The Second Time

By Nishakaru Dkhar

It starts again. A soft paw rests on my leg. I try to feel it with my feet, its fluffy coat touches my skin. Suddenly, its tail twitch and its ears point up slightly backward as if something caught its attention. It stays still and stares at the door. As the door stands invitingly open, an eerie feeling fills the room. A shapeless figure in a black gown passes through my peripheral vision. The figure moves swiftly in the air with no sound. It escapes my sight with movements of unnatural speed leaving a blurry image behind.

Every direction I look, I catch that blur. The blur vanishes behind the black cat. The cat slowly grows bigger and bigger as I search for the faint figure. In an instant, I find the figure appear right in front of my eyes staring down on me. In my head I am screaming but I do not hear a single sound. I cannot move. I cannot look away. Horrified, at the ghastly image, I open my eyes.

I see a bright room with the sun pouring in through the windows.

No black cat nor shapeless figure is found. Yet, the feeling of being watched remains.

By Nishakaru Dkhar