The Figure

After a while of walking home, a 13-year-old Charlotte wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to warm herself up a bit. It was dark and was so cold that she could see her own breath coming out as puffs of steam as she continued to make her way home. ‘Why did I have to go for a walk tonight?’ she thought out of frustration. Going for a walk late at night was becoming a routine for Charlotte as she found it the perfect time to think. She felt safe being surrounded by her own company and the sounds of the nocturnal creatures preparing to start their day. Charlotte took great comfort in the idea that she was not the only one awake and thinking. Step by step she swore she could hear her steps being echoed in the distance. She slowly turned her head to investigate her suspicions but found no one in her sight. She continued through her small village thinking maybe she should not have walked such a distance this time. Charlotte felt a chill creeping up her back. What was this unfamiliar sensation? Was she… nervous? Charlotte was unfamiliar to feeling on edge as she walked home. Her whole demeanour changed. She did not know why, but she needed to get home right now. She quickened her pace as she walked with longer strides hoping the niggling feeling in the back of her mind was a trick of the cold weather that blanketed the streets around her. A few minutes later she was just a few streets away from her house. Charlotte found herself panting and struggling for breath. But not from how fast she was walking. She was scared. Charlotte turned another corner and out of the corner of her eye she saw it… or him? Charlotte stopped still in her tracks as if frozen by the gaze of whatever was looking in her direction. It was as if the world had stopped moving and all creatures were frozen in time. Charlotte managed to slowly crank her neck to the side so she could get a better look at the dark figure that was the cause of such a defining silence. The dark figure began moving slowly towards her. Probably more that twenty metres away, Charlotte could not make out any features but the strong and intimidating presence told her all she needed to know. The figure was almost levitating, slowly decreasing the space between them. She willed herself to move. She willed herself to scream. But nothing happened. She herself seemed to be stuck in time which this menacing figure coming towards her. The figure suddenly stopped around three metres away from the panicking teenager. The figure was dressed in all black from head to toe. It wore a smart uniform suit that literally touched the ground with its shiny black shoes. The light from a street lamp reflected off the black shiny buttons on the suit jacket but a hood connected to a long dark cloak, shielded its face from sight. The figure was muscular and tall and remained completely still as Charlotte analysed the presence. She began to feel calmer, even though the presence was intimidating, she some how felt a sense of normality in his presence. She took her eyes off him for a split second and suddenly the figure was directly in front of her….   A high-pitched noise suddenly began to engulf the two. Charlotte began to panic as the high whistle felt as if it was piercing her ear drums. She looked towards the figure who seemed unharmed. Charlotte grabbed onto him as she began to fall due to the overwhelming piercing noise that seemed to be shooting right through her mind. The figure put the sides of his cloak around Charlotte as the pain intensified until she was almost sure that her head was going to explode. Charlotte felt herself being sucked into darkness by this figure she was clinging onto for support. The more she struggled, the harder she felt it was to let go of him and get out of his embrace. Charlotte submitted to the consuming darkness and all she could see was red.