At the way this life of hers was turning out, Addy suspected that even this life would end while being surrounded by sh*t and sh*tty people.
Not dumb enough to run back to the tortoise enclosure alone, especially when she felt as if someone was watching her, Addy dialed the number of the other junior keeper on duty, Kevin. According to her memory, she and Kevin had started working at the zoo around the same time, with the same level of experience, which was null. However, with his cold attitude and the power of his bushy eyebrows, he had gained quite the fame among the staff members.
Kevin picked up after two calls and grunted in displeasure. Was he sleeping on duty?
Asking him to check the enclosure with her, took Addy more effort than she had anticipated. Just when she thought about giving up and stomping off to the staff room, he agreed.
Kevin arrived in front of the tortoise enclosure with reluctant steps. With him by her side, she felt much more daring. It was not like she was expecting him to protect her if something popped out of the shadows. She was not planning to cower behind him; rather she was relieved to know if something did show up out of nowhere, it would go after Kevin first. After all unnatural beings always attacked as*holes first, right?
"Why am I here?" Kevin grunted as he scratched his scraggly beard which was quite the contrast to his mighty eyebrows.
"It's strange tonight. I thought I saw something."
He yawned. "What do you want me to do about that? Dance? Throw a party? If not I'm outta here. Like b*tch some people actually have work to do."
Addy clenched her fist. "Just... wait here. I'll just go grab my keys."
"P*ssy!" He mocked under his breath, watching her walk to the keeper's door.
Addy wanted to snap back but controlled herself knowing she needed him in that moment and hoping that with an attitude like that he would for sure be killed first if a killer did appear after all.
With a grumpy Kevin on guard, she walked to the keeper's door expecting the keys to be dangling from the key-hole like she remembered. Turned out her memory did not serve her right because the keys weren't there.
Out of the blue, something flashed pass her peripheral vision and landed on her head. Sensing the unknown creature fluttering its wings against her hair, Addy screamed and leapt to the side as she swatted the thing away. It flew away. She whirled around.
The creature hooted.
Owl?
It was an owl?
She stared at its beady glowing eyes and allowed her erratic heart to steady its beating. "Didn't see you here before. Where did you come from?" She wondered out loud.
Flapping its wings, the owl perched on a nearby branch with all its majestic night glory. "Were you the one watching me?" She asked the fluffy bird.
"…" The owl greeted her with obvious silence.
"Kevin have you seen owls in this area before?" She yelled out the question. Again, she was met with silence.
"Kevin!" Addy swivelled around but he was nowhere to be seen.
She was only kidding when she wished for him to die first. Did her wish come true?
Cussing her luck, Addy looked around hoping to see him but there was no trace. She then tried dialling his number, only for that to go in vain as well when the call went unanswered. With him vanishing in a matter of minutes, Addy was back to square one- alone, confused and with no idea of where those rusty keys of her were.
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"Uncle! Look at those stars!" Prissy exclaimed pointing at the night sky above.
With his niece's hand secured within his, Pat peeked at the inky sky and nodded in agreement. For a night in the city, it was quite starry. Truth be told, he hadn't seen that many stars in years.
The streets, on the other hand were empty, illuminated only by gangly lamp posts as the moon was nowhere to be seen which made him regret bringing Priscilla out in such late hours. The twenty-four hours grocery store was a good fifteen minutes' walk away from home which was concerning since Prissy had a knack for catching cold faster than one could spell hypothermia and the night was undeniably chilly. Then again, he had brought her out to cheer her up and so he did not have the heart to cut their midnight walk short. Instead he removed his scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around his niece's tiny ones. Strangely, the scarf hugged her like a giant Boa Constrictor.
"Don't fall sick." He said as he leaned down to secure the old green scarf on her.
She smiled in return, giving him a full display of the gap in between her front teeth.
Pat remembered when she had lost her first tooth almost a month ago. She had stopped eating for an entire day thinking she was growing too old to chew. He had a rather interesting day convincing her to start eating again. Prissy might be a smart kid but she would still conjure up childish theories like that, which made her such a delight to be around.
After minutes of him walking and Prissy skipping around, all the while Pat making sure that his niece was not showing signs of coughing, they arrived in the grocery store. He then walked over to the snack section with his niece still within his grasp, her eyes already darting around taking in everything displayed on the shelves.
"So what does Prissy want today?" He asked looking at the little girl's sparkling eyes.
"Prissy wants freedom!" She threw her answer in the air before his question could land on the floor.
"Okay then." He smiled, shaking his head at her eagerness. "Get what you want. I will quickly grab an olive oil bottle but-"
"I know." She cut him off. "Have to decide on one snack by the time you get back and wait patiently for you." She knew them by heart, used to shopping for her own snacks with her uncle- an exercise he had come up with to help her overcome her fear of chewing after her 'front teeth was stolen by a mischievous mouse'- as he would say.
Pat gave her a thumbs-up and went away. Prissy grinned as she stared at the array of snacks in front of her. As always, she sure was going to have a hard time choosing.
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It took more time for Pat to find an olive oil. Having more choices confused him which made him regret choosing the huge 24/7 store to shop at. When he came back to collect Prissy at the snack section, he was expecting to be greeted by the grinning face of her, eager to run back home to dive into her midnight snack, knowing very well that unlike her mother, her uncle wouldn't fuss over it.
He was in for a shock…
The snack section was empty. In fact, every section in the store was devoid of any sign of her.
Prissy was nowhere to be found.