Fooled

 The year was 1975.

Grifflin and Mermon were married for twenty years. They both were happy in life, content and healthy. Grifflin used to go out for a walk in the mornings. Mermon used to get up after Grifflin left and used to prepare breakfast. Apart from this time, they always stayed together. On one summer day, Grifflin fell ill while walking and fell down. 

Grifflin was admitted to a hospital. The Doctor, who was looking after Grifflin, checked the reports. The Doctor looked concerned. Grifflin was suffering from a very rare disease and chances of survival were less. On hearing this Grifflin felt sad. Grifflin requested the hospital staff to reach out to Mermon. But Mermon was not reachable.

So, Grifflin waited. But, Mermon did not come to visit Grifflin that day, the next day or the day after that. This was the longest Grifflin had stayed away from Mermon. Grifflin was concerned.

On the third night in the hospital, Grifflin had a great, piercing pain in the brain and got unconscious. When Grifflin woke up in the morning, the Doctor mentioned that Grifflin is now well. Grifflin got discharged. But, Grifflin was worried that Mermon never came to visit. Not even on the day of discharge. Grifflin checked with the hospital staff about Mermon. But, Grifflin didn’t get much information. Grifflin settled the hospital bills and left.

It was night when Grifflin reached home. The clouds had taken over the sky. Grifflin thought of fooling Mermon, as it was April the first. Grifflin thought of acting as an attacker, surprising Mermon in the process.

The door was open. Grifflin was filled with dread. Grifflin went in. It was dark and the lights were not working. Grifflin called out Mermon’s name. No answer. Suddenly, from the kitchen came a noise. Grifflin ran towards the kitchen. 

No one was there in the kitchen. In the kitchen was a table and fridge and the usual things that were supposed to be in the kitchen. There was staleness in the air. Grifflin opened the fridge door. Although everything was neatly kept, the fridge was oozing out rottenness. Grifflin closed the fridge door to see Mermon standing there, like a shadow, as though to jump-scare. “Boo!" said Mermon.

Grifflin started laughing, “Ooh, that scared me. Is this supposed to be a prank for April fool’s? I was about to do that to you”. To that, Mermon gave a wide smile, baring teeth. But Mermon had sad eyes. This chilled Grifflin.

Grifflin asked, “Come here. I missed you and am so relieved to see you. Why didn't you come and meet me in the hospital?”. Instead of answering, Mermon ran out of the kitchen startling Grifflin.

Grifflin ran behind Mermon, calling out Mermon’s name. Mermon ran inside the bedroom. Grifflin followed and entered the bedroom. The room smelled of a dead animal. Mermon was sleeping in the bed. 

Grifflin went towards the bed, with the rotting smell worsening. Grifflin’s heartbeat skipped. In the bed was Mermon’s corpse. The window was open, the clouds moved and the moonlight poured over Mermon’s body, increasing the paleness of the skin and the coldness of the sad, dead eyes.

Behind Grifflin crept a voice. If not coarser, the voice would have been Mermon’s. 

“April fool, Dear”.

~END~

(Author Notes: This is my first story which I had submitted to any competition. In this story, I tried hiding genders of all the characters, by not using any pronouns. I wanted to see if the readers associate genders to the characters, based on some preconceived notions. Apart from this nothing unusual in the story. Just a standard-issue horror short story.)