Samuel was running late. As always, this time too, he missed the meeting he had scheduled today with Jessica.
"She will again be cross with me!", exclaimed Samuel, who was worried to lose his dignity and respect in front of a girl he admired.
Actually, Samuel was a twenty-one year old boy, who worked at the 'Blueberry Publishers' as a type-writer. In the same office, had worked, a twenty-year old girl, Jessica, also a type-writer by profession. They had had scheduled a number of meetings in the past as a get-together, due to their close bond. However, Samuel has been messing up all of the scheduled get-togethers so far. Not a single one had gone right! And every time he was late, Jessica would get angry with him and not talk to him for a week. To be fair, she does not have any reason- not to be mad with him.
Samuel dashed down the lane, across the street, across the field and finally reached at the picnic destination. All had been set up pretty well! The mat had already been laid on the velvety grass of the field; with the plates filled with delicious food and savories. There were freshly baked croissants, well-prepared hot-dogs, scrumptious pizzas and mouth-watering burgers. There was only one thing wrong, among all the things that were right: Jessica was nowhere to be found!
"JESSICA!" he screamed, "JESSICA! I am sorry for the delay! Please come out!"
There was no answer at all! He tried calling for her again, now scared that something might have happened to her in his absence. Honestly, their picnic spot was located in the middle of nowhere, in a secluded place, not so far from a full-fledged dense forest. He wondered if something had attacked her.
Now he really started to sweat with fear. He slowly took out his smart-phone from his pocket, his hands trembling with fear! He redirected to the 'Caller' app and dialed the phone numbers - '7865497451'.
A phone rang somewhere in the whole field, but it was silenced the next second. This made matters even worse! Samuel slowly approached the spot from where the sound came; trotting with absolute fear! "W-W-Who is there?" stuttered Samuel.
As he crossed the bush, from where the sound was produced, he found nothing- but a smart-phone. "This is Jessica's phone! Oh God! What happened to her!" As he followed the track, he noticed footprints and red marks on the ground, which resembled- blood! He prayed; his fingers crossed; and hoping to retrieve Jessica from whatever danger, he continued to walk forward.
"AHHHH! HELP ME!" came a scream from the other side. Samuel quickly ran to the location, now with a new energy and hope, determined to rescue Jessica.
"Whoever you are, leave Jessica right now! Or else..."
"BOO!" Samuel got startled by Jessica. She had planned this whole thing as a prank to teach Samuel a lesson to never be late again! She had already known that Samuel would again run late for the planned picnic!
"You got me scared and terrified!" scoffed Samuel.
"I couldn't resist laughing at the look on your face when you could not find me!" laughed Jessica.
After this whole incident, both- Samuel and Jessica went back to the picnic spot and spent the rest of the day normally. Samuel was never late- ever again! This prank, though scary, was really helpful!
-Prayag Bhattacharya
