Carlos is walking home along a tree-lined road. Darkness is already falling. Soon, the only light will come from street lamps. Apart from Carlos, the road is empty...or so he thinks. Suddenly, he hears a strange, shrill voice coming from the darkness behind the trees.

***

Carlos turned around calmly, knowing that it was one of the many tropical birds in the area. He saw a streak of red flying away into the lush foliage, screaming again. He turned back to the road, cracked in some places and covered in potholes. Carlos didn’t believe in the paranormal. He always went where no one else wanted to go in fear of “possession”. He was the only one with sense in his town. He was the only one who ever used the road as most people thought the forest was full of demons. Darkness set in. A few dim street lights were illuminating his path and if he hadn’t already memorized the path, he would have easily tripped over a pothole. He was never this late, so he started to walk faster.

Though he ignored it at first, he could hear indistinct whispering which he thought was the wind blowing through the trees. However, the voices got louder and louder. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it sounded like they were speaking to him. He swallowed dryly and sped up. Carlos later thought they were insects.

“Yeah, they’re probably just a bunch of cicadas,” he thought out loud, becoming calmer.

“Carlos,” whispered a voice. He immediately turned around, fists raised. No one. The whispering got louder. He could barely make out a few words.

“Okay, whoever it is, I’ve attended five self-defense classes. You don’t want to mess with me.”

The voice suddenly got louder, more agitated. Carlos ran. He ran as fast as his legs could take him when he tripped and fell.

He saw humanoid entities tread slowly towards him from the forest. He was surrounded by what seemed to be hundreds of shadows, solidified shadows walking towards him in slow motion. He curled up into a ball and pleaded, mumbling indiscernible words.

The only things a passerby could hear was the silent chirping of crickets, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and a bloodcurdling scream from the road.