John tugged at the straps of his backpack as he walked down the concrete stairs of his workplace. It had been a long day, and tomorrow was going to be an even longer one. Out of all his coworkers he certainly worked the hardest, even though he was the youngest there, being only 17. He didn’t mind the grueling work and the long shifts. He was happy that he had something other than school to focus on.

As he walked down the dimly lit streets, he hummed a tune to himself. It was the best he could do to calm himself down. Even though his father scorned it, John was absolutely terrified of the dark. He clung to the lit areas of the street like a moth drawn to a flame.

He pulled at his backpack again, his grip so tight that his knuckles turned white. “Alright. I’m almost home. I’ll just stop and grab a small drink, and I’ll be almost super close to home.” John said quickly, slightly embarrassed at his fear of the dark, but knew he’d feel a lot safer as soon as he stepped foot inside the convenience store.

John inhaled, still trying to calm himself down. He quickened his pace as the store came into view. As soon as he made it to the store’s parking lot, he rushed inside, grabbing a soda and a chocolate bar. He lingered outside the store for a minute after he paid, and noticed a woman sitting on a bench on the far edge of the parking lot. Of course she’d be on the path he needed to get home. Of course.

As he approached, the woman shifted her head, hiding her face with long tufts of purple hair. “Excuse me,” she whispered. “Could you please give me directions to Cherry Street?”

John looked away for a moment, not knowing what to do. “Um, sure. It’s just down the road, and you take a right at the crossing.”

“Could you walk me there, please? I’m terrible with directions.” She said, standing up, still turned away. John took a deep breath and led the woman down the dark streets, almost glad to have someone to walk with. It made him feel just a bit calmer. Once they reached Cherry Street, John walked away, but the woman grabbed his hand and pulled him back. “My house isn’t too far. I can give you something for your time.” 

Her voice seemed . . . excited for some reason. “No, thank you. I just need to-”

She cut John off. “Please! It’s my treat. Just come by for a bite . . .” 

Without even realizing he’d done so, John had followed the woman into a shallow alleyway, where she turned around and finally revealed her ‘face’.

A huge, gaping mouth covered almost half of her head, with rows of sharp, stained teeth. Eye sockets both big and small lined the rest of the space on her head, making John feel dizzy with each second he looked at her.

“Thank you for the directions.” She said as her mouth spread into a smile. “As a thanks for your help, I will make your death rather quick.”