Eerie Tales

The Stranger

"Where are you, John?" I asked my friend on the other line. "You're on your way? Okay, I'll wait for you here. I'm at the waiting shed near a cafe."

I hung up the call and pocketed my phone. John was a close friend of mine, but whenever we hung out together, I was the one who always waited for him to arrive at our meeting place. Yeah, I could say I was punctual, and sometimes it was kind of annoying to experience this kind of behavior almost every meeting.

But I wasn't angry with John. I love that guy!

As I was peacefully waiting for my friend, I stared somewhere else and noticed things, even the most futile ones, just to cure my boredom. I glanced at my wristwatch often to see how much I'd wasted standing here.

"What a wonderful day, isn't it?"

I heard a voice beside me. I was hesitant to respond because I thought maybe I wasn't the one he was talking to. But when no response came to him from other people, that was the time I faced him.

"Yes, it's wonderful and peaceful," I replied, and flashed a quick smile.

"I know you've heard the news last week about the five people being crashed by a ten-wheeler truck," he stated.

I remembered that vehicular accident. Yes, I've known it and even familiariazed myself with the names because I was the one who reported it on our social media page. I was working for a broadcasting company, so I knew about that incident.

I glanced at him. "It was terrible and I felt pity for the people who died in that accident. It was unexpected."

He bit his lower lip in sadness and nodded. "Yes. I felt pity for them, too. That's why we have to be careful every single moment of our lives because when the unexpected comes, it's over for us."

I sighed. "You're right. May they rest in peace."

"By the way, are you waiting for someone?" He asked, and he seemed confident talking with me, but I felt the opposite.

I nodded. "Yes, I am waiting for my friend."

"Oh, I see."

"How about you? Are you waiting for someone, too?" I asked.

He smiled. "No, just wandering around for the last time before going to a place of solemnity and peace."

This guy was funny and fun to talk with!

"I'm Gerald Loweski..."

I was too stunned to speak as he offered his hand for a handshake.

"Oh! You see that!"

I slowly turned to the direction he was pointing at. On the other side of the road, I saw a funeral cortège of mourners.

My heart went wild, and I couldn't feel my legs.

"They are bringing me to a place where I can rest in peace!"

He smiled and ran away from me. "Bye!"

When he passed by a nearby tree, he disappeared.

He was one of the people who died in the accident.