Queen Street in downtown Toronto is probably my favorite strip of city. I walk it almost everyday to get to my office. I'll sometimes go out of my way to just walk down Queen Street. There's always something going down and interesting people hanging around at all hours of the day and night. And you never know what could happen. I've seen Spider-Man skateboarding down the street, bumped into artists from Berlin, people shouting at no one and all manner of music, both pouring out of bars or from some random person singing a cappella.

I was walking to my office in the early afternoon and approaching Queen Street West and Augusta Avenue. Almost at the intersection, a man passed me. Normal-looking guy, probably mid-30s, dressed somewhat 'preppy', as the kids might say. As he walked by me, he made eye contact but did not stop walking. He made a motion that usually symbolizes don't go in there. He lifted his hand, palm open and furiously moved it perpendicular across his neck. Kind of like this:

Then he just kept walking without slowing down.

I stopped, looked back at him, but he went on his way. I turned towards the direction he came from, there was something strange in the air. Or it could have been the smell of the adjoining KFC wafting along the slight wind. From my understanding, this guy was telling me that there was danger up ahead. That I should stop and not go any further. But, it was the middle of the day, the sun was out, it didn't seem like anyone else ran from some unseen danger lurking in the shadows.

I kept going.

All my senses were on fire. I scanned the eyes of passerbys, winced at any slight noise that might have been out of place, my head darted back and forth down alleyways. Nothing. I cut through a small park and no one seemed to be around. No kids at the playground, no people walking dogs. I stopped mid-step when I came across a stone on the ground. The stone was black and had my name written on it and looked like this:

Dark clouds filled the sky and thunder was heard in the distance. I slowly crouched down, reached for the rock. At the exact moment I had it in my hands, lightning struck and all I saw was a flash of white and electric pain-

Then I woke up in a cold sweat. It was all a dream.

Walking to work that day, I was so happy that I only died in a dream and was alive. I started making my own hand motions to people on the street. Thumb's up, oh no you didn't, peace signs. Everyone was very confused.

Happy as a goddamn clam until I reached the intersection of Queen Street West and Augusta Avenue. A man passed me. Normal-looking guy, probably mid-30s, dressed somewhat 'preppy', as the kids might say. As he walked by me, he made eye contact but did not stop walking. He made a motion that usually symbolizes don't go in there.

Then he just kept walking without slowing down.

I stopped, looked back at him, but he went on his way. I turned towards the direction he came from, there was something strange in the air, like I had been here before. Or it could have been the intoxicating smell of the adjoining KFC wafting along the slight wind. From my understanding, this guy was telling me that there was danger up ahead. That I should stop and not go any further. But, it was the middle of the day, the sun was out, it didn't seem like anyone else ran from some unseen danger lurking in the shadows. I kept going.

All my senses were on fire. I scanned the eyes of passerbys, winced at any slight noise that might have been out of place, my head darted back and forth down alleyways. Nothing. I cut through a small park and no one seemed to be around. No kids at the playground, no people walking dogs. I stopped mid-step when I came across a stone on the ground. The stone was black and had my name written on it.

Dark clouds had filled the sky and thunder was heard in the distance. I slowly crouched down, reached for the rock. At the exact moment I had it in my hands, lightning struck and all I saw was a flash of white and electric pain-

Then I woke up in a cold sweat. It was all a dream.

I walked to work warily. I made no hand motions to people in the streets. I reached the intersection of Queen Street West and Augusta Avenue. A man passed me. Normal-looking guy, probably mid-30s, dressed somewhat 'preppy', as the kids might say. As he walked by me, he made eye contact but did not stop walking. He made a motion that usually symbolizes don't go in there.

Then he just kept walking without slowing down.

I stopped, looked back at him, but he went on his way. I turned towards the direction he came from, there was something strange in the air, like I had been here before. Or it could have been the revolting smell of the adjoining KFC wafting along the slight wind. From my understanding, this guy was telling me that there was danger up ahead. That I should stop and not go any further. But, it was the middle of the day, the sun was out, it didn't seem like anyone else ran from some unseen danger lurking in the shadows. I kept going.

All my senses were on fire. I scanned the eyes of passerbys, winced at any slight noise that might have been out of place, my head darted back and forth down alleyways. Nothing. I cut through a small park and no one seemed to be around. No kids at the playground, no people walking dogs. I stopped mid-step when I came across this stone on the ground. The stone was black and had my name written on it.

Dark clouds had filled the sky and thunder was heard in the distance. I slowly crouched down, reached for the rock. At the exact moment I had it in my hands, lightning struck and all I saw was a flash of white and electric pain-

The I woke up in a cold sweat. It was all a dream.

Terrified, I walked to work...

8.12 Don't Go In There