The story
The early morning hours in Girardot were usually stifling, but at two in the morning a thick blanket of silence enveloped the residential complex. Jairo adjusted his helmet strap and started his motorcycle to begin his mandatory rounds. That night shift always dragged on, patrolling lonely alleys and brush-lined paths that separated the unoccupied areas from the property.
The route led him toward an isolated stretch, a neglected section of the perimeter where the streetlights had been broken for a long time. With no cameras or guard posts nearby, the darkness in that area seemed to take on an almost physical density, devouring the weak beam cast by his vehicle. Only the steady purr of the engine broke the absolute stillness of the night.
As he moved forward cautiously, Jairo spotted a strange shadow slowly crossing the pavement. The exact moment the front wheel passed through that silhouette, the motorcycle died instantly, silencing the exhaust abruptly. At the same time, the issued flashlight attached to his handlebars went out, plunging him into total blindness.
Before he could react or check the mechanical failure, a blast of polar cold, inexplicable in the scorching riverside land, settled right against his back. A second later, he felt with absolute clarity the pressure of someone else's hand resting firmly on his shoulder. Panic petrified him on the spot; his muscles froze and he was unable to move or call for help.
That was when, amid the pitch black, a calm and deep voice echoed very close to his ear. Those words, spoken with spectral calm, assured him he had nothing to fear, since the presence was there to protect him and not to harm him. The chill sank deep into his chest as the echo of that voice finally faded away.
As soon as the voice stopped, the motorcycle started right back up on its own without needing the ignition, and the flashlight beam shone brightly on the path once again. Overcome by panic, Jairo gunned the throttle to get away from that spot, feeling his heart pounding in his temples.
He sped toward the back parking lot of the complex, looking for an open area to catch his breath. However, upon braking in the lonely area, that same penetrating cold made his skin crawl all over again. The suffocating sensation of the presence at his back returned immediately, and in the blink of an eye, the motorcycle, the flashlight, and the parking lot lights went out all at once, plunging him back into the shadows.
An hour later, driven by his guard duty, Jairo had to ride through that same dark sector once more during a new round. As he crossed that stretch, the relentless cold returned, wrapping around his body. The presence made itself felt by his side once again and the motorcycle lights began to flicker in an erratic dance, warning him that the entity was still keeping him company on his watch.
