The Death in the Abyss

    I suppose it is always on accident people discover these things. Such happened to me one night, in mid-august, somewhere north of Portland. The dense shrubs and trees entombed the van as I drove, casting an eerie glare over my immediate world. Every passing turn was identical, the same image replayed as if I were confined in a painting, until this lonely pattern was broken by a man staggering down the road. He staggered like there was something terribly wrong with him, and didn’t even flinch when I swerved around the corner and nearly struck him with my car. All he did was continue to approach the vehicle with a queer gate, his feet at a constant stumble, never ceasing, until he rammed in my bumper.
    I did the only thing a sane person could do, and jumped from the car to aid the poor man. Suddenly, as I drew near, an unnatural shudder came over him; perhaps it was shock. More alarmed than ever, I nudged his shoulders to get a good look at his face(it is best, one will discover, when in situations of giving such aid, to look at your subject in the eyes, let them know it is all right- for who knew what mental state this man was in). It was strange; his eyes were blank, like hideous, aged silver plates that reflected the universe in a single stare, knowing nothing and longing less. I assumed that he must have hit his head at some point, perhaps fell down a cliff nearby, or was the victim of a dreadful crime, but whatever the reason, I decided that I must get him help immediately. 
    After wrestling him into the car, my van continued northbound without witnessing a soul. For approximately half an hour the man failed to utter a word; just long, forced breaths. And yet, amazingly, with rapid jerk, he was revived.
    “IT’S CLOSE.”
    “Oh? What’s close? Your home? … Are we near your home?”
    Silence.
    He slumped back, and that dead gaze remasked his face. For the first time, I became interested in exactly what wounds he bared. While he was covered in a rusty dust, no blood appeared on his clothes. It was this moment that I became conscious of what insanity I might be dealing with.
    Driving faster along the narrow highway, something in my mind bugged me, screaming, “You’re getting closer, closer…”
    “Yes.” I was straining to calm myself down now. “Yes, I am getting closer to the town…”
    The forest began to grow thicker, closer; yet this was the only road out. The map said so. How I longed for my companion to speak, for such blaring silence never helps.
    “Come closer… closer…”
    I slammed on the brake, the momentum flinging my passenger toward glove box. But I didn’t care; I wanted that… that thing, that infestation in my head out. Surely, I was plagued by my passenger, who must have brought the disease upon me.
    “I’m sorry, sir,” sweat poured from my forehead, “but this is as far as I can take you. Could you please get out?”
    No response. Now, I could clearly see the blood I had previously scoured for, oozing from his head and bubbling off his lips. Oh God, if only I had killed him…
    But instead, he was once again revived, and he crooked his head back and repositioned himself in the seat, very proper. Entranced, he focused ahead, and in a clear, single tone; “WE’RE THERE.”
    And with that, he exited my car. I paused, astounded at what I had just seen. It was nothing short of divine intervention, though I might have been the blessed one. He resumed his hindered step down the highway, never looking back. As I drove past him, I wondered how I could do the same, and let this freak wander behind my back. For a quick second, I spurred around to ensure that I had abandoned the nuisance far behind me, and no curse had befallen me and let him suddenly catch up.
    In the time my sight was stolen from the road a cliff formed ahead of me, tossing my vehicle deep into the undefined. Was it hours, days, or minutes, I did not know, but when I could finally feel myself again there was a man hovering above me, glowing with the moonlight, whose eyes were enflamed coals. He extended a frosty hand and cupped my chin, compelling my gaze to meet his.
    “Hello, it is fantastic to finally meet, is it not?” A sweet melody filled the canyon, but didn’t hide the hideous being; scarred from head to toe, its grayish flesh held together by antique threads.  “And you have no need to worry, you’ll be quite alright…”
    He must have been referring to the broken body that I was barely aware of, that only my conscious mind could tell me still existed, and entombed my begging soul.
     “…Since I’ll take perfect care of you. Oh, and I quite agree, looking into a subject’s eyes is the best way to go about things.”

Author's Note

One of my first works.