A strange incident (part III)

In case you missed the second part, don't ruin your experience and check that out first: A strange incident (part II)

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 My legs were shaking and my hands couldn't hold that box anymore. It was the box where I keep my grandfather's precious wristwatch and I didn't open it for months. And what shocked me was that the watch was not inside it. And then I had only one thing in my head, "Maybe that was not a dream".

I felt as if someone had their eyes over me for the last few days and I was not aware of it. As if someone was still observing me from a distance. Fear struck me. I was confused and worried. Suddenly my phone rang. I checked it out, it was Sam, my only friend in the city. 

I picked up the call, "So, finally you woke up", he said.

"Yea. I just woke up a while ago. So, you called me to see if I'm awake or not? ", I asked

"Obviously, I have been worried about you since last night", he replied 

"What? Why? I mean what do you mean? ", I asked confusingly. 

"What do I mean? You were so drunk that you had lost your senses last night ", he told.

"How do you know?", I asked in shock.

"I dropped you off home from that nightclub. You were unconscious. And you're asking about how do I know", he replied.

"Oh damn. So, that was really not a dream!", I exclaimed. 

"Dream! So, you were thinking you were dreaming?", he got annoyed. 

"Just leave all this and come to my home right now! I have to discuss something.", I told him. 

In an hour he was right there at my home. I told him everything about the previous day's incident. He told me that someone from that nightclub called him who got his number on my phone. Then he picked me up in an unconscious state and dropped me at my house. Also, he told me that there was no girl with me. We further discussed over it and concluded that it could be a planned robbery attempt for the precious wristwatch by that girl. Still, there were so many things that were bending our minds. The big question that arose was that how did that person get the watch. It was a clear indication that he was involved in the robbery. But, if he already had got the watch then why did he hand it back to me?

"Maybe he changed his mind suddenly and that is why the girl suggested you leave that place so that she can get you drunk and run away with the watch", he said.

"It might be possible", I replied. 

"But I'm still not getting one thing. Why did they put so much effort for a wristwatch?", he asked.

"Well, you don't know. It's not an ordinary wristwatch. It was the only piece ever made. My grandfather got it while on a trip to Luxembourg. He kept it from the eyes of the public. In fact, very few people know about this watch.", I told.

"Oh, so that is why you didn't even show it to me also", he said.

"I had no other option", I told.

He suggested I reach out to the police but I denied it because if I would have done so, then the police would be aware of that watch. And then they will find it and keep it in the museum. And I didn't want that to happen. So, we decided to go to that Cafe to get some clues.

We left my house and headed straight towards the cafe on his bike. Fortunately, there was not any traffic, so it hardly took half an hour to reach that place.

After reaching the cafe, I looked at it from outside for a while.

"I guess we should go inside", he said.

"Yeah, sure", I mumbled.

We entered the cafe and it was not much crowded. Also, unlike that day, there was no music being played. I looked out for that waiter who bought coffee but I couldn't see him anywhere. 

"That's where I was sitting that day!", I pointed towards that table.

"Oh, and it's still unoccupied.", he replied with a laugh.

"This is not a time to joke", I said.

"I knew. But we couldn't find any clue with this information.", he told.

"So, what do you think? What should we do?", I asked.

"Maybe we should look for that bald man who returned you the watch because he told you that he worked here", he replied.

It was clear that he didn't work there, but still, we had no other option. And so, we went towards the reception and enquired about him.

"Excuse me, I need your favor", I asked the receptionist.

 "Yes sir, how would I help you?", the receptionist asked and I told him, "Yesterday I visited this place and had discussed something with one of your staff members. So, I would like to meet him."

"Sure sir. Can you tell me his name?", he asked.

"Oh, I really forget to ask his name. But yes, he was a bald person, and wearing big glasses", I told him.

"I guess there's no one like this works here", he replied.

"I just met him yesterday. Try to remember, there must be someone who looks like this.", I said.

"Sorry, sir! But, there are only three people in the staff except for the waiters. And none of them looks like this.", he told.

"I told you he was a crook!", Sam exclaimed.

"Excuse me.", the receptionist interrupted.

