Part: 1

Walking towards the car, Anil noticed that the night had appeared somehow darker than usual and that the air felt thin… if that was even possible. She thought. Shaking the ominous thoughts from her mind, knowing that it was just her intrusive thoughts trying to creep her out as she strolled through the parking lot, which was devoid of any other human life. Still feeling a chill crawling up her spine as she glared up at the twitching light above her. “Stupid management… why haven’t they gotten that darn thing fixed already?!” She mumbled harshly under her breath. Heaving a disapproving sigh, Anil swiftly clicked the button on her keys to unlock the car door as she glided quickly inside. Turning on the ignition, she paused before getting ready to drive off. Lifting up her phone to call her husband, Deam, she waited patiently for the other side to connect. The phone rang twice before the person on the other end connected. “Hey love, did you need anything from the store?”

“No… I don’t need anything, drive safe okay? Love you.”

“Love you too.” Anil hung up the phone, staring at the time as it hit eleven~eleven exactly. She smiled, remembering the old saying ‘Make a wish, it’s eleven-eleven.’

As Anil put her phone down, she practically jumped out of her skin. Peering in at her with two pools of bloodshot eyes, from the passenger side of the window was her husband, Deam. Seeing those familiar tired eyes that he heavily adorned gave her heart a slight ache. For she knew fairly well the life of an overworked parent and what they had to give up in order to maintain a comfy life. Anil smiled and rolled her eyes at his attempt to scare her as she unlocked the door to allow him to slide into the passenger seat.

“Changed your mind I see? But If you wanted something, I could have gotten it for you… plus you could have called, you should stay home and rest.” With nothing much to say, he just shook his head in response. She shrugged, put the car in reverse and effortlessly drove out of the parking lot, before putting it into drive and heading towards the store. Staring up at the diamond-less sky, it made the night seem way too dark for no apparent reason. As an odd feeling over took her, she became increasingly aware of two pairs of ruby orbs glaring at her from the corner of her eye. Those eyes never wavered, never blinked, as if studying every move and every breath she took. knowing that this wasn’t the stare of love but rather the stare of a biologist studying the ins-and-outs of a dissected frog. Annoyed by his insistence, she turned to scold him.

Ring Ring Ring!

Jumping at the sound of her own phone buzzing, she shook her head at herself, not understanding why she was so jumpy. She clumsily reached for it, while simultaneously maintaining eye contact on the road. Anil glanced down, stealing a swift glance at the caller ID. Her eyes veered back onto the road and as it did, the realization of who it was made her blood run cold. Not sure if she saw it right and praying that she misread it, she glanced right back down, eyes bulging from her sockets, ready to pop out of her skull at any moment.