….based on totally true events (probably) from multiple eyewitness reports and personal experience.
Gerard had a rough day.
Physically and mentally exhausted, he pulls into the parking lot of the grocery store. He has been putting off this errand all day but after finally running out of enough necessities, he felt forced to make his stiff body drive the 10 minutes down Old County Road. Despite the neon “Open” sign blazing brightly in the window, not one vehicle was parked in the large lot. The overhead light flickered ominously as he tentatively walked through the automated doors of the store.
Time stopped. He closed his eyes as he accepted the horror in front of him.
The only motorized cart left was wet from the rain.
Monique trusted her dog, Biscuit, more than anyone else. If he was hesitant around a stranger, she would cut the conversation short. If he growled at a section of her garden, she would put down natural pest-deterrents and – sure enough- less tomatoes would be pilfered in the night.
During a routine vet visit, Biscuit jumped off the exam table, hackles raised and teeth glinting. Staring at the veterinarian coming towards her, she knew the reason for the alarm. A silent scream left her lips as she realized – this visit required her to schedule a follow up in 2 months… during the holiday season.
Cody arrived at her transfusion appointment early. She took her time gathering her things and made her way inside. Check-in was slower than usual, but she had just gotten an audiobook to listen to off hold at the library. She pressed play on her phone and took out her earbuds. She closed her eyes, immersed in the story.
There, in the darkness, the world suddenly fell silent. She looked at her phone only to see…the battery was dead.
“Cody? We’re ready for you.”
It was a new year, and Alex was determined to lose weight and lower their cholesterol after a yearly physical exam. To keep things interesting, sometimes they would walk their neighborhood, and other times they would go to an exercise class. Their favorite activity by far was swimming, but the closest indoor pool was at a recreation center 20 minutes away.
Between work and kids, they could usually only manage to go there once every other week or so. One of those days came and Alex happily started driving. The sky darkened, and an eerie mist rolled in across the road. Grateful to get to their destination before the clouds opened up, Alex ran inside as the boom of thunder echoed through the building. Getting to the locker room they opened their bag only to stare in horror….
They had grabbed their daughter’s karate bag by mistake.
It was one of those rare weekends when Priya had her home to herself. Her son was at a classmate’s birthday party and she occupied herself with various activities she wanted to do. Hearing her spouse and son arrive home she looked up only to be suddenly surrounded by darkness. The lights had gone out. She called out, but no one answered. She picked up the phone but only a dial tone yelled in her ear.
A shriek sounded from the front room and, recognizing her child’s cry, Priya ran toward it. The lights turned on as suddenly as they went out and she sighed in relief as she saw her son had only stepped on a stray toy the dog must have left out. Trying to console him, she patted his head, but he kept crying.
“Does it still hurt love?” she asked, assessing his foot.
“N-no but I dropped the magic potion!”
Confused, she looked to her spouse for an explanation. The “magic potion” turned out to be a party favor, and she turned back to her son, relieved, and ready to offer to try and find a replacement.
But that is when she saw….it.
The magic potion was a large vial full of glitter… and it was all over the carpet.
