I am moving through the shadows, quickly and quietly. My steps feather-touch the marbled floor.

Everything is quiet. Except my heartbeat. It is getting louder and louder, the more I near the grey panelled door. I chastise myself for my roaring heart.

"Concentrate, for fuck's sake!!"

The door is slightly ajar. I pause. I dont think I will be able to do it. And I feel something more. Pity. For the poor soul who is gonna be the victim of my wickedness...

"Dammit girl!! Kill emotions. Its time for action".

A renewed vigour is pulsing through me. I reach for the door and so very carefully, push it open.

Through the curtains parting the room into two, I see her. Elaina.
She has her back to me and is reading a book. So blissfully ignorant. I feel like laughing but no, not now. Laughter can wait.

I take a step forward and the lights go out.

'Damn!!', I hiss.

I start backtracking but then, I stop. A cold chill runs through me. I can feel fingers around my neck. Hands start creeping around my throat. Softly, as if teasing me.

"Time to go", the voice whispers into my ears.

"Elaina, help me!! ELAINA!!", I scream with all my might.

Suddenly, the lights flicker back to life. And I hear laughter. Rolling, heaving laughter.

I snap around and see Elaina waving her hands at me. She is laughing so hard, she has tears in her eyes. All my other friends are there too. Laughing like hell. Traitors!! They must have hid conveniently behind the couches when I sneaked in.

"Did I scare you, sweety?", Elaina manages to ask between her laughathon.

"You scared the hell outta me, girl!!", I retort. Laughter is infectious and I begin laughing too.

"Well, you were planning to give me a scare, right? All the sneaking about and all, I knew it"

"Yah yah, but everything backfired big time", I make a face and glare at my gals for selling me out.

And needless to say, everyone laughs again.

THE END.






© Whirl