I tapped on the arrow on my screen, and watched as the camera panned across my living room. I continued tapping, until I got the notification that my camera had reached the maximum swivel on that side. Then I tapped the arrow to swivel it the other way.
As the camera rotated, I caught sight of a black curly tail. There she was! Little sparks of joy bloomed in my heart. I panned the camera down, and saw her staring straight at my screen, her beautiful adorable face cocked to one side, her soft golden eyes wide open.
I looked around the train carriage, then pressed the ‘Talk’ button on the app and said as softly as possible, “Hey girl.”
Zepto’s ears pricked up and she sat up excitedly, her tail wagging so hard that her little bum moved along with it. She then started sniffing about near the camera, looking confused. I giggled out loud, then quickly caught myself.
My pup seemed to be doing well alone at home. That was a relief. I was surprised she hadn’t torn everything to bits, but then again, I’d placed everything she could possibly rip apart out of her reach.
“I’ll be home soon.” I whispered into my phone, and watched as her tail wagged harder.
I’d just got a pup for two months, and I had never left it alone at home before. Partly because I had people I could call over to help watch her when I was out, and mostly because I just really love staying home. In fact, I think I’d left the house only twice in the last two months. I would say I need a life, but I’ve got a pup, so I reckon I’ve already got an awesome one.
When I got home, Zepto’s barks and whines started the minute I stepped out of the lift. I could hear her scratching at the door. I flung it open dramatically, and she leapt up on my thighs, pawing, tail wagging, trying to lick my face. I bent down and let her lick me all over the face. I needed to wash my face after anyway.
I’ve been staying alone in this apartment for the past half a year, and I’d finally got the best companion and roommate I’ve ever had. Zepto was a handful, but she was worth every struggle and accommodation. As a freelancer with the internet, it was easy for me to never have to leave her alone. Except for times when clients insist on face to face meetups. I hated those.
I washed and refilled Zepto’s water dish and dropped a couple of ice cubes in it. I took out the ice tray to fill up, but it was already filled. Huh. I must have filled it last night.
I sat down at my desk and got to work. I liked to do up my designs right after discussions, while the main points were fresh in my head.
I lost track of time, and only looked up when I heard what I heard a cupboard slam.
I sat up and my heart started to race. That sounded like the kitchen cupboard, which Zepto would not be able to reach. I emptied my stationery holder of my pens and clutched it tightly in my hand as I went to check out the noise. I carefully turned the corner into the kitchen, and peered past the wall. No one.
I breathed out a sigh of relief. Nonetheless, when I returned to my bedroom, Zepto following, I locked the door before going to bed.
The next day, I had to leave the house again, this time for a short dinner meeting with a client. My heart ached as Zepto scurried to the doorway as I left, closing the gate on her. She stared at me, whining.
“Bye girl, bye baby, I’ll be back so soon! I love you.” I patted her head one last time, then steeled myself and closed the door.
I heard her whining all the way to the lift, breaking my heart.
On the way to dinner, I checked the pet camera. She was still at the door, whining. For the whole half hour ride to the dinner, she lay by the door, occasionally getting up to sniff and whine. It was heart wrenching to watch. I needed to end that meeting early.
Unfortunately for me, the edits and feedback given by the client were comprehensive and thorough. It seemed like everything he had wanted from the start was no longer applicable. “Something bright and fun” became “something preferably more elegant and clean”. “Bold, loud font” became “Swirly fancy fonts”. And so on and so forth. It was dark by the time the meeting was done. I rushed out of the restaurant, and flagged a cab. I wasn’t about to take the extra time for public transport, not with poor Zepto waiting anxiously.
Once in the cab, I activated the pet camera. She wasn’t there at the door. Well, at least she finally got comfortable and went on to do her own thing. I panned the camera, and it swivelled slowly across the room.
My heart seized as the back of a figure came into view in the corner of the screen. I swivelled the camera a little more, so that it was now centred. I felt nauseated, my stomach bottoming out. I couldn’t make out the figure’s legs. Just long black hair down its back. The arms and body clothed in what seemed to be a ragged white shirt. Floating, it seemed.
Fear pricked my neck. I almost asked the cabbie to take a look, to make sure I wasn’t crazy. But I decided against it. Perhaps if I didn’t acknowledge it, if no one else did, it would disappear.
Then the head started to turn. The side of its pale face appeared, showing dark eyes. Then the head turned completely, and both of its eyes, which I now saw were a dark red, stared directly at the camera. At me.
I gasped and switched the app off.
“Hold on a moment.” I told the cab. I considered going to my friend’s place instead, getting reinforcements before heading back. But then I remembered. Zepto. Oh shit, my poor dear Zepto, alone with that thing. “It’s all right, sorry, just go ahead, and hurry, please.”
