Who's there?

This is the first story in series Cosmisstries. Wouldn't we like it if we could meet an alien? This story is about how a girl thinks that her family is being controlled by an extraterrestrial when it is just...

Who's there?

19 May 2019

Sunday

7.45pm

Dear Diary,

What can I say, a weird day indeed…? The day started out just fine but towards the evening it got strange. I was studying throughout the day for an online test. It started raining, I could hear the splash of water and the scent of petrichor, but I didn’t go out and drench. I was reading about Mitochondria, deeply immersed, Mahathi entered the room. I knew that she would snatch one of my stuff and spoil it. So, I stood in front of her. She hugged me and politely asked for my art kit. I was speechless. I mean was there an asteroid collision that suddenly changed my dear rude sister into a perfect sibling. I stood there baffled and then gave her my art kit. I told her to keep it back after she is done. She nodded and went to her room. Wow! I wish this collision happens every day.

Maith

20 May 2019

Monday

11.45pm

Dear Diary,

I’m not able to sleep. There is something bothering me, ever since the ‘Kind Sister’ incident a lot of things have been happening. Today morning I had a panic attack because I am terrified to take the exam, so I decided to take a break and watch Star Wars. I came downstairs and switched on the T.V, but when I switched it on, I saw a slideshow of all my pictures playing with a Harry Potter tune. Strange, I think I was in the third slide when my mother came running and took out the pen drive from the T.V. I looked at her curiously when she just walked away quickly. I really wanted to start watching The Mandalorian, so I ignored it. Well, it turned out something fishy was happening.

Incident 3- After watching T.V, I went over to the pantry to have a snack, some Nachos when Mahathi came. She ‘smiled’ and returned my art kit. I examined it atom to atom to see if she had spoilt it or taken anything extra. To my surprise, every piece was there- not even one crumple. I just found some bits of purple paper. I was about to read it when she snatched it from my hand. I was just able to catch a glimpse of the words Best… something written.

Strange incidents

Maith,

21 May 2019

Tuesday

10.45pm

Dear Diary,

The summer seems to be getting mysterious and mysterious. Mahathi is getting kinder, and generous, strange indeed. So today evening, after studying I took a break and I looked into my telescope out of the house to the sky. The sky was clear. The sun had already set, I saw birds cawing and flying towards their homes. I turned my telescope towards all the stores near my home. There were many mini-marts, book stores, and fast food joints. I particularly liked one book store, Oak Books where they had this compound microscope which I craved, but my parents wouldn't buy it. I kept looking at Oak Books when suddenly I saw two familiar faces coming out of the store. The woman was tall and frail. Her brown hair was tucked under a hoodie and she held a gift box in her hand. On the other hand, the man was a little taller than the woman and a bit fatter than the woman. He wore thin glasses and covered his head with a cap. I adjusted the lenses of my telescope to see who these people were. Lo, these were my parents. I was wondering why had they been to Oak Books. They had told me that they were going to the theatre. Strange, why my parents would lie to me. Anyways, I was tired so I went to have dinner. The same old disgusting bitter gourd curry with onion parathas. Urgh! I agree it is rich in Vitamin C, but I dislike it. Too bitter!!

Maith,

22 May 2019

Wednesday

7.45 am

Dear Diary,

I had to make this entry early in the morning! The weirdest thing happened. I was not really tired, I went to the terrace and was stargazing, I spotted glittering constellations of Orion, Cassiopeia, Lepus, Perseus etc., It was so alluring! I really wanted to stay out all night looking and gazing at the wonderful stars, but Mum called me down to go to bed. Urgh! No one understands my love for the stars. Back to the topic, so I lay awake. I just heard footsteps and whispers. I looked down the corridor, no one was there. I just thought that I was hallucinating. I guess I was awake until almost ten o’clock when I finally closed my eyes. Also, the whispers seemed to die away. I am not a sound sleeper, even a small breeze could wake me up. Sometime after midnight, I heard footsteps in my room. I heard the person brush over my day bed, knocking over my chair and opening my wardrobe. I woke up half asleep and walked toward the sound. I was almost sleepwalking. I felt the person walk near me. I tried to hold the person, but he or she had escaped. Since I was so sleepy, I just traced my way back to my bed and fell asleep.

