Under Its Gaze
The train tracks were his way of getting home. It didn't take him that long, really, especially after Track and Field practice. Watching out for the train wasn't hard, and all he needed to do was get off the school street, make his way down the nearby avenue, then head on the tracks.
To Xavier, the tracks were more than just a stroll to get home—they were his way of relaxing and tuning out the loud noises that always made his head hurt.
With his AirPods, he could always go on the stroll home knowing well that he had something to listen to for that day.
One of the main "exhibits" that he encountered on his way home was the bridge. Now, the train tracks still continued on the bridge and kept going, but what made Xavier freak out was the things that he would find underneath this bridge: diapers, panties, nails, eyelashes, and all sorts of things. Every time he managed to come in contact with at least one of these relics, he would think to himself: Either someone had a good hump or they were just a plain weirdo.
He would then continue to look for more relics under the bridge, not because he was actually interested in touching them, but because his curiosity in the matter couldn't be contained. If he couldn't find anything, he would go back on the tracks and start heading home.
2
Exam day was brutal, especially when it came to biology. Xavier never really had a knack for it due to his mediocre memory, and studying it sounded like a drag.
He was now sitting on a chair leaning over his desk while picking his hair with his pencil and staring at his exam sheet. He glanced a little to the right and looked at the clock on the wall: 11:42AM.
This is really running numbers on me. Welp, guessing on some of these won't hurt anyway.
One guess turned into five guesses, and five guesses turned into too many. The stress almost overwhelmed him. He regretted only studying for one hour then spending the rest of his free time on the PS5 he had gotten from his uncle last Christmas.
From the corner of his eyes, he could tell that the teacher was just about ready to take the exams now that the time was up.
"Put ya name and time on it." The teacher would occasionally say as he collected the papers.
On the left side of the classroom was a glass wall. Xavier didn't pay much attention to what was happening outside until he noticed that the sun was being covered up by the clouds that were forming.
The rest of the students in the room looked surprised. Did they not know that the forecast was calling for thunder or rain?
Xavier didn't know. He had checked the forecast this morning and it was expected to be sunny with mild winds throughout.
Fuck yeah, that means no practice...should I go binge when I get home? After exams, I really have nothing else to do...plus, biology was the main thing that bugged me out.
He continued listening to the thunder and rain outside. After a while, the students were able to go on a break.
Great. Xavier would use that time daydreaming about something else.
3
School was over, people had plans, and Xavier decided to wait inside the school for a while until it stopped pouring outside. When that was done, he simply went outside and stood near the main entrance.
Xavier once again took out his AirPods from his pocket. Some of his favorite artists had released some of their music today, and he thought it was a good idea for him to try them out. He scrolled through the list of songs on his phone and eventually stumbled upon a good one.
Yes, let's go.
Xavier picked one of the songs on the newly released album, put his phone back in his pocket, and started walking in the direction of the nearby avenue.
The avenue wasn't that bad, especially since school had just ended. Of course, since there was an elementary school nearby, Xavier would usually see kids come and go during this time too.
In terms of what had also caught his attention while he strolled down the avenue had to do with one of the houses on the left side of the avenue. Usually, this house would have their main door open with their screen door closed, and Xavier would be able to see what movie the inhabitants were watching.
Currently, the movie he was seeing on the TV as he walked by the house was Happy Death Day. But it was weird because he had watched the movie before and some of the scenes he had just glanced at he didn't remember watching before.
Must be part two or something. Whatever, probably a dead movie.
He continues to walk down the avenue, listening to the "peak" album that his favorite artist had just put out. It was only until he reached the intersection of the avenue and the street that took him out of the avenue that he had heard garbage while listening to the album.
Mid.
He kept his hands in his pockets and looked down as he was making another turn. Eventually, he got to a point where he was going to have to start walking on the tracks.
4
About a half-a-mile from school, he was still walking with not a care in the world if there was anyone or anything else nearby to disturb his peace.
Once he had finally moved on from this terrible song and started listening to a better one, he was already almost at the bridge.
The bridge, what was underneath it specifically, surprised him. It was something else who was hanging out underneath the bridge. He normally wouldn't see anyone hanging out there after school—he would only find weird relics.
Why the hell are they kneeling? Let me guess...a blow job?
He snuck towards the scene, making sure he was low enough so that whoever was kneeling wouldn't see him.
Slowly, he peeked his head out and saw someone kneeling over a body in a bunny costume. Before the person could turn around to see who had spotted him, Xavier had quickly hid himself.
SHIT! A MURDER!
He slowly took out his ear tips and shoved them in his pocket while trying to control his breathing.
They won't dare come near me. Fuck. From the looks of it, they don't have a gun, but should I really risk it in a sprint?
The solution screamed at him so loud that he had to shiver: the train. He heard the train coming from afar. If he escaped and ran on the other side of the train just before the killer decided to go underneath the bridge to get on his side, then that would buy him enough time to escape.
After all, he was a sprinter—running was his thing.
Okay, I have to time this perfectly or I'm dead.
The person in the bunny costume with blood all over their right hand was getting closer. Xavier was nearly under its gaze before he volted from his hiding spot in the direction of the other side of the train tracks. As he ran, he could hear the killer following him, but luckily, the train had come just in time to separate them.
Xavier ran like nothing before, probably running a faster pace than what he had run for his 100 meter time during tryouts—even with his bookbag on.
I won't stop...
He didn't even bother to turn around either. He knew the killer had probably turned around, went underneath the bridge to get on his side, and continued the chase for him.
After a while of running, Xavier started jogging, but even then he felt the need to increase his pace. He had almost reached the neighborhood on the avenue.
5
Things happened pretty quickly. While Xavier was strolling down the avenue checking in all directions, he had already talked with his father and was now calling 911. So far, Xavier didn't feel safe going back to school. He just stayed on the avenue.
He talked with the authorities and told them everything: what he's seen and how he escaped. Staying on the line was the best option, as he practically waited for his father and the police to arrive at the avenue in an effort to make sure that he was okay.
"You're positive that it was someone in a bunny suit? Did you manage to get any pictures?" The officer asked.
Xavier looked at his father who was standing right next to him—putting his hands on his shoulders, almost scared for Xavier. Besides his father, most of the people in this avenue were either outside to witness this scene or they decided to watch it through their windows.
"Positive. They had the same face as that bunny from Happy Death Day too." Xavier replied.