Prod

    Nathan had been riding the bus for almost half a day now. Only one other person sat in the bus about 4 chairs away from him, their head tucked deep into a newspaper. The bus stopped and the man with the newspaper looked up, got up, and left, leaving Nathan the solitary rider of this vehicle.  The feeling of loneliness crept back into the boy, but it was a familiar feeling for him. He began to think about his past, the choices he had made that lead him to this moment and as he did the sky began turning dark and Nathan was starting to doze off…
“Hey kid! Kid! Kid wake up!”
A fat bus driver stood over Nathan angrily tapping him on the shoulder. Nathan quickly jolted up and looked around and out the window. His eyes focused on a large sign that said  “Welcome to the town of Prod.”
“Kid you need to get out of this bus.” The bus driver said, his beady eyes staring at Nathan, his face twisted into on of irritation.
“Did we pass by Livensville yet?” Nathan asked hoping that his fears were wrong.
“Yes, we passed it six stops ago, this is the last stop, and you need to get out of my bus.”
Nathan’s face fell. “Shit.” He mumbled to himself. He paid the angry bus man his fare and left the bus, stepping into this new unfamiliar town.
Nathan wandered through the streets unsure of what to do. It was late at night by now and he didn’t see a single other soul out. This didn’t particularly concern Nathan, this was a pretty rural area, most people slept area, and he was used to quiet farm towns. What did concern him was the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. He looked around at the houses, all of them very similar small one family houses. Not a single light was on in any of them and no one was looking out their windows. Nathan shivered and continued walking trying to distract himself. He started getting flashbacks of him as a child, climbing out of his bedroom window and walking around at night. Back then it would soothe him being alone, the moon lighting the streets, the cool fresh air on his skin.
He was so deep in thought he was not sure when he heard the footsteps behind him. But now he was more than aware they were there. Nathan began to turn his head to look at who was behind him but he got a strong premonition that he should not. Nathan saw an intersection coming up and he turned right and the footsteps continued following him around the corner. Mere moments it looked like no one was even alive in this town but now someone was obviously behind Nathan and appeared to be following him. Nathan started panicking and picked up his pace, the footsteps behind him following suit, walking a bit faster than Nathan now. Nathan started walking even faster, and so did the person behind him, now gaining on Nathan as the footsteps got even closer. Nathan was fully overcome by fear and he broke off into a sprint the footsteps behind him following him. Turning another corner, again the thing behind him following him, he saw a bright neon sign, “24/7 Bar”, and Nathan willed his legs to move faster towards the bar, hoping to find safety from whoever was behind him once he got inside of there. He was not too far from the front door but neither was his pursuer from Nathan, feeling the things feet clip Nathan’s heel. Finally within arms reach of the door Nathan sprang for it, slamming it open with his body, pressing his back against it closed.
The inside of the bar was mostly empty except for a bartender and a female sitting down at the counter. The bartender barely glanced at Nathan before continuing with his business and the female snorted as she saw the disheveled and panicked Nathan.
“Break the door the next time you come in here like that and you're going to pay for it.” The woman said taking a sip from her drink.
“There was a man chasing me!” Nathan said panicked. “He might still be out there waiting for me to come out!”
The female tilted her head looking puzzled. “I doubt that. This town has a city wide curfew so no kids are allowed out at night, and every Goddamn adult in this town is hard core Christian, going to sleep before the sun goes down.” The lady said. Nathan opened his mouth to respond but suddenly something slammed on the other side of the door. “See! You have to help barricade this place, we could all be in danger from this maniac!” Nathan said panicked.
“I dont know what you're talking about. Are you okay? Do you need a drink? I dont recognize you so you probably traveled far to get here. Dont worry a sip never hurt anyone.” The female said coaxing him. Nathan was understandably flabbergasted as the female got up and started walking over to him. The slamming on the door continued and Nathan continued trying his best to hold the door closed. “Are you insane?! Help me! Please! We’re going to fucking die!!!” Nathan yelled as the female continued making her way over to him, the bartender not even looking at them.
The female got to Nathan and yanked him away from the door, Nathan falling onto the floor and cowering in fear of what was going to come through the door, a feeling of deja vu washing over him. But nothing came. Nathan looked up and the female opened the door, no one was on the other side.
“but- I felt it- he- it was slamming against the door!” Nathan started but the woman shushed him and helped him up to his feet.
“there there, you're just tired my child, how old are you?” The woman said.
“16” Nathan mumbled
“My name is Scarlet, I'm 29. You're just tired from your long trip. Let me get you a drink, that always helps me calm down.”
~