This is no light-matter; someone was in my room!! That is why I woke up for the first time in history at 5.30!!! I had a full-blown panic attack, so I ran to my parents’ room. I heard them talking about Jules Verne.

Why?

I dashed into their room and questioned them about the mystery person in my room. They just said that it would have been the breeze.

Fun Fact: My windows were perfectly closed and the curtains were drawn, so in what universe could breeze have entered?

This is a mystery only Sherlock Holmes can solve.

Time for breakfast,

Maith,

23 May 2019

Thursday

6.45pm

Dear Diary,

I am really getting creeped out with all of this. My parents aren’t home most of the time, Mahathi is acting ‘kind’, a lot of secrets like just today my mum said that she was going to the market when I saw her go to Lavender Apartments. Why did she lie, it was not like I was going to forbade her? See, I don’t believe in pseudo-science, but what if, maybe some extraterrestrial is making my family behave totally different. Something from Alpha Centauri, or Kepler….

This is getting spooky and weird, I will keep you updated on all these ‘happenings’, who knows I might be the first to make contact with these mind-controlling aliens?

Maith,

24 May 2019

Friday

8.50pm

Dear diary,

So… Today morning I woke up. Did some reading, some exercise, and finally went for breakfast. The house was in pin-drop silence. It was so quiet, No one was there. I just thought that my parents left for work and Mahathi was still snoring and dreaming. Breakfast was not prepared, I was going to grab a fruit and go back to studying again when I saw a note on the refrigerator.

Come to Lavender Apartment- Party Hall,

Dress well…

                           Mum

I thought, a million questions came to mind, why party hall? Why dress well? When did my mum change her handwriting? I decided to investigate. Since my aim was only to explore, I wanted to look like Sherlock Holmes. I wore a long tweed coat and a white shirt. I also put on my cap.

Lavender Apartments: - My friends live there, Huge Party Hall

As I walked, I started to wonder why the extraterrestrial would choose the place. Wearing a coat isn’t the best thing to do in summer.

Then, after a long and sweaty walked I reached the Apartment. I walked towards the party hall. The door was closed. I held my breath and turned the doorknob- I heard a scream

“Happy Birthday!!!!’’

I mean, it is my birthday. I was so busy studying; I had totally forgotten!! I saw my family, my friends, my neighbors, and more than a hundred people in the hall. There was no extraterrestrial, my family had just planned a surprise. Of course, everyone wondered why I was dressed like that. I felt stupid, but after all, it was my party. I hugged my parents and thanked them for the ‘frightening’ surprise. My grandparents brought a humongous, three layered Astronomy themed cake made from my favorite flavor- Red Velvet! In the middle of the cake, there was a little asteroid on which it was written-

Happy Birthday to the Budding scientist….

I was so happy on seeing the cake, everyone, and the surprise. I cut the cake with everyone starting to sing the Birthday Song! It was so beautiful… I blew the candles and everyone cheered. Also, I was finally able to completely view the slideshow my parents had made.

Then everyone started giving me presents-

 My grandparents got me a cookbook and piping bags! My two best friends got me headphones and a night sky background cover for my phone! Surprisingly Mahathi had a gift for me too! She had got me some chocolates and a self-made card! Inside the card in purple paper ‘Best Sister’ was written. I realized that Mahathi had taken my art kit to make this! Then, I opened my parents’ s gift. I couldn’t believe it. My present was the compound microscope which I wanted (that must have been the reason why they were at Oak books)!!!!!! I was so delighted! J I also got other presents from my friends and relatives like chocolates, books, science and art kits. We all played games, ate delicious foods, danced and enjoyed ourselves to the core. After a lot of joy and celebration, sadly they had to leave. So, I thanked all of them and gave the return gifts (which my parents had secretly bought). They were Jules Verne books!

While my parents and I were packing all the gifts, I asked them about the person in my room. They looked at each other and chuckled, it was my dad! He wanted to take pictures of me when I was young. The pictures were in an album in my cupboard. But he couldn’t take any as I had frightened him!

I smiled and guffawed thinking that it was not an alien from Alpha Centauri, or Kepler. Though, it would have been cool!

Diary, what can I say? This was the best birthday anyone could ever have.

Also, it was the most amazing day and week ever!!

Maith,

                             

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