Selfie Inflicted

1

Laughing we spilled out of the bar into the cold October night. An icy mist hung gloomily, not quite drizzle but solidly soaking nonetheless.

Ryan continued his impression of the bar manager who moments ago had told us to "Shut your mouths and get outta my bar!"

We had of course been too noisy and to be honest it wasn't our type of bar. The clientele was older, a bit too refined and they didn't take too well to a couple of young kids talking loud, spilling drinks and taking selfies. I couldn't even really remember why we decided to go there. I think we were just bored of all our usual haunts.

"Did you see that look that old lady gave us?" Giggled Lyza as she drew her coat around her.

"Pretty sure she wanted to smash you over the head with your phone when you took that pic with her," chuckled Ryan

I tried to laugh along but it came out hollow and turned into a cough. The mist had soaked away the happy feeling from just moments before. The night felt vast and icy. As Ryan fumbled with his jacket I looked out across the street. The road was black and slick with water, the streetlights reflecting in the night.

Then I saw a flash of movement and heard a screech of car tires. I watched as someone dashed across the street and down an alleyway. An SUV came to a halt, its headlights glaring like bright eyes. It laid out a belated honk before it screeched off, exhaust fuming out in its wake.

"Man that guy was lucky! He nearly got wiped," said Ryan.

"Come on, lets go," I said.

We started down the road, heading back towards Kennard street and our respective apartments. It was close by to college and we had been friends and partying buddies since we had met in freshman orientation.

To get home we'd need to walk up the road and through the woods. They must have been some leftover from a long time ago before the farms spread out like a patchwork quilt and the town rose up. A few weeks ago the woods had been a beautiful blaze of color. Now with winter approaching the trees were mostly bare. They stretched high into the sky like skeletal hands.

It wasn't the place you'd want to walk alone at night.

"Woah! Check it out!"

I gazed forward to see what Ryan had noticed.

There on the pavement a light glowed, but it wasn't dim and yellow like all the streetlights. It was a pale blue. It seemed harsh and out of place, somehow colder than the chilly night.

"Sweet," said Ryan reaching down. "An iPhone."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Like it so far? You're in for one hell of a scary ride! Read on to chapter two where the horror really begins to creep in...

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Enjoy! >:-)