Page 3 - story

Elizabeth Whitlock

“What, may I ask, are you doing in this weather and at this hour of night young
lady. ? ”, he asked is a deep voice which gave a hint of concern. It was twilight and darkness was setting in. I was admiring the sky

from the bookstore in which I stood , holding my newly bought book - The Dark
“Well I was returning home thinking I could get through this weather but that Revenge. It had premiered a few days ago and had already become a talking

bubble of mine blew up two blocks back.”, I sighed at my foolishness to have point. Still looking at the sky , I noticed the dark monsoon clouds that had
come out despite this weather and continued, “I cannot turn back now whatso- gathered. Darkness set in and I had to rush back home before it started to rain.

ever as I am more than halfway home.”
But I suppose it was my bad luck as the thick clouds had already started to pour

“You seem quite dressed up for a night like this.” he said in an interrogating down heavily. I reached the parking and got in my car. I turned on the engine
way. and the car started with a loud grumbling sound. I was driving when I suddenly

encountered a woman who was waiting under the roof of a grocery store ,
“I am returning from a friend’s birthday party.”, I said.
holding the heavy grocery bags. She looked as if she was in her late fifties. I

“Did you have a good time with this friend of yours?”, he asked. pulled over and went to the woman to lend my assistance as the rain seemed to

have no mercy. I said ,"It will be my pleasure to drive you home ma'am." To
Something told me I was giving away too many particulars to my acquain-
tance but I did not feel danger there. He seemed very fatherly and from what I which she smiled and said ,"Thank you . And don't call me ma'am , call me Lizzy."

know of strangers, he did not seem like a bad man. I said, “Oh yes. She is my She settled in the back seat of the car. I asked her to navigate me to her house
best friend. You see that is why I could not miss her birthday even if it is raining and began to drive slowly.

so heavily.” The lady started the conversation by asking me whether I was interested

in mysterious stories. I understood where the question was coming from , of
“Friends always make one blithe and jubiliant but they can show us a course she must have seen my newly bought read. I replied to her question in

meanness in them at times.”, he said, his eyes seemed to have lost in affirmative."One hell of a story." , she muttered. I replied saying ,"I have just

his past. He continued, “Go home. It is a late hour ticking.” bought it so I can't say much about it. But the reviews say that it's a pretty good
fiction for mystery lovers." On hearing that she smirked and said ,"People think
He did not wait for my reply and started walking in my opposite direc- that it is a fiction. But the interesting part is that it isn't a fiction ." I felt a bit

tion. I did not expect our conversion taking this turn and I looked back uneasy on hearing that and questioned her ,"But who in this world would devise

to see his outline disappear but as he was approaching the street light a plan so complicated only to take revenge from her own family ? " "Elizabeth

a few feet away, the light went on and I saw him disintegrate in the air. I Whitlock" , came the answer to me. It was the lead character's name around

took a deep breath, I was not glad or anything. I was rather shocked. whom the story revolved. I . started listening with interest.
His body dissolved in the cold air it seemed like. He had vanished.

By Alisha Patil(X)