The Prank

I stood clueless for a while as I stared helplessly around. I put my hands on my waists and just watched no one in particular.

I was about to cry tears of frustration. I didn't like this game they were playing. I just wanted to have a good morning with my family; not go crazy searching for them.

Could they have been abducted by Aliens?

No, that was absurd. Aliens aren't real.

"Then where are you all hiding?" I asked no one in particular.

I ran my fingers through my curly hair and messed up my bun. I moved them around my face vigorously as if doing that was going to help. I was beginning to lose hope.

The basement!

My face lit up in a smile. I had searched the entire house except for the basement. That dark place was a good place to hide because it was the one part of the house which I didn't frequently visit. I could count the number of times I had gone down there all my life. It always gave me the creeps. They had to be hiding there.

The light in the basement always flickered and sometimes went out. To be on the safe side, I collected Dad's huge torchlight from the storeroom and mentally prepared myself to go in as I stood before the basement. It was behind the stairs, down the corridor.

You can do this Xena. It was just a basement. Nothing else, every other creepy thing is just in your head.

"Guys? I'm coming in. I know you're in there!" I called out, my voice wavering. Fear was slowly setting up a tent under my skin.

Be strong Xena. This was just a game.

I took in a long breath, released it, and took the first step. I turned on the light. There were just stacks of old boxes that contained old stuff we didn't use anymore. Bottles of water as well as drinks that couldn't fit into the storeroom. Dad's tools for repairing things in the house. Kelvin's failed inventions as well as Mom's old utensils.

There was still no sign of them. I had to proceed within the basement.

I slowly descended the stairs and navigated my way through the piles of stuff; hoping to find any of them crouched behind a box. I still didn't see or hear them.

Suddenly, the lights in the basement came on. I put off Dad's huge torchlight and silently begged the light to stay alive and not die on me now.

"Mom! Dad! Kelvin!" I shout and whispered, hoping to hear even a snicker, but none came.

The light flickered as if my voice had triggered it. Then finally after some seconds, it died on me.

I was enveloped in total darkness.

I wanted to run out at that very moment but I forced myself to stay. I noisily struggled with the torchlight and finally got it to come alive. The light beam was strong as it pinpointed the way ahead.

"Mom! Come out already!" I shouted and whispered again trying to make my voice sound firm but it came out clogged in fear.

Thud!

I whipped my head backward and pointed the torchlight at the sound. A box had fallen.

"Kelvin is that you?" I asked and went to inspect where it fell from, new hope rising within me.

Found them!

But of course, there was no one hiding there.

Thud!

Something else fell. I went to it, it was another box.

Are they trying to lure me away?

I thought, a smile of victory growing on my face. "Mom is that you?"

Nothing.

This wasn't a prank.

My heart resumed its squeezing exercise making it hard for me to breathe properly.

Are they even here?

Or. . .anywhere?

I moved the torchlight around. I was beginning to accept the fact that there was no one in the basement.

But what was making things fall?

As if on cue, another box fell, making me jump. That one must have contained Dad's tool because it made loud clattering noises on the floor. Each sound grew a patch of goosebumps on my skin.

Okay! That did it! I was out. This place was creepy!

I made a beeline for the stairs leading out. Another box fell but I didn't even bother to check. All I wanted was to get out of the creepy basement.

I made it out and closed the door behind me. I was relieved to be out of it. I made a note to myself never to go back into the basement again no matter what.

What if they are outside!

Having gotten disappointed too many times, I slowly opened the main entrance door and stepped outside. The air was colder than usual and eerily quiet.

It was just the weather, Xena. Nothing creepy.

Allowing my head to blame the strange stillness on the weather, my body pushed down the fear that threatened to consume me. Mustering my inner strength, I checked our backyard, but like within my house, it was empty and silent.

This wasn't a game.

Looking around, I realized that, it wasn't just my house that was silent. The whole world was silent.

Too silent.

Scared and worried, I hurry back into my house. I made my way to the sitting room and just stood there.

What was going on?

This wasn't a birthday surprise. . . my birthday was yesterday!

"Okay house! You all win and I have lost! I accept defeat! I couldn't find you all! You can come out now and rub it in my face! It was a very great prank!" I called and laughed nervously but only silence greeted me.

Something was terribly wrong.

Cold air crept unto my skin, causing my heart to beat faster than normal.

No one was around and it wasn't just my house.

Where did everyone go?

I couldn't hear little Gena and the other children playing. I couldn't hear the occasional incessant chatting of our neighbors. I couldn't hear the newspaperman's annoying laughter.

I couldn't even hear birds chirping.

I was alone.