The Man In The Midnight Blue Suit

Chapter One

I was at a party. Loud music, underage drinking, that sort of thing. My best friend, Aleysha, dragged me along, saying that I needed more excitement in my life. She wasn't wrong; I studied all the time, stayed at home most nights and I'd never had a boyfriend. So I reluctantly put on a dress, did my hair, and followed her into the lion's den. Aleysha knew I needed a distraction tonight. She thought that I'd meet someone here. I didn't see much chance of that. Most guys here were either slobbering their girlfriends face - for a few, boyfriends - or so drunk they couldn't recognize their own face. Aleysha had abandoned me as soon as we got here. She was probably one of those girls making out. So I winded up sitting on someone's couch, an unknown drink in my hand that I had no intention of ever touching, watching some idiots play beer pong.

Leaning against the wall, there was a man, his arms folded. He had a square jaw and low cheekbones that gave him the kind of appearance that could easily be forgotten. His wavy, dark hair was precisely cut, aside from a stray lock that hung over his right eye. He was dressed in a crisp midnight blue suit. He looked ridiculously out of place, let alone overdressed, although slightly attractive. He was staring at me. Staring, with a thoughtful look on his face. All night, just standing and staring. It was getting kind of creepy. Suddenly, he pushed off the wall, beckoned to me and walked out the front door. I sat, shocked. Should I follow him? If I had one inch of common sense, I would have stayed where I was. But instead, I got up after him. As Aleysha said, I needed more excitement in my life. I was taking a leap into the unknown. It's not like anyone would miss me anyway.

Outside the air was crisp and cold. There was a pair of drunk teenagers staggering about on the lawn. The man was waiting for me. He tossed me a foolish, lopsided grin, and stalked out onto the footpath, his gait confident. Excitement bubbled up inside me. This was an adventure. No harm could come of it, right?

I followed him down the path, deafening music of the party slowly quieting. He didn't turn around. He knew I would follow him. Anticipation welled up within me. Still, we walked, me always a few meters behind. Having left the roar of the party behind long ago, the pregnant silence was deafening. Abruptly the man made a sharp turn into the wall. What? No. With closer inspection I realized that it was a dark alleyway, with long, still shadows cast upon brick walls. Hesitating only a moment, I followed him into the darkness.

As soon as I stepped between the alley walls, I was assaulted by the disgusting smell of rotting trash. It almost made me gag. The alley was filled with discarded rubbish and bulging black bags. A clear path had been made through the trash. At the end of the path stood the man, his back facing me. As I walked toward him, he turned and started to clear boxes and trash bags from the wall. I was probably too far away to see, but he never quite seemed to touch the trash. He didn't say a word. I felt as though I'd shatter something if I spoke, so I remained silent, only watching. Clearing the last of the trash away from the wall, the man revealed a passage. Miraculously, he hadn't gotten anything on his midnight blue suit. He looked as crisp as ever. Tossing me that foolish grin once again, he stepped inside the hidden passage. My heart hammering against my chest, I followed him into God knows what.

My footsteps echoed inside the tunnel. The man had disappeared. Darkness seemed to fold in on me, caging me in. Before it had been a game, now it was something else. My breathing was quickening. It was the only sound to be heard. I whipped around, heart hammering, only to find darkness where the entrance was. The only light was hanging from the ceiling, emanating a sickly green glow. But none of that was what caused my heart to race and an alarm to go off in my head.

On the walls, a word was repeated over and over again. It was in all different colours, sizes, and fonts.

The word on the wall was my name.