Heavy clouds loomed over the skyline. Lightning crackled, stretching through the sky like transient tree branches. Thunder growled in a low, deep tone in the horizon.
The ground was covered in a white mist, making it hard to make sense of the surroundings. Houses lined the streets and yet there was no sound. There were no children laughing and playing in the playground, nor was there any drunken racket coming from the empty bar next to the family restaurant, now devoid of any sign of life.
There were no people in the town, and there was naught but silence, save for the electrical humming of a lone, flickering street lamp meagerly providing the only illumination in the dark area.
Quietly a soft, silk-like rain started to fall. Quietly, rhythmically, eerily.
Far in the background, an old clocktower stood, looming down on the city, the evening Sun cast its large shadow on the town, slowly growing in size as the Sun disappeared into the horizon.
Soon, The Night would come, and the man would be out of time.
In the streets, he ran in a hobbled manner. Five gashes in the shape of a large hand could be seen on his right leg, flowing blood leaving an irregular trail behind him as he ran, slowly washing away in the rain.
The man looked to be in his mid-forties. He had Asian features with a stubble beard, unkempt and uneven. He wore a hood over his neck-long, black disheveled hair. His face was contorted in a grimace, wincing in pain for every step he took. Across his body was an unbalanced satchel that weighed him down as he continued awkwardly in his painful sprint.
Turn after turn the man took, left arm holding out a curious pendulum-like artifact. His eyes were fixed on the object, not once looking at his surroundings. The weight swung in an even pace, changing its orientation ever so often as the man continued his mad dash. Each time it pointed to a new direction, the man would blindly follow, narrowly yet miraculously avoiding collision with walls and obstacles in his way.
As he ran, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of papers, shaped much in the likeness of simple human figures. For every turn he took, he would drop one, leaving it behind.
Far behind him, out of sight, a crashing sound could be heard. There was a wet, scampering noise in the distance that grew closer with each passing second. It was close.
The paper dolls would only distract them for so long. He had to hurry.
The man hastened his pace, sights firmly held on the artifact. The last rays of sun soon fell upon the land, and the clock hands fell on the final minute.
Left, left, right, left and right again the man ran, ducking into alleys and around tight corners. Eventually, the artifact in his left hand started to glow a blueish hue, vibrating violently.
He was almost there.
Heart catching in his throat, the man mustered what little strength he had left for a final spurt, panting in exhaustion.
As he turned the final corner his goal came into sight. A pristine, white door that stood out amongst its grimy surroundings. It was right in front of him. His ticket out of this gray monotone hell.
A sliver of a smile cracked across the man's face as he widened his bloodshot eyes in a maniacal grin.
"A few steps more." The man thought as he stumbled forward, losing feeling in his exhausted legs.
"Five steps more." The man thought as he made his way towards the door.
"Three steps more." The man thought, no longer paying attention to the artifact swinging violently in his hand.
"Two steps more." The man thought, holding out an exhausted arm, reaching for the handle.
"One step more." The man felt his hand land on the cold, rusted iron knob.
"One step more" The man thought as his decapitated head made contact with the wet cobblestone floor.
"Only one step more" The head mouthed as it rolled in a crimson puddle, watching its headless body fall through the white door.
"And only one step more." jeered the shrouded figure as it wiped the blood off its large scythe. It looked down at the head mockingly.
Yet, The Night did not realize that the man's mission was already complete.
The door slammed shut with a bang, vanishing from the wall without a trace.