Who is behind that door?

I lately bought a 3-century old palace in my native town. It looks magnificent from the exterior. The royalty is palpable when you approach it. 

It requires a bit of cleaning, no doubt. But with time, I understood that people were wary of working even around this palace, let alone inside. Apparently, this is one of those haunted castles we keep hearing about. 

After a long and arduous effort, I found 4 helpers. They were ready to work with me and an old guide who was a mute. He provided his knowledge by writing things down on paper. My wife and I were okay with it.

During the 2nd day of our refurbishment, I heard the helpers stampeding towards my chamber. Their faces flushed, sweat dribbling profusely from their forehead. 

"Maalik (Master), we are hearing the sound of ghungroo (a musical anklet) from that old room," one of them said pantingly. "But the room is locked since ages!" I exclaimed.

We all rushed towards that room. The helpers weren't lying. You could hear someone dancing inside. I saw the giant old lock around that mammoth metallic door. How could someone be inside? And why are they dancing? My helpers were looking at me with horror. I couldn't show them that I was equally horrified. This room hasn't been open for many decades. I knew that when I decided to purchase it. 

A faint glimmer of sunlight passed through a minute hole in the door. And since my heart wasn't ready to break the age-old lock, I decided to have a peek and see who was behind that door. I prepared myself to witness something which my logical mind was not ready to accept. I closed my left eye and peeked with my right one. 

Nothing. I couldn't see anything. It was entirely dark. And right at that moment, the sound had ceased. I got up. Extremely baffled. I could see the tiny beam from the hole again. That means the room had some natural light. I did the same a few more times but, every time, I saw nothing. Complete darkness. And just when I used to get up, the dancing used to resume. 

At this point, I couldn't conceal my fright either. I started biting my lips and darted towards my wife for some solution. She was stunned and was in no position to provide any input. Just then, the old guide had entered the palace. He was waving all of us towards him. He had scribbled some notes which he wanted all of us to read.

"When you look through the hole, remember, she is looking back at you." 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The glitter in her eyes.

Image
The outskirts of Sindh were quite populous with people of the Kutchi dialect. Time must not have consumed more than five or six years, since partition. That was a hostile era. The concept of nuclear families was virtually obscure. Rules were deployed by the head of the family and everyone adhered to them. One of those rules was not letting children go out once the sun started settling down. Shilpa had a contrasting outlook regarding this. She considered this as a mere guideline than an authoritative rule.  Her mother, Lata, feared that eventually, Shilpa's zeal will get the better of her as she was this 10-year-old rebellious girl, waiting to start a revolution. And one day her fear met reality. It was kind of a taboo to step out into the woods not only for children but for the so-called grown-ups. People have been warned by the patriarchs—about the stories associated with the woods—why nobody dares to even glimpse through the shrubs, let alone the dark trunks at night. Legends ha...
Read more

The Silent Dagger

Image
That’s Delilah. Ever so beautiful, ever so graceful, draped in that stunning black dress that clings to her silhouette elegantly. The sky above is heavy, dark clouds casting a somber shadow. The wind picks up with every passing minute, as if trying to warn others of the impending storm. Delilah is my sweetheart, the love of my life. Right now, a thin veil shrouds her face, concealing her striking features. Oh how I hate watching her cry; she is such a gentle soul. I wonder what will happen to her if I’m not around to care for her. Tears swell in her glassy eyes, so clear they seem like they could shatter rather than splash. And there's my mother. Another gentle soul. That's why she loves Delilah. She sees a younger version of herself in her, always telling me how I should cherish her and never hurt her, because "God doesn’t make people like her anymore." They share a long, sorrowful hug. Both look so shattered, as if the weight of grief could crush them. My beloved to...
Read more

Figment

Image
  "They for sure are wrong. I should never have listened to Ralph. Ohhh I don't know how he is gonna react to it. Well, it was his idea anyway! I told him I didn't wanna see any doctor. But the stubborn jerk still convinces me! 'Do what your parents say, they know the best'. Huh!" Perplexed between the thoughts whether to tell Ralph what the doctor said or to just brush it under the carpet, Hikaru juggled with his fingers in the back seat of their Bentley. Appointments were scheduled many times but Hikaru always pulled something and ducked the confrontation. He kept on stating there's nothing wrong with him. Though his parents were supportive for most of his decisions, they were adamant about this one. The word has started to go around. Nakamuras were very respected among their community and neighbourhood. As we know, wealth brings friendship and respect. They had a reputation to maintain. Rich people have sources and one such source revealed to Mr Nakamur...
Read more