No One Would See (Short Story)

She was afraid to go out in the open…

She was afraid that somebody would see…

She was afraid to go out in the open.

She was afraid that somebody would see.

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Jane climbed out of her bed where she had been studying that night and went to look out the window, a look of irritation on her face. What was people’s deal these days anyway?

For the past week, her new neighbours had been on this particular act, playing this particular song. Every single night since they got here. She refused to be weirded out by these people, because atheist, that she was, she knew there was nothing that couldn’t be explained by science. Nothing that didn’t have scientific backing. In fact, she didn’t believe in anything that transcended beyond the natural.

So, what her extremely pesky neighbours were trying to achieve by this was beyond her. She’d gone customarily as she was trained back home with freshly baked cookies and knocked on their door, the morning after their arrival but no one answered her. Which was strange because she had heard voices upon reaching the door but as soon as she knocked, the voices stopped and everywhere was quiet.

“Hey, I’m your new neighbour!”. She had yelled. There was no response. “I live just beside you.” Still no response. For her final attempt, she announced. “I brought cookies.” But the only response she got was a faint mewl like that of a cat.

Sighing defeatedly, she had left the plate of foil-covered cookies right there and went back to her house. Coming outside that same evening, there was her plate of cookies still there. Only that, looking closely, she had found out that the cookies had been eaten.

But when?

She never heard the front door open and it looked like the occupants of the house had come out and eaten it right there, outside. Why didn’t they drop as much as a thank you note outside since they were obviously shy? Nevertheless, she didn’t think too much of it and continued her way. She had done her bit.

Now, Jane was infuriated and best and regretted giving her cookies to these rude fellows. And the maddening thing was how the music always seemed to stop when she got to the window but resumed immediately after she climbed her bed. Like she was being watched. It was most uncanny and quite discomforting even though she never quite brought herself to admit it. She was a woman of science and there were no such things as ominous or eerie or creepy people, only maddening neighbours who were surely going to get it from her if they didn’t quiet down with that awful noise.

Climbing back into her bed, she willed herself into calmness and resumed her studying.

She was afraid to go out in the open.

She was afraid that somebody would see….

She was afraid to go out in the open…

She was afraid that somebody would see.

That does it! Jane exclaimed inwardly. Looking at her time, it was just about one am. But this was an issue of life and death and she wasn’t going to come back home till she let those irritable people just how she thought of their rudeness. So hasty was she in her anger that she couldn’t even grab a coat. But rather stormed out with the wrath of science.

As she stepped outside, she was greeted immediately by the chill of the night sky. She shivered and resisted the urge to rub her arms. Stopping just at the neighbour’s door, she knocked frantically.

“Open the door this minute. I’m telling you-”

Only, the door was already open, much to her mortification. What the? However, she didn’t think as she stepped in and immediately tried to take in the room, failing to notice that the song that had stopped playing was back on and even somehow, more enthusiastic.

The room was dark and dingy and she heard whispers above the music. Immediately, she felt scared. This was a bad idea, she thought. I’ll just sort it out in the morning and hastened to open the door. Surprise, surprise. The door she was very sure she didn’t close behind her was not only closed but locked firmly with no keys.

Gulping as she heard the sound of a creaking chair behind her, she turned slowly and met the most freakishly-looking being ever. It had the face of a cat and the body of a human. And surrounding it were dozens of cats all grinning freakishly at her.

“Jane. We’ve been waiting for you.”

And suddenly, darkness swept her.

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