Just like the previous night, this night was also hard for me. Kruti slept on the floor on her mattress. I was changing my side from here to there. Darkness was spread into the room. It was raining with thunderstorms. I can't bear even the sound of silence. That's why I got a severe headache. Thunderstorms and heavy rain caused the shadow inkling. Scary thoughts were coming into my mind. I cover my face with the blanket. I feel relieved from those scary thoughts just for that moment. I fall asleep by using some sleeping strategies.
While I was in deep sleep my heart started pounding fast and I was suddenly scared. I was lying like a lifeless. Cruel drops of rain were pouring down on my wounded body. I know that I'm lying on the bed but I felt like I'm on the bed of the blossoms of Gul mohar with black soil mud. The mud was flying over my body because of the raindrops. I knew everything. With the scent of wet soil, my stomach ache, wounds on my head; I can fill everything. I was lying helplessly. I want to wake up from there but I can't. Probably, this was a similar feeling while dying. I was almost dying in that really like a nightmare but someone again pulled my leg and I moved down from my pillow. I quickly open my eyes to get rid of that nightmare. There was only an empty chair beside my bed. I moved my hand to check my helplessness. No, I was no more helpless. I wasn't lying in black mud. There was not a flower bed of Gul mohar. Cruel raindrops! It's not even raining. I'm still in my bed. Alive. Watching that spinning fan. I quickly put my head on that pillow. By changing my side, I gazed to that wall. It might be dawn. That's why I checked my phone. It was 3.35 a.m. dawn is not yet. By making my mind peace I tried to sleep. At that time, I don't have any idea that from now all of my nights are just like this sleepless nightmare. Now I dislike those nights.
My leg was painful when I woke up in the morning. Kruti was still asleep. I woke up and get ready for college. Today I have to do some of my works. While entering the university I saw Mayur and his friends. I smiled as soon as I saw him. But he ignored me. I gazed ground because of this unintentional insult.
The class were started. I sat near the window. I was present physically in class and mentally outside the window. The atmosphere outside was chilled and green. It looks alluring. While classes going on, I saw a boy bunking a class and running quietly outside. "Shoo! Come quietly, otherwise, someone will catch us.
"He said while gesturing to someone. Again, that beautiful girl, Saavi ran away by holding his hand. I again saw that girl. She laughed and jump from the University wall. She is Saavi.
'Raksha!' Teacher called my name. My attention moved to her. "What are you doing? Do you want to go outside?" She yelled. I nodded negatively by thinking about what to answer. I bowed my neck in the feeling of ashamed. The whole class again carefully attending to the lecture. I watched outside by thinking about Saavi. I noticed a boy in the next window who is staring at me. I saw him. He is Mayur. He waved. I smiled at him. At that time, I forget about her.
My practical was cancelled, so I left my friends in their classroom and went home. I was walking 1 km alone through that beautiful mountainous area. By enjoying nature. "Shook... shook... shook..." I heard someone calling me behind my back. I had learned the lessons for ignoring such voices.
" Shook... shook... shook..." came again. I ignored it.
"Oh Ho! Saavi" But now I heard the voice of a boy. I turned back. The Mayur was walking behind me on the alone road. He showed his hand and smiled.
"Hi. Isn't that your name?" He asked.
"Hi. No, I'm not Saavi." I said as walking beside him.
"I'm Mayur. We live in the house in front of yours window." He spoke.
"I am Raksha. Yeah! I have seen you 2,3 times."
"Yes." He answered and started walking quietly. I remember very well that he had seen Saavi running away from the university today. Taking her name means he must know her. I asked him.
"Saavi! Where did you hear that name?"
"She is always with you. A girl in the old uniform? I heard that name from her. I thought your name was Saavi." He answered without a moment's hesitation.
I smiled, "We've only met once."
''Oh."
"Today I saw her running away from the university."
He smirked, "Yes. She paid less attention to her studies and more attention to such things."
"You..." As soon as I asked him something, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. A snake was about to fall on me from a tree. I also grabbed his hand tightly in fear. I screamed.
