“Chandu, this is it…now walk” Aparna said holding Chandrika’s hand after removing the bandage to her feet. Chandrika took Aparna’s hand while walking, “I don’t know that stepping on a paper could cut this sharp” Chandrika said looking at Aparna. “It’s not paper, it’s a Talapatra copper plates, it’s your mistake to walk in darkness to my study table where there is no power.” Ritu who was sitting at her usual study space desk commenting. “Arey, how many times I told you that I didn’t walk on it there was a paper and there is electricity while I walked but I don’t know what happened but suddenly when I observed something near your laptop, it was something different reflection was seen on the glass window behind your laptop” Chandrika explained as her voice trailed to three days ago memory of her alone in the evening, in their room while the other three were out.
“Accidents happen, you need not to comment or worry about it...” Aparna who held Chandrika’s hand supporting her commented.
Varshika sat leaning the wall against her bed, fidgeting her lotus pendant on the neck, lost in thoughts... she was observing things unfolding in a week just after their accidental visit and a night at that cursed Kubera and Shiva temple.
Just after the visit, even that Sunday evening and night were eerie for her, something she can’t put off. When the others looked like move on from that day, even Chandrika herself just tried to focus on something else rather than him after realizing the consequences after a late-night talk with her parents and responsibilities… Varshika was actually sensing the shift around them.
Sure, their bond was normal just like these three years of living together in a hostel but, the atmosphere is strange, like why did Chandrika saw illusions? Yes, they are illusions. There are any significant things which happened in this week, but she didn’t tell her friends because she thought they might get scared or don’t take her seriously (average self-doubt and introvert Indian) she is still lost in thoughts when Aparna’s call jolted her, “Varu Akka are you alright?” Aparna asked softly adjusting her golden frame on nose…Varshika shook her head coming out of thoughts and smiled weakly at her. “Come let’s go for dinner to the mess” Chandrika gestured with her empty plate in hands… they went to the hostel’s mess room and started to have the dinner.
“Um, do you think this is dal?” Ritu took a ladle full of yellow water mixed with pulses and lentils in it, “Endamma Ritu, ida meeru moodu yella nunchi untunnaru, roju ranidi ee madhayl aata vastundi?” (What is it dear Ritu, you are being here for three years, you are opening and complaining now?) The hostel warden raised her thick black brows at Ritu while her pale white face was a little fuming {this woman is ready to fight with any small reason and can get any extend to save her hostel, ugh!} Ritu smiled awkwardly and Chandrika pinched Ritu’s arm little smiling softly at the warden lady.
“Oye, did she asked you to stay here? Or did she owe you something huh? Don’t you know how this working women hostels work like? She is running her business, be practical yaar!” Chandrika whispered dryly rolling her eyes, sitting in the mess hall chair along with the others. “Still, isn’t she earning from us? And why the hell are you supporting her? It’s her right to provide us with good food and facilities, we are paying, aren’t we?” Ritu said while barely placing a mouthful of food. “We are, but is she a correct person to question? And if we want to move out, we can there are many other options than living here, a separate flat or room?” Chandrika said while chewing that one taste less okra curry (lady’s finger) which tastes like munching on dried bricks powder. “We can move actually, but Ritu papa, aren’t you the one who told that it will be far from your place of research?” Aparna raised her brows. “Well, you could have moved out then?” Ritu said casually, barely touching her food. With that words, Chandrika and Aparna gave the most intimidating judgmental look… like they were going back to some annoyingly shared memories about their bond and togetherness.
A year ago…
“Shh... this hostel looks like a hostile for me! The food from past few days is not good at all and if we want to move out to the other, rents are high!” Chandrika was fuming after the dinner in the hostel mess; she freshly quarreled with the warden about the quality of food and cockroach problem in the washrooms and some other problems like late night casual lovers spot down the hostel.
“I think it’s better to move out but my budget is my Amma’s money, so I will go after I get a job” Aparna said sitting on her bed. “Well, I will also move out of this Bhoot Bangalow after my notice period in Accenture.” Varshika shrugged. “So, you guys are gonna leave me?” Then came a sweet almost innocent voice from the back off laptop, two pair of almond eyes curate with silver frame glasses and neck length black hair pouted looking at her friends. “Ritu seriously? What do you want?” Chandrika scowled. “Actually, my course will be completed by next year and I can’t good roommates like you and we grew so strong in these two years, so please… just one year?” She asked in a sweet pleading voice. And just like that the other three melted saying yes.
“But this time I am saying this really... we need to move out and also, we will take a room out here near to your offices and my university? HCU?” Ritu said in a hopeful and looking between the girls. “Don’t ask me, because lately I am tired after saying this same move out stuff since I got the job and, my money can be spent well on my own needs” Aparna narrowed her eyes. “We definitely need to...” Varshika said absent mindedly looking at the ceiling fan laying down on her bed… because she saw the pattern and thinks that changing the place might be better option. “I literally fought last year and became logical now to move out of our basis; Let’s see and if you ask me, after how I saw that mysterious shadow last week, I think leaving this hostel is a good option” Chandrika said too, “Yeah...” Varshika replied again in the same absent minded tone “Once we are out of this hostel, I will tell the strange happenings...” She thought to herself.
