Shruti was sitting on her bed, and watching out of the window. She was completely lost in her thoughts. She was looking at clouds floating through blue sky. They seemed like a cotton candy to her. Then she started making imaginary images out of that clouds in her mind. At first, the cloud was looking like a fluffy pillow then the shape changed into a stuffed animal, a teddy bear or something. Suddenly it started getting dark, nearly covering every cloud in darkness. Its started raining but not ordinary rain, it was raining blood. Within few seconds everything was covered in scarlet red. The blood rain entered in her room through window. Her room was now full of blood. Two creepy hands came out of that blood to grab Shruti, but she jumped on her bed. Her bed began to dip and the blood started to flow from between her bed. The creepy hands came and captured her. She was taken down by them.

Her eyes opened, and yes it was again her nightmare. She was so scared that she nearly choked on her own spit which ended in fits of coughing. She was gasping for breath. She fell on the floor and began to call for help. But her voice was not ready to come from her vocal chords as she saw the gruesome red face floating in air outside her window. The same familiar face. It was him. Staring at her through his green eyes. His eyes filled with anger, revenge, envy. She couldn't move from her place as if she is paralyzed. Tears began to roll down her eyes, as he was trying to break in. But something was preventing him from coming inside. He was making an eerie voice as he touched the window pane. His voice sounded like he was in pain. But he couldn't reach her as Uncle Rathod had smeared vermilion over Monika's house from outside. Shruti couldn't bear his wistful eyes and that eerie sound he was making, she closed her eyes and  fell unconscious. He then backed off and disappeared.

Shruti felt drops of water on her face and she slowly opened her eyes. Images were still blurry and and the voices were not clear. She heard Monika's voice in between. She strained her eyes a bit and then all was back to normal. Monika was sprinkling water on Shruti's face. Shruti was still lying on the floor.

Monika was saying, "Shruti! Wake up! What happened?"

Shruti understood what Monika said but she couldn't speak as if someone had glued her tongue to her mouth. Shruti moved her hand and raised her index finger towards window.

Monika was confused, "Shruti! Talk to me? What are you showing me?"

Shruti's eyes were filled with tears.

Monika hugged her immediately."No. Don't cry. Everything is okay. No one will try to harm you. Shruti calm down dear. There is no one outside window."

Doorbell rang. Monika said, "It must be Uncle. I'll be right back Shruti." and she went out of her room while Shruti wiped her tears.

Uncle and Monika rushed into her room. Shruti was still on the floor.

Uncle said, "Shruti! What happened child?" Shruti spoke nothing.

Uncle said, "Monika! Help her to get up. I think she has seen something. We need to know that."

Monika did as he said. Shruti finally spoke, "He...was....here."

Hearing this, Monika clenched her jaw and gave one strong curse word, "Motherfucker"

Uncle said, "Impossible. He cannot come inside, I have blessed this house since the day I came here"

Shruti said, "He didn't come inside. He was standing outside there!" She looked towards window.

Uncle said, "Did he say anything?"

Shruti said, "No he didn't do anything but he only kept staring me. Except he tried to come in but was restricted by vermilion ring over the house. But what are you doing here uncle at this time?"

Monika said, "I called him here. I came in your room to woke you up but saw you were lying on the floor and crying. I tried to wake you several times, so I decided to call uncle. I had no choice."

Later that day, they sat in the living room discussing about the ancient remedies to get rid of ghosts.

Uncle said, "In this case we are not sure whether the killer of Rahul is Sameer or not. So we will have to make use of this spell 'The Past's way', this spell will allow us to enter into the past to that time when Rahul was murdered. But this spell will last for few minutes. It will only allow us to see, we will not be able to stop the murderer." Both of them were still quiet listening to him carefully.

He continued, "Now for this spell we need, a watch, a lemon, candles and faith. We must believe in power of God. Therefore it is necessary to have faith in this spell." Shruti swallowed hard. While Monika bought a lemon from the kitchen.

Uncle joined his hands together, a gesture of 'namaste' and chanted a mantra.

He looked at Shruti and said, "Shruti! I am asking you one more time. Do you want to do this?" Shruti nodded affirmative.

Uncle said, "Do you believe in God?" She nodded again.

"We will wait till 6 pm as it would be a suitable time. Now, pay attention to what I am saying. You have to do as I say. Take this watch, and lemon. I will start saying the mantra and you will lie down on floor closing your eyes and you must believe in God. You will not open your eyes until I tell you to open your eyes. When you will open your eyes, you will reach at your destination. But beware, others can see you, and don't get too close to anybody, and don't let the enemy see you. Do you understand?"

Shruti said, "Yes Uncle. I am ready!"

Clock struck 6. Monika felt jitters, she said, "Shruti! You still have a choice, you can still back off from this"

Shruti said, "Monika! Don't worry about me! I am not going to back off. I am firm at my decision. Thank you for staying with me this long. I owe my life to you. I promise I will come back for you." They both hugged each other.

