Word: Dorp

dorp

[dawrp]

noun

1. a village; hamlet.

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It was a tiny little village.  The kind where everyone knew each other, and one person’s business was everyone’s business and nobody cared to leave.  All the stores were lined up on two parallel streets, with the houses set up around them.  It was a quaint little place, filled with good, normal people.     At least, that’s what it looked like at first glance.  As the two travelers drove through the place, they could feel the gazes of the locals.  They drove at a reasonable pace, appropriate to the posted speed limit.  And yet, both could tell there was something off about the way the residents were looking at them.  It was not just the idle stares of people who rarely saw any strangers.  No, this was something else.  There was purpose in the local’s eyes.  

    The driver pushed down on the gas slightly harder.  The car increased in speed at a slow rate.  Nothing that would get them arrested for speeding, but just enough that it would get the two travelers out of the village a few seconds sooner.  

    The driver’s efforts were ended when a person crossing the road at a slow pace came into view.  The brake was pressed, and the car slowed to a stop.  The crossing person did not seem to have any interest in getting across faster.  In fact, the person seemed to slow down when the car stopped.  The driver drummed on the wheel, suppressing the desire to use the car’s horn to hurry the person along.

    People began gathering around the sidewalks.  They simply stood there in greater and greater numbers.  They watched, unmoving, while the person crossing finished the task of getting to the other side of the road.  The moment that person finished crossing, another took up the task, preventing the driver from setting the car into motion again.  

    The car’s passenger felt a drop of sweat forming.  There was no reason to be nervous, but the signs were developing.  Another person was crossing the road now.  It seemed like the locals were arranging the process.  Trying to keep the travelers in one place.  

    The locals were gathered in such great numbers that it seemed like the entire village had gathered, just to stare at the travelers and their inability to continue their journey.  The driver felt a sudden chill and locked the doors.  There was a lull in the crossings.  One person finished, and for a brief second, nobody was starting.  The driver pressed the gas pedal as much as he could, and the car lurched forward before anyone could start crossing again.  The car started moving again, building up speed as the driver silently urged it on.

It was a tiny little village.  The kind where everyone knew each other, and one person’s business was everyone’s business.  The kind where all the businesses were on two streets with all the houses were set up neatly around them.  And it was a town with two new residents.  Because in this tiny little town, nobody ever leaves.

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For best results, listen to the Twilight Zone theme song while reading this story.  Thank you and have a nice day.