He lives alone on the outskirts of town. Some say he is a recluse, others say he is a criminal in hiding. Nevertheless, Salewa is drawn to this tall, dark and handsome enigma like a moth to a flame.
He visits the book club every Friday by 2pm. Today is Friday and Salewa is in the book club by 1.55pm. He walks in. She watches as he picks a book, pays the elderly storekeeper and walks out, head bent low, the Mercedes Benz face cap shielding his eyes.
Salewa follows from afar and has to run a little to keep up with him. The road narrows to a trail as they approach the edge of town and he disappears into a sharp corner. She hurries to catch up and turns the corner but he is nowhere in sight.
She looks around, baffled, wondering and suddenly spies a man’s figure behind an ugly gnarled tree on the left. She suddenly realizes that everywhere feels unnaturally cold and everything looks ugly. Strange tingles run along her spine, goosebumps rise gently on her skin. Suddenly she knows! She has walked into a haunted trail!
Submitted for Stach short story contest #19