"So, wait, your team leader harassed you, gave you ARR concert tickets and then, he got a double workload for today and, and wasn't looking at YOU in the evening and took back those tickets from you!? Girl!!!! Something has happened in the middle!! Are you sure that your GM didn't beat that bastard!?" Chandrika asked with a wide grin while saluting the veggies in pan, while Varshika was making Chapatis. "Come on don't be ridiculous he might saw in the CCTV and as a responsible GM he would have warned him with workload" She dismissed.
"Oye, oye... if he is just a responsible GM, he would just warn that guy and give a remark on his work, but don't ask him to come to office and work extra hours that too unpaid! Varu.... Looks like there is something huh?!!" Chandrika wiggled her brows teasing. "Just shut up! I am a simple software engineer and he is a GM and moreover it's just two months of his arrival in that position!" Varshika replied in same dismissive tone.
"Arey! You told he looks handsome? 6'1 aha!! And has Hazel brown eyes, stubble... red lips, not too much muscular, lush wavy hair... and yes older man, like thirty-two, from Madhya Pradesh, right? Daddy baby!!? Daddy material, umm... he will be perfect for your siren black orbs!?" Chandrika started just pair her up while being shamelessly admiring. "Chandu!?" Varshika's tone was a warning one the rolling pin was almost hitting her shoulder but she escaped.
"Come on! I don't know how many times you directly met him or how many months but, looks like this is more personal, once look at that!" Chandu's voice was teasingly suggestive, she put down the vegetable curry on stove, while Ritu was roasting the chapatis. "Seriously? Why would he do that?" Varshika dismissed once again. "Why not? And look for having attraction or feelings on someone, it doesn't take millions of years or seconds, sometimes even brief millisecond is enough" Chandu quoted tasting the curry; "Right na Ritu paapa? What I told is true right?" She asked Ritu who was flipping the Chapati but those words of Chandrika took back to some memories of her own...
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FLASHBACK......
FOUR MONTHS AGO-
The HCU café was vibrant and chaotic like always with students and suddenly a huge thud sound was heard at the table number 7, everybody gasped and froze around the places they stood. It was Samay, who jerked his right hand, adjusted his rolled dark magenta sleeves, his clean craft disheveled a little, glasses slide down a little too, but there were anger and a scowl on his face- what happened you ask? Well, he hit a junior guy named Wasi to the table... why you ask? Because he groped Ritu who was his senior. Samay clutched his shirt collar from behind and didn't gave him gap to register what happened and lurched him forward, spun his face and punched on his nose so strong that Wasi's cry broke the already tensed atmosphere. "How dare you to misbehave with your senior?! HUH!! HOW F*KING DARE YOU? Is that the way you treat them?" His brooding voice vibrated in the area; the veins popped on his light caramel skin near the neck, flashing red.
Wasi's friends apologized thoroughly, took their friend to first aid after Samay left him abruptly forgiving him... still, it took time for him to back to normal, he took deep breathes coming out of the café. He again adjusted his appearance to tidy, started to walk towards his Archaeological lab.
"Ritu... did you know how Samay bro hit that Wasi who groped you!" One of the Ritu's classmates grinned, "Yes! He was so brave to do that!" another said in an active tone, "Of course!! And hot too!!" They said collectively. "Guys are you serious? He is our super senior and researcher, why would he be-" They cut Ritu off; "It's high time that you should be looking at that, no normal senior acquaintance of our project work will be beating like that... now be a good girl and try to interact with him" Zara, one of those friend's advised, while cleaning a relic in the lab.
Just when this conversation was going, Samay entered the lab, the others inside quickly started to work normally; Ritu looked very shy and Samay gave her a subtle boyish smile rubbing nape of his neck, meanwhile the others inside exchanged knowing smiles in same subtlety
"Umm, you shouldn't have hit him like that?" Ritu gave a shy smile, adjusting her glasses, "He misbehaved with you!" Samay spoke in an offended tone; "I mean you are a very well know topper, decent gentle man and, this would tarnish!?" her face was half concerned and half amused for his offence. "Ritu, I like you- or should I saw I am into you? And I am a gentleman until someone whom I think mine are hurt or got some kind of hurdle. So, is it clear for you, or should I make more clearer?" his hands are in his pants pockets, his lips have a soft smirk, those honey iris under the glasses, were confident enough to make her heart race faster than the meteor hit on Earth...
