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Hello everyone, my name is Ralph Heinsley and the story I am about to tell you is one that to this day I still cannot comprehend, nor can I determine whether it really happened, or if I was stuck in some sort of dream, but nevertheless it is a story I wish to share with you today.
It started one night as I lay awake in bed having trouble once again at falling asleep. I wasn't sure where this struggle originated, but one thing was for certain, it needed to stop. I sat up for what felt like the hundredth time that night contemplating my next move and how I would once again convince the sandman that I was ready for sleep. After a few minutes of thinking time, I decided to take a walk. Surely a short stroll under the moonlight would soothe the body and mind enough to relax and drift into dream land.
As I got up and got dressed, which consisted of throwing on some old jeans, socks, and shoes, I thought about what path I would take, and determined whether or not it would be a long walk, or a short one. Once I was fully clothed I decided that a short walk was best. Didn't want to get over tired to the point where falling asleep would be impossible. I walked out of my bedroom and proceeded to the front door. I opened it up and closed it behind me. I then began to walk from my house down a path that led further into town.
As I walked looking around at the stars, I couldn't help but notice that the moon was very bright tonight. I smiled thinking about how beautiful it was as it gave the Earth light and provided adequate scenery for my surroundings. As I continued to look around I noticed that the moon was extraordinarily bright on one path in particular. I took notice of it immediately.The path was a dirt road and for some reason seemed to lead out of town. It also had trees lined along both sides of the path which was unusual especially being that it was in the middle of a city. It captured my attention to the point where I had stopped moving altogether. I approached it, and stood at it's entrance. It seemed like a quaint path. One that looked to be very relaxing. So I decided to take a walk down the moonlit road.
It didn't take long for me to feel at ease. The smells that nature had to offer and the sights surrounding me were all very enamoring. So much so that I didn't even notice that I wasn't alone anymore. A gentleman looking about 6 foot tall had strolled up beside me. He had long white hair and a kind smile. He was very fancy dressed, which was unusual for this time of night. He had black dress shoes and white gloves. He also had on a black button down shirt which hung loose over the top of his black dress pants. The man was smiling next to me as we walked. He had not yet made eye contact with me so I was the first that speak.

"Um.. excuse me sir.." I said a bit nervously

The man smiling still, looked at me as we walked saying nothing. Once again I tried to start a conversation.

"I don't mean to be rude, but do I know you?"

"Yes" The man said still smiling.

He was looking forward as if he had not a care in the world. His posture was that of someone of a different era. It was poise and very confident and yet somehow still relaxed in it's own way. I had only taken my eyes off of him to make sure I was still following down the path other then that, my eyes were fixed on this man. I then said to him:

"Well, alright, who might I ask are you?"

"I am the guy walking beside you on this beautiful road" His smile grew and a small laugh escaped him.

I couldn't help but to laugh with him for a second. I was a bit relieved that the stranger seemed to mean me no harm so I decided why not enjoy the company. We walked for awhile not saying anything. I hadn't even been thinking about how much time had passed, I had just been enjoying the experience. He then turned to me and said

"You must be having problems sleeping to be out this late"

I looked at him and smiled a bit and nodded and replied:

"Yes I must admit, sleeping hasn't been easy to come by these last few days"

He then looked at me and said:

"Well not to worry, soon you will be able to sleep peacefully, this road has a certain way about it that calms even the heaviest of nerves"

I looked at him again and nodded

"Yes it does appear that I am already getting quite tired.. Perhaps I should turn back"

The man then looked at me his smile still the same as it had been. He pointed forward and said:

"Oh, don't worry about that, it would be most troublesome to walk all that way again.. I have a place just ahead that you can stay at for the night. It is no trouble at all, I haven't had a guest at the house in quite some time"

His smile increased which made him appear to have a more boyish mannerism though the man looked to be well into his 20's maybe early 30's. I was a bit shocked by this. I asked the man how long we had been walking and he replied that we had been walking for about an hour. When he told me this I was really surprised. I had only anticipated a 10 to 15 minute walk at the most, but here I had walked for more then 3 times that.
I thought for a minute and looked back at the man and nodded then agreed to stay with him. I was exhausted by this time and figured that if the man had intended on hurting me that he would've done it a while ago. I normally wouldn't throw caution to the wind, and let some total stranger talk me into going to his house, let alone sleep there, but as I said before I was exhausted so the rational part of my brain was very minimal at that time. As we approached the house we didn't do much more talking, and when we arrived at the front door, I didn't even bother to get a good look at my surroundings to see if I even recognized the area. Without another word, he led me inside and smiled.
The house was very dusty, but it had a very homey feel to it. He led me upstairs to a room to which he opened for me, and told me that this would be mine for the night. He then told me that if I didn't see him in the morning that it was because he had somewhere he needed to be. I smiled kindly and nodded. Before I laid down, I turned to him and said

"I don't mean to impose, but I don't recall getting your name sir"

The man smiled back and nodded and said:

"My name is Ben Davis"

I smiled and replied:

"I am Ralph Heinsley, it is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Davis"

