Unforeseen

It wasn't a lot of work. I just had to compile a few files and then I was off. It took just about a half-hour with a five-minute coffee break. I walked home alone. I liked being alone, not lonely, but alone. I had some time to arrange all of my thoughts and emotions. It was always pleasant. But ever since the last Tuesday, that was all I could think about. Every time I let my mind wander, it landed up to that day. Watching it all happen, doing nothing about it, and telling no one. But today, I was going to do something about it. I can't just stay silent forever. I can't. I swung open the door, which made a slight creaking sound, and walked in. Who would I even talk to about this? I ate a cookie from the batch I had baked yesterday, stress baking of course. There weren't any loud arguments or anything that night. Just whispers. Whispers loud enough for a person who was standing about four feet away to hear. But the only reason I couldn't hear all of it quite clearly was because of the sound of my heart beating rapidly. But I heard enough to know what was happening, the beginning of a scream that almost immediately became muffled. I shut the box and sat on the couch in the living room. That scream sounded familiar. But that was a signal enough for me to take off from there. I dialled up the nearest investigation centre in our town after asking my mom what I should do. They asked me to come down there and I did. I told them what I saw that night. The officer took a note of it all. I told them that I thought there was someone there, trying to get away, pleading with them and she sounded hurt. They asked me the location and I gave it to them. The cameras! That's what they were looking at. I didn't know there were cameras at that park. One of the officers led me into the room and pointed towards the screen. The park was empty. Completely empty. The broken wall was still there, but I wasn't behind it and nobody was in front of it either. What? I asked them to check again for last Tuesday's recordings but that was it. That was last Tuesday's taping. This couldn't be right. I was there. I knew it happened. The officers led me outside, looking at me awkwardly. They thought I made it up. It certainly looked that way. Today was a Tuesday. That was just a week ago. It wasn't like I could forget what really happened in a week. I left the centre feeling flustered but mostly bewildered. It happened. And I was there. I didn't go home. I walked straight to the park. It was quite far from the centre but I kept walking. It was empty. It looked empty at least, except for the shuffling of feet on the dried up leaves. I quickly spun around but I could see nothing. I was startled as the footsteps seemed to get closer. I ran towards the broken wall and hid there. But apparently, it wasn't that good a hiding spot as I could feel someone reach up to me from behind. I jumped. I could hear them talking. Oh my god. I let out a scream but a hand quickly covered my mouth so it came out more like a yelp. The hint of scream I thought I heard last Tuesday, was mine, from today. I had seen this happening. But what I didn't see was it happening to me. This was destiny. And last Tuesday... last Tuesday was a warning.

(image cred: youreadmymind)