LATE NIGHT: DAWN OF WONDERS

It was a long and tiresome day for the little girl named Iris. She was only twelve years old, it was her big day. It was late at night, with the dark pressing against the window sill. Silence was everywhere, with only the sound, the rifling boughs of evergreen forest brushing upon the rooftop.

She turned her head and spat off the front porch. It was indeed tiring, and there was only one fear that was driving her crazy; the fear of getting an earful from her mother. She knew that she was late, coming back at midnight was something impossible, but what else could she do since she had to stay back at the birthday party of her best friend, Helen from where she could not drag herself away. She had also won the best athlete award in today’s carnival, but her parents were not at all pleased, for she was not improving in her studies.

She had now reached her home finally, but hesitated at first to ring the doorbell. She turned the key, her brain releasing a little squirt of dopamine and adrenaline at the unfamiliarity that surrounded the entire locality, however sound of the coming relaxation was also perceived, and she waited on the next of the two sounds she hears every day when anyone would rang: Scruff banging against the door. However there was no banging, though. No panting, either. Nothing at all to signify to that chestnut dog even knew he was there.

After minutes of silence, her mother quickly scruffed by to open the door. There was a moment of surprise and silence. Then the mother’s voice found that way through the silence; a soothing and placid voice followed. There were no signs of anger or disgust, but only a voice which told her to come in quickly and tuck herself under the blanket, as it was becoming darker by each passing minute. More silence.

“Is everything fine, Iry?”

“No, all’s right” responding quickly and sounding unusually defensive. Then she added, “Where is Scruff?”

“Downstairs” her mother said. “She followed me downstairs to do the laundry.”

Something was definitely not right, wondered Iris. There was an unusual calmness that followed her mother’s voice. And to top it all, Scruff never went downstairs!!! Heck- her mother never did either and surely, her mother should have scolded her for turning up late at midnight. Moreover, her parents were bankrupt and were always infuriated easily.

“Can you help me?” Her voice sounded clipped again. “I have a lot of stuff to carry, and I can’t get to the door of the living room.”

‘Move your hands over couchpotato, lazy tails!’- that’s what she usually said. Any why, the hell would she work late at night. And there were the inquisitive bunch of neighbours who would always scream the hell out of anyone at night. They were also unusually calm today….

What was wrong with the whole neighbourhood, she pondered.

The voice in her head was full of contempt, but she couldn’t shake his fear. Had her mother just not noticed what she’d said? What else would she be carrying?

The irritation of having to ask a third time certainly sounded normal. Iris turned the knob and opened the door.

She didn’t have enough time to see exactly what waited on her, but it wasn’t her mother definitely. It absolutely was a stranger…

She then fell asleep, and the last thing that she saw was a crimson hand filled with blood reaching her, indeed it was gruesome. She was shocked and horrified; she chickened out but her lips did not move. She had gone into a slumber. The shocked which she perceived had woken her up and that is when she realised that she was her bedroom. She still wonder whether that night, that ghastly night was indeed just a dream, or a reality from which the almighty had indeed saved her. Her family always silence hers whenever she brings up this apparent dream, into their account. They now simply responds that it was merely a horrendous dream.