The Van

The van was halfway down a forgotten stretch of road that ran through a thick forest. It was burnt and abandoned just as had been reported and a line of police tape was wrapped around it, doing little to ward off wanderers like Han. The story was that the police didn’t know where the van came from or who it belonged to. It was a mystery too good to leave alone.

Han had nothing going for him. He hadn’t met his parents’ expectations at school and his friends had decided it would be in their best interests to forget he existed. The moment his dog “went missing”, he lost all interest in doing anything else. He told his parents he was going out to look for the pup, but he knew they had given Mercury away after seeing his third-quarter report card. The story of the van gave him a real mission.

Equipped with a torch and his silent phone, Han searched for the van. He walked for long enough into the forest to see the stars clearly sprinkled across the sky. Fear’s grip took his heart when the faint beam of his torchlight landed the van. His mind told him to turn back but his legs continued to take him towards the object in the dark distance.

Han saw pictures of the van in the newspaper, but up close, at night, it took on a different life. A force pulled him towards it. The van had something to give him. Or something to take. The air was cold. Han’s hand inched closer. The sound of blood rushing and heart beating overwhelmed him. He touched the van.