Dimma had been anticipating her father's departure since he first mentioned it several weeks ago. Having recently turned 18, she felt ready to take on the world by herself. Her mother had passed away not long ago, which had taken a significant toll on her family. Her father had started isolating himself, and it wasn't until recently that he decided to go out and meet other friends on a business trip. With her mother gone, Dimma had to step up and take on the role of the mother in the household. Despite her own struggles with grieving for her mother, she felt that she needed to be strong for her father and put on a brave face.
She had proved herself capable enough to stay alone over the weekend, but Dimma's father wasn't taking any chances. He asked that she stay with her best friend Anne's family instead. Dimma knew her father was just being overprotective and that she wouldn't listen anyway. He pleaded with Anne's parents to keep an eye on Dimma and make sure she didn't go anywhere. Dimma couldn't help but feel like her father still saw her as a child, even though she was an adult. He had taken her phone away a while ago and still hadn't returned it. Now, he was dropping her off at her friend's house, which wasn't far from their own home.
Mr. Umeh hugged his daughter goodbye before leaving Anne's house with his suitcase. "Remember...." He was unable to express his usual warnings due to Anne's parents being nearby, but Dimma understood what he meant. He left on his bike since he had left his car at home and opted for public transportation instead.
Anne's family welcomed Dimma with open arms, and they were thrilled to have her stay with them. Anne, in particular, was delighted that Dimma was staying over, Anne promised to fill in the space Dimma's phone left, by giving Dimma her phone instead. Dimma spent hours browsing the device and losing herself in it while Anne and her two brothers worked in the kitchen. Suddenly, the door creaked open, causing Dimma to panic. She dropped the phone on the bed, but it was too late. Anne's mother had caught her using the phone and was clearly infuriated by what she saw as laziness and device obsession.
Although Anne's mother wasn't typically loud, she shouted at Dimma for a while. Dimma realized that she had made a mistake and apologized before going to assist in the kitchen. The incident hurt her, though, as she knew her mother would never react in such a way.
After finishing dinner and cleaning up, Anne's parents went to a church vigil, while the children were left alone at home. Anne immediately became engrossed in her screen, and Dimma considered asking to borrow the phone for a little while. But she didn't want to take up any more of Anne's screen time, so she decided to sneak away without telling anyone. She walked across the street to her own house and used a discreetly-located spare key to enter.
Dimma searched for her phone, knowing that her father was good at hiding things, and figured that his office would be the most likely place to find it.
When Dimma entered her father's office, the power went out, and the room was dark. She felt scared, but managed to find a flashlight on her father's desk. She searched the room thoroughly for her phone, checking every possible hiding spot she could think of, but it was nowhere to be found. As she turned to leave, she noticed a covered mirror in the corner of the room. Her father had always warned her not to touch it, but Dimma pondered on the thought that her phone might be hidden behind it. She reasoned with herself, "what if it's there? But then why would he keep telling me not to touch it, if it was there, he'd not make mention of it at all, wait what if he knows I'd think he won't tell me, so he now intentionally keeps it there thinking I wouldn't think to check there" Her thoughts were scattered, and she didn't know what to do next.
She cautiously approached the mirror, her father's warning ringing in her ears, but she was desperate to find her phone. As she lifted the cloth, she was surprised to see nothing in the mirror. There was no reflection, only darkness.She wondered if her eyes were deceiving her in the darkness. She shone her flashlight into the void, but there was no response. Just as she was about to cover the mirror again, a figure suddenly appeared on the other side, causing her to drop the flashlight in shock. The figure banged on the glass and pleaded, "Help me! Please, help me out!"
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PENNED PAGES
General Fiction"Penned Pages" is an engrossing anthology that weaves together eight captivating short stories spanning various genres. This thought-provoking collection delves into diverse themes, providing insightful glimpses into the complexities of our world. W...
