Chapter Text
I had another close encounter with the tall man today. The closest one yet. I was on the lookout for him, because there was more rain on the way, and I wanted my umbrella back. Today the weather was crisp and clear, however, and I was taking a walk near the edge of my neighborhood, where the houses start to give way to the trees. I was looking up across the street, and I happened to see the man heading into the woods. His absurdly long legs disappeared between two trunks. I hurried over to where I’d seen him and followed him into the trees. I don’t go into the woods very often because it’s easy to get lost, but I figured I’d catch up with him quickly. How fast could he go, even on those long legs of his? But I only caught one more glimpse of his long black frame in the trees far ahead before I lost track of him completely. I plunged ahead stubbornly, tripping over hidden roots and pushing branches out of my face. Before I knew it, the nice clear day had faded away behind me, and the woods were filling with thick fog. I started to get scared when I realized I wasn’t sure which direction I’d come from anymore.
I stumbled around in the woods by myself for quite a while. Eventually I stopped dead in my tracks, and some creeping and unknown feeling made me turn around. There he was, tall, still, and alien, staring down at me with nothing but the smooth white mask where his face should have been. All the friendly feelings I’d started to feel for him vanished in that moment, and I was sure that I had seriously messed up, that he really was a monster and he had lured me out here to eat me. I was frozen to the spot while I waited for him to make his move. But rather than attack me, he held his long white hand out to me, palm up, slowly, like he was afraid of frightening me. Equally slowly, I placed my hand in his. His long fingers, pale and cool, curled around mine strangely.
I followed behind his towering frame with our hands linked as he led me through the woods. I didn’t know where he was taking me, but I didn't care. The whole situation was so strange that I wasn’t thinking clearly anymore. I was just relieved to have the company. Before I knew it, even though it felt like I’d walked for hours, we stepped out of the woods and right back into my neighborhood. My companion let my hand fall away from his. When I looked up to thank him for the rescue, he handed a long black object to me. It was my umbrella. By then I’d forgotten all about it. I looked up again to thank him, but by then he had disappeared completely.