ENDS...
"Ritu... osey Ritu!" Chandrika's yell broke Ritu to present, "I asked you a question!?" She shook her shoulder, Ritu nodded a yes "Yeah, of course love don't need magic! It-it can ha-happen, anytime anywhere" she stammered while roasting another Chapati. "Ritu are you alright?" Chandrika asked looking suspiciously to her; "Yeah, perfectly alright? My feet too healed, why?" She scrunched her nose for irritation of hot steam from roasting... "No, but-" Chandrika was cut by Varshika who asked her to arrange the plates for dinner.
"Appu didn't wake up yet?" Chandu looked at the bedroom again at Varshika. "Well, she didn't slept last night working on her Quantum circuits until dawn, so yeah" Ritu answered bringing in the finished hot chapatis to the dining area. "I'll go and wake up her" Varshika trailed to the bedroom.
"Appu, Appu wake-" Varshika's words froze as she touched her body. Aparna's body was burning hot! Varshika tried to wake her up again, but she was too weak to sit down straight.
"102 F!" Chandrika yelped looking at the thermometer reading, Aparna coughed more while sitting curled up like a little cocoon ball on the bed for high fever. "Did you at Kachori again?" Varshika asked like a mother who goes seriously with her daughter, "I mean this is not Kachori's fault" Aparna's meek cough strained voice came out. "Appu? Yesterday it was raining and two days ago you've barely escaped a threat and now ate Kachori at some place, along with this, that Quantum Circuits; Can't you sleep well?" Chandrika taunted her. "It's just this week; You guys do know that how good girl I am? And you chandu? You are talking about my sleeping habits and food, sure maybe it was raining yesterday and I couldn't digest but don't school me" Aparna furrowed seriously, pointing her finger at Chandrika.
"It's okay but first have some food, take some medicine; here" Varshika handled her the food. "Maybe we need to visit a doctor? What if she doesn't become normal?" Ritu said. "Arey! One Dolo 650 could do wonders and now, babe eat, never eat outside food on a dirty rainy day and don't worry I will call and talk to aunty and uncle about your health, right?" Chandrika gave a little smile lighting up the mood.
TIME 12:00 AM, Sunday-
Chandrika woke up to drink some water. She found the bottle to be empty in the bedroom. Four of them have different mattresses laid down on the floor. Ritu was totally submerged under her blanket like camouflage, Varshika's head was popped out in sleep from the blanket, Aparna face the wall in sleep, curled just like earlier like baby Kangaroo in its mother's pouch in the blanket. Chandrika scoffed looking at their sleeping positions affectionately, as she gets up from her mattress for fetching some water.
She drank some water and refilled the bottle, switched off the kitchen light, but then- she heard the sound of opening door- her attention went to it, she walked in that direction, the front door of the house was opened and it was Aparna who was walking out towards the terrace.
"Appu? Arey it's cold outside? You have high fever raa, now come in. This is not the time" She followed her but Aparna kept walking and stood leaning on the railing of the terrace, they were living in a small penthouse so the cold winter air in the Hyderabad's mid night is giving chills to Chandrika. "Appu, Appalamma, osey teddy bear" Chandrika followed and stood behind her.
Aparna's frizzy long hair was covering until her hips, waving messy for the cold night breeze, but she wasn't adjusting like always she does when she feels her hair is too much to stop. "Appu what-" Chandrika's words stuck in the throat when she saw the slow turn of Aparna's face at her...
Aparna's eyes were gleaming red; her smile was wicked and terrifying "Chandu..." Her voice was dangerously low sending a chill on the spine, she walked towards Chandrika. "Ap-pu?" Chandrika's voice was laced in unknown fear; her heart was thumping loud enough inside; her position froze there while Aparna was approaching with that look on face. "Appu! Appu yemainde!! (what happened?) Appu!!" Chandrika shivered crying and ran inside the penthouse screaming but no one wake up for her screams!