FLASHBACK
The next day after they came from the temple…
Incident 1…
Varshika packed her lunch putting in her office bag. While in the background Aparna and Chandrika was fighting with each other for sprinting into the bathroom for a shower… “You guys were born in wrong houses girls, because you act like siblings and that chemistry is also set, why because one is mischievously innocent and another was hyperactive, independent girl just a household would have wrecked!” Ritu yelped at them scowling. Both stopped fighting and Chandrika nudged forward into the bathroom in that one distracted moment when Ritu was schooling them… “CHANDU!” Aparna groaned hitting the closed bathroom door.
Varshika giggled softly “They are chaos...” She commented and she turned to check in the mirror to give a final touch to her look. Varshika saw a dark eerie reflection in the mirror at roof corner of the room just below Aparna who was sitting in the chair sculling like a child, her kohl filled eyes turned to warn Aparna but before she can it disappeared like a little light ray, now her eyes puzzled. “Varu are you alright?” Ritu looked at mild shocked face, for which she shook head brushing off. But that lingered back in her head for a while.
Incident 2….
Chandrika and Aparna along with Ritu were walking on the terrace of the hostel in the night after the dinner. Chandrika was on call with her father, Aparna was listening to songs, Ritu was in call with her one and only... {for now, you can definitely imagine who was that….} Varshika came upstairs too while speaking to her office friend on call. Most of the people in the hostel were in here after the dinner, on mobiles, looking at the bustling city, bantering…
Varshika felt needles prickle on her back while she was just casually walking around and talking, she checked around but couldn’t find any gaze around. She continued to talk and saw something unusual happening around Ritu, who is still lost in the never-ending sweet talks {Ladake ka chekkar bhai} … Ritu’s hair clip was a little unusual with a firefly kind of creature, which is circling around her, in the next second that unusual creature flew away and she realized, it’s not a hair clip or a firefly... but something else! her heart was racing a little.
“What is happening and why is it appearing too only me? Or is this happening to any of the other girl too? If that happens, why are they not vocal about it? Why did we even run into that temple accidentally?” Her mind filled with all of these questions….
Just after this night the very next day, Chandrika saw the illusions and her feet got injured.
FLASHBACK ENDS
“Are you sure about the address?” Aparna looked at the house in front and the one in the picture in the mobile comparing both. “They just painted differently I guess?” Ritu pouted thinking while looking at the three storied building in front of them which is surrounded with peaceful ambience and greenery in between many narrowed houses where even sunlight can’t bulge into them.
But the house they are looking at, has more space like a backyard and front yard with many flowers’ plants and fruit trees... while in the picture it was less lively, they opened the gate and saw a middle-aged woman with a soft smile, glistening eyes, working in the front yard. She has a little gray hair, her hands are with dirt and mud, still somehow her two olden bangles on either side gave a look to them. “Are you the one who called me on phone for the room?” her voice was also as soothing as her appearance. Both the girls nodded slowly, smiling at her instinctively….
“Varu, can I ask you something?” Chandrika who sat on the steps of the temple asked chewing the coconut piece. “Yeah?” Varshika looked at her before glancing at the idol of Lord Shiva behind her. “Why did you become more silent after that encounter with Bhairava?” She questioned, for a beat, except the sudden flight of pigeons in the temple premises and Kala bhairava Astakam in the temple speakers, faint noises of devotees… these where there, along with Varshika’s heartbeat.
“Wondering how I know that?” Chandrika looked at her with a known smirk. “You are already an introvert, but people who are enough to see knows how your eyes work... they are restless after my injury. Even I, the injured one scoffed off but not you... now tell me” She demanded.
Varshika’s heart pounded into the chest; she again started to fidget with her golden lotus pendent chain… “Chandu-” Before she tried to say a notification interrupted, Chandrika checked her phone.
Appu
We got the room!! (a party emoji)
“Finally! We are moving out in two days!” She sighed but Varshika was still there in between to confess or bury down. “Now continue…” Chandrika returned her attention to Varshika.
“She can’t maybe?” A gentle yet strong voice broke in the tensed air, their attention went to the direction of the voice which came from behind them. An ascetic (sadhu) in ragged white beard and wrinkled face walked towards them “If you want me to take serious take it if not, then don’t but let me tell something Maata... your accidental trip to that temple evoked him... HE WON’T LEAVE UNTIL ONE OF YOU ARE HIS QUEEN. Do you think changing a place can be enough to escape him?” He chuckled turned towards the idol of lord Shiva folding his hands.
“He might have already choose his QUEEN already, if you need try to check once... who she might be” He walked past them “If my words proved right, don’t shy away to visit me Maata” he said walking away towards the inner sanctum of the Kashi Vishweshawara’s idol…
Varshika looked at Chandrika holding her emotions together and Chandrika’s shoulder slumped down “Yende? Yemaitundi?” (What? What is happening?) she muttered looking at the retreating form of the ascetic….
Ah... Hello reader! any guess who is his Queen? How are they going to face him and who is this, Sadhu? why that tenant lady so sweet? when will be the mystery solved? let's unveil in upcoming chapters...
So, until we meet again and yes also... please follow me on Instagram and here, the link is in the bio. if this works properly, I want to take my writings to next level... and say many more stories... Bye and thanks for your support!
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