Headlights

• Daniel Donaldson, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

Every passing minute he was there. I felt his everlasting presence everywhere like I was attached to him on a leash. His deafening yell, pale skin and his vengeful eyes followed me wherever I went. In the morning, I would hear his deafening yell. He would scream death threats at me until my ears started ringing. During the afternoon, when I was walking home from work, he would follow me home. Sometimes he would follow so close I could feel his cold and husky breath crawling down my neck. I could not see him but I felt him behind me. Finally, at night, he delved into the deepest regions of my subconscious as I slept, turning cheer filled dreams into the most dark and vile of nightmares. I begged him to stop. He responded by growing a wicked grin across his face and he stared me down with his black unforgiving eyes without uttering a single word. Despite his silence I knew that this was just the beginning. When I finally discovered the true identity of my tormentor I felt an overwhelming sensation of guilt. I began to visit his grave begging him to forgive for hitting him with my car. I told him that I did not see him crossing the street and that I was not trying to kill him. He never listened, sometimes he laughed at me. I did not know if I could continue to live my life in this state. His burning hatred seemed to grow every passing day. Eventually, I could not sleep at night nor could I even leave my own home. My understanding of reality was lost forever while insanity infected my mind like a terrible disease. Worst of all, I would think I am having a nightmare only to come to the horrifying realisation that I am really awake and that my nightmare would never end. This continued until one horrible evening. I was returning home from work after a long shift on a cold night. I saw him again only this time he had blood smeared all over him with his entrails poured out of his stomach sending an unbearable fear into my soul. I began to hear his thunderous voice inside of my head again creating a pounding headache that felt like drills boring into my skull. My heart began to start thumping in my chest almost as if it was going to explode. I panic and run without a second thought. I looked back and saw him chasing me screaming MURDERER! I screamed and ran even faster. His voice began to get louder and louder as he was getting closer. He catches up to me and pushes me hard onto the pavement. I roll onto the road as his voice grew louder while my head felt like it was going to burst. I look up. I did not see him anywhere. Instead, I was greeted with the blinding headlights of a speeding car.