Page 211 - Literati Bytes

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
bubble of mine blew up two blocks back.”, I sighed at my foolishness to have Revenge. It had premiered a few days ago and had already become a talking
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. “I am returning from a friend’s birthday party.”, I said. and the car started with a loud grumbling sound. I was driving when I suddenly

“Did you have a good time with this friend of yours?”, he asked. encountered a woman who was waiting under the roof of a grocery store ,

holding the heavy grocery bags. She looked as if she was in her late fifties. I
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 pulled over and went to the woman to lend my assistance as the rain seemed to

know of strangers, he did not seem like a bad man. I said, “Oh yes. She is my have no mercy. I said ,"It will be my pleasure to drive you home ma'am." To
best friend. You see that is why I could not miss her birthday even if it is raining which she smiled and said ,"Thank you . And don't call me ma'am , call me Lizzy."
She settled in the back seat of the car. I asked her to navigate me to her house
so heavily.”
and began to drive slowly.

“Friends always make one blithe and jubiliant but they can show us a The lady started the conversation by asking me whether I was interested

meanness in them at times.”, he said, his eyes seemed to have lost in in mysterious stories. I understood where the question was coming from , of

his past. He continued, “Go home. It is a late hour ticking.” course she must have seen my newly bought read. I replied to her question in
affirmative."One hell of a story." , she muttered. I replied saying ,"I have just
He did not wait for my reply and started walking in my opposite direc- bought it so I can't say much about it. But the reviews say that it's a pretty good
tion. I did not expect our conversion taking this turn and I looked back fiction for mystery lovers." On hearing that she smirked and said ,"People think

to see his outline disappear but as he was approaching the street light that it is a fiction. But the interesting part is that it isn't a fiction ." I felt a bit

a few feet away, The light went on and I saw him disintegrate in the air. uneasy on hearing that and questioned her ,"But who in this world would devise

I took a deep breath, I was not glad or anything. I was rather shocked. a plan so complicated only to take revenge from her own family ? " "Elizabeth

His body dissolved in the cold air it seemed like. He had vanished. Whitlock" , came the answer to me. It was the lead character's name around
whom the story revolved. I started listening with interest.

Alisha Patil (X)