The sun rise announced the commencement of the day when it peeped through the clouds to radiate its light. Birds chirped in harmony and flew around in joy while the early morning dew drops on the greeneries filled the nature with its moistness. 

Amidst the green-carpeted mountains, the tufts of water streams caressed its way along to reach the valleys. The houses built in a not-so-close proximities stood unique, especially the one which consisted of three-stores with an authentic look, filling the eyes.

Inside that house, particularly in a simple yet elegant bedroom, a girl of fifteen years was sleeping peacefully under the furry blanket, being not so bothered about her mother's rantings.

'Shiru! time ennachu nu pathiya? school ku late ayiruchu nu enkita vanthu ninna nu vaiyu..apro avlo dha...'

Shirnila Keyaashni tossed and turned on her bed and squinted her eyes to open and saw the wall clock, only to jolt and sit up.

'Ma!!! enama ipo vanthu ezhupra? konjo earlya eluppirukalam la?'

Shirnila's mother who was already in a badhrakaali mode entered her room furiously with the dosai karandi,

'Poten na! oru maninerama kuptutu iruke nalla izhuthu pothi thoongitu ipo enna solriya?'

Shirnila smiled sheepishly, and before her mother started the next round of colorful words, she ran into the washroom, making her mother shake her head in disbelief and dismiss the place.

Shirnila got ready in a hurry while her mother plaited her hair uttering the usual polambals which she was used to, and not in a mood to listen to it more. Keeping a kutty pottu in between her dense eyebrows, she smiled looking at her reflection in the mirror and took her shoulder bag to leave.

'Shiru, poruppe ilama iruka nee! un vayasu ponnunga lam evlo poruppa nadanthukranga nu paru..atha pathachum thirundhra vazhiya paru..'

'Ma! (whines) ni sonatha nambi en friends kita kuda kete, avangalum avanga amma lam unna mariye solranga nu sonanga..aaha mothathula ella ammavum ipdi dha ponnungala soli trick panitu irukeenga la?'

She smirked and continued,

'Ithukulam intha Shirnila asara mataa..'

Her mother who was handing over her the lunch box, glared at her daughter, and before she argued, Shirnila picked it from her, and bid bye to her mother, not before giving her a cheek kiss and ran to the road with a giggle, making Devi smile looking at her daughter,

'Seriyana vaalu..enna panna poralo..'

'Heyyy Pavi!'

'Va di Shiru! innaikum late uh dhana?'

Shirnila pouted and nodded her head,

'Aama di, semma thookam..intha kulurula manushan enthripaana? vita na apdiye thoongirupe..'

'Aama, apro aunty kita nala vangirupa..' Pavi smirked, making Shirnila twist her lips,

'Hmkmm! athanala dha vanthe..(smirks) epdiyo Malar ma'm kita sikkama correct ah vanthuten la? atha matter uh!' Shirnila lifted her imaginary collar, making Pavithra roll her eyes,

'Athennamo correct uh dha! unaku matum apdi enna oru luck nu therila di..ni late ah vantha matum entha madam kitayum maