I kept seeing him in every open door. Just an outline.

Out of fear, paranoia, I took a different route home from university. It extended the walk by fifteen minutes, but negated the need to go around that block.

It was lightly raining again, but this time I had my headphones in. Happy music poured into my ears, allowing me to bouncily walk along. Why take an umbrella when everything was going to get wet anyway? Crossing the road, I rolled my eyes as an idiot on a skateboard nearly knocked me over.

My happy music was interrupted, just as my favourite part of the song started to play. Laura was ringing, again.

'Hey!'

'Hi, what are you up to?'

'I'm still walking home. Did you need anything from the supermarket? Nothing too heavy mind you, I don't have a car.' I chuckled, waiting for her response.

'Uh, just another bag of chips. Oh! And instant ramen.' She chirped before hanging up.

The supermarket and gas station combination was not the worst one in town, but it was pretty bad. Mostly because of the bottle shop down the street. I was about to head past the small alleyway that divided the gas station and supermarket when I heard some obnoxious laughter, and a grunt of pain.

Gripping my bag tighter, I looked around. There wasn't really anyone passing by. A single mother with her two kids hanging off her, a bored gas station attendant who looked a generous fourteen. Not many options. Someone had to do something. What if they were beating up some poor kid?

I could also hear a continuous mumbling, almost like steady humming. With a gulp, I entered the dim alley.

'Wh-Who's there!?' I called out, my voice gaining strength and volume.

'None of your business Dude!' One of the teens called back. He sounded like he just expected me to leave the alleyway and continue on with my day. I suppose most people did.

There was another thud and a pause in the hum like mumbling. One of the other teens continued taunting whomever they were beating.

'Stupid trash. We don't want blind bums around here, this is our turf. Come on trash, fight back!' There was another thud. They were seriously hurting someone who was blind!

'Get lost kids! Take your petty beating somewhere else. I have my phone, ready to dial the police!' I screamed at them.

The one who spoke to me first replied, 'Are you sure about that Pansy?'. They waited in silence as I pushed the numbers, emitting dial tones. They knew I was serious.

The three teen boys, who looked about sixteen, rushed past me. They were still in their private school uniforms. Too late, I had already pressed the call button.

'Hello, what is your emergency?' The calm and serene voice answered

'Hi. There were three boys, all around the age of sixteen who looked like they were taking part in suspicious gang activity. Wearing private school uniform. In the alley between the Broad Street supermarket...'

'Can you confirm what they were doing?'

'I heard them abuse a blind person ma'am.'

'Understood. Does this person have any injuries?' She asked, I looked around struggling to see the person laying in the darkened shadows. I could see that they had a bloodied bandage as I bent down to look at them.

'Uh yes, they have -,' the phone was pulled away from my ear by a hand tightly gripping my wrist. Holding in a scream, I concentrated on their quiet mumblings.

'...the host quietly asks Evan not to tell the police operator about the bandage and explains it is not from this altercation...'

I blinked for a moment before moving the phone back to my ear. His hand stayed locked around my wrist.

'- are you there? Sir?'

'Yes! Sorry. No, the blind man doesn't have any injuries.'

'If you're sure Sir. I'll send a dispatch unit shortly.' She hung up and I sighed in relief, before realising that my hand was still being grasped very tightly by that same man. 'Sorry sir, but could you, uh'

'...Evan asks. The Host apologises, before releasing the pressure off of Evan's wrist. He then bashfully remembers that he cannot sense his surrounding properly, after being kneed in the head. He then reflects that it was his own fault as Evan stares down at him with sympathy. He offers –' He continued muttering.

'I'll help you up sir. Will you be able to find your way from there?' I asked, he didn't have a cane or anything. But I was mindful of the time, and the way he spoke was terrifying.

He continued narrating as I placed my hands on his forearms and helped him off of the disgusting concrete. He straightened his trench coat and took a couple breaths.

'Do you need anything else?'

'...Evan asks. The host looks down at the ground, wondering why he was showing such kindness, when he was in fact scared of him. He looks in his direction. The host quickly mumbles about his bandage, not wanting to leave the alley with the blood soaked cloth. Evan then peers closer and –'

'Your face! I-It's soaked in blood! I'll get you a new bandage b-but then I h-have to...' I trailed off, walking out of the alley.

The supermarket lights were bright and I blinked a couple of times, shaking my head. With a tight grip on my phone I headed into the deserted shop.

Grabbing chicken flavoured chips and four packs of instant ramen, I then piled a small tan coloured bandage into the shopping basket. That was when it hit me. The figure that I'd been avoiding, it was him in the alley. With newfound terror, I purchased the items and headed back into the alleyway.

'...Evan returns with the items for his sister Laura, and the bandage for the Host. The host politely asks Evan to give him the bandage and then leave, he will be fine from there...'

I blinked, handing over the bandage. He was so desperate to hide something, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it was. As he removed the bandage, I turned to look at him for a split second, before turning around and letting out a muffled scream. I could feel the bile in my throat. What the hell!? I squeezed my eyes shut before turning to walk out of the alley.

His hand was gently patting my shoulder, as if feeling that I was there.

'...the host realises that Evan saw under the bandage, but does not apologize. Instead he grips onto his shoulder and thanks him for the clean bandage. However, he knows the truth, and now cannot run. The host gives him an invitation, "My podcast, Storytime. Please listen" before letting go of his shoulder. He watches as she...'

His narration trailed off as I bolted away from the alley. It was only a block until I was home, and I made it in record time. From ten minutes down to four.

I wrapped on the door quickly, checking over my shoulder. There was no blind man ambling up the street though, and so I took a deep breath. After a moment, Laura opened the door.

'Oh hey! You're back later than expected, even with an added shopping trip. Is everything okay?' She ushered me inside, looking up and down the street as I walked past.

I shrugged my shoulders in response, handing her the chips without a word.

'Evan. Speak to me. Please.'

'I-I,' All I could think about was the commanding tone he spoke in, that I knew some truth, 'Its nothing. I swear. It's nothing.' I stuttered. She placed her hands on her hips.

'Right. What actually happened? Were you chased up the street by a crazy person? Did you get caught up in that police skirmish with the gangs?' Her tone grew more and more hysterical.

'Yeah I did. I rang the police about the gangs actually. I helped a blind man in an alley who was being beat up –'

'You did what Evan!? Why would you do that!? Like it was great that you helped someone else, but why would you put yourself in danger? What if the blind guy wasn't the victim after all?' She shrieked.

'I know Laura. I just had to do something, just in case he was the good guy. Turns out he was a bit creepy. Nice, but creepy. I think I just need to have a shower and go to bed.' I mumbled, glancing at the clock. 5:30, an early night after a half hour stint in the shower wouldn't hurt anyone.