sorry for the delay 

Jasper

“Oh, that’s strange, he texted me an hour ago,” she said, “why can’t you reach him?”

“Relax aunty, I think he is busy,” said Ethan from the other side sensing her discomfort. It was never new for anyone in their circle that Hannah had her life in her son. She loved and cared for him too much it suffocated him but he also loved her mother the same. Her anxious behaviour was very visible whenever it was about Ian at any time.

“Ethan Can I talk to you about something?” she asked seriously while looking around her house. She was once again squirming with discomfort. She wanted the formal discussion with Camron but you never know what’s is in the future for you. so she took the risk to at least clear her doubts.

“sure aunty, are you okay, is something bothering you?” Ethan asked while realizing the situation and the seriousness in Hannah’s voice.

“do you like Ian?” she blurted out without hesitation. She wanted her doubts clear at this point.

“Um.. yes very much” he answered shortly with a lot of hesitation. He was still thinking about how she just started talking with a serious tone

“No I mean, like do you like him romantically?” the reply didn’t satisfy her so she tried again. Ethan was taken aback by her question so direct. He wasn’t expecting this coming soon so he hesitated but didn’t let the opportunity go.

“oh uhh, like that is very straightforward……but yeah.” He said a bit shyly. she couldn’t hear what he said because of the disturbance between the line. Everything seems crushed as the line went dead. She pulled away the receiver to look at it.

“hello…..hello…… Ethan, can you hear me?” she tried again to get a message or maybe send one but she couldn’t. she was comprehending what happened and wanted to call Ethan again but she felt a shiver run down her spine when she heard the whisper near her. Turning around abruptly she saw nothing near her that could whisper. She had the receiver in her hand when she felt some voice coming out of it. Thinking the line connected again and there must be Ethan on the other side she again pulled the receiver to her ear but there was nothing, no sound was there until she could hear the whispers and loud licking sounds from the phone.

“Hannah ……” a voice rasped from the receiver, which made her drop the receiver suddenly and knock off the vase on the table in the process of scurrying away from the phone. The loud shatter of glass made her look at the floor. She shivered when she realized who could it be. The voice was so low yet a loud whisper, that she could feel her body shivering just because of it. Light started to flicker in the house and a foul smell entered her system. She gaged a little but tried to breathe. At the end of the corridor, a wide shadow was present hunched down, it looked like the shadow was trying to pick something up. A loud scream left Hannah’s mouth when the figure stood up straight. She saw a bloody cat in his hands. The head of the cat was dangling from his hand, and its bloody body was looking like it was bitten with sharp teeth. It was not any other cat but the one they had with so much love. Yes, it was jasper their lovely cat. Hannah couldn’t bear the sight of her cat she forgot about the figure standing there. The figure left the cat with a thud on the floor and paced towards her. She realized and moved back. The figure ran towards her and in a minute it vanished in thin air. Hannah had her eyes shut tightly and she crying badly. When nothing happened she opened her eyes around her. Japer was still on the floor and the smell was still in the air. She scurried towards the phone and dialled her husband’s number. She couldn’t breathe properly. ‘what will she say about Japer to Ian and Darcy? They both loved the cat so much. The cat was comfortable with them, always sleeping on Darcy’s shoulder or Ian’s chest.

Mr Williams picked up the phone on a third ring. Before he could say anything her heard her ragged breathing.

“Hello, Hannah, how are you darling?” he started slow, trying to understand the reason for her condition which seemed not good enough.

“Darcy, where are you?” she asked in a low voice. Looked around for the figure to appear again. She knew Mr Williams had to visit some place today but she was hoping he was in the office.  

“Hannah, are you, okay sweetheart, what happened?” he asked concerned. After hearing the stress in her voice he immediately stood up to leave. His co-worker Mr James Carlos was about to enter his room when he saw him rushing out.

“where are you Darcy?” she asked again while tears were leaving her eyes. She was scared and crying seeing the innocent soul being killed brutally lying on her floor. She wanted him near her right now.

