Short Story: Unnoticed 

By Pratiksha Nandy

It was unusual!

How no one heard a thing when she dragged the body out in the cold night.

Not even, when the shovel dug deeper and deeper inside the hard crust.

The trees were dry, the branches looked dead, but it would come in good use.

The breeze was strong and the air was cold. Cold enough to wear a huge black coat. Good thing, it merged well with the large bags she carried.

No human would be suspicious then. If there were any that is…

The street lights were dim. Almost dying out. Soon the place would be darker. Darker than it already was.

Not that any lights were really needed to notice the one and only shadow lurking on the entire ground. It was pale. And it was her’s.

Who would ever pay a visit in a broken isolated park? No one.

And she made sure of it.

Bodies can be tough to carry, especially when they are lifeless. But burying it gives another level of satisfaction.

The shovel continued to dig. It never stopped…

“Thwak”

“Thwak”

“Thwak”

So when did it all start?

The day she went berserk? Or the day her tears didn’t matter to anyone anymore? Or maybe before that, when the rage was slowly building up. Or when the wounds got a darker touch in them?

Or maybe the day she was pushed into the river. Or maybe…

Oh well, it doesn’t matter.

It never did. To no one. And not to her either.

It was too late. The demon had already taken control.

She let out a heavy sigh as she finally finished covering up the body.

“Tough work”

The shovel stopped working. The branches had vanished. The air was still cold. The breeze had stopped though.

The night had become darker and the crust looked untouched.

“Next one”, she said before slowing, proceeding towards an unknown source.

And the night went, completely unnoticed.