Reading Time: < 1 minute

Contestant Name: Madiha Ahmed

Topic: Voices

—

The voices were low and urgent. Whispering, arguing, close-by.

She sat up, terror washing over her, a drum beating in her chest. Someone — something? — was standing near the foot of her bed! More than one…entity.

A scream was stuck in her suddenly parched throat and she shivered as tiny drops of sweat began peppering her forehead. In the semi-darkness, she desperately tried to make out who or what it was. Human or beast, she couldn’t tell; she only saw blobs. Her mind was frozen anyway.

Whoever — whatever! — they seemed to have sensed that she was awake because the room was quiet now, with only the sound of her own heart hammering in her ears.

After what felt like an eternity but was only a few seconds, they broke the silence.

“Well, I say,” came a decidedly masculine British accent. “We didn’t mean to wake you. Or scare you.”

“We were just…passing through and wanted a closer look at — but it would be unfathomable for you. You need to go back to sleep.”

And as her brain grappled with the possibilities of what was happening, she felt a gentle breeze. Her eyelids felt too heavy to keep open. Her head found her pillow and the blanket automatically tucked in around her neatly, just the way she liked.

In the morning, she wondered how restful her night had been. Almost magical. Don’t think about it, said a British sounding voice in her head. It’s unfathomable.

Total words: 248

—

This is a short story entry by PLB member Madiha Ahmed.

Send in your entries to tpwmedia@gmail.com

For more details about this contest, visit: http://plb.thepakistaniwoman.com/contest