The night market

The Trade Keeper

Chike woke to the sound of honking cars and noisy streets. The world around him was real again. At least, it felt that way.

He found himself lying near an abandoned bridge, dust clinging to his clothes. People stepped around him, muttering about drunks.

The market was gone. The fog, the lanterns, the Messenger — all gone.

Feeling a sharp tingle in his hand, he looked down at his closed fist and slowly opened it. The coin winked in the bright sunlight, warm and humming softly. It was still here.

He sat up slowly, feeling dizzy. The last thing he remembered was running ...wait. Did his reflection actually talk to him, or was that a dream?

A loud ping made him jump. It was his alarm on his phone. He looked at the time. 6.00 am

Scrolling through his phone, he saw the last messages were delivered two days ago.

Two days??

He scrambled to his feet, blinking hard and stumbled home. His apartment greeted him like a stranger when he stepped in. His clock ticked backwards. The mirror in the hallway showed him a half-second late. And his recorder still cracked, sat on the table blinking red.

He pressed play and froze at the voice hissing through.

"Trade incomplete. The Keeper waits."

Chike dropped the device and stared at the coin on the table as it pulsated ...like a heartbeat.

A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie.

"Chike, it's Eze. Open up."

He hesitated, then turned the lock.

Inspector Eze stood there in rumpled clothes and bleak eyes, looking haggard.

"You look like hell," Eze shouted, stepping in. "Where have you been?"

"Pot, meet kettle," muttered Chike, hiding a small smile.

Eze eyeballed him. "I'm not joking around. You have been missing for two days!"

Chike frowned. "No, that's impossible. I just came back this morning...from chasing a lead."

Eze exhaled sharply. "A lead? Chike, I had your name circulated. Your car was found near an alley, with no phone or ID. What were you chasing?"

Suddenly, the recorder light blinked red, and the hissing voice spoke again.

Only this time, it was Eze's voice.

"He can't hide forever. The Keeper is waiting."

The real Eze staggered back, his face draining of colour. "What — what was that?!"

Eze's recorded voice spoke again.

"Bring him before dawn."

The lights flickered, and for a single second, the room appeared different, and then everything snapped back.

Inspector Eze stared at Chike, breathing hard.

"Chike...whatever you've gotten yourself into, walk away....before it walks into you." And he turned around and left.

Chike sat on the floor, staring at the recorder. The red light was gone and the recorder dead, but the silence was loud.

He got up and opened his laptop. The screen flickered and words began to appear on their own.

"You still owe the truth, journalist."

"The Keeper grants audience once more."

"Come before dawn."

The final line appeared with a location, and the laptop shut itself off.