The Boy

It was only a few months ago, but that week felt like yesterday. It was a mid-October night when I bumped into this boy, he was about 5’1” – 5’2”; he had large dark eyes, and a face that had grown gaunt. 

Since I wasn’t looking in the first place I said, “Oh, sorry I wasn’t looking where I was looking.”

The boy looked up at me and mumbled, “How can you see me?”

“I don’t know, wait why are you so surprised I can see you? You seem normal.” I said, utterly confused.

“How can you see me?” the boy asked again. 

“I already told you I don’t know, why are you asking me?” I asked slightly more irritated.

“Well I don’t know, maybe because no one for the past three days has even acknowledged my existence.”

“What’s your name?” 

“Jackob Miller, why?” 

“I don’t really know, but that name sounds familiar.” 

Just then I remember the newspaper in my hand, and I see the face of a young Jackob Miller on the front cover. Jakob Miller – PRESUMED DEAD – Missing for 3 days. 

“Hey Jake-can I call you Jake- follow me and read this.” I said while giving him the newspaper. 

In the eyes of a kid that couldn’t even be 15, his life flashed before them while reading it the heading. As we walked toward my apartment he tapped my shoulder.

He asked, “Do you think I’m gone, like really gone?”

“I don’t know, we can figure it out when we get to my apartment.”

As we walked the minutes passed like seconds, we were at my apartment in no time. As we walked inside and up four flights of stairs I noticed that his footsteps on wood steps didn’t make a noise, even on the creaky planks.

“Hey do you remember what you did or anything of what happened three days ago?”  I asked Jackob cautiously. 

“Now that you mention it, I don’t really.” 

I looked at him closer he just looked tired but he had some sort of bite on his arm. I decided that I’d ask about it once we got to my floor. 

We got to my floor about ten minutes later and when I unlocked my door but Jackob was in front of me in the room. 

“How did you get in there I just unlocked the door” 

“I dunno I kinda just walked through it. I’m starting to think that I’m not missing.” 

 “Did you just make a joke about being dead? Never mind, we need to figure out how you died, do you have any ideas.” I said walking into my apartment. 

“I already told you, I don’t remem- wait I was walking home from school on a longer route, and something, big and black bit my arm.” Jackob said astounded. 

“Well we need to find what it is, ok. I don’t know why, but we do.” 

As I got my laptop out to start researching Jackob looked over at my bookshelf. He looked straight over to a book that I didn’t even realize I owned. He flipped to a page that seemed to be the perfect answer to our question, a devil dog. 

“Page 451, Devil Dogs; Large black creatures that look like a large domesticated dog. Severe bites cause….”, As Jackob was talking he was slowly fading until he was gone. 

That was the last time I saw that kid. I hardly knew him, but I still tried to help him find out what happened to him.