There’s nobody out there, he said. Absent. Been missing now for weeks. Used to come out at midnight. Could see his outline in the moonlight. You’d hear his feet crunching on leaves. Now. Nothing. It’s just blank out there. No movement. No sound. Just hear semis in the distance over on 41, he closed the blinds, lit a cigarette. 

He’ll be back.

When? And in what form?

He’s a ghost right now. An apparition. One day, he’ll come here and be in human form. Physical. You’ll be able to touch him. Just like they did two thousand years ago when he walked this earth.

I don’t believe it. I’m beginning to think he’s a figment of our imaginations, he poured two cups of coffee. Offered one to his friend. Opened the blinds one more time. Nothing.

Why are you so concerned about this? He’ll come back when he wants to. When his father says it’s the right time.

He made a promise. I never break a promise. 

You think it’s too late? The whole world has gone to hell in a handbasket. Things don’t matter anymore. Maybe they never did.

Yeah. Maybe, he crushed out his cigarette on the top of a Coke can. I’m going to stop looking. Stop waiting. I’ve waited now for weeks. Months.

Maybe it wasn’t him. Could’ve been something else. Midnight plays tricks on you. You don’t get enough sleep. You begin to see things. Things that aren’t there.

Right. Just seeing things. Life will do that to you. Fool you. Turn your head around.

A dog barked.