CHAPTER 0 : - PROLOGUE
Where am I…?
There's darkness all around me. Front, back, left, right — just darkness.
"Hey!… Hey! Can you hear me?"
Someone was calling me.
I opened my eyes. There was a face — right outside the window.
Wait a minute... this is a petrol pump.
Oh, right… I'm on duty. This is my night shift job.
The computers on my desk were still on. A wall clock hung to the side — it was 2:00 AM.
A man stood on the other side of the window.
Wait! Haha… why is this guy bald? And his moustache looks like Jethalal's — small and weird. His stomach was hanging out, and his chest sagged like melted rubber. Haha!
"Yes, sir? What seems to be the problem?" I asked while trying not to laugh.
"Beta, if you're sleepy, just go home. You've been standing here daydreaming for ages," he replied with an annoyed tone, clearly fed up.
"Sorry, sir. Please tell me what you need. If you're here to make a payment, you can use UPI directly. If that doesn't work, we have the machine here too," I said while glancing at the computer.
"I don't need that. I'm not here for petrol. My daughter needs to use the washroom. Just tell me where it is," he said, waving his daughter over.
She walked up beside him near the cash counter.
I noticed something strange. The man had a big mole on his bald head.
Maybe I was still drunk from last night, because it looked like the mole was where his eye should be — and his real eye had moved to the top of his head.
I really need to drink less.
"Sir, the washroom is behind the cash counter."
"Did you hear that, beta? Go and come back quickly!" the man said to his daughter.
She was staring at me strangely — like she'd seen a monster.
Then again, I do kind of look like one.
"Sir, aren't you going to take your little girl with you?"
"Hah! What would I do there? I'm not the one who needs to go," he laughed.
The little girl ran into the cash counter area and disappeared toward the back, probably into the washroom.
She looked about six years old — average height, though her face appeared strangely blurry to me.
Maybe the alcohol was still messing with my head.
"Baby, what happened? You're still standing here?"
A voice came from outside the window.
I looked — it was a beautiful woman. About 5'2", light brown skin, perfect brown eyes, small nose, sharp jawline — absolutely stunning, like a model.
She was talking to the same fat old man.
Maybe she was his wife… or the little girl's mother.
"She just went inside. Give her a few minutes," the man replied.
"It's fine. Let her be. Until then, should we skip some rope?" the woman asked with a playful smile.
"If you say so, sure. Let's play," he replied and walked toward their car.
It was parked far off, out of sight from the cash counter window.
I leaned out a little to check, but I couldn't see anyone.
Maybe the woman went with him too.
Takkkk...
I heard the sound of my pen dropping under the desk.
I looked down. It had rolled under where I couldn't reach easily due to the cramped space.
I pushed my chair back, bent down, and picked it up.
But as I stood up and looked out the window, my heart dropped.
The man and the beautiful woman — they were skipping rope.
Right in the middle of the petrol pump.
It was late at night, so there were no other vehicles or people around.
But what shocked me wasn't that they were skipping rope…
It was that they were completely naked.
Because of the shadows, I couldn't clearly see their private parts, but still…
The man's man-boobs jiggled more than the woman's perfectly curved breasts.
Both of them had creepy smiles on their faces.
"What are you doing!?" I shouted.
"Have some decency! This is a public place. You can't be naked here!"
"Huh huh huh... come on, sweetie," the woman said, giggling, "You're enjoying the view too, aren't you?"
"He's right," the man said, pressing his face into her chest.
With each jump, the sound of their bodies echoed like a small earthquake.
"Take your daughter and leave right now, or I'll call the police!" I yelled, gathering my courage.
"Daughter?... What daughter?"
The woman's voice suddenly dropped — cold and empty.
My blood turned to ice.
"Y-Your daughter… the one who went to the washroom just now…" I stammered, my voice shaking.
"Our daughter?"
She laughed — an unnatural, demonic laugh.
"Didn't we tell you to follow the rules? You're the one who invited us in."
Suddenly, all the lights in the petrol pump went out.
The skipping sounds stopped.
Darkness. Complete darkness.
I panicked and started fumbling for my flashlight.
After a few seconds, I found it and turned it on.
Wait... this isn't the petrol pump.
Where am I?
There was only flat, wet ground… nothing else. No walls, no machines, no people. Just endless darkness.
"Rules… rules… rules…"
The voices started echoing in my ears.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"
I screamed in pain, clutching my ears, trying to block out the noise.
My legs trembled. My eyes shut tight from the pressure.
"Rules… wake up…"
A whisper in my ear.
Then another.
And another.
And more…
Until… everything went quiet.
I opened my eyes.
"AAAHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed.
There was a monster in front of me.
Wait — no.
It was my kitten.
"Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
My phone alarm kept repeating.
So…
It was all just a dream.
To be continued…