“I am at the office, why are you asking, what happened?” he said while walking faster. Hearing her sniffles, he got worried. On the other hand, she could still feel the presence lurking near her.

“can you come home?” she asked in a whisper. Patience was getting thin for Hannah. She didn’t want to explain anything now. She wanted the others to understand without her saying anything.

“What, Hannah what’s wrong?” he asked while Mr Carlos was staring at Mr Williams keenly.

“Just come home Darcy!!!!!!!!!!!!!” she screamed so loud that Mr Darcy had to stop his movement and stare at his phone in disbelief

“I want you home now” she again whispered tiredly and Mr Williams heard her dropping to the floor. He panicked and called her name

“Hannah!! Are you okay, Hannah please answer me, I am coming don’t worry I am coming” he said at a fast speed hearing a hmmm from the other side

“I am coming,” he said again and hung up the phone. He was about to leave when John held his shoulder.

“is everything okay Darcy, what’s wrong, is Hannah okay?” John asked furrowing his eyes. He heard the scream that had just come out of the phone. Something was wrong he could tell but what?

 “Yeah, uhh… I don’t know? I have to go” Said Mr Williams and walked faster with john following. Seeing his condition and the look of conflict on Mr Williams's face John offered to take him home. He wanted to avoid any unnecessary accidents and also wanted to know about Hannah.

All the way Mr Williams was quiet, trying to comprehend the situation his wife was in when she shouted. She was a clam woman. Never in his married life, did he see her being this hyper. John wanted to comfort him but for what he didn’t know so he chose to stay quiet. They both reached Williams's house in twenty minutes. Mr Williams rushed to the door of the house and John followed after parking his car.

Mr Williams used his own key to enter the house. He entered and looked around only to find his wife sitting near the table and having the receiver in her hand. He moved towards him but the squelching sound under his shoes caught his attention. Looking down at the floor his eyes widened. The same expression was appearing on John’s face after seeing Hannah and a cat on the floor. The cat was ruined to shreds and it was all witnessed by Hannah. Her hair was dishevelled, her eyes bloodshot, and she was blabbering nonsense. Both men were shocked to see her like that. Mrs Williams was very popular with her elegance and mature look but now with that look, she was unrecognizable. 

“Hannah?” called Mr Williams and slowly reached her. She stared at him all the while he walked towards her. Her lips were moving but nothing was understandable.

“what happened Hannah, did someone broke in?” asked Mr Williams while stroking her hair hesitantly.

“What happened to Jasper?” he asked again and looked over his shoulder at the remains of the cat. He looked at John and looked back at Hannah again. It was hard to accept that she could something like that to a cat when she loved him so much.  so who could do that. She was still staring when suddenly she fell down on the floor. Mr Williams rushed to catch her before she could touch the floor.

“I’ll call the doctor,” said Mr Carlos and took out his phone to dial a number. Mr Williams carried her to their bedroom and made her lie down on the bed. Thirty minutes later the doctor came. He was immediately escorted to her where he examined her thoroughly and sedated her for four to five hours. After gesturing to both men, he went out. They followed him outside and Mr Williams closed the door slowly.

“What's wrong with her, what happened, is she ok?” asked Mr Williams as soon as he turned around. The doctor didn’t respond straight away but kept quiet for like two minutes. He contemplated his question and asked

“Mr William, is she going through some kind of stress or depression?” the doctor said eyeing him keenly.

“what? No… she was just ok when I left early morning, yeah she was sick a few days before but she was fine and was recovering” he explained to the doctor about her condition a few days back. Maybe it has to do with something that happened that day.

“I think she is terrified the way you described her state earlier when you found her, is there anything that I should know about her health, maybe anything that is disturbing her lately?” the doctor asked enquiringly

“I don’t think so, no she was ok, nothing to be worried about,” said Mr Williams after thinking hard. There was nothing that was disturbing her. He saw her and his son playing and running after one another in the whole house. She was most happy when she was with them.

