Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-33077235-20190912051836

I’m sure you’ve heard of “The Walking Man”, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s spoken the name. Right?

    I had just moved into the dorm for the college I was recently accepted into. It took some time to set up how I wanted it to look nice, since I would be living there for sometime.So, might as well make it feel like home. During my clean up session, I found a USB drive. I wasn’t going to be dumb about it and just plug it into my laptop. It could have possibly been a trick to put malware or some virus into my laptop. So, I decided to put it in my backpack to check it out on the library computer.

    The classes were long, but it was worth it to have the future job that I wanted. I love drawing, so it only makes sense to go to an art school to be an artist. When classes were over, I went to the library to check out the USB stick I found earlier. I inserted the drive, thinking it would take over the computer, but no such thing happened. Instead, it was only one video file titled “Walking Man.avi” and two others. The second titled “Walking Man Rough” ,and the other “Walking Man Finished''. I decided to click the last one, and what I saw was strange. It gave me an eerie feeling. It started off with a dark hallway, and then a man with a fedora walked down the hallway. The way he walked- was very unnatural. His leg stretched ever so slightly, making him taller as he walked closer and closer to the camera. The man's face was extremely pale, almost albino.

    The thing that bothered me was his eyes. They were all white with no pupils at all, and they were drastically sunken into his face. The sound of his steps also got louder and louder the closer he came to the camera. The whole setting of the video gave me such an unsettling feeling that I didn’t bother to see the other two files on the USB.

    I put the USB back in my backpack and headed back to my dorm room. My roommate should be coming in today, so I figured I’d throw out the boxes I didn’t need anymore. While coming back in my dorm after throwing away some of the boxes, I heard faint footsteps that sounded as if they were coming from down the hallway. So I did as any other normal person would do, and looked down it. No one was down the hallway, but I did hear the footsteps as I looked down it. It may have just been an echo from down stairs, so I shrugged it off and continued to finish what I started.



It didn’t take long to finish cleaning up the boxes, and it was nice to not have them stacked up in the corner for nothing. My roommate didn’t show up at all, and it was getting extremely late. So, I decided to go to sleep if I were to deal with school tomorrow. The thing is, I couldn’t really sleep well because I kept thinking of the video on the USB drive. It bothered me on how realistic it looked, even though it’s most likely a student film test. I stared at the ceiling as my eyes were slowly getting heavier until I had no choice but to fall asleep.

