CHAPTER V : The Next Light

For weeks, I tried to leave him out of everything. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyDble7svN

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVp3HyTgdt

I changed my route. I took taxis after dark. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM77sjckqD

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32ZW397KQT

Eventually, I moved to another part of the city, to a building on a quiet street with a broken lamp on the corner. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tHGyOVq61

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOc7yN3Uyhg

I chose it because of the broken lamp. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgt9GdRKZz

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3auZWxI0o

Months passed. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJhsBMohJT

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MSb20SRuv

One evening, I got off the bus near my new flat. The rain had started while I was travelling, but this time I had an umbrella. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecG1dfFEOE

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4d6owlGetC

People came down the steps behind me. A couple crossed towards the shops. The bus pulled away. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wqXlyaZCE

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSITIGzGd7

I opened my umbrella. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWX5G2vsBy

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeMNcK4Wb2

The lamp on the corner was lit. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOxSLwrxNN

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuxNw9Ritg

Black shoes waited beneath it. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsehrGiuiOZ

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCOePd7FdH

My eyes travelled upward, along the impossibly long trousers, the pale waistcoat, the narrow coat, until they reached the tall silk hat. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa19MKmla4

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRju2QnAQoO

The heads floated behind his shoulder. There were more of them now. Near the front, a hood was still caught around the back of one skull. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkHMqGjQTM

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbLFt00Yfz

He was smiling too. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCA0aOoHpE

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbo5GZH6VM5

In his other hand, he held the loose string. The limp, pale thing still hung from the end of it. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHS3IEPuzQU

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UbQFrnyAP

Still empty. Still waiting to be filled. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxmW88ECS9

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKvSDkiKHy

─────────────── ☾ ✧ ─────────────── 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9sQZr34Wo

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMsTY2Nrhz

He lifted it when he saw me, the way you might lift a hand to wave at an old friend across a station. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxPCcxjbgP

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAubGzz5lU

The hollow loops glowed red. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMoDkcvxnl

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEOSN4rGTL

“There you are,” he said, delighted. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUs2lDqlF8

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7LUrjefyt

And I finally understood. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriGFyFyVpz

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEakMaYJnF5

He hadn’t saved me at the crossing. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MKXPpFVHk

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTKyOR5Ybm

He had reserved me.

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSHSS8QNjH

I ran for the door of my building. I didn’t look at the corner again. He didn’t follow; he never does. He doesn’t need to. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBlTE8wPEF

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3PAYpwXqN

He simply waits under the next light.

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGSBxkxaS6

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuBBflCSsS

─────────────── ☾ ✧ ───────────────

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Di3L8Bg9I

I have learned a few things since then. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2ri0cMWue

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtr1jukZ2e

He is never under the light you are standing in. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyUH7N33A7

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu47gCiq1Wf

Only the one you are walking towards. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k3h6ed3IC

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWgS8ndywf

So I don’t walk towards lights any more. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37XwNHHaDT

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5Td9ZNMKL

I keep one lamp on in the living room, and I stayed within the light. I have taken the bulbs out of the hallway. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8jzJpavzt

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlBwAruU9o

I cook in the dark. I have not been out after sunset in eleven days. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7SJ4rNS0F

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9UnPPpXZM

Tonight, the bathroom tap started dripping. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLebNdeM3k

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6sqQ948Sg

I have been listening to it for an hour. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOvmHIN35i

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uLyNbvVj6

The bathroom is at the end of the hallway. The hallway is dark. The bathroom is dark. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZysrfMGYx

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7DBZuyTfa

I need to go. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNf1vJWfox

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQArGhZeQ7

I am standing at the edge of my lamp now, on the last bit of floor it reaches, looking down the hallway at the bathroom door. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0POcrRjd1m

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrpZutqk9X

The switch is just inside the frame. I know exactly where it is. I could reach in without stepping through.

I haven’t touched it. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAIPkur59z

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbtIV3kYQt

Because a minute ago, under the bathroom door, a thin line of yellow light came on by itself. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqX8TvcdIUK

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRT50RUaLX

And from the other side of the door, very softly, I can hear the sound of someone patiently sorting strings. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vfLYNlaKn

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVTsKjXZfI

“Heh… heh…” 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mJyuhQtrR

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxTLeMiiT6

The voice is beside my ear. It always is. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfy10SPmLg

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtfcRpONzd

“Do mind the tiles, little one. They’re ever so slippery when they’re wet.” 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1MkcGFyrQ

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJuRC7oI3p

The tap drips. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4JguTn8tD

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWVu6Y7aXn

“It would be such a pity to fall.” 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDriGVaJqe

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilkWc0iaSb

A pause. The little wet catch in his breath. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLn2dv8BaY

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjLZgHrqpN

“I should so hate for anything to spoil it.”

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjGS2Gkh60

─────────────── ☾ ✧ ───────────────

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSbXWvAGTi

94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrEfNj1Cr9

88.181.249.5

ns88.181.249.5da2