"I'm sorry. But, finding that person is really important to us because we're in serious trouble and he can help us out.", I told the receptionist.

"I understand sir. But, no such person works here. If you don't believe you can ask our manager about it", he replied.

"Well, we believe you kind man. So, there is no need to ask your manager. But, it can be a great help from you if you can let us see the CCTV footage of this cafe. I hope you understand us.", Sam told the receptionist in a very polite tone.

"Sir, usually it is not allowed for anyone to check that out. But, if it comes out to be helpful for you then I can get it arranged.", the receptionist agreed.

And then we along with the receptionist headed towards a door on which it was written: "STAFF ONLY". We entered the door and it was a mediums sized room with two desks. A person was sitting on one of those desks and he looked towards us. The receptionist told us that he is the manager of the cafe. He then told the manager about our issue, after that we went into another room inside that room. It was a little dark. There was a monitor kept on a desk and a guard was sitting in front of it. The receptionist asked the guard to show the previous day's footage.

"Can you tell me the time from where you want to see the footage?", the guard inquired.

"4pm", I replied.

The guard opened a folder in the monitor with the previous day's date. The folder contained several clips. "Open the dining hall's clip", Sam told. The guard clicked on the clip named 'CAM03' and the video footage popped up. He then skipped it to 4pm. And the next moment, I watched something that made me feel the ground slip under my feet. I was shocked and frightened. I could feel the chills all over again. There was no girl in the footage. I could see myself walking into the Cafe and sitting on that same table but all alone. There was no one on the chair on the other side. 

"Fast forward it", I said in a stammering voice.

I watched that I was sitting there all alone and then I stood up from my chair and walked out of the Cafe. There was no girl. Neither the waiter came and nor that bald man. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was sweating in fear. 

"Well, there's no one in this footage except you", Sam said.

"This is impossible. All of that happened in front of my eyes.", I replied. 

"Then why can't we see anyone in this footage?", the receptionist asked.

"I don't know. Maybe there's something wrong with the footage. Believe me. I had seen them with my eyes.", I told them.

"Now I know what's going on. You two are trying to trick me!", the receptionist exclaimed in anger.

"Mind your tongue! Do we look like cheaters?", Sam replied.

"Calm down. Trust me there's nothing like that. Why don't we go to that waiter who served me the coffee yesterday? Even he's also not in this footage even though he was there. He will tell the truth.", I said to the receptionist.

"Alright. That's fair," he replied.

Then we walked out of that room and then walked out of that door and were in the dining area.

"Can you tell me which one of them served you?", he asked.

I looked across the hall but couldn't see that waiter at all. He was not there.

"He's not there. Maybe he's on leave today", I told.

"No sir. No one is on leave today", he replied.

"He must be in the kitchen, I guess.", I said.

"Alright, I can do one thing.", he told.

Then we again went to that room where there was a sign of "STAFF ONLY" on the door. The receptionist went near a microphone and turned it on. He then made an announcement, "All the waiters are requested to report to Staff area immediately". And in a few moments, all the waiters were there in the room. He asked them to stand in a row. And then he asked me, "Was he one of them?".

To my surprise, that waiter was not there. I told him, "No, he was not any of them."

"It means, he was also involved with them", Sam said.

"Well, these are all the only waiters who work here.", the receptionist said.

Then suddenly one of those waiters said, "I saw you yesterday", these words of him gave me a sense of relief.

"Thank god, you saw me yesterday. Tell them about that girl who was there with me.", I told him.

"Which girl? There was no girl. You were sitting all alone. I even thought of asking you for an order. But then, I was called on another table.", he replied.

I was again shocked. I couldn't understand what was happening. For me, it was unbelievable. Fear was increasing inside me. Every moment was frightening me. I was feeling as if I was trapped in an invisible trap...

...........

And this is how the story takes a twist. I guess, now you all are excited once again about this story just like you got after reading part one. Well, now you don't have to wait for long because the next part is going to be the final part of this series. Also, you don't have to wait till next Friday because it's going to be the 200th blog special coming this Monday only. 

Have a great day!

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