#h!au2:echoes

[venetori]

ii:echoes  // horror au

Days went by one after another, filled with routine and boredom. The snow has stopped falling some time ago and the pretty, white blanket that covered everything was now turned into a wet, grey pulp. Daniel worked his night shifts as he always did, slept during the days, not caring about school. The most he’d get out of the day were the sunrises on his way back home.

He’s developed a new habit since the past week or so, couldn’t remember how long exactly. Every day, he’d stand by the gas station after 6am, waiting for that charming man to show up at some point. Losing hope every time he didn’t. Not even during the night just to shop or refuel his car. Nothing.

So he gave up. But the habit stuck.

A book of crosswords lay on the counter in front of him, half of one page solved, the other filled with scribbles of things he thought he saw in the shadows or reflections. Figured it was just sleep deprivation. Daniel’s head was leaning on his hand and there was a pen still between his fingers as he slept there.

Not like there were any customers to care of, there haven’t been any for hours. Which was strange but Daniel didn’t mind the opportunity to nap.

He shuddered from the light, cold breeze and glanced at the door that was still shut. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, paying no mind to what woke him up. The clock showed 5:56, so he threw the book and the pen into his backpack loosely, then grabbed his set of keys and, after putting his jacket on, made his way to the door.

There was nothing inviting in the thought of going outside into the cold but the shop’s interior was so damn boring at this point, he just wanted to do something else. At least outside he could have a smoke.

He stared at his reflection in the glass door for a bit, looking at the dark bruise on his cheek that his father gifted to him one time after downing another bottle the night before. Then he opened the door and tried not to think about the cold, hoping he wouldn’t feel it if he rejected it hard enough. He locked the shop and walked closer towards the road to smoke a cigarette, didn’t want to risk starting a fire, as interesting as that would be.

Same as every other day, he sat on the curb, smoking a cigarette, curling up from the cold, waiting for the sunrise. And for that man, York. Daniel remembered the name. His face was scribbled on one of the pages of Daniel’s crossword book. His dog was there, too. There were many faces Daniel drew but York’s was the only one he didn’t feel weird looking at.

Now that drawing was the only reminder Daniel had of him. The only friendly soul he’s seen in a while. Gone without a trace. Maybe he died. Wouldn’t be surprising in this city, there was always some news on the radio about recent crimes. Or he moved out. That wouldn’t be a surprise either.

Although Daniel didn’t expect him to show up, didn’t hope he would, he was still thinking about what he’d say to him if he did.

A distant sound of a motorcycle interrupted his thoughts. A lonesome vehicle driving down this empty road as the sky was slowly turning brighter in the background, giving it a pink tint. Daniel threw his cigarette away when he noticed the motorcycle slow down the closer it was to the gas station.