The news

It was six o'clock when Rahul's alarm clock rang. Rahul woke up with a jolt. While sitting on his bed he was still thinking about the nightmare and the subsequent events that had occurred. Everything that he had seen last night felt like a fever dream. It was not a dream and it had really happened. With the daybreak Rahul wanted to find out what had happened the previous night. He wanted a rational explanation towards everything that had happened last night.

Rahul got a ready and began his commute for the office. The only thought that had been bothering him was the horror of the previous night. He was determined to ask his office friends about that. He wanted them to know what he had witnessed the previous night. He wanted to pass on the information to his friends in case something happened to him. A thought crossed his mind, "what if something happens to me?"

When Rahul reached to office he saw that his friends where not at their desks. They were in the cafeteria. Rahul decided to join them. When he reached the cafeteria he saw his group near the TV screens. What he saw on the TV shocked him to his core. The news channel was showing the CCTV footage from various parts of the city. It was something similar to what he had seen the previous night - people wearing red robes walking on the street in a straight line, halting, and raising their lanterns. The reporter had been mentioning, "strange processions were observed previous night where people dressed up in crimson garbs appeared on the street. The procession definitely appeared peaceful and no violence was reported. It is not known who these people were or if they are part of any organisation. No crime has occurred and hence no official complaints have been filed. Yet the sudden appearance of the group has caused fear in the hearts of the citizen. Authorities have requested the citizens to be vigilant".

Rahul's stomach dropped. He did not know whether to feel relieved or to feel stressed. He felt little relieved because he was not the only witness to the procession of the group. Seeing the street taken over by such groups was nothing but unsettling. Rahul mentioned to his group, "I saw them last night across the street. They did exactly what they had shown on the news. Of course they did not do anything harmful but I do not see the group as a harmless one". While the group was trying to convince him that this could have been a flash mob but Rahul was unable to believe that.

Rahul's friend Sujay quietly spoke with him later, "Kumar also saw something similar in the last week. He told me about it. Kumar has not come to the office for last 3 days. We are unable to contact him. Yesterday I visited his home but his neighbour is said that he left somewhere on the weekend and did not return. His door was locked. This is very unlike Kumar. He always informs wherever he is going. In the entire professional career Kumar has never taken a day off without informing. I am going to file a missing complaint today for Kumar. I don't know why but my instincts tell me that you need to be more careful. Install a CCTV camera in your home. Go live on social media every now and then so that the world knows what is happening around you. I do not mean to scare you but I want you to be careful. Maybe the group is not harmless as they claim to be. Or maybe the group is not even behind his disappearance. Whatever may be the case please be vigilant".

Sujay's warning was definitely not something to be taken casually. Rahul too had been feeling strange and was of the opinion that the group is not harmless. Rahul immediately went on the shopping app and what CCTV camera. He knew that he needed to be careful.