•Haunted•

THE blind girl sat on the seetee in the living room playing with her fingers. She had been sitting there for like hours doing nothing exactly, just playing with her fingers.

She would every now and then use her hands to scare away the lousy little flies disturbing when suddenly, the ringing of the phone jolted her.

She gasped with a start staring into space at nothing in particular, then it dawned on her, she couldn't imagine a mere phone had put her off, she chuckled.

"Mum, the phooone", she shouted.

Vida sighed, dried her hands with the hand napkin on the counter and made for the phone. She had been busying herself in the kitchen.

"Hello", she spoke into the receiver as her brows furrowed.

The blind girl sat, listening. She lived with her poor mother at the outskirts of Marudai. Lost her father at the tender age of eight to the cold hands of death.

Vida had to toil day and night to make ends meet. Her daughter couldn't assist in any way, she had a life challenge; she was blind.

As to the main cause of her blindness, no much clue could be given, but Vida sometimes say to whoever wishes to listen that her daughter's sight was being tampered on at the time of birth.

Both parents had searched frantically for solutions, but it was to no avail.

But despite being challenged, she wasn't deterred. She was really good in arts and sculpture, she could easily put in anything into shape using stone, wood or clay.

There was a time she once made out a case for little savings out of the shell of a coconut.

It was a special gift in the family that's being handed down from generation to generation, and she was amazingly good at it. Her name was Sharuna.

"Hello Vida, it's Henrietta", a female voice greeted. Vida gasped.

"Huh? Why would you call me with a strange number?", she asked.

The woman from the other end laughed.

"I sure knew you were gonna ask"

"Why not?", she rolled her eyes.

"Well it's nothing serious though. So how you doing? How's work?"

She sighed.

"Hectic as usual dear, you know", they broke into laughter, "and you?"

"Well same as usual. How's Runa?"

"Very much okay", she glanced at her.

"Good to hear. Um, you're no more on night shift Vida", she could hear her gasp.

"Why? Any queries?", she asked wide eyed.

Henrietta laughed, she had noticed the shock in her voice.

"You panic too much Vida, just chill. Can you come over, let's say by evening?"

Vida's eyes strayed to the big wall clock hanging on the wall, 2:30, it said. She shook her head sideways, two, three hours left.

"Yeah, I can. But hope no problems Henrietta?", she asked again, typical of her.

"No qualms Vida, just come over.... evening"

"Okay, expect me"

"Bye then, my regards to Runa"

"See ya", and the line went dead.

Vida dropped the phone and exhaled deeply. No more on night shift? What could be wrong? Well, she shrugged.

"Aunt Henrietta?", Sharuna asked, startling her.

"Yeah, she sends her regards", and she dashed into the kitchen.

             ********************

Vida and daughter alighted from the cab which had just dropped them off at the T-junction leading to their street at the outskirts.

It was always quite deserted and it's road full of several potholes and bumps, therefore scaring away drivers from plying.

So whenever they take a cab, it usually drops them at the T-junction leaving them with no other option than to trek to their destination.

It was neither too far anyway, it was a trekkable distance.

Vida began leading Sharuna as they walked along, chatting and laughing.

Suddenly a green Cadillac sped past, it's tyres screeching loudly into the potholes that contained muddy waters, and then splish-splosh! Down came the waters on them, splashing all over.

"Jeez!", Vida exclaimed and then made to use herself to shield Sharuna, but it was already late.

They were both stained.

The driver of the car didn't care to stop, he only glanced once and kept his pace.

"Mum, what was that?", Sharuna asked. She had heard the commotion and so was confused.

"It was just a car my dear", her mom replied, "it splashed water on us".

Sharuna sighed.

"Let's go and clean up properly", Vida persuaded.

          ********************

"Groceries....soda crackers.... soda water....ice....", a little girl at the Mart shouted placing each item on the counter as she reeled them out, when suddenly an older woman shut her down.

"Quiet girl, this is not a game shop", the elderly woman said.

She was attending to Kesmanee, who at instant glanced across to the girl making a noise, their gaze met.

The girl pouted and looked away, chuckling. She was actually attending to a customer.

"Arghh!", Kesmanee exclaimed and splayed his right hand on his forehead.

"I'm very sorry about that sir", the woman apologized taking his debit card and slotting into the small machine before her on the counter.

She had sensed the noisy girl had made him uncomfortable.

"She's a new employee, and had just been employed a week ago", she buttressed. She was now packaging all the items purchased.

Kesmanee slightly nodded and turned back to the girl, she was now operating on her phone.

Hmm, sales girls and their problems.

"Here", the woman said handling him his debit card and a big customized yellow bag.

"Thanks for patronizing us sir, we do hope you come again", she smiled.

He smiled back, accepting the goods, then he turned and walked towards the glass door.

The security by the door on seeing him coming, pressed a small button on the wall, as the glass door slid left.

"Thanks for your patronage sir, see you some other time", he bowed slightly.

Kesmanee smiled at him, and walked out the door.

He made for the parking lot and towards his car, punching on the button on the keys in his hand, and the boot opened.

Then he placed the bag into it and made for the driver's side when suddenly, it hit him.

"Shit!", he cussed, punching into the air. One more task undone.

He entered his car and sped off, heading for the outskirts.