Who was that man?

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If you don't know what to write about this weekend, this contest is just what you are looking for.

I was invited by @dove11 to partake in the latest contest in the Hindwhale Community Community. Who was that man?

In this contest the author shares part of a story. It is then up to you to add your "twist" to it by adding an end.

Today, I share my end of the story with you.

The first half will be the author's introduction to the story.
The second half will be how I continued with it.

The author:

Jose was returning from his friend's place when he saw someone standing on the road and signalled him to stop. He was hesitant, as he didn't know who he was. Maybe that man was in trouble and needed help.

As Jose approached him, he felt that the man was seriously sick. That sick man asked if he would drop him off at his home. Jose couldn't say no, so he took him in his car and took him to his house. His house looked very strange from the outside.

When Jose went inside, the man sat down and said, "Thank you very much for helping me."

Jose said, "I should go now."

He came home but kept thinking about the man. He looked a bit strange, but his house was even stranger. Jose was curious to know more about him, so he went to his house when returning from his office the next day. But what he saw puzzled him even more.

Continue...

Gone! The house was no more.

"How can it be? It was here yesterday." Jose said out loud while he was turning the steering wheel of his car, making a U-turn in the road going back to where he knew the house was.

The picture did not change. The house was gone and in its place stood a beautiful old oak tree with children playing under its shade.

"Maybe I have the wrong street?"

For the next fifteen minutes he drove up and down the streets in the neighbourhood looking left and right but the house was nowhere to be found. Each time he finds himself at the same old oak tree.

He parked his car in one of the parking bays looking at the tree in disbelief.

Maybe it was the pressure of work, his financial problems, or the new marriage he is facing that eventually caught up with him. He wished he had the answers to all his problems.

He switched the car radio off, took out a packet of cigarettes and lit one.

As he sat there he watched the children playing. He heard them singing in joyful voices.

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies
A pocket full of posies
A tissue, a tissue
We all fall down

His eyes follow each one of them as they went round… and round.

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

It was with a yell that he opened his eyes when the cigarette burned a hole in his pants. He jumped out of the car searching for it. He could no longer hear the voices of the children. Instead he saw their faces staring at him when he turned around to look at them

He showed them a thumbs up. "All is fine, dear children!" He shouted at them. The children looked at each other and started shouting and running away. "Great, now I am also a pedophile. The list is growing. "

He found the cigarette, took a drag, threw it on the ground, and crushed it with the heel of his shoe. Even his cigarette is leaving a stale taste in his mouth.

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies
A pocket full of posies
A tissue, a tissue
We all fall down

He looked up. He had no idea where the song came from. There was nobody, just the old oak tree with its inviting shade.

He walked to the tree and sat on the grass resting his head against the tree trunk. It was so peaceful. He could understand why the children chose this spot to play. Here you can forget about everything.

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies

It was already dark when he opened his eyes. Somehow he was feeling a different person. The pressure of the tree trunk reminded him of the man from the previous night. It was time to go home. As he rose he heard it…

Ring-a-ring-a-rosies
A pocket full of posies
A tissue, a tissue
We all fall down


The wedding bells are ringing
The boys and girls are singing
A tissue, a tissue
We all fall down

"All is going to be fine." He sighed while he looked at the old oak tree. He put his forehead against the tree and whispered, "Thank you very much for helping me old man"