Chandu rushed in to the bedroom but her friends weren't there! Aparna started to approach her with deliberate steps from behind with the wicked grin and more red gleaming eyes. "AGH!!! SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!!! SOMEONE SAVE!!!" she screamed her lungs out but no use, she looked over her shoulder only to see Aparna grinning the same with tilted head "Chandu... Will you die for me?" She asked in a mockingly soft voice, which made Chandrika scream more and she frantically started to search for the switches in the room in the darkness.
"APPU! APPU!! NO YAAR!! APPU!!!" Chandu's voice was full of panic as Aprna approached her, shooting one hand up to choke hold her. "RITU!! VARU!!!!" Chandrika screamed more and more!! Searching for the light switches on wall... fear gripping her out... Aparna stood directly in front of her same wicked grin and red gleaming eyes about to hold her neck....
"AGHHHH!!!!!" Chandrika's screamed so hard that her vocals strained, she was on her knees in the room corner covering her ears, closing eyes.
"Chandu? Chandu le! What happened?" Ritu gently shook the unconscious body of Chandrika laying on the kitchen floor, she slowly opened her eyes adjusting to the brightness of the kitchen light. Varshika, Aparna and Ritu looked so concerned and Aparna kneeled down to hold her hand for which Chandrika jerked a little. "Appu?" Her voice was so soft that usual, Aprna looked hurt and confused for the reaction.
The other girls too crouched down – "Why were you sweating and laid on the floor? How long it's been?" Varshika held out her hand wiping sweat on Chandu's face. Ritu took the fallen water bottle giving her to drink, which she snatched drinking like she just returned from the desert. Aparna looked so concerned, tilting her head, took Chandrika's hand into hers rubbing her knuckles slowly "Chandu papa, what happened? Why did you first jerked looking at me?" Aparna asked softly, her face was different without glasses, her almond eyes looked so innocent and worried. Chandrika's gazed softened, the other girls too were waiting for her response.
"Nothing, I've just fainted" Chandu said giving a small lip tight smile, but the girls' furrowed more deep- because Chandrika, never hides; she never likes to. She would be frank and sometimes, too frank. "Chandu don't lie, you have literally clutched your head, curling like a ball, here on the kitchen floor when Ritu came to check you." Varshika spoke in a firm tone.
"What happened Chandu paapa?" Appu asked again this time firmer than earlier, "Guys, I had a nightmare... a very disturbing nightmare and..." Chandu admitted nervously and clearly the illusion's effect was still on her. "Here?" Ritu asked, "Yes, when I woke up at 12 for water" Chandu and the other girls got up from the kitchen floor. "12? But the time is still 11:57 PM?" Appu glanced at her mobile phone in hands- "What?" Chandu whispered in a hushed tone while her face was draining colours once again. "Yeah, I woke up for washroom at 11:47 PM, you weren't there in your bed?" Ritu mentioned while stepping into the bedroom. Chandu's mind was screaming and internally she was having a havoc.
"Yeah, we came looking for you and you curled up on the floor like that?" Varshika frowned in confusion. "What happened with you?" Aparna asked as they entered the bedroom. Chandrika couldn't speak anything, except looked in between them – "Guys, please don't ask me what happened now, we don't even sleep. So please let's discuss in the morning and don't worry about me... I will be okay. Okay?" She said in an unusual softer tone for her raspy voice, laying on her mattress and closing eyes to sleep. The other three just looked at each other with blank expressions, although they were more worried, still they walked to their respective mattresses.
When the lights were switched off, Chandrika felt chill on here spine again, she slipped under her blanket, shivering with fear- but she felt something oddly soothing when a light wind blew from the nearby window carrying faint lotus fragrance which put her to ease, making her fall asleep.
SUNDAY, MORNING – 8:00 AM (don't worry now it's actual time)
Chandrika, Varshika, Ritu took grocery bags for the store. They were in their last night dresses still (let's be honest bro, who will bathe early on Sundays too? If you do, great bro! my salute to you) Their hairs were tied up in buns. Chandu walked down the penthouse, while Varshika and Ritu followed. Before leaving they checked on Aparna who is still sick, so they ordered some food for her and made sure she rests well, then left for the market.
