When the garage opened, the morning sunlight rushed in. Before he took the motorbike, his glance captured a black furry creature with sparkling green eyes staring at him. He felt a shock right away.
He tried to drive it off, but the animal didn’t go away. It was more cautious and showing off its canine teeth. Its ball eyes were full of intimidation. He immediately turned around to pick up the stick. But when he was back, the animal was gone! He searched it every corner, even behind a stack of miscellaneous items near the wall, but it couldn’t be found. Where was it? He was incredulous. A thinking came to his mind. Nah! He neglected it. It must be a real one which incidentally lost into the garage. But wait a minute! If the cat was real, why did it come and go instantly? Surely he saw it because in these two days, he was the one opened the garage. His parents were out of town, and Mr. Andy, the house keeper didn’t have the key. He remembered when he cleaned up the motorbike two weeks ago. The engine felt so hot in spite of the fact that he didn’t ride it for a day. How come? And The next happened a week ago. He saw himself as he slept. When he woke up, strange feeling covered his mind. Was it a dream or he got superstition? And now, a black cat suddenly appeared and vanished in second in the garage. Three weird incidents in a month! Was this house haunted?
***
“I never experience something strange since we have been living here,” said Mr. Andy after sipped his coffee. “I would rather enjoy living here. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing.”
“Something happen to you?”
Fino told him about the things he experienced. He hoped the old man believed it.
“It’s really weird. Hopefully, it’s nothing to do with hearsay told by neighbours.”
“What hearsay?”
“This place is eerie at night, especially near the cross street. There is an old cemetery. Mysterious incidents frequently happened when the vehicle passing by.”
“Such as?”
“Engine problems. A part of dwellers have ever seen a black spectre.”
“Really? Is that true?”
“That’s what neighbour said.”
“Is there anything to do with what happened to me?”
“Who knows the spirit roam around here!”
“Don’t be kidding!”
Mr. Andy forced a mocking smile to see Fino scary face.
“Don’t worry! It’s no big deal as long as it doesn’t bother us,” said Mr. Andy calmed him down.
“No bother? I’ve been bothered three times!”
The old man was shut up.
***
Fino didn’t sleep that night. He was distraught by what Mr. Andy said. Though he tried so hard to close his eyes, he couldn’t fell into sleep. It was 00.45 AM. As he faced to the left, unintentionally his eyes scanned something on his wardrobe. A shadow of black furry creature was gazing at him. He flinched. Before he thought to do something, the cat grinned, ready to attack him. Fino yammered right away.
“The black cat! Here is the black cat on my wardrobe!” sound of yanked door broke the stillness of the night made his parents woke up and dashed to see what happened.
“What the hell is going on?” his dad said surprisingly to see Fino scared so much. He gasped and mumbled.
“That is the black cat on my wardrobe!”
“Cat? You, afraid of a cat?” He disbelieved.
“The cat trying to attack me! You’d better see!”
“Where is it?”
“Right there! Its canine teeth and claws are sharp.”
But there was nothing except a stack of magazines and old newspapers.
“Where is it?” His tone changed. “No cat on it. You can see it, can’t you?”
It’s unbelievable. He just saw it. He looked everywhere, even under his bed. It’s nothing.
“But I saw it, Dad!”
“If you had seen it, it would have been here!”
Fino was speechless. The fear turned confusion. His dad couldn’t help his chagrin. For a second he took a deep breath.
“I don’t get you, boy! You’re screaming in the middle of the night because of...a pussy? What a bizarre behaviour!”
“The cat want to attack me!”
“Bullshit! Never hear a cat attack a man!”
“I swear! That’s what exactly happen!”
“But where is the animal?”
Fino spoke nothing. He was unable to explain it.
“You have to know, kid! I don’t wanna have a coward son! I don’t wanna hear your ridiculous explanation, either. Now, I just wanna sleep. No more scream. No more cat tonight!” his dad turned around. His mom tapped his shoulder gently tried to calmed him down. He was drooped off. How come the cat vanished at once? Was it only his imagination?
***
“Why are you in a hurry?” said Sam without turned his face from the computer screen.
“Right. Let’s have a break. Sam, do you have the latest CD game?” said Steve walked toward TV cabinet.
“Our group assignment is done. So, I can go home. ”
“What’s your problem? You’ve got a motorcycle. No big deal whenever you come home,” replied Sam switched on the printer and put the papers into it. Fino was indifferent. He took his books and put them into his satchel. Once again, he looked up the wall clock. Something in his mind he didn’t tell to his friends that he was a little bit scare to pass the murky street which most of the bushes instead of houses along it’s both sides. Even he had to pass an eerie old cemetery.
“I am going home now!” he stepped out of the room.
“Good riddance to you!” said Steve.
“Whatever you say, guys!” he kept going to the front door.
Twenty minutes later, he was on the high way which passed by many loaded big trucks. The light was so dim that he had to be more careful. At last, the motorbike turned left entering a gravel street to his homeward. It was the first time he homed rather late at night and found the street so empty. He remembered what Mr. Andy said. A regret compounded his mind, why he heard the scary hearsay.
A crescent moon hung in the dark sky. Its gloomy light made a creepy atmosphere. Or was it his feeling? Every time his body shaking as the wheels rolled on uneven surface or small holes, a regret came up. Why had moved here?
The closer to the old cemetery, the faster his heart beat. He lulled himself. What kind of a man he was if he had no guts to pass the eerie place. Nothing gonna be happening. No body throttled by a ghost. All he knew, a people scared to death.
The cemetery was nearer. Look! Everything was all right and finally he passed it without obstacle. He didn’t yet soothe. Suddenly, from the bushes a black shadow jumped out. A black cat hindered his way. Fino was shocked right away. His hand immediately drew a gas deeper. The motorbike jumped in the air and he smashed to the ground. Then, everything came dark.
***
“Help! There is somebody falling from motorbike!” A voice heard from a distance. A minute later, many people came and a throng formed. They rimmed a bleeding person on the ground.
“O my God! He is Fino! A young man who newly live at the end of the street!”
Fino was stunning to hear his name mentioned. He dashed into the crowd and jostled to see what happened. To see himself lying on the ground, he panicked. What the hell was going on? Wasn’t he just on the way home riding his motorbike? Suddenly he realized the weird incidents happened to him. The motorbike, the dream, and the black cat... No! No! Nooo! He tried to deny it.
“Look! He is still alive! He is still breathing!” A voice heard in his ear. The people were together raised and took the body to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, Fino was struggling to get conscious.
Note:
This fiction was published in Story Mag ed 29
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