Not So Anonymous | ongoing

09︱a 'quiet' afternoon

⋯ SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 ⋯
(VIDA's point of view)
4:15pm

Are you home yet? I'm bored :(

I ignored the persistent vibration of my phone, amusement lingering from the banter with darling. Lost in my thoughts, I continued my journey home, savoring the pleasant evening air. However, as I neared my house, a strange sense of unease settled upon me. The usually lively surroundings were eerily silent, an unusual occurrence in the presence of my boisterous friends. Instinctively, I knew something was amiss.

A surge of adrenaline coursed through me as I prepared myself for the unexpected. Clutching my phone tightly, I ignored his message and slipped it into the pocket of my jeans. In an impromptu moment of self-defense, I reached for the welcome mat lying on the doorstep, rolling it up tightly to form an improvised weapon. With every step closer to the front door, my heart raced, and my mind swirled with a mix of anticipation and fear.

Inserting the key into the lock, I cautiously entered the house. Without hesitation, I swung the makeshift weapon, aiming to defend myself against any potential threat. To my surprise, my swing collided with another object mid-air, and a split second later, a book connected with my head. The voice that followed belonged to none other than Eddie, our mutual surprise evident in our brief exchange.

"Eddie!!"

"Sorry! I panicked!"

Putting down the improvised weapon, I stepped into the house, observing the unusual stillness that enveloped the space. It felt unnerving, out of place for a home inhabited by friends who thrived on noise and liveliness. They were all gathered on the couch, their attention seemingly fixated on a children's show, Dora the Explorer.

Unable to contain my bewilderment, I addressed them, seeking answers to the bizarre scene before me. "Are you guys feeling well?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

Bri responded, attempting to downplay the situation. "Uhh sure, why wouldn't we be?" A nervous chuckle escaped her lips, failing to mask the underlying tension.

"You're watching Dora, and worse, you're quiet!" I exclaimed, unable to comprehend their behavior.

Eddie interjected, his words laden with a hint of defensiveness. "What can we say? Dora always gets us with the cliffhangers."

I shook my head in disbelief, struggling to make sense of their response. "You call stupidity a cliffhanger?" I retorted, my frustration mounting.

Ashley, not one to shy away from a playful argument, chimed in, rolling her eyes. "Hey! Don't insult Dora. Like you've never had an eye for Diego."

"Are you kidding me?! You're not going to argue with me about Dora. You're going to tell me what you guys have done wrong."

Everyone kept mute.

An uneasy silence hung in the air as my friends remained tight-lipped. I turned my attention to Shawn, hopeful that he would break the silence, but to my dismay, his mouth was sealed shut with duct tape. The weight of the situation became undeniable.

Shawn looked down and I looked at others, "C'mon. It can't be that bad."

Feeling a mix of frustration and concern, I reached for my phone, finding solace in the distraction it offered. Two messages from darling and one message from Blurt (Shawn) greeted me, providing a temporary reprieve from the chaos unfolding around me.

We accidentally broke your camera and we are sorry.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and my anger flared. "You broke my camera?!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with a mix of disbelief and anger.