As I walked into the dimly lit café, a mysterious envelope with my name on it was waiting on the table.
I was startled to see my name on the envelope. It was my first time visiting this café—no one here could possibly know me. But there it was, sitting on my table as if it had been waiting.
It was my birthday. Nobody in this city knew it. And I wanted it that way. But someone had not only figured it out—they had left me a message.
My fingers trembled as I picked up the envelope, the paper oddly cold. My breath hitched as I read the words inside:
“You always wanted the day you were born to be the day you die. I’m here to make your wish come true.”
A shiver ran down my spine. My eyes darted around the café. Everything seemed normal—people chatting, the barista pouring coffee, a man typing away on his laptop. But then I saw him.
A hooded figure sitting in the farthest corner. Staring.
My chest tightened. I hadn’t seen him in years. I thought he was gone after our last fight, after he vanished without a word. But he was here. And he had been planning for this.
He stood up.
Panic surged through me, my mind racing for an escape. But before I could move, he was already in front of me. His grip was tight—too tight. My body ached as he pulled me close. And then, he pulled something out.
A screwdriver.
My breath caught. The cold metal pressed against my throat. The café went silent.
Everyone turned to look at me.
Their mouths opened as if to scream… but no sound came out. And then, something even stranger happened. Their faces—once filled with shock—shifted. Excitement replaced fear. And suddenly, they all cheered.
“Pinch it faster!” they shouted in unison.
Before I could react, he burst the balloon a boy beside him was holding. I stumbled back. The entire café erupted into song—Happy Birthday.
Confetti rained down. Laughter filled the air.
I gasped, trying to process what just happened. He was laughing too, the ‘screwdriver’ now nothing more than a party popper. The whole café had been in on it—a perfectly orchestrated prank.
He smirked at me. ‘Gotcha! You always said you wanted a birthday you’d never forget.’
I wanted to be mad—really, I did. But instead, I laughed, wiping away the leftover tears from my shock. ‘You guys are insane!’ I shouted, shaking my head. And just like that, the fear melted into joy.
But something still felt… off.
That’s when I saw the cake.
No candles.
No name.
Just the words: “Wake up.”
My smile faded. My stomach twisted. I turned to him, my pulse quickening. His grin was still there, but this time, it was different. Softer. Almost… sad.
“You always said you wanted a birthday you’d never forget,” he repeated, this time quieter.
I glanced around the café again. My vision blurred, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. Then, my eyes landed on something.
A newspaper on the table behind him.
“Tragic Accident: Young Man Passes Away After Collision—Driver Still Unidentified.”
I froze. The photo beneath the headline—it was him.
My hands went numb. My breath came in short, sharp gasps.
‘No… no, that’s not…’ My voice barely came out.
He held my gaze, his expression unreadable. ‘I told you,’ he whispered. ‘I kept my promise.’
And then, before I could say another word—
He walked away.
And this time, I knew he wasn’t coming back.
—ishh
[Image Credit : Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash]
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Ishika Dubey
Latest posts by Ishika Dubey (see all)
- The Promise - December 19, 2025
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