8 p.m. I entered the circular fitness hall and found myself alone. Surprisingly deserted. On the rowing machine, fifteen minutes in, my thoughts moved between my kids trick-or-treating outside, the sinister character in House of Cards, and my slime-green joggers. Suddenly, the lights went out. My eyes darted towards the ceiling, and I watched the hall dissolve into a silvered void. My heart rate rose higher, as the lone, repetitive creaking of the machine accentuated the silence. I stopped rowing, rose, and moved towards the exit. The room lit again. I slapped my forehead. Motion sensor!
Rashmi Bhopi is a creative thinker who loves to capture moments into words when not tending to her children and her plants.