Stranger things

It is sometime around midnight and the sky is filled with flickering stars all around. I am walking across the narrow lanes of a lonely street feeling the beauty of silence. The night is keen with gentle breezes wobbling around the branches of trees. It is so calm and peaceful. The sound, all that I can hear is the sound of my footsteps. But I always have a feeling that someone is watching me, though there is no one around I can still feel the gaze. When am lost in my thoughts, suddenly I heard a high pitched squeal of a vehicle that is becoming awfully loud. Being startled, I turned back to see it. It is a convertible with four men standing in it and a person driving it. I got petrified just at the glimpse of them. They all seem to have drunken fully. Some are swirling the bottles in the air and whooping. Even before I figure out what is going on, the car is fast approaching me. Some thousands of sudden wave of thoughts are rushing in my mind on the next move I need to make. Is the car going to hit me? Should I run away? even if I do so, how can I outrun a car? Should I scream aloud for help? I just got blacked out for a moment not knowing what to do. Meanwhile, I noticed that the car is only five feet away from me. It passed right beside me with high speed and a guy with a long hair splashed the alcohol on me and everybody started laughing. I got furious and wanted to throw the thing that is my hand at him. But while throwing, I noticed that it is the book I got after wanting it for a very long time. At the same time, I also realized that I can't single-handedly fight five of sobers if I drag their attention again. They were going away so I thought being patient would be a good thing to do now. I felt like I have got long-awaited peace after they have gone completely out of my sight. Just a few minutes back, I was enjoying the silence but now I desperately want to get back to my home as fast as I can. Situations like this are not new to me, I experience all the weird things in this world. I started walking fast to make it till the Hillary road where I can find some ride to my home. When I am just one lane away from Hillary road, I heard a horn continuously honking. I wondered about what weird thing might be waiting for me next. I stopped walking when I heard a man screaming aloud in pain. Someone shouted, "help!!!!! ".I got worried but I am not even able to move let alone go and help them. At the same time, I heard a sharp crank as though something heavy hit some metal object. I took my courage in both hands and started walking forward towards it. Straight ahead and a little far from me, I saw a man lying on the road with his head facing down. He is writhing in pain. I ran towards him to help. I slowed down a bit when I saw the convertible that I have seen earlier. The streetlight on that road seems to have been broken down and the car's headlights are blinking. Suddenly a man fell on the hood of that car making a dent on it and slid onto the road. That sound made my heartbeat to race and I am not even able to catch my breath. When I turned back to run I saw a man standing far away and he is staring at me not being concerned about all the mess that is going on here. As there is not enough light here, I can't see his face so clearly in this moonlight. While running away I can still hear the screams of those people writhing in pain. Why is this man staring at me and not reacting to the sounds, for a second I got a doubt that I might be hallucinating? I turned back to check. It's real, four of them are lying on the road screaming for help and one person in the driving seat is falling unconscious with his head on the horn making it honk continuously. Again I turned back to see the man who was staring at me. He is gone. I can't see him anywhere near my sight. How can he just disappear like that, why is all this weirdest stuff happening to me now? Having all those thoughts in my mind I ran for my life. I quickly took out my phone, called the cops and told them the address. As I am panicking, I am not able to talk properly and explain the situation. So I just hung up the phone hoping that they might come to this address and help them. I looked around to see if there is any human, but there is none. I rushed to the main road and waited for some vehicle to pass by. I prayed to God to help me out for one last time. As the answers to my prayers, I saw a car coming towards me. I thanked God and started running towards it even before it reaches me. The car stopped and the side window opened.

A well-dressed old man spoke through the window, "Hop in fast my lady!! ".I got in but surprised to see the old man driving the car with his sunshades on. Even more surprising is that he is driving at a super high speed. God!!!! why does all the weird stuff happen only to me?

"Are you okay my lady", he asked without looking at me.

"not really. ", I told him with a lot of anguish," I saw an accident and...."

he cut me off before I could finish my sentence and said, "can I have your phone ?"

I handed it to him thinking that he might call someone, instead he placed it on the car' dashboard. My head started swirling and I almost got panic attack thinking about the situations I am facing now.

"Have a nap my lady?" he said and closed the windows. I don't have any more patience to think hard about the situation so I leaned back and closed my eyes. Just when I stopped the wave of thoughts in my mind and slowly falling asleep, I heard a voice calling out my name. I thought that I was dreaming. But no. This time that voice said, "Jennie dear wake up".I opened my eyes to see who it is. It is the old man.

"how do you know my name?", I asked him.

"You have reached your home. Now go inside, lock the doors and sleep tight", he said.

I opened the window to confirm if he is telling the truth. It really is my house. I have never felt so happy about seeing my house. I got out of the car with a lot of excitement and was about to go inside. But I stopped and turned back to ask him how he knew my address because I didn't tell him. What!!!!! the car is gone. I should have fallen unconscious there but didn't due to the many situations that I have faced in the earlier part of the day. I couldn't believe whether it is real or I am just imagining stuff. I ran towards the door and took the keys from my pocket and opened it. I locked it again and straight away went to my bedroom and locked the door. I can't even dare to recall the situations I have faced and figure out the truth. I just took my sleeping pills and wrapped myself in a bedsheet and slept.