“Alright, well let’s see when she wakes up, here is my card.  if any emergency give me a call or bring her to my clinic?” the doctor said while holding out his card. Doctor Roy was a psychiatrist and was a good friend of John Carlos.

“ok, thank you,” Mr Williams said while taking his card and reading it. Doctor Roy also handed him the prescription needed for Hannah to refrain from panic attacks.

“Mr Williams, sometimes we don’t know what is disturbing or what is bothering others if they keep on smiling and staying calm. In this case, we have to observe the patient more closely. Maybe coaxing with love and care can help them to open up. I hope that’s not the case with your wife but you must give her some time. Maybe she is worried over something that you don’t know” Roy said trying to clear the point of his treatment ‘I hope you understand” he asked while patting Mr Williams's shoulder.

“I understand,” said Mr Williams getting his point

“that’s great, now I should take my leave, give her the medicines on time, and kindly stay near her, maybe take some days off from your work” after receiving a nod from Mr Williams at his suggestion, doctor Roy left the house.

“Is everything ok at your home Darcy, you look stressed?” John said putting his hand over Mr Williams's shoulder trying to calm him.

“I don’t know, she was fine just this morning, we even talked a lot during breakfast but in the evening she is like this,” he said not understanding the reason behind her condition now. She was okay in the morning.

“maybe the doctor is right, give her some time yeah?” John said patting his shoulder.

“yeah, I think I should…” Mr Williams got cut off when the front door opened. Both men saw the door fly open and hit the wall with a bang, but no one came inside. They both looked at each other. John made his way to the door being suspicious. He heard a little sound coming from just outside the door. It was like someone was licking at something wildly. He wanted to get closer but stopped when he heard the low growl in between that licking sound. They both flinched when Ian entered the already open door of the house and went straight to his father. He was excited for some reason.  John, after giving way to Ian moved a little to check the sound coming from the door before. There was nothing now. He was confused but let the matter go thinking it was his imagination. He turned around and Ian greeted him as well. John smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair a little.

“Dad! What are you doing home this early, where is mom?” Ian asked looking for his mom.

“Ian, your mom is sick, she is resting that’s why I am home” Mr Williams informed his son before he could go into his mother’s room.

“what happened?” Ian asked frowning and as expected walking to her bedroom when Mr Williams held his hand. He turned around to look at his father.

“nothing just stress,” Mr Williams said and looked at John when he saw him shaking his head

“go change and help me with dinner, come on,” said Mr Williams. Ian obeyed and left for upstairs quietly. “what’s wrong?” Mr Williams asked when he observed the confusion on Mr Carlos's face.

“uh …ah nothing just thought someone was here” john answered reluctantly, still not convinced that he saw no one.

“Alright, stay for dinner yeah? we can cook something edible for sure” Mr Williams said trying to ease the situation

“oh no, it’s late I should better leave otherwise Samantha will be after me with her spatula again” they both laughed at that. After bidding goodbye John left for his home.

“Dad come on I am super hungry,” said Ian rushing down the stairs. Nodding his head with a smile they both made their way to the kitchen. They started where Hannah had left the food, after making something out of it and heating the pasta gain they both settled on the dining table. Mr Williams helped Ian with his food before he served himself. He stopped after seeing Ian’s expressions.

“what?” he asked

“Nothing, I think I like pasta more,” Ian said while pulling the bowl to himself and pushing away his bowl of stew. Mr Williams got suspicious and tried the stew. He mimicked Ian’s expression after a single spoon.

“I think I like pasta too,” he said trying to stop his smile

“umm yeah, I don’t think Hannah was going to mix these vegetables with the stew. Mr Williams said while serving a spoonful of pasta on his plate. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. 

‘what will they do without Hannah’

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goodbye. heartu

 P.S the provided image is not mine and I don't know the owner. though credits to the creator.