"Don't shout." He said angrily. I remained calm. That snake was just 1 meter away. My life went on because of that black 2-foot snug snake. He crawled across the road. I was still holding his hand tightly. When the snake was gone, he let go of my hand.
"Don't be afraid. He is gone." I let go of his hand and stood away from him with the embarrassed blush.
"Never shout or move when you see any snake." He said, bowing his head.
"Why?"
"Otherwise, they have to be hinted at and come towards You. "
"Non-sense." I giggled. He smiled at that too and that was the beginning of our friendship.
The beautiful girl I met last night was not an inkling of night. But from Mayur's speech, it is clear that she is a sweet girl and his good friend. She is the real girl.
When I got home, I was doing my work. Just then there was a knock on the door. "Raksha..." Saavi's sweet voice fell on my ears. I was alone in the whole house today. The landlady went to the taluka for work. As soon as I opened the door, she entered.
"Hi, Saavi." I spoke. She came in and sat in a chair by the window.
"Raksha. " she chuckled.
She was still in the uniform. Her expressive eyes were full of joy. "What Saavi? Where did you suddenly disappear last night?" I asked.
"I was called by my boyfriend oh! No, my friend. It's been late. So, I suddenly ran away." She stumbled.
"Okay, let you called by whoever want to. Where did you run away today? bunking class?" I asked her, remembering the afternoon scene.
"Afternoon! Leave it. I came here because I was alone at home. As you are also alone. "
"I was so bored. Well, you came. Tell me, which branch are you in? Definitely in first-class."
"In the first class!" She laughed. I also laughed when I heard her sweet smile and voice.
"No. I am in the last class. In your branch. Even after that, I was planning to get admission here. " she smiled.
"Really! You don't look like that you're in the last grade. "
"Yes. Days sometimes go by and sometimes the moment doesn't go by." She said looking at the red box breaking her limbs.
"Yeah. I also want to go home early." Her eyes were still on the box. The smile seemed to disappear. Just a glance in the middle she would throw at me.
"At home! Why do you want to go home Is it boring here? There is such beautiful nature. How beautiful your house is! There are branches of Gul mohar everywhere. Don't go home. " She cried.
"In the end, this wasn't my home. The family I have lived with for so many years have been very close to me."
"Don't be afraid. I am your friend Saavi. You will not get bored. But you stay here. You are my only friend "
I laughed and said, "I am. But what about the friend (boy) who was calling you last night? Who helped you to run away from school today!"
She looked at me angrily. I was scared for a moment because of her gesture. But the next moment she smiled, "Stop kidding? What is in that box?" she said pointing to the box.
"It's nothing." I said stumbling.
"Then open it. "
"No, no. Our landlady didn't allow us." I said shaking my head in denial.
"What about her? If nothing else then reveal this box. I am very curious." She spoke.
"No." I spoke.
"Okay, I'll open it." she got up. Only the landlady and me, knew what was in that box. Whatever it was, it was not simple. I held her hand so that no one else would get that horrible experience. Her body was extremely cold.
"Don't! Saavi."
"Oh, no one will understand. Let's tie this knot as it is after closing that box again." I was fascinated by her sweet words. I couldn't think of anything. She was staring at my mind. She was fascinated.
"All right, I'll just open it." I left her hand and took heavy steps towards the box. I sat down and stared at the box. My heart pounded with fear of what would happen next. She was standing behind me. My mind was not allowing me but the hands automatically turned towards the box. As soon as I was about to open the knot from that box, she got up and ran to the door, "I have to go. You open it and tell me." she slammed the door. As soon as she left by slamming the door, an unbearable voice of the door was entered my head. Just like an irritated beetle. I closed my eyes and let go of the tears that were coming. Only 2 3 tears came out of my eyes but it was a relief. There was a sound of someone running on the terrace. I'm glad she's gone. Komal and Vibha returned within the last 2 minutes after Saavi left. I closed my eyes and sat quietly. As soon as I heard their voice, I opened the door.
"What a bloody snake!" Komal said.
"But for the last year, I have not seen a single snake near this house." Vibha said.
As soon as I saw them, they both came in worriedly.
"Raksha. Why are you here? Are you alright?" Vibha said.
"Yes. What will happen to me? Did you see her? " I asked.
