Lurking In The Shadows

"Who's that?"

"Who's who?"

"That person."

"Which person?"

"THAT ONE!"

"Which one?"

"Oh come on! You can't even see this person? It's shadow is

large as the silhouette of an elephant!"

"The silho... WHAT?!"

"The silhouette...the shadow."

"Oh...No. Wait."

"Wait what?"

"Wait, I forgot my glasses. I am as good as blind without

them."

"Ok."

There's a silence.

Akanksha looks up at her twin, Akash. He hasn't budged. She

says, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING SITTING HERE? Go! Get your glasses."

"Oh! Sorry. I thought you wanted me to stay with you."

"What is the use of you staying with me here if you can't

even see?"

"You're right."

"Thank you. Now please, GET YOUR GLASSES."

"Okay-okay. I am going."

Akanksha sighs. It had always been like this. Though they were

twins and were supposed to be 'identical', Akash had always been the mindless

one, while she was the witty counterpart.

Finally, Akash returned. He carried a pair of glasses. 

"Now, can you see? That person has been standing there for

about ten minutes now. Don't know what they want, though."

"Wait a minute, Akanksha, I am still cleaning them."

"Well, do it fast. The person is moving, and I am pretty

sure that they're coming towards us."

"Great! Finalement, I can finally see. Oh! This person is

huge. I can't believe they are standing in this alley for ten minutes, how do

they even fit in here?" Akash had a habit of speaking some words in French

every now and then. It was like a secret language that only Akanksha could

understand.

"You're really caring about the size of this person?"

"What else do you want me to care about? It's not like I

know him."

"Okay, now it's official, you're way too naive for this

world. I mean, don't you get it - THAT PERSON IS LURKING IN THE SHADOWS FOR THE

PAST FIFTEEN MINUTES AND THEY ARE MOVING TOWARDS US EVERY SECOND."

"Oh yes! Now I understand. Couldn't tell me earlier?"

"I was saying this from the start."

"Okay. Let's forget all this and focus on this person. Who is it? What are they doing here?"

"I think it's a guy."

"How can you say that, Akanksha?"

"Look how he is walking. Also, his dressing sense from here is looking like the how a boy dresses."

"Yeah...now that you say, even I think that he is a boy. What does he want?" Akash said, squinting his eyes, "I can barely see in this dark. How come you can notice every single detail and I can't?"

"Oh my little brother," Akanksha started to explain, but in his mind, Akash said, 'Only by a minute and a half.'

His sister continued, "You are wearing your glasses to improve your vision, but my eyes are as good as the world's finest binoculars. I can see things tres clear."

"Okay."

While they were talking, the shadow just disappeared from their sight and was nowhere to be seen now. As their bedtime was approaching, the twins decided to go to sleep and think about the whole affair in the morning.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! What's this in my eye?"

"What are you talking about Akash? Yoo were sleeping. There is nothing that can get into your eyes when they are closed."

"Yes, b-but."

"Nevermind. Now I'm up. Let's get ready."

"Ready for what, Akanksha?"

"Ready for keeping an eye on the shadow from last night."

"How do you know if he's still here?"

"I don't know it, Akash. I feel it in my guts. Something's about to happen. Something interesting."

"Oh! I love interesting. Let's go. Oh my! Why are these pyjamas not coming off of my legs. Have I grown fat overnight? Akanksha, do I look fat?"

"No silly, you are trying to pull down your shirt again." Akanksha said with a sigh from the other side of the washroom door.

A few hours later, the twins went out to the balcony again. Same as before, they saw a person lurking in the shadows.

This continued happening for several days before Akanksha said, "I've had enough. I am going to get out there and check who this person is and what does he want with Mr. Patel's house"