The Runner

DRAMA: AN AURAL EXPERIENCE™ Episode 4: The Runner. Please wear headphones for the best experience.

It was one of those cold fall days. Cloudy, overcast. The sky could open up and cold raindrops would pierce me everywhere. I was running.

Not running from something or toward something, just running.

It was a park along the Hudson River. Riverside park, or maybe Fort Tryon. The river was on my right, an overgrown forest to my left. I ran for a few minutes and didn't see anyone.

It was early in the morning. The shadows of the forest to my left moved as I ran. I was out of breath. I needed to stop, but I pressed on. I typically stop when I need to.

But something was off. I kept going. I was wheezing, but I was going. About 100ft in front of me, there was a figure, a man sitting on a bench.

He sat straight up, looking forward.

I wear glasses for distance and don't wear them when I run. So I couldn't really fully see him. 75ft away. I could tell he was looking forward. Maybe at the river, 50ft.

Man, I was really out of breath, but I needed to press on.25ft. I wonder what he's doing in the middle of the park all by himself at this time. Do I really want to know that?

Maybe not 10ft. Something's definitely off. Is he alive? Is it really a scarecrow? It's not Halloween. He's wearing all black. Five feet. He's breathing. Thank God.

Or maybe not. Keep your course. Keep your course. Whatever you do, dear God, please keep your course.

I move past him, and as I do, he looks at me. And it's like I'm looking at in around the devil himself. He's sitting there waiting for me. Is he going to trip me? Shank me? Slit my throat?

Snip my Achilles heel When I turn my back? So much can go wrong in a split second. I don't think. I just don't know. The only thing I can do is go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

I keep on my path, my course, my road. Stop, stop, stop. I run out of there and keep running. Honey, honey, honey. My lover shakes me. I keep running. Honey, I'm shaking again. Running. No.

I grab the edge of my sheep with vigor, with all of my might. My eyes close and open and I'm in bed, staring at the ceiling. No, I'm not sleeping. It felt so real. Everything was so. Do you want to talk about it? No.

I want to go back to bed, but I can't. I half smile. Just a nightmare, love. I'm Okay. I brush my teeth and I see that face. I take a shower, and those eyes are peering at me.

One spoon, two spoons of frosted flakes. And still those eyes sa head down into the subway, and they're staring at me. Everyone I pass is wearing his face. Their eyes are his eyes.

I get down onto the subway platform, and he's there on the first bench. I pass again on the second bench. He laughs as I pass him on the third bench. Waves at me when I pass him on the fourth bench. I close my.

I close my eyes. When the train comes and I hear laughter all around me. The sound of the train becomes overpowering. And then. Nothing.

I open my eyes and everyone on the platform is staring at me. They see me. I hold up my hand. Nightmare. Sorry? I had a nightmare last night. And I. I shake my head. The doors to the train open and everyone gets on.

Everyone except for me. The doors close and I'm alone on the platform. The train starts up and leaves. The lights flicker and I'm left alone on the platform.

I look to my left and no one's there. I look to my right and there's no one there. I take a seat on a bench, take a deep breath, close my eyes. And wait until the next train pulls into the platform.

DRAMA: AN AURAL EXPERIENCE™ Episode 4:The Runner starring David Israeli Written by Jeffrey James Keys Original Score by Manuel Palayo and Giancarlo Bonfanti Marketing Director Madeline Cocoran Associate Producer Matthew Solomon Directed, Executive produced, edited and Engineered by Aaron Salazar.