Aurora | park seonghwa

01: Advent

Goosebumps littered the expanse of my arms, beads of sweat collected at my temples. It felt unusual. I felt my every movement being watched.

It was too silent for a summer evening. Usually the neighbourhood would be bustling with children playing soccer, their cheeks alight with a faint pink blush under the summer sun, being yelled at to be careful by their doting parents and grandparents, enjoying weekly barbecues and chilled lemonade.

Today there was no one in sight, no soul present as I trudged back to my house after a long day at school. Oddly enough, it was cloudy; more residents should have been out to enjoy the relief granted from the the unforgiving heat of the sun. But everyone had opted to remain within the comfort of their homes, judging from the residents chatting in their living rooms as I passed a few open windows of the familiar row of houses of my neighbourhood.

The feeling of being watched settled back into the pit of my stomach as I clutched the strap of my bag tighter. Something wasn't right, as I felt unknown fear creep up my spine, almost like tantalising fingers. I quickly glanced behind and heaved a sigh of relief to find no one following me. However, that unsettling feeling of fear never settled. I swore I could physically feel it against my spine.

Must be the exhaustion from lack of sleep and school work.

Soon I unlocked the familiar door of my house and went straight to the kitchen fridge. I noticed the sticky note on the fridge door as I shut it, taking out some leftovers from the other night.

Picking up some groceries for today's dinner. Ella is with me. Will be back by 6:00.

-Mom.

Dad was probably still at work so that left me all alone in the house. I didn't mind. Being alone helped me focus better. I washed the dishes after I had finished my lunch. As I dried the last plate, a flash of black caught my eye from the kitchen window. A black cat perched precariously on the window sill, directly in front of me with its green eyes piercing into mine.

I wasn't one who believed in superstitions but right now a lot of what I had been feeling previously seemed to link up as the same unsettling feeling returned, stronger than the last time.

The creature tilted its head a little to the right, almost as if calculating my presence out of curiosity. With the plate still in my hand, I copied it's movement with a tilt of my own to signal that I meant no harm. Its green eyes sparkled with glee, mischief soon apparent as its eyes grew wider.

I chuckled a little, the feeling slowly retreating as I finished drying the plate. Glancing up back to the cat, I noticed it's expression had changed. The mischief was there but almost felt sinister as the feline bared its sharp teeth and snarled, slamming its paws against the window, the only barrier between us.

I yelped and moved back instantly, dropping the plate from my hands, watching it shatter as it fell to the hardwood floor, the stark white pieces spreading out against the darkness of the floor. I looked back up, the black feline nowhere to be seen. As my heart hammered against chest, I bent down to pick up the pieces, disposing of them and eyeing the window once again, before walking up to my room.

First, the neighbourhood, now this cat. What is going on?

Entering my room, I plopped onto my bed, my book bag dumped next to my dresser. I checked my phone for any new texts or happenings.

Apparently there was a party coming up later in the week; Mingi's party. I knew for a fact he'd pester me to come. He always does. Mingi and I were diaper buddies, knew each other since childhood, parents good friends of each other from work, though he hung out with his own group of friends and I preferred being on my own.