The Legend of Tortosa

It was a cold, silent night in Tortosa. Fog swirled in the corners, wrapping around the old stone streets. Júlia was walking alone through the old town, her backpack full of books and a feeling of unease that had followed her since she had left her friends at the station. She kept looking around, trying to ignore the oppressive silence and the elongated shadows that seemed to move along the weathered walls.

That same morning, in History class, her teacher, Marc, had told them an old legend of Tortosa. They said that during the nights with a new moon, a dark spirit, known as the Espantador, roamed the streets. It was said to seek out solitary souls to drag them into a shadowy dimension, a sort of prison where the victims would be trapped forever, reliving their last moments over and over.

Júlia had thought it was only a story. But now, under the flickering streetlights, her teacher’s words echoed in her mind. Suddenly, she felt as if someone was following her. The faint sound of footsteps made her quicken her pace. She looked back but saw no one. However, a shadow, much darker than the night itself, seemed to be slowly advancing from the corner of the street. It was vaguely human in shape, but its face was covered by impenetrable darkness.

Júlia felt the air grow heavy. Her legs trembled, but she tried to stay calm and walked faster. The shadow, however, seemed to glide silently, getting closer with every step. Fear took over. Without thinking, she broke into a run, hearing the hurried steps of the shadow just behind her. She couldn’t stop. Her lungs burned, but she turned down the narrow street that led to the bridge of Tortosa, hoping to lose her pursuer.

As she crossed the bridge, she felt an ice-cold hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw the dark, empty face of the shadow. Its eyes were bottomless pits, and in them, she could see scenes of people trapped, wandering in a world without time or space, their faces twisted into expressions of eternal terror.

Júlia screamed, but no one heard her. In a final attempt to escape, she stumbled and fell. When she looked up, the shadow was gone… but so was she.

Since that night, they say that if you walk alone in Tortosa, you can hear footsteps behind you, Júlia’s steps, trapped forever in the dark world of the Espantador.