Aparna got up from the couch in hall, had her food, took the medications and sat down reading a book in the bedroom. "They never went out without me, tsk. This is very rare case" She muttered to herself already missing her friends. She fell asleep on the mattress while reading the book; Glasses on and book on face, mobile on side.
Suddenly she felt a tug on her shoulder, she stirred on bed softly humming. But the tug came stronger. She felt annoyed and opened her eyes "What the-" her eyes widened... she wasn't in the room anymore! It's the Kubera temple, the Natya mandapa where they took a shelter that night.
She felt a cold liquid droplets falling on her shoulders, snapped her eyes to the doom of mandapa only to find a sharp teeth lane giving a crooked smile yellow and its gums were red, the droplets falling on her shoulders- it was blood "AMMA!!!" Aparna screamed and tried to get up from the doom, then she heard gruesome cries from a direction opposite to the mandapa, she started to run but miserably failing to do so; "AGH!!" another sharp tug pulled her under the doom of Natya mandapa where on the other side those gruesome cries sound intensity increased – "Appu?" Ritu appeared out of nowhere in her pajamas which were her regular ones but they were ragged, her face was covered with mud, her glasses were broken.
"Ritu!!? Save me!!" Aparna tried to get up but another sharp tug pulled her down. "Appu... why did you kill her? What did she do to you?" Ritu tilted her head dangerously and her eyes gleamed black as night. Meanwhile Aparna was crying shaking her head vigorously in a no, scared more and hissing for the constant tug on her shoulder from behind. "No!! why would I do that?!!" Her voice broke the mandapa.
"Appu..." It was a meek yet firm voice, it was Varshika who stood on the other side of mandapa looking like she just came out of bloodbath. Her eyes were black too, her teeth were crooked, "HOW CAN YOU KILL BETRAY ME!! HOW DARE YOU KILL HER!!" She roared for which Aparna's soul felt like it left the world already... The gruesome cry neared, blood started to pool around them, Aparna's cries were going intense too- "Amma... what is happening!! AMMA!! VARU!!"
Varshika and Ritu's heads rotated fully towards the red figure entering in the pooling blood, that earned a scream from Aparna. The intricated walls of mandapa started to shake and the pillars were tackling down like an earthquake. The footsteps of that figure were getting heavier in the blood pooling on the beautiful carvings on the stage of Natya mandapa- there stood a young woman in thick red saree flowing with blood and mucus, her hair was messy and curly, her eyes were gleaming a sadistic pleasure and pain, her gruesome cries broke as she pulled a vine full of thorns, her face came into light. The body was shining dark black for red light coming from the closed walls. It was Chandrika; standing in between both Varshika and Ritu. "You killed me, Appu... why!!!!? Now. I. Will. kill. YOU!" Her voice was echoing the crumbling walls and surroundings.
"You betrayed US!!" they yelled in a unison horrific voice, that gave already crying and fearing Aparna a sharp pain in her body altering her senses.
She was crying falling on the floor the blood flooding, while there were all screams and cries which were dreadful than death. Aparna closed her eyes, falling on her knees "NO... PLEASE I AM NOT THAT PERSON!! I NEVER BETRAY MY FRIENDS DON'T SAY THAT!!!!!" her screams were rumbling but of no use....
"AMMA!!!!" she got up from the mattress looking around, she was in the bedroom, it was same as it was – the book, the ceiling fan, sunlight through the window, everything was fine but her body was feverish still, eyes were burning and head was feeling heavy.
"I never betray my friends... what is happening to me? Why am I seeing this?" She was muttering again, terrified and in tears, she was deeply disturbed; sat in the corner of the room, still shivering for those haunting visuals. She curled up again, covering her face in her knees, wiping uncontrollably. "I'm not going to betray my friends; I would die rather than that" she was repeating it like a chanting.
After a long silence her sobs subsided slowly but heart was still beating the same speed, she felt a soothing stoke of morning breeze touch on her head, which was giving her an unusual comfort, making her to fall asleep there itself......
How was the chapter guys? and wait we have a surprise!! let me show you later!!!
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