Shruti turned towards Uncle. He said, "Okay, lie down in this" uncle pointed over to a ring which was drawn by vermilion and placing candles over it to form a full circle.

Monika said sarcastically, "We don't light so much candles even at the time of Diwali"

Uncle said, "The reason behind celebrating Diwali is not only because its a festival of lights, but to celebrate good over evil. That is why we are using candles."

Shruti laid inside the circle and closed her eyes. She held the lemon in her hand tightly.

Uncle said, " Shruti! Concentrate only on my voice." She nodded.

Uncle started chanting the mantra. Within seconds Shruti felt her body was floating and really her body was rising up. Monika was watching that with her eyes wide. Shruti then felt a thud against ground.

She heard Uncle's voice, "Shruti! Do you hear me?"

She said "Yes" her eyes still closed.

"You can open your eyes, but as soon as you open your eyes, run for a place to hide, so that no one sees you. Go."

Shruti opened her eyes to see the same room where Rahul was killed, their honeymoon suite. Shruti saw a large sofa, the lights were still on. She crouched under the sofa quickly when she heard footsteps. Her heartbeats became very fast as she saw Rahul and herself entering the room. Her lips instantly turned into a sweet smile. She saw how much he loved her.

Then the other Shruti went inside to change her wet dress, while Rahul sat on the sofa, just where Shruti was hiding. She felt his slow breaths, as he was resting. Tears escaped her eyes as she knew what's gonna happen to him in few minutes. She covered her mouth with her hand.

Then she heard uncle's voice in between. "Shruti! Check on that lemon, if lemon turns dark red, then its a sign of evil. It will show you the way to killer. Pay attention carefully"

She looked at lemon, a pinkish tint was forming on the lemon. She wiped her tears and tried to keep quiet. Soon Rahul and the other Shruti began to walk inside. Then suddenly there was complete black out as power was gone. Rahul went to check the fuse box, Shruti was left alone. Technically she was not alone.

She heard Uncle's voice again, "See the watch, that is the key to future. Don't lose the watch."

Hearing this she clutched the watch tightly in her hands. Something moved behind her. There was huge lightning, outside. She saw in the light, someone was flying in through the window, and landed straight in front of her. A masculine figure with axe in his hand had landed there. Before he could see her, She quickly moved out of there and bumped into other Shruti. Which scared both of them. But it was dark, she somehow managed to escape from there.

Now that explains, Shruti felt someone bumped into her, at that time. It was none other than herself, which was followed by Rahul with candle in his hand.

She checked lemon, now it had become bright red in color. She saw everything which had happened earlier. How Rahul was dragged from the bathroom, how the killer hit her on her head with that axe. It was gruesome sight for her.

The other Shruti was knocked unconscious by that bastard. But Rahul was alive, his eyes were open.

He was saying, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The masculine figure just laughed and said, "I am your death." and lifted up his hoodie like cap from his face to show his grotesque red face. Rahul felt nauseated after watching such sight.

Shruti who was watching everything, recognized him. It was him. Sameer.

Rahul tried to get up, but he felt himself going weak. So he crawled towards Shruti, who was lying on the floor unconscious. Tears escaped his eyes. The man kicked him repeatedly, his actions conveyed pure anger and revenge. Rahul was helpless, he couldn't move. Sameer held that axe in killing position before saying "Check and mate".

He hit the axe with full force, which resulted in death of Rahul by his head torn apart from his remaining body. Shruti saw this whole thing and felt herself going numb. She was shivering profusely.

The lemon in her hand was now the color of blood. She was so horrified that the lemon fell from her hand and rolled away on the floor, stopping at the feet of that bastard. She was completely blank not knowing what to do.

Monika and uncle, were constantly talking to Shruti, but she wasn't responding. Her body was still in hat circle of candles, only her soul got transfered back to past.

Uncle said, "Shruti did you saw the killer?"

Uncle noticed tears in her eyes, and assumed that she had seen everything. Monika was equally scared, but she kept quiet throughout this.

Shruti heard Uncle's voice. She knew that it was now time to come back. She was shocked deeply, her heartbeats were so fast as if now her heart is going to jump out of her ribcage. There was silence everywhere, she could nearly hear clock ticking.

She finally squeezed the watch in her hand, and closed her eyes shut. She opened her eyes to find herself back in time, there was no light as all the candles were blown off.

Uncle held her hand and took out that watch from her hand. While Shruti was silent, rather shocked. She was traumatized. Uncle understood that Shruti saw something terrible, and now she will have to live with that terrible memory.

Monika held her and took her in her arms. "Shruti! Are you OK. What happened?".

Shruti looked at her and started crying loudly. Her cry was bone shattering.

Monika tried to calm her but uncle said, "Let her cry. We should leave her alone. She has been through something which we cannot understand. Let her out those emotions."

Saying this uncle began to walk away, Monika followed him. While Shruti kept weeping....