"Who?" Vibha asked.
"Oh, a girl. In old uniform. Binds half the hair. She stays there. What's her name? Sa. Sa. Saavi." I said pointing to the front window.
"Saavi! This is the first time I've heard that name. But are you alright as we were looking at our house from the street, a 6, 7-foot snake fell from the terrace? " Vibha said nervously.
"Yeah! It was as if he had just jumped off from our terrace cliff." Komal said.
"Oh my God! Oh, Saavi has just gone to our terrace." I worriedly claimed. By opening the window and started looking for her. Suddenly I began to worry about her. I got up and started walking on the terrace.
"Who is Saavi? The boys have been living in the front house for the last year." Komal said.
Ignoring them, I went to the terrace. I started looking for her all over the floor. By searching her, I came to the broken place. It was getting dark because of the rainy weather. The cold breezes were blowing. I was standing right on the side. The wind blew me away. I had no attention anywhere. I'm going to fall again. The nightmare has come into my mind. That storm was going to take my life.
"Raksha!" I heard Mayur's scream and Komal pulled me towards her.
I hugged her while watching him. The hypnotic wave suddenly vanished away.
"Are you fool? Let's go downstairs," she said. She took me by the hand and led me into the room. Earlier, I saw Saavi on the Mayur's terrace. I pointed her through my room's window.
"Look at her. She's my new friend." Looking in the direction of my finger, they started looking for her. But they did not see her.
"Who? Where? "
"No. No one is there." Vibha said.
I watched it again. No one was there.
"Yes. She is gone." by saying this I closed the window.
The cloudy weather of the rains also brought back Kruti, Srushti and Unnati. However today, the landlady was not at home. The crackling of lightning and the strong wind were bumping on our windows and doors. I closed the window and the door. We were both in that suffocating room. The Kruti was sitting on the ground drawing figures. I was sitting on the bed folding the clothes. We were both busy.
Suddenly, the black shadow, which doesn't have any shaped like a warp, came right in front of me from nowhere. I started looking at the shadow in front of me in fear.
I was absent minded. I starred at the scary shadow. When the door was again bumped by the wind, I heard the sound of air crashing on the door and the shadow went to the box and vanished.
Due to this sudden incident, I got up and I pulled Kruti. "Get up! Let's not stop here. " I pulled her completely ruined the figure she was drawing.
"What?" She pushed my hand and screamed. But I forced to pull her out of that room. I slammed the door and took her to the Unnati's room.
"Raksha! What's wrong with you. See how cold is your body temperature?" Kruti shake my shoulders.
Whatever happened was indescribable. There were only tears in my eyes. My palm suddenly hurt. The same hand that was in the hand of Mayur's and then Saavi's. But now it hurts.
"Why are you crying now? You are acting so weird!" Kruti said. The other 4 were standing in front of me. Vibha brought a glass of water. I was not in the mood to answer them. I was sobbing. Even those four were scared after watching my situation. The Kruti was completely fade off.
Now how can I explain to her that an inhuman shadow was standing right in front of my eyes right beside her? That shadow had no shape. There was no sound but inkling. There was no form but there was an invisible horror. It was just an idea for everyone; but for me, it existed. The existence of that frightening shadow, the existence of strange illusions. I wanted to tell it to everyone but would anyone believe it?
Hoarseness and non-stop tears took my breath away. I began to struggle to breathe. This was the 4th impression of death experienced from the last 2 days. But God was always with me. The temple bell rang. Our landlady suddenly brought God's Prasad and embers and put it on my head. As soon as she put the embers on my head, my breathing became normal. My heart was pounding fast but now it's normal. The tears stopped. We all shared that prasad.
"Raksha! This behavior of yours is very strange. Don't see the end of my patience." Kruti said while pointing her finger to me.
"Kruti, keep calm!" Vibha said.
"Let her rest for a while." Landlady said with a frightened face. I felt that no one can understand my situation. This strange experience was beyond anyone's comprehension. I was behaving strangely. But our landlady. What's about her? What does she have to do with it? 'Don't go to that box,' our landlady said passionately. But why she is so suspicious about that box? How did she know about my condition? Where did she come from? God's prasad and embers. How did she get the message? God's blessing should come from an angel? She was the biggest puzzle for me. Srushti sat next to me while leaning my head against the wall. They were all in the study at the time. She was the only one who was handling the mobile phone.
