All light-coloured. Tiny vines from the plants could be seen hanging by the side of the white rectangular pot. There were a few guys hanging out there.

Who would have ever thought that a guy would actually pay attention to me? They were talking before he noticed me. Their bits of conversations were still clear in my head but whatever's about to happen next is harder to forget. Even when I've lived up till this moment to tell you, the things happening later and the words said were getting much more clearer. It is as if it happened just yesterday.

"Hehe, yeah, it was awesome like that, ya know right, yeah?" questioned the first guy.

"Duh, it was so obvious!" The second guy said it loudly, waving his hands up high in the air.

"Ya not kiddin' me right? He went flying around!" The first guy suddenly jerked forward, enthusiasm written on his forehead.

There were lots of laughter coming from the second guy and he suddenly asked the third guy, "Yo dude, whatcha spacin' out for?"

It was then when the first and second guy turned their head towards where the third guy was looking, which was right at me. I shied backwards. Sweat started trickling down the side of my head again. My thoughts back then was, "Shit, I totally ruined their conversation..."

The third guy started to stand up, smiling kindly. He walked towards me. My feet refused to move an inch. I gulped, eyes locked with the guy's. My body stiffened.

"Hi, what's a pretty little lady like you doing here?" the third guy questioned.

"Uh...Uh... Nothing. Walking," I stuttered my way through the whole sentence.

We started talking. The more he continued his friendly chatter, the more comfortable I grew to chatting with him.

Suddenly, he asked a surprising question.

"Can you go out with me?"

"Y-Yes!" was all I managed to say. I did not expect this. He was a fat guy but his friendliness at that time tricked me into thinking that he was naturally like that.

I smiled and said that it was time I leave the place or else my family would be worried.

I skipped happily back home. What a treat, I suddenly have a new friend who is also at the same time my first boyfriend.

Things went smoothly. Ever since then, I met up with him a few times even though I sometimes get this chill down my spine whenever he smiles. It is as if his smiles slowly turn into something sinister. My family did not know of him but warned me to never go near the building when I told them of its beauty. They would not tell me why but only warned me not to go near it.

Of course I ignored their words.

Days passed peacefully. It was like floating in the sky and at the same time picking off a bit of the clouds like they are cotton candy.

One day, my grandma managed to somehow find out where I have been escaping to in order to let the boredom go away.

I was strictly forbidden to simply leave the house but after things cooled down, I sneaked out.

Meeting him slowly began to give me tension. I started to not look forward to seeing him. He no longer really smiles at me but just smirks at me. Always looking me not in the eye. I do not even want to recall where he looked at.

I despised myself for feeling and thinking that way. I thought I was too ungrateful that I have this opportunity to actually be in a relationship. Chances like this never come by.

My grandma once dragged me home when she caught me going out with him.

Come to think of it, I do not think I ever got to know the guy's name. I am not sure whether he knows mine though.

Of course my family were furious when the news got to their ears. Got an earful as well. I was once again forbidden to get near that place but this time, they sounded a whole lot more serious that it managed to convince me 80%.

Still, I went to see him one last time.

After I told him everything, he slowly became the person whom I met on that first day. He was really nice. I enjoyed keeping him company. Having my family take that piece of fun from me would be too cruel. No, this cannot just end like this.

I quietly left and went back home. It was trouble trying to hide my smile.

The very next day, I drove the car illegally. He promised to meet me there in the evening. From there, we can be together. I was thinking he would take me away forever. When I said I drove the car illegally, I meant that I did not have any license. I have no driving experience but from watching my family drive the car, I remembered everything one needs to do in order to drive.

I got my way there safely. Not a scratch on the car, let alone me. I stayed in the car with the car idle in front of the arch. No one was at the resting place. The building looked quiet from the outside. Never have I once been in there.

I waited. Waited and waited. Seconds turned to minutes. Before you know it, it was already night time. I could hear crickets. I think I must have fell asleep for a little moment while waiting. He was nowhere to be found by the time I woke up from the nap. I started feeling this chill. What if someone came and abduct me? The guy will be blamed instead of the one who abducted me.

A teal-coloured car slowed down right beside my car. I had a bad feeling, like something nasty is going to come and harm me. Just when I looked on my right, there he was. He was driving alone in the car. I no longer felt the friendliness emanating from him. His smirk was really frightening. I could not scream. I quickly took my handphone out then.

There you go, you have almost the full story already.

I pressed "Search" carelessly in my phonebook. My heart was racing. I could hear my own heart banging in my rib cage. I had no time to scroll down to find "Grandma" in the list of names. I tried with effort to get the "G" typed in but my fingers were clammy with sweat. I was shivering. My fingers kept doing the wrong thing. Knowing I have a slim chance of escaping, I must try all I can to survive in this nerve-wrecking situation.

There I was, wondering where grandma was. I could not let go of my handphone. My left hand clutched it really hard. Letting the handphone go would mean letting my only escape go. Therefore, my life would end right there and then. I know he will be right beside me in the car in no time if I dropped the phone or got distracted in the slightest. You could say it was not bad for a fat guy like him...

I struggled and struggled. Finally, I got her name right and pressed the green button to call grandma.

Whatever happened next was a blur but I am no longer living in the same place anymore. No one would let me know what happened. I just know I was in a hospital. I never went back to school for a long time when the holidays ended. My friends would be horribly mistaken if they ever thought I had been too busy being on vacation.

What I learnt from this lesson was that I should NEVER trust strangers so easily. I have problems when being around people I do not know. That guy taught me this. I still fear that he will appear before me again.

So to avoid this happening to you, do not be desperate and do not trust people like him so easily.