Nobody knew from where he came. He was just another lonely traveler on the highway. We stopped at a rest area with a gas station/diner on the lot. My father and I thought after a 300 mile drive we were due for some food and a little R&R. The stranger came walking across the parking lot, and there was something about him that made us pause mid bite.
He seemed to almost glide, not in an Exorcist, horror movie kind of way, but in a graceful way. He stepped into the diner, and everyone looked him up and down. His boots were worn and dusty, jacket was made of worn out blue jean that matched his faded jeans. The only thing that looked brand new on the man was his duffel bag. It was a bright shiny green with a blue trim.
He took a booth in the far left corner of the diner, dirty cowboy hat down over his eyes. We continued on with our meal, but still would glance at the man from time to time. The waitress walked over to him, and said;
“Well hello there handsome, anything I can get for you tonight?” she flashed him a toothy grin, and he looked up at her and smiled. His eyes were the most brilliant shade of green we had ever seen. Almost like emeralds, but they shone brighter.
He said, “No ma’am, but I would like to ask you a question.”
The waitress, still smiling, said, “Ok honey, shoot.”
The man looked deep into her eyes, and he asked, “Are you lonely?”
The waitress’ smile faltered a bit, but she regained her composure and simply said, “Well aren’t we all, darlin?”
He then said, “I sure hope so.” Suddenly, the man grabbed her by the hand, and his eyes burning bright, went from emerald to a deep teal and black. The waitress was frozen in place, blank stare, and rigid composure. Some of the patrons had rushed over at this point, as the waitress had let out a little yelp before going blank. The man closest to the two had gotten there quickly and reached for the waitress.
The stranger didn’t blink, and the man went rigid and blank as well. Somehow, as each person went to touch the next, they too froze in place and, just simply blanked out. It seemed half of the restaurant was in a trance within five minutes. Now, my father and I were no cowards, but that night we sure did get under our table in the booth. All we could do was watch… then, the stranger stood up suddenly. Still holding on to the waitress’s’ hand, he began to spin.
He spun her first, as if they were dancing. Soon, almost as if they were all attached by some chain links or rope, all the other patrons began to wrap around the stranger as he spun. Pretty soon it was just a big swirling mass of bodies, with the emerald green eyes in the center. Then as quickly as it began, it abruptly stopped. The stranger then picked up his duffle bag, which seemed heavier and bigger than before, and then made his way out of the diner.
There were no bodies left behind, no blood, guts or gore. Just emerald green dust all over the floors and tables. No one knows who he was, or where he came from. But there were fifty people in that diner before he came in… and about half when he left… Guess he won’t be lonely anymore for a while.