I held out my hand for a shake to which he grasped and shook firmly. He then nodded and smiled kindly as usual and left the room closing the door behind him.
I yawned and stretched then slowly made my way over to the bed. I crawled under the covers that felt warm and cozy instantly. That night I had the best sleep I'd had in a while. I don't even remember what time I had passed out.
When I woke up the sun was shining in the window. I sat up and looked around. I was a bit in a daze at what had happened the night before. I got out of bed and walked downstairs to the front room. There was a note sitting on a coffee table that looked like had just been put their recently. I walked over and picked up and it read

"Please, take my vehicle back to town, the key is in the car, I will be back to retrieve it upon my return, don't worry about gas or repaying me, the company you provided was payment enough. Sincerely Ben Davis"

I was unable to understand why he was so kind to me, I mean not 24 hours ago we had no idea each other existed and now all of a sudden he is letting me use his car to get back home? I was skeptical so I decided to go outside and check for myself.
As I walked outside the sun was really bright, it took my eyes a minute to adjust. Once my eyes came to focus right in front of me was an older looking station wagon. It looked like it had seen better days, but it didn't look at all that bad considering what year the car seemed to be. It definitely wasn't a modern day one. It had faded blue paint that was partially chipped away on various parts of the vehicle. It also bore some rust around the back bumper, but surprisingly no dents at all on the car. I walked around it a few times to check it out and decided to try the driver's side door. It opened up, and there on the driver's seat was a single key. I looked it over and hesitantly picked up. I then sat down, still a bit skeptical, and in relative awe of the transpiring situation at hand, and placed the key in the ignition.
I turned the key and the car started right up. It sounded great, the car purred calmly. I sat there with the car running for a minute or two examining the inside and taking in what was happening. I couldn't believe I was really sitting in someone's car whom I had barely met, and even more unreal then that, he actually was letting me drive it assuming I am an honest man. Although I do suppose I gave him no reason not trust me, so I think he might have believed the car would be in good hands.
I closed the door and turned the wheel and began to drive down the path towards home. Along the trip I had thought about everything up to this point and how unusual and yet how fortunate things turned out. About 20 minutes later I make it back to town, and I am surprised to see people outside their houses looking very unhappy. As I take a look at what they were looking at, it becomes apparent that during the night the town had experienced total chaos. There were bullet holes and broken windows as well as vandalized vehicles everywhere. I was at a loss for words when I pulled up to my house. I got out of the car, and had prepared myself to witness the destruction that my eyes would soon meet.
As I took a good luck at my house it looked to have been completely untouched. I was confused so I rushed over, and circled the house looking for anything that might be out of place or damaged.
None at all. Everything was fine, nothing was hit or stolen. It didn't even look like anyone TRIED to damage the house. I couldn't understand it at all. How could this happen, and me conveniently not have been around? Did my new friend plan this? Did he know about the event, and chose to save me from it? If so why? So many questions filled my head at one time.
By this time the police had showed up and were taking statements from the people involved. I decided to approach one of the officers who wasn't talking to anyone and asked what had happened. The officer told me that apparently a riot broke out between two gangs and things just got out of hand. I nodded and proceeded to point to my house which received no damage. He was a bit wary upon noticing the lack of broken property that I had. He looked at me in a sort of suspicious way, and asked me to recall my whereabouts the previous night. So I told him all about my sleepless night, and how I decided to take a late night walk to soothe myself. I even mentioned how a man named Ben Davis walked with me, and led me away before all of this happened. The officer looked puzzled at first, then his face grew somber. When I asked him if everything was okay, the officer proceeded to explain that Ben Davis was a victim of a drive by shooting in the early 80's and had died just outside the house that I just so happen to be living in now. He told me that back then violence was among the norm of the town and had caused many people to move away to safer locations.
Davis had apparently known about the dangers before he moved in thanks to the neighbors around him, but decided he wasn't going to let it stop him from living there.
I looked at the officer in disbelief, and tried to explain that I had seen him just recently last night. I then pointed towards the path that he had walked with me down. The officer again looked confused and then said:

"What path..?"

This confused me and I started to tell him, but when I looked, the path was gone. There was no trees, no path, anything that resembled anything leading away from town. I then looked back towards the car I had taken to get back home in an attempt to show the officer what I had rode in on as proof of Mr. Davis's existence. When I did, to my astonishment, it too was gone. There was no evidence that it had even been there in the first place.
I suddenly felt ill and told the officer that I needed to get some rest if he was done with his questions. To my delight he was indeed, and let me go. After turned from the man I decided to go back to the house and get some rest. I slept good that night too. When I woke up I sat up quickly, and dashed outside looking around at all the homes that were still damaged and destroyed and the occasional person who leaves the house as well as the occasional person who returned. More importantly I was looking for the path, as well as the car thinking maybe I just had a bad view from before.
Try as I might I could not find either of those things. Even as I write this I question my own sanity, and even as I reread this over and over again trying to make sense of it trying and trying for something to happen that would prove I wasn't crazy, still I come up short, and still I remain just as questionable as when I first started. No matter the outcome or if I ever find anything relating to that event one thing is for certain. I will never forget my alleged friend Ben Davis, and I will never forget the alleged path we walked together and the alleged house I stayed in and even the alleged car that I drove to return to the place I call home, and even more unforgettable then that, was the fact that even if none of that existed, the fact still remains, I got the best sleep I have had in years.