Summoning all my courage, I switched the app back on, and braced myself for that image. But I let out the breath I’d been holding when I saw that it was no longer there. I took a few more deep breaths, then forced my finger to press the arrow button, making the camera swivel around.
There Zepto was, safe and sound.
I sighed in relief. My darling was fine. So far. She was lying on the couch, and…nuzzling against something. The thin air, it seemed.
I looked closer, blinking my eyes repeatedly to get a clearer view. Then I thought I made out a white, fuzzy image of a thigh, a leg. Zepto was nestled against…that thing?
My cab reached at that moment, and I shot out, nearly forgetting to pay. I quickly threw down some cash, asked the cabbie to keep the change, and starting running.
That fucking thing was not going to hurt my dog.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge coward. I’m terrified of anything supernatural, ghosts, spirits, demons. The idea of encountering them usually paralyses me. Just talking about them makes me break into a cold sweat.
But tonight, a deep, blazing rage fuelled me when I thought about that fucking thing harming my precious Zepto. The sweetest dog you’d ever meet. The dog who loves me so deeply. Whom I love.
That rage somehow dulled my fears, and all I could feel was a tingling current as I jabbed the lift button multiple times. The doors closed, and I was headed up, to save my doggy.
At the door, I fumbled with the keys, my hands shaking from adrenaline. There was no sound from within. I panicked, and my hands shook more. Finally, I got the key in and turned it. As I did, I heard the familiar sound of Zepto barking, and gave a heartfelt prayer of thanks to the universe. My dog was fine.
I opened the door, ready to grab Zepto and run. Zepto leapt up at me excitedly, tail wagging so hard her butt was once again wiggling in joy. She licked and nipped at me excitedly.
I bent down and picked her up, despite the fact that she was growing to be a big pup, kind of heavy. I nuzzled my face to hers, then quickly looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary. I walked in, still leaving the door open, ready to run.
I checked out every part of the house. No one else was there. I didn’t sense anything off, other than fear emanating from my taut nerves.
I began to relax. I placed Zepto gently on the ground, and went to get a glass of water. Funny how thirsty I could get when I’m terrified. I closed the fridge door and poured a glass from the cold water jar. Then I looked up, to see its eyes boring straight into mine. I screamed, backing away and dropping the glass.
Zepto ran to me and looked up, concerned and confused. It didn’t seem to understand what I was worried about.
Then the thing, still staring into my soul, swished forward in a rush, and I felt a force shove me down onto the floor. I fell back, and plopped down hard on the glass pieces on the kitchen floor. I gasped from the pain and shock, all the while with my heart juddering in fear.
That was when Zepto growled.
That thing looked surprised, and stared at Zepto.
“No Zepto, run!”
Zepto ignored my commands. Zepto continued to growl, a hair-raising sound that I had never heard her produce before, not around me.
The thing took a step back, an odd look on its face. It took me a while to register it as hurt. It looked hurt.
Zepto pounced forward, growling, snapping, snarling. It took a few steps back, away from me.
Then it tilted its head and reached out its hand to Zepto, seeming to be appealing to her.
Zepto snapped at its hand. It pulled away, shock on its features. Then it put its hand down, and lowered its head. And faded from sight.
Still in shock, I just sat on the kitchen floor, bleeding in many places. Zepto ran up to me and started licking at my wounds. I had to lift her up and shuffle to the living room, to avoid having her cut her paws on the glass fragments.
We sat together on the couch for a while as I bled, then I held Zepto close, and cried into her fur. Tears of both fear and gratitude.
My friend drove over that night, and helped to clean and tend to my wounds. I didn’t say a world to her about what had happened, just that I had dropped my glass and fallen. But she seemed to sense my fear and that something was wrong. We stayed up the entire night, watching movies, with Zepto curled up between us on the couch. With Zepto laying her soft fuzzy head on my lap, my nerves began to unwind. I stroked her head gently, feeling even more love for her than before, something I hadn’t thought was possible.
We’ve moved out of that apartment since. The very next day, I packed my essentials, Zepto’s food, toys, bowls and so on, and we got out of there. We stayed at a bed and breakfast for a week, until I found another apartment. I never went back to that apartment, just got movers to do the rest.
I left that pet camera behind too. Somehow, it felt tainted. I got myself a brand new one, and set it up. It worked just fine.
I hope to never have to leave Zepto home alone again, but life happens, and if I ever do, I’d be monitoring that camera the whole time. If need be, I’ve got a shoe cupboard filled with a plethora of freaky, spirit-warding stuff I found on the internet. We would protect each other, Zepto and I.