Where is he?

“It’s raining cats and dogs darl” Cherry pointed out as I was collecting my stuff. “You sure you’ll be okay?” the older woman looked me over as I smiled her worries away. “ Yeah, Caligari is gonna pick me up” I brushed off the older woman’s concern.

“Yeah, yeah, tell lover boy I said hi” Cherry snorted, her sorrows accent thick on her lips as she took another drag. It was in the lower part of the city. Not the most glamorous of clubs to dance at but you do what you gotta do. The safest road butt up against the forest, it was either that or the dark streets and allies, they were sketchy. I pulled my coat around myself to warm my body as I hated the rain.stepping out the back door into the alley i held my bag tight to myself as I pressed the phone to my ear under the hood.

“Hey Foxy” He sounded cheery and I bit back a snort ‘He’s such a goof’

“Hey Cali, where are you?”

“Ah, well, funny that-”

“What’s funny?” I almost sighed

“The old rust bucket has finally tapped out, I’m walking to come get you”

“Alright, How about I meet you halfway at that old gnarled tree”

“It’ll be a date then, I’ll see you when I’m looking at you, Love you”

I snorted “Love you too, ya dork” The line went dead and I shoved the phone into my pocket as I was walking along the cobble path and under the lamp lights. My thoughts drifted off to the plans I had this weekend with Caligari and my sisters. We had scraped the money together for a weekend trip for Sade’s birthday. I was looking forward and had worked extra nights while Caligari would make dinner and put the girls to sleep so we could be more comfortable.

These thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of twigs snapping over the roar of rain in my ears. ‘ What was that?’ I strained my ears to further listen to any other sounds but after not hearing anything else, I kept walking, the water-soaked canvas shoes uncomfortable on my feet, faster I met up with Caligari, Faster I could get home to a hot shower and warm bed. Tugging the coat tighter around myself it was when the words of my deadbeat dad came to mind, scary stories before bed about demons and werewolves. Not like they actually existed.

It was a while longer until I heard another crack in the woods the other side of the road from me and it sent shivers up my spine as I could barely make out the sound of an animal huffing, like they were sniffing, but this animal was big, huge even as I strained my ears of the pour of rain to hear as well as the feeling of being watched washed over me like the tide.

Continuing to walk, I picked up my pace, focusing on my footfalls, not running as if it was an animal, it would chase me down if I broke into a sprint but rather a speed walk. Whatever it was, ran off further into the trees, I didn’t know where it went nor did I really care, I just wanted to get home. But the words of the man I loathed to call my father came bback to me as my mind became nostalgic.

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I scampered quickly into my plush pink bed, I had washed up and brushed my teeth as daddy had asked. “Daddy can you read me a story?” I asked sweetly, my father heartily laughing as he tucked me into bed. “Of course princess, come, lay down”

His large hand petted over my hair as he brushed a kiss to my forehead. I was pleased and settled down into the bed, looking back at him as he started his story. “There are wolves in these woods, they used to ravage the city till they carved the walls” he started to spin his tale, “ Wolves that stand on their legs like a man, large and strong but they still prowl the outer city street roads at night.”

“But how can they exist, wouldn’t the knights scare the big scary monsters away?” I hid under my lacy covers.

“Hah, no princess, the knights aren’t the ones that fight off the things in the dark, but still, remember don’t be out late alright princess?” he finished suddenly serious.

“Alright daddy, Promise.”

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Being pulled out of the thoughts the rain lessened and a far off howl. Shivering as a pit formed in my stomach. I looked up and spotted the gnarled old oak, arm and finger-like limbs reaching to the sky in a kind of beg, it was, creepy. I hid under it so I’d be out of the rain for a bit as my feet ached from the constant moisture and rubbing with my shoes. But Caligari wasn’t here yet.

‘Maybe he left late? He’s never broken a promise before, I doubt he’d start now, its only a little rain, or maybe one of the girls held him back, I should call him’ the scenarios went around and around in my mind. I snagged my phone out of the pocket to call him, pressing it to my ear under my hood.

RING. RING. RING. CLICK. “Hi this is Cali-” “And Croia!” “haha, I’m away from the phone right now with my lovely girlfriend, Leave a message!” BEEP.

I frowned hearing the voice mail. “Hey baby, where are you? I’m at the old creepy tree, I’ll keep walking and meet you in the middle, kay?” I hung up the message and shoved it back in my pocket, hesitantly continuing on down the path.

I was walking for another 5 minutes before my phone rang in my pocket, I was quick to pull it out and answer it seeing the contact photo of Caligari and I. “Hey! Where are you?”

“...”

“Baby?”

There was silence beyond rustling, maybe he butt dialled me or the water did some whacky thing. I wasn’t sure. Then it sounded like. Rustle, rustle, drag.

Rustle, rustle, drag.

Rustle, rustle, drag.

I hung up but something just felt off, I wrapped my arms around myself and kept walking till I saw the 3 quarter mark, by the street sign at the base of the hill of my street. I sighed that I still hadn’t seen Caligari. Maybe I should call him again. I hesitated but pressed the green call button and pressed it to my ear. Then my ears perked.

There was a familiar ringtone in the blackness of the forest. My eyes widened as I heard the sound of Caligari’s phone ringing, that annoying song, it was unmistakable. ‘Why would he be in there?’. The pit in my stomach deepened, as dread at me, sticking me to that corner, looking into the forest across from the road as I saw a dark hulking silhouette slowly moving out of the tree line. Clawed finger wrapping around the pole as the wolf-man thing.

Fear choked in my throat as I looked at it, not even hearing the voice mail message in my ear. Then it grinned. An awful, jagged snout full of teeth, grinning at me. Then I noticed something even more horrifying, silvery gold liquid dripped from its jaws mixed with saliva. I wanted to hope, to pray that Caligari was okay and safe, at home. But I didn’t know. I was so scared, so terrified. I turned tail and ran like my life depended on it, well, it probably did.

It was a blur running up the rain-slick hill, diving into my apartment building and bolting up the stairs, not wanting to even stop. Even as my muscles screamed at me to stop and have a break, I shakily let myself into the apartment and dove in. shutting and hastily putting the bolts on the door. The apartment was quiet, the girls were asleep most likely. I Huffed shaky breaths as I closed myself into my room. He wasn’t here. Was he back there in the forest and I had abandoned him?

I shakily called the guard as I was in shock, reporting Caligari missing, doubtful they’d even Believe a wolfman. Once the phone call ended, it all came crashing down, slipping to the floor, sobbing into the hands clasped over my mouth

I was alone again.