    The school part of my day was the same as the day before. I did, however, ask Jerry from my class about the USB and what was on it. I wasn’t there for very long to ask anybody but him, because he seemed highly interested in weird entities. Just looking at the art he drew, I could tell it was his passion. So, surely enough, he was eager to see the video.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    He came to visit my place a few hours after class was finished to look at the video on my laptop. I knew the USB was safe now, so I had nothing to worry about. He rewound the video, and looked at it a few more times as if he were trying to find something.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “I can’t seem to see any codes or ciphers in the video,” said Jerry as he carefully examined the video.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “What kind of codes are you looking for?” I asked, thinking I might be able to help.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Nothing in particular, Where did you say this USB was when you found it”?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “It was wedged between the bed and the wall,” I said as I looked in the direction where it was. The door knob to the room turned, so we both looked up to see who was coming in. I didn’t remember inviting anyone over besides Jerry, and I was sure that I had locked the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    We stared at it, watching the doorknob turn left and right. I felt that I should hide, but where would I hide?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    The door finally opened and it was a girl with boxes beside her. I was completely stunned by her looks, she apparently had the right genes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “There's two of you? I was told there was only one.” she said as she picked up a box and walked to the other side of the room.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “I just invited a friend over to help me with something” I said, hesitant with the word friend with a slight inflection.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “You sure he’s your friend, you said it like a question,” she said as she brought more boxes in. I wasn’t really sure if he was my friend, I had just met him. I looked his way, and he shrugged. He seemed like he would be a good friend to me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Yeah, he's my friend” I said, setting my laptop on my bed. “I had no idea it would be someone like you as my roommate.” She gazed around the room for a minute.“The posters don’t bother me, typical art school boy stuff.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “I’m just glad it isn’t both of you” she said as she started to unpack the boxes. Jerry tapped on my shoulder and pointed at the laptop “I want to see the other videos” he said as he adjusted his glasses. I reopened the laptop to look at the other two videos, and they were the same as the first one,well sort of.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    You see, the first video I saw was an actual, I think, human being. At least that’s what “it” looked like. These other two were animated. One was an uncolored animation, and the other one was a colored animation.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Could just be a student film test, like one of those experimental assignments” Jerry said, as he looked through the videos once more. He wanted to examine the videos some more, so I handed him the USB to take with him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “I’ll do some more research on it at my dorm room, and probably draw it” Jerry said as he walked toward the door. I finished helping my roommate unpack her things, and we ordered some pizza. After we finished eating, she was asleep before I even turned off the lights. As I laid in my bed, I could've sworn I heard footsteps that were surprisingly loud. And then, there was a shadow outside of the door. I could even see the shoes in front of the door, but then it left.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    I was awoken the next morning by the sound of pounding on the door. I looked to the left, and it looked like my roommate was already gone.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “One second”, I moaned loudly as I stumbled out of bed. I walked to the door and opened it. There was this nerdy looking guy with an afro standing right infront of me. He was like a mix of a Dj and a geek, which was a weird combination, but it was the best I could describe him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Who are you?” I asked, still half asleep, leaning on the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Hi, Sorry to bother you but- well- you see...” the guy was rambling on so much I couldn’t even understand him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Can you give me the short version of what you need,” I said, trying not to sound rude by him waking me up.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “Sorry, I used to live in this dorm until I moved into another. The guy I lived with in here had this USB drive he wanted me to get for him. He kept saying it was cursed or something like that. I didn’t believe him, but he really wanted me to get it for him, so here I am.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    That sure made me wake up, “So, you said the USB is cursed?” I asked, no longer leaning on the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “No, not the USB, just what’s on it. I don’t believe in any of that stuff, but he says it is real.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “What’s on it?” I asked, trying not to give away the fact that I had the USB.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “I don’t really know what’s on it, except for some videos. So, have you seen it or not?” he asked, as if he was eager to leave.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    “No, I haven’t seen it. Sorry. He may have dropped it someplace else.” I said, trying to be believable as possible. He just nodded his head and apologized for bothering me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    I closed the door and looked at the clock. “Oh crap-” I mumbled to myself, as I realized I was going to be late for class. I threw on my clothes and snatched up my backpack before I dashed out  the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">     During the classes, I couldn’t help but think about what he said about the video. During one of the classes I went to the bathroom, and that was when I heard it again. The footsteps getting closer and closer. They were much louder than before, but as soon as I stepped out of the stall ,I saw... nothing. Nobody, not a soul, was there.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Which was strange, because I swear I heard footsteps.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    After all of the classes were finished, I called Jerry. The phone rang some, but there wasn’t an answer. I texted him, thinking that he might see it later. But that's when I saw it. He had sent me information last night that I didn’t see.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    The information he sent was overwhelming, and it started to make me feel paranoid. According to what Jerry sent me, the man in the video has been dead for over 20 years. He died somewhere in the 1960’s, around Halloween with this being the only recorded video of him. The video was made for, ironically, a horror movie. He was doing an experimental film before he died. His name is unknown, and the video date is also unknown. What it said is that everyone who’s seen the video mysteriously vanishes or ends up paralysed from the waist down. No one has seen what happens, and even the victims don’t remember a thing. One common thing-something everyone had experienced- was that they heard “footsteps that weren’t there”.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">    Sitting in my dorm, I read about the video until the sun went down. I found multiple mentionings and cases on the topic. Most of them went missing, and other rare few were paralysed from the waist down.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">   It made me want to call Jerry again, but there wasn’t any answer. I had started to realize he wasn’t in class either. I decided to text him to make sure he was okay, until I heard the footsteps, louder than ever before. I didn’t think twice about it- thinking it was my roomate. I looked up from my phone, and it wasn’t my roommate at all. <ac_metadata title="The Walking Man (I&#039;m just gonna leave this here and watch it get spit on possibly.) Im joking about it getting spit on ok"> </ac_metadata>