When I got home, I was breathing hard and my heart was beating fast. I was badly shaken . What I had just witnessed , not only did NOT make any sense but was too bizarre for words .

I was home alone - mom amd dad were at work and my little sister Tess was not home yet (she had probably gone with some of her friends and would be homee late) . I couldn't even call Anaa over as she was down with the flu.

I had to remain calm. I did not know why seeing a bunch of sick people in pools of water was making me feel unsafe . Still I took out my cell phone and pressed 911on the keypad and kept my finger on the dial button .

I hunted for the old pepper spray my mom kept in the cupboard near the front door. I fished it out of an old boot at last.
On being armed with an old pepper spray I felt a lot safer. Go figure.

I switched on the Tv to get my mind off things.

Suddenly , the news broadcaster on the news channel caught my attention.
"It has been observed that there has been a new kind of disease spreading around. Most of the infected population is from around the main square area. Curiously , every infected person was seen lying in a pool of water , lashing out at passerbys who were trying to help them. People are being advised to stay in at all times and…"

I tuned out the news anchor and stared at the pictures of infected people being displayed on the news channel.

Suddenly I heard a car being pulled up into our drive.

I gripped the pepper spray hard and raced to the front door.

The handle on the door turned.

I pressed the nozzle. And watched helplessly as pepper spray flew out .
All over my dad . 

Well, the only consolation is that as I was really short , I missed his eyes by inches.

Meanwhile, Dad was going crazy as the pepper spray had gone up his nose.
Mom came in with Tess and ran to help Dad.

It was a really bizarre scene.
Dad was screaming, Mom was trying to help , I was spouting out apologies at the top of my voice and Tess- well, she was laughing.

When everybody had calmed down, Dad looked straight at me and said,
"You are grounded for two weeks."