Eight PM, Sunday, Cardiff Central

So, I went yesterday. Foolish of me? Very.

At about eight PM, my train pulled into Cardiff Central. Before I left, my computer had the pop-up again -- it instructed me to look for a carrier bag underneath a bench when my train pulled up. I looked; there it was. Opening it, I found a transceiver; like, a kid's toy? I hooked it into my ear. There was also a note attached, which was rather implicit. "Put it in and leave."

I did just that. As soon as I went outside, the transceiver crackled and allowed a voice in. "Hello. Can you see me?"

Obviously, the transceiver didn't let me send a message back, so I looked around and didn't see anything -- then I noticed someone standing still. The train had just pulled in, of course there'd be people moving away. But someone staying still? Quite different; so much so as to be a torrent. I could not see their face (only just the top of their head), but it seems they could see my pace.

"Very well. Follow. Walk, do not run."

The figure turned (or, rather, the hairline moved) and walked away. I followed it, going with the crowd; it turned left, I followed. As the crowds parted, I could see the figure more clearly from behind; a black coat, fairly long and rather tatty. Black hair pausing just after the shoulder-blades. She didn't look back, not even once, to insure I was following her.

I know Cardiff pretty well, but I must admit that I ended up losing track of exactly where we were. Down through streets and alleys, past residential districts; through back lanes. I was occasionally given orders, such as "head to the end of the street, turn left, keep going until you see me again". I would have paid more attention to the signs if I'd been able to focus. She walks fast.

Now, my memory, I note, is becoming rather patchy. I know I looked at signs, but can't remember what was written on them. It's... annoying. I felt like I was coming out in a rash, too. That's not important. I followed the figure into what looked like a disused construction site or something. A few unfinished rooms; one had a roof built over it, and that was the one she walked into. I saw her raise a hand to her face, as if adjusting something. She walked in, and my transceiver crackled. "Wait two minutes. Keep an eye open."

I looked around, didn't see anything. I'm not sure if 'construction site' is a good thing to call it, since it might have just been an old school building or something, which had fallen on hard times. I'm not even sure where it was, so. Hey, whatever. A "yes" from my earpiece, and I walked in.

I found myself in a small room. Very cold, like it was outside. There was just one light source (a bare bulb: hooked up to a battery on a circuit. Not sure what to think about that); a table, on which a checkered board was set, with chess pieces upon it (the table was actually just some bricks on top of one another). And the person I had been following. Standing in the room. I wouldn't make a guess as to her height, besides 'shorter than I am.' Black hair, black clothes. I could see a theme going on here.

Now, I'd describe her features, but I can't. She was wearing a mask; painted black, too. And some random white lines... which I realised were basically in the shape of the symbol on the envelope. She told me to sit; I did so, and as did she. I noted that despite the mask, I could see her eyes; she was either staring at me, or looking over my shoulder. She didn't blink a lot. It was... disconcerting.

"Why the mask?" I asked.

"Keep your voice down, please. I cannot tell you. I know you're going to post it on your little blog-thing," she replied, in a voice which seemed like ice. (I think I'm beginning to slip into a sort of story-telling mood here. Forgive me for it. While we're at it, forgive me for not writing things exactly as they happened. I can remember the gist of the conversation, so I'm just matching words to how it went.)

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes. In the case of the mask, anyway."

"So, if I promised...?"

"Promises don't mean anything. But I will take your word for it." And then she told me, and I'll honour my word. I'll repeat, again, that what I'm saying here is generally right. I might have gotten some things wrong. I'm sure she'll correct me if she wants to. When she finished, I responded, and she talked back. Then she pointed at the chessboard; white faced towards her, black towards me. A white pawn had already moved two squares forward. "Take your turn."

We kept talking and playing. I don't recall the exact words, but I asked her about the game, and she said it was just a "prop". I went along with it and moved some piece. She'd checkmated me three or four times by the time I left.

We discussed a few things. Firstly, we strayed over the issue of what she'd stole from me; after a rather long argument, she returned the money, grudgingly. But not the camera. She apparently 'knew' it was dangerous. Whatever. Anyway, I noted here that she kept looking over my shoulder. It was sort of disconcerting, since I kept having the feeling that something was looking at me from behind. Probably because she was looking behind me.

After that, the Doors. She claimed that they were, in fact, aberrations -- one of many, listing things called 'the Whisperer', 'the Supremacy', 'the Teacher', 'the Shifters' and 'the Slender Man'. I, obviously, burst out laughing at the last one, calling it a joke; she quite agreed, saying something about exaggeration by "immature idiots". We got quite sidetracked talking about such things (most of which I've forgotten because I don't memorise bullshit), before she pointed out the time -- and asked if she could stay at my place. But before I could answer, she grasped my wrist. She, in a low voice, told me to not turn around, but to act natural. When she finished speaking, I had to say 'checkmate', put all the pieces on the chessboard into a bag, lift up a section of the board, and put them in there. Then, take the chessboard with me and go straight home -- never look back.

I was surprised at both her question and her sudden frantic whispering. Nevertheless, I said "checkmate" and did as she asked, while saying that she couldn't stay at my house. Why? She's a complete stranger, probably a deranged lunatic and definitely a criminal. I don't even know why I went, since there was obviously no point in me doing it. I turned, with my money and the chess-set, and walked out, not looking back. She didn't even call back to me.

I found my way to somewhere I recognised and went back home by train. Now, this is weird: I looked back, while the train was moving away. And there was some guy in a trench-coat staring at me. He probably just missed his train and looked at me with the emotions of "you twat, how dare you get on the train before me!" I don't know what happened to AM. I might go back to Cardiff tomorrow and see if I can find her home. I only posted this today because, well, I struggled to find the energy to type it all up.

Incidentally, I found her blog. It's amercurialsmile.blogspot.com; it's rubbish, but might be worth a read.

Now, back to reality.