Impeccable timing might be the key to success, but fate definitely plays a big part in a great journey of life time.

After the drama and some convincing, I was given green light to continue to work on the part-time job, but I doubt dad would be too happy if I come home after midnight.

Carrying two bags of trash through the back door, the last task for the night. They are so heavy, I could barely lift my left arm to check the time. Five minutes to twelve, my watch displays, there is no way I could go home before midnight.

“Shush, go!”

Two cats are fighting on top of dumpster, making weird baby crying noise, sound scary and strange at the same time. My intrusion stops their fight. These two little devils, now ganging together, hissing at me.

I literally throw the trash and walk back as fast as I can, it’s dark and cold outside in the back alley.

Narrow alley, brick wall up several floors, just enough to put in a dumpster. I must admit that even standing six-two, weighing one-seventy, in a place you barely can see a few feet in front of you, this is frightening.

I got back in one piece, as I am about to lock the door, strange thing starts to happen. Very low humming sound coming through the door, it gets louder and louder as the door begins to vibrate, red light peeking through the gap and it seems to emit heat, then a big bang bashing the door and metal scraping sound follows.

‘Don’t open it, don’t open it,’ telling myself, but my hand does the exactly opposite. I feel like staring in a low budget horror movie.

The dumpster has somehow been dragged for a few yards, the drag mark can be clearly seen across the wall, and there is a man lying against it. He looks like lifeless. The alley is glowing in low light, if I have to describe, the brick is burning in a way that I couldn’t understand.

A crispy click noise from behind me, “oh shit!” I gasp.

The latch just clicked. I turn the doorknob, trying to open it.

‘This isn’t really happening to me!’ turning again, wishfully thinking that’s not locked, but it is.

This is where a stupid character is written killed. I can’t even remember I stepped out of the door. But now, I am standing outside of a locked door, if I want to go back, I have to walk around the building, out of the alley, that is going pass by that guy.

‘Call 911,’ just a thought long enough for me to approach that man.

He looks like out of place, his clothes particularly, even they are burned, holes and charred marks. They looks smooth, tough, but not leather, certainly not cotton. His shoes, if there is one pair, are part of clothes. If this is Halloween costume, he is wearing them month late.

“Hello? Are you okay?” tapping his feet with my shoe.

He moans in pain, slowly looking up at me, taking a second until he focuses on me, then he just stares at me like an out-of-space staring. It is as if is seeing a ghost or he knows me. I ask if I should call him an ambulance, he definitely is hurt or mentally ill.

“What are you doing?” I ask in fear when he grasps at my left hand.

A silver bracelet growing out of his wrist, it just appeared, emerged, coming outward through his wrist. It is smooth, metallic, in silver color, about quarter inch in width. No design, pattern, just a plainly silver ring.

He took it off, which coming through his wrist, not out of along his arm. I can’t understand how he could pull it through his wrist, it’s a full O-shape bracelet, there is no opening. No time to think if that was a magic trick, he slapped it right on my wrist before I could react, it passes through my wrist, then clips on my wrist. I wasn’t sure what that bracelet really is, who knows what it can do to my hand.

Just a moment later, some indentations are forming words on the surface of the bracelet. I feel relieved as I read it. Though, I couldn’t help wonder why he gives me it.

‘2357,’ it reads.