The Watch – Part 213:

(Tom’s perspective)

The shadowy figure stood behind the back door for a couple of seconds before walking off to the left… only to be replaced by another, which copied the first figure’s actions.

I stood there, wandering what I should do now. Should I continue looking around or go and find another place? They could be anyone. For all I know, they could be the people whose job is to survey the area to see whether it is suitable for remodelling or if it’s too far gone to do anything with and will then be torn down. The last thing they want is to find someone roaming around or living there. I think it’s best if I leave because even if they are ordinary strangers, I still don’t particularly want to be found living here. That will definitely bring unwanted attention to me.

I’m sure there are many other places for me to go for the night. I turned on the balls of my heels, getting ready to climb back out through the window, when the shadowy figure appeared behind the front door. The dust on the door’s window was so thick I couldn’t see who the person was except make out that it was a man. He stood, looking at the door before realising the window had been smashed in.

I looked around to find a place to hide, but before I even had the chance to locate a suitable place, he had appeared at the window. I was expecting a man in a suit with a clipboard and a badge, readying himself to have a go at me for snooping around a place that I shouldn’t be in, or a Police Officer with the same objective.

Instead, he was a man who I wasn’t expecting. He stood in front of the smashed window, the moonlight hitting his back, creating a small silver outline around his entire upper-half of his body, which also allowed me to see who he was and his features. He was dressed in baggy clothes, dirty yet looked as if they have at least been washed a couple of days ago, fingerless gloves, sporting hair that hasn’t seen a comb in months, but at least has seen a shower, and wearing a smile that actually made me feel as if he was actually welcoming me.

‘Well, ‘ello there,’ he said, revealing his yellow teeth as he spoke.

‘Er… hello,’ I said, not knowing what to do now.

‘You lost?’ he asked directly.

‘No,’ I answered simply.’

‘Oh, so you’re just having a look, are you?’ he said, keeping his smile as if he was having fun.

‘I didn’t come here to just have a look around,’ I said, not knowing why I’m telling a complete stranger my business.

‘Well, if you didn’t come ‘ere to just ‘ave a look ‘round, then why are you ‘ere, then?’ he asked.

‘I came here because I wanted to find a place for the night,’ I answered, again not knowing why I was telling him my business. There was something about his warm impression that is tricking me into revealing my story. His smile never wavered.

‘Oh, now it makes sense,’ he said, nodding. ‘It makes perfect sense, indeed. Would you like some ‘elp?’ he offered out of the blue.

‘Um…’

‘I know of a perfect place to go if you’ve got nowhere to go,’ he said. Well, if he’s offering, then what’s the worst thing that can happen? Actually, there are a lot of things that can go wrong with accepting to be taken somewhere by a complete stranger at night, in a world where you are in an unfamiliar world.

‘I think I’ll pass, but thanks for the offer, anyway,’ I said adding the politeness at the end automatically considering he set the mood.

‘You sure?’ he asked.

But before I could insist that I was OK, another man’s voice spoke out.

‘Oi, Dave, what are you doing looking in that window?’

He turned his head and spoke to someone who appeared to be standing on the right of the front door. ‘There’s someone who’s looking for a place for the night but doesn’t want to accept my ‘elp,’ he shouted.

Great, that’s all I need. This innocent adventure into an abandoned house didn’t go quite the way I was expecting, to be honest. The longer I stood here, the stronger the smell of the dust, dirt and rotten wood slowly became, telling me that this would not be the best of places to sleep for the night after all. The problem is, my only exit is out through that window as the backdoor could lead me into more of these strangers.

‘Why doesn’t he want your help, Dave?’ the second man asked.

‘He never said why, just doesn’t want my ‘elp, that’s all.’

‘Have you told him that you can lead him to a decent place,’ the second man said, not in the slightest making that offer any better.

‘I did, but I think I worded it wrong,’ he said. You most certainly did.

‘Well, word it right, then,’ the second man said.

He looked back at me and asked, ‘would you like me to explain what’s going on ‘ere?’ I don’t think I have much choice.

‘Sure,’ I said, trying very hard not to shrug as if I didn’t care. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of these people. They may appear nice at first, but then can snap like a brittle twig in a matter of seconds.

‘Well, first thing’s first. I’m not going to let you stand in there whilst I tell you that as you ‘ppear to be suffering from the strong smell of the dust, dirt and rotten wood,’ he said. If he thinks that I’m just going to hop out through that window, he’s got another thing coming.

‘I wouldn’t mind staying here for now,’ I said.

‘Fair ‘nough,’ he said, nodding with immediate acceptance of my condition.

‘First of all,’ he began…

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)