I woke up to the loud barking sound. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock. It is half past 1 in the afternoon. I didn't want to wake up but the barking is becoming so loud. It is my pet , Peter. I saw the time once again and jolted from sleep. I jumped off the bed and started searching for my phone to call Claire. Generally, I put it beside my bed, but it is nowhere near my bed. I went to check the hall. But the door is locked. Why the hell did I lock the door, I thought. Then I remembered all the events that took place yesterday. I sat right there frightened. Still, I couldn't believe whether they are true. I quickly stood up and got ready and rushed to my office so that Claire would be there to help me out. As I went in, I saw Claire talking on the phone with a lot of distress.No sooner did she see me, she dived out of her cabin and yelled at me, "where the hell were you from the morning?

why did you switch off your phone?

cant you at least call and inform me? "

I didn't pay much attention to her questions, all that I could think of now is about yesterday's events. So I went and sat in my cabin without answering. She came and asked, "are you alright? "

I explained her everything. After listening to everything she laughed aloud and said, "It is one interesting dream"

I said, "its real, not a dream"

She said with a frown, "If at all there is an accident, by now the police would have come to your home because the call went from your number and secondly such things can never happen in the real world. So it is your dream. Now just get back to work. Remember, we have only a few more days left for Mr Steven's contract"

"yeah...just give me a couple of minutes and I will be back ", I told her deciding that I should focus on my work till the next weird thing happens and for now I will just pretend that all of it was my dream. Along with 5 of my friends, I started this event management company.Mr.Steven's contract is very important for us as it involves many delegates who can help us grow. Claire and I got involved in work. When we were discussing the budget involved, Prathik came running towards me and said a policeman is waiting for you outside.

Claire and I looked at eachother in amusement.I am very happy and very sad at the same time. Happy to know that it is not a dream and sad to know that such a weird thing happened with me. We both ran to talk with the cop.The cop is holding some sheets of paper and eagerly waiting for me. As soon as he saw me he asked, "are you Miss Jennifer Everdeen? "

I said, "yes... "

He said, "oh,are you alright? "

I replied wondering whether he knew what happened that night, "yeah... "

He said, "ok then you must also be knowing what is the charge for giving a false alarm to the police stating trouble "

"what??? ",i yelled at him.

He said angrily, " well Miss Everdeen, this is the copy of the text you sent from your mobile to the cops"

He showed us a paper with my text message that i sent to the cops last night.

Then he said, "I am going to take charge on you for putting all of us in such a chaos since last night. We went to the location that you mentioned in the text but there was neither you nor any trace of harm there. We tried to track the location of your mobile but we couldn't.I went to the address to which the mobile is registered but despite of ringing the calling bell or shouting your name through your windows nobody responded. When i went back to the station, the other cop informed this address to me.So now tell me what is going on Miss Everdeen "

After hearing all this my anxiety kicked in and i am not even in position to respond so i looked at claire holding her hand tight.

Immediately claire told him, "Actually.... It' not her fault.Yesterday we went shopping and someone stole her mobile.The person who stole it might have sent that message. So it will not be rightful to take charge on her "

The cop said, "oh really?? then why is that you didnt register a complaint in the police station to find the device yet"

Claire said, " You see Mr. David we have a lot of unfinished work here for the biggest event we are organizing at Mr. Steven' ,so we were making time to come and give a complaint and also it is very old phone so we were having second thoughts about buying a new one. "

Then he said, " Alright since you are talking about Mr. Steven' event i will let you go.But register a complaint soon if you want your mobile back. "

Claire said, "sure, thanks!! "

The cop said, " well !!be careful " and left.

All that time i just stood there listening to their conversation not knowing what was happening.I was about to get a panic attack thinking about what claire told him. How could that part of my memory gets erased. I dont even remember going shopping with her at all. All that i remember was i went alone to the library yesterday.God!!!!! how could this happen.What is happening with me. Claire observed that worried look in my face and said, "hey relax!!! we are out of problem now"

I replied, " Claire, did we really go shopping yesterday "

Claire laughed aloud and said, "no!!! are you nuts? I lied to him to get you out of trouble "

As soon as she said that i opened my mouth wide feeling so happy,hugged her and was about to cry.

Then claire said, "hey Jenn, are you okay? "

I told her, "claire, i think its happening all over again. May be it was all a dream but i felt it so Real,i am not able to differentiate whats real and whats hallucination anymore"

Claire said, "Hey baby, no!! dont do that to yourself again, stay strong, i know that you have been through worst days but you recovered."

I told her, "Exactly Claire!!, i recovered from depression completely thats why i am saying,what happened yesterday was real"

She said, " Hey you listened to what the cop said right!!!, he said that there were no signs of harm.If what you said really happened there must be people there right?? "

I replied immediately, "but..... "

she stopped me and said, "you know what, dont think that i am being mean but i think you have to consult Mr. Erick again. Do you remember what he said the last time you consulted him? "

I replied, "to come back even if i feel a little depressed "

"Jenn, i think its time, you take care of yourself, i will manage things here, okay!! "she said.

"thanks Claire ",i said and i went home, locked all the doors and went straight to my bedroom and sat there trying to calm myself down and cope up with the situation.