Jon’s closest friend was Ian. For years, Jon and Ian had been inseparable. Their friendship involved shared interests, laughter, and peculiar conversations. As the years passed, they discovered a mutual fascination with discussing the eerie, and the downright horrific. Their conversations often delved into the darkest corners of the human imagination.
Jon’s apartment was on the third floor and it served as a sanctuary from the world’s chaos. It was a place where he could retreat after work, and escape into the refuge of his thoughts.
One day, as he ascended those stairs, he encountered a figure that made his heart skip a beat. It was Lucy, the apartment’s elderly janitor. To Jon, she bore an uncanny resemblance to Grandma Sophie from “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Her disheveled hair and unnerving appearance sent shivers down his spine.
Despite her frightening demeanor, Jon arrived at his apartment unscathed. He decided to call Ian, as they sometimes did after work. What began as an exchange of pleasantries and everyday life quickly took a turn, as their discussions meandered into the realm of physical torture. In a strange twist of camaraderie, they attempted to outdo each other with grotesque scenarios.
Yet, as their conversation drew to a close, it was like any other call between friends. They made plans to meet soon and exchanged goodnight wishes.
This peculiar routine became a regular occurrence. Jon’s stairwell encounters with Lucy remained unsettling, but they also became strangely familiar.
One day, as Jon climbed the stairs, he witnessed a heated argument between Lucy and another equally menacing man. They exchanged harsh words, their voices escalating to the peak of anger. Jon feared that their dispute might escalate into physical violence, yet a part of him was relieved to discover that Lucy had a boyfriend or husband. It reminded him that everyone had a softer side, even those who appeared formidable.
As Jon entered his apartment, he decided to ring Ian. This time, their conversation took a particularly gruesome turn. Jon expressed a desire to inflict three cuts on Ian’s triceps so he could watch the blood dripping down his arm, while Ian detailed a disturbing plan to break Jon’s arm. Jon even joked about grinding his fingers in a heavy crushing machine, to which Ian responded with the idea of peeling Jon’s facial skin. It was their unique way of bonding, and they reveled in it.
However, life has a way of complicating even the strongest of friendships. Both Jon and Ian became entangled in their work. Weeks turned into months without contact.
One evening, Jon’s eyes once again met Lucy and her partner. They were hugging, and Jon couldn’t help but be perplexed by the unpredictable nature of people’s moods.
Months passed, and Jon found himself missing Ian and the camaraderie they shared. He contemplated reaching out, but then a revelation struck him. He realized that the horrific conversations had been a phase, a temporary bridge between them. With a sense of clarity, Jon understood that he had nothing to say to Ian anymore.
And so, he decided to wait for the right moment to reconnect, a moment when they could rediscover the genuine friendship that had existed before their dark conversations had taken root.