Misfortune

Chapter 3

"He doesn't even have a car, but he noticed I was at the wrong pump, how nice of him." I say while watching him walk away.

Even his walk was strange, it was slow but quick at the same time. He never looked back as he walked straight ahead perfectly. He seemed like he had a destination in mind as he walked.

I squeezed on the pumps nozzle a bit more as I studied him. His figure was starting to fade as small droplets of rain fell from the sky.

I look up at the misty clouds, flinching every time a droplet would fall on my face. When I look back down, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me when I see the man staring straight at me, now facing me.
But once I blink, he's gone. I don't have the best sight in the world so maybe I was imagining things.

The small droplets soon turned onto heavy rainfall. I put the nozzle back in its place and quickly get in my car. I take off my wet coat and place it in the back seat.

'I hope that guy is alright. '

I began driving again as I listen to the weather forecast.

"Expect heavy rain showers throughout the week and then going onto next week a few snowstorms."

I turn off the radio as I focus on the road.

My eyes widened a bit as I ride past the strange man from earlier. He was walking on the other side of the road as I passed by him. The rainfall was only getting heavier, and I was afraid he would get hit by someone not paying attention.

Wanting to be a good person, I decide to make a U turn and go back for him. I figured that he might be heading into town so I may as well give him a ride.

He stops walking as I pull up in front of him and takes off his hood, revealing his void like eyes.

I turned around with the intention of giving him a lyft. But seeing him just standing a few meters away from my car with a blank expression made me hesitant.

"All he needs is a ride to a nearby town or home, he isn't a psychopath. Stop watching so much horror movies." I say to myself as I get my keys out the ignition.

The bag he was carrying earlier was no longer in his hands. He probably placed it in his coat maybe. He had no reaction to seeing me get out my car and jog over to him.

I raised a hand over my eyes as I said loudly so he could hear me through the heavy rain," Let me give you a ride."

He wasn't fazed by the heavy droplets splashing on him making his hair wet and slick.

He stood in front of me and with his deep voice said," Why? Why not just drive off like everyone else?"

'What kind of question is that? '

"Because you helped me earlier and it's pouring out. This weather is dangerous man," I shout.

He looks up and raise one of his hands out to catch the droplets. His hand would lower a bit from the weight of the rain, he looks back down at me and says," I've been in weather like this before, I'll be fine."

With that he brushes past me and continues forward. Though he was overbearing, he still had a welcoming look to him earlier.

Now he was just plain cold.

'He's hesitant because I'm a stranger, I would be too. But this rain will start to flood the streets soon, I can't just leave him out here. I won't take no for an answer. '

"Sir wait!" I call out but he doesn't answer. He just keeps walking forward as if he didn't hear me.

I bit my lip and yell," I've been having a hard time deciding on what I want to really do with my life. Since yesterday, I've only just now started making good decisions for myself. I want to trust this strong gut feeling I have and help you, please just let me make this decision."

The man stops abruptly and turns his head towards me.

Though he was quite a distance from me, I could see his face so clearly.

"Why help me?"

I shrugged saying," Why help anyone?"

He looks down, thinking for a moment," Alright then."

I let out a sigh a relief now that he's agreed to my help. With that, we both got inside my car. I got back on the lane I was originally on and ask him," What's your name"

He shook his wet hair and wiped his face as he replied, "...Tyler."

I pat the steering wheel as I say," Uh, okay. So where are you heading Tyler?"

He smiles as he watches me drive," I'm heading somewhere, but I don't know where. Just somewhere far away from my wife and daughter."

Hearing him say that I laugh," Oh come on they can't be that bad."

"They were."

I lick my lips and say," I actually know how that can feel."

From the corner of my eye, I could see him tilting his head as he asks," How?"

I laugh a bit saying," It's a story for next time."

Tyler stays quiet for a bit, so I give him a quick glance, I was surprised to see him already staring so deeply at me.

I turn my head back to the road and say," Tell me more about them. Are you on your way home? Or are you just on a stress-free work trip without them?"

He unzips his coat but doesn't fully take it off as he says," They were such a pain, it was exhausting waking up and hearing them plan on how they were going to leave me. They discussed possible dates and times. I even found their bags packed once when they went to church without me."

I could feel tension rising in the air, I wasn't expecting him to straight up tell me all about his life like that.

"Why did they want to leave you? If you don't mind me asking."

"You can ask me anything and I'll answer you with full honesty. I despise people who lie straight to your face."

Tyler had an accent that made him sound intriguing. I look over at him, noticing he was a bit older than me. Probably by a few years because he had sunken tired like eyes and a stubble beard. The way he spoke was so calm and collected like he experienced many things.

His eyes trail off mine as he finally answers," They were leaving because my wife was having an affair with someone, they thought were better than me."

I part my lips, letting out a shaky breath," Man I know how that feels. It fucking hurts, my girlfriend recently was cheating on me as well. It was with one of my best friends I've known since high school."

"That's why you need to be careful of who you trust August."

I nod and say," How did you react when you found out your wife was cheating?"

He looks back at me with a piercing gaze as he says in a low voice," I made her watch as I slit our daughters throat."