The Unseen

The wind screamed in a panic for the sky-a pool of dread and blackness, preparing for the sake of a powerful day-the kind that invites rain and thunder shores.

Instead it drizzled. Umbrellas and people everywhere. The road patterned in dots from the rain drops-formal puddles forming by the sidewalk. Most of them had a schedule to run to. They waited for the walking sign to turn green watching their clocks tick. It turned green a repugnant minute later and she stepped on to the road in brisk steps. On the other end, the large crowd divided into two directions. She veered for the right where the shadows were longer and stayed for long hours. There’s a reason she opted for the right.

He crossed the street just like her, his umbrella under his armpit. He whistled knowing how much of a rain lover he is and admired the creature crawling out onto the streets. He politely nodded to some and to others he avoided contact. Humans don't agitate them but he certainly can. So he remembered his manners, walking away in careful steps in order to avoid stepping on one of those creatures. He rather not. Unlike others, he’s capable of hurting them along with a few more people he learnt exist.

The other she put on her apron. The three months detention had subsided and her old hearty manager personally requested her. On the kitchen of course. It was a promotion and now she’ll cook for the visitors instead of serving them. It was only a youthful afternoon and orders were rushing in like madness. Not her first time dealing with the work load and she was determined not to disappoint. The demand for meat loaves were rising and she had to make extra batch of fillings just in case. She had to visit the cafe’s pantry, filling her steel bowl with yogurts, ginger, spring onions. She saw a familiar face peeking out from under the pantry shelves. She smiled. Before walking out, she went and turned off the glaring pantry lights. She knew, a helpless soul was thankful for that.

He however in the same city worked as a forklift driver. Working from 8 to 5 and in between the lunch time comprising of sick jokes and beefy men. Tough men. Real men in his opinion. Unlike the brats who terrorized the streets playing tough and brutal only to get their arms strangled. The gang nuisance came to an abrupt halt as eradication programs for gangs became the new metro culture. Police cars and officers patrol the street at all times. Major gang societies were busted, landing many so called leaders in jails. He was happy internally about all these. When he sat for lunch that day, the wind was strong and the sky gloomy. They had simple sandwiches and apples. Some of these men have families and often the topics regard their children. He can only smile and approve of their tales. When everyone else was getting up from lunch, he took out his pills. The doctor said it’ll keep his adrenaline at bay. Just then, under his very eyes, the six feet long creature of shadow slithered between the carts. He felt his heart beats speeding up and a kind of fury possessing him. His muscles flexing. He hastily turned open the medicine cap and thrusted a pill into his mouth, chewing its bitterness. He didn’t look around for it anymore. But just as he was to return to his work, he kicked the creature on the head, relishing the scream that resulted. There was no more looking back. There were only 300 more boxes to move.

One hunted them to play with them.

Another hunted them to learn them.

Another one hunted them to sympathize them.

The other hunted them to destroy them.

The unseen encounters are rare but many. Not all are pleasant, not all are violent either. For those who can see the miracles of these lives, they’ll always have a string attached to these creatures- a world they can see within the very normal world. Its not understood why they can see. But they say it’s the double consciousness that is to blame. The little things they’ll notice and you won’t. They can even tell the weather some say.

So when the little moments will make the difference for you and the little wonders can make big changes for you, what motive will you have to hunt them?