"Raksha!" She called me in her melodies voice. I looked at her without answering.
"Shall we go upstairs?" She spoke. I agreed without thinking because she was with me.
It was a cold night. The first rains after the summer had left the terrace wet but the land was drying up. We sat on the side of the courtyard. I was engrossed in my thoughts. I was sad and scared. But who will take care of me without my friends?
"I used to live with my uncle." She spoke.
"Then?"
"I used to laugh and cry suddenly."
"Why?"
"Don't ask that. If you listen, you will laugh a lot. And I became the joke for you."
"I still want to hear."
"I had a friend there."
"Friend"
"Yeah, just a friend."
"Just friend?"
"Oh, just a friend!"
"All right. I agreed. But what does it have to do with laughing and crying all of a sudden? "
"We had done a lot together. I used to put chewing gum on the car seat. Stealing the fruits from the farm. There was another thing."
"Which one?"
"We used to help children for cheating in the exam."
"So that's why you do laugh all the time?"
"Yes. I used to commit such crimes during the day and laugh with those memories at night. You know, we are partner in crime!'
"Partner in crime! Then after laughing so much, you obviously must be crying."
"No." she nodded. Her smile disappeared. But there was a gleam in her eye.
"Then? Tell me if you want to tell. Otherwise, leave it as a sweet memory." By understanding her I said while holding her hand.
"That night I was returning with him from the taluka. I was very happy. He was too. Suddenly it occurred to him to open his heart to his dear friend." She stopped and smiled.
"Then did he propose to you?"
"No. He told me about his first love. Which, of course not me. "
"What! What is that then?"
"He had a classmate. She was his first love. We were just friends. And, we are still friends. " she said with the fake smiling.
"Oh, Poor girl! But if he is not, then someone will be surely waiting just for you." I said to give her hope.
"Why do we think for those things that never existed in real. For no reason."
"Yeah, you are right." I said looking at the beautiful star shining on the black sky.
"Do you love someone? one-sided or both-sided?"
"No!" I answered without a moment's hesitation.
"So, what happened to you?"
"Look, if you don't tell us, how will we understand? What is happening in your life and what happened to you!"
I took a deep breath and told her the essence of everything from the dream I dreamed in the homeowner's room at night to now unfamiliar shadow. I don't know whether she understood or not. But she did not want to believe what happened. So, she said, "There is no such thing like that. Those things are never existed dear. You definitely have mind games."
"Then, what's with that shadow?"
"It was raining at the time. You may have been overwhelmed by the darkness. If you think that's all things are related to that box, let's open it tomorrow or return it to the landlady. "
"I will not even touch that box. Saavi was also forced me to open the box. But I will never open it again. No! Never! Not at all." I jumped up.
"Who is this Saavi?" She gets up asked. I looked at the boy's room. She was still talking to someone on their terrace, in the same old uniform dress. I patted the Srushti and told her to look at their terrace.
"Look at that! She is Saavi. There she is." She started looking at the terrace. I can saw her from my terrace. But Srushti failed to find her. She started looking for her like crazy.
"Where? Where is she?" She asked while searching her.
"Oh, there. Why you can't find her." I pointed her to help Srushti to find her.
"I can see clearly from here." I said and called Saavi. But still, she failed.
"I can see her then why don't you see?" I questioned confusingly.
"Because no one was there." She spoke.
"But! But she is still there. Look! She is starring us. Look! now she is smiling at you." I even cried.
"Raksha let's go." She said in a frightening tone.
"Don't! wait! Look at her first. I won't let you go without introducing her."
"Shall I call her here?"
"Saavi, come here..." She pulled me to the other side while without completing my sentence.
From there we could see our courtyard. We had a stranger in our yard. He looked so crazy. His eyes are scary. We are watching him from the terrace. His gaze went to us. We were both scared.
He entered into landlady's room by gazing at us. Now, who is he? Again, an illusion but is it for both of us?