Slice of Life: Friends

7. Something is Afoot

Sarah stood near the gaping hole in the ground, looking into the bottomless pit. All she saw was the pitch black darkness and an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

The building size hole had appeared in a vacant lot a few days ago.

"What do you think it is?"

"How deep is it, anyway?"

"Can you see anything?"

Everyone had a question, but there were no answers. Even after days, authorities could not find out anything concrete about it. They advised people to stay away from it and there were scientists and researchers coming to the hill station from all around the world just to study the hole and solve its mystery. The first team that went down to investigate had vanished and since then, everyone was on edge.

"Hey, Sarah," Sarosh shouted from across the street, "don't stand so close to it."

"Why isn't anyone stopping her?" Maya muttered under her breath.

Sarah realized that her best friends were the only two people who could see her. No wonder she could move around freely without interference from the guards, whose duty was to keep people away from the mysterious hole. Yet, there she stood and when she thought about it, she couldn't figure out why she was there.

"Don't worry, I'm safe." At least, that was one thing she was sure of. "You two stay where you are," she said when she saw her friends trying to cross the boundary line.

"Come back, Sarah!" Sarosh said, fear clear in her tone. She looked at the guard and pointed towards Sarah, speaking softly so Sarah couldn't make out her words.

She looked away from her friends and, once again, her attention was on the hole. Not knowing how long she had been standing there when a strange noise startled her. It was coming from down the hole.

"Hello, is someone down there?" she asked, hunching over to look better.

"Sarah, is that you?" the voice replied, making her gasp.

Whoever was down there, they knew her. "Yes, it's me who are you?"

"It's time to come home. You have been stuck on this godforsaken planet for long enough," the voice said. "Just jump and you will finally find your way home."

Sarah thought about it, considering the words. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that Earth had never felt like home. She was a misfit on this planet, and she might find peace once she was back where she belonged.

"Don't do it," Maya shouted at her.

"Stop!" Sarosh cried out.

All Sarah wanted was to return home. Her friends couldn't hold her back. The voice beckoned, and she took a step forward, ready to leap, and then she woke up with a start. Her heart pounding, she placed a hand on her forehead and tried to calm her breathing. As she looked around, she sighed in relief to find herself abed, safe and sound. There was no hole in the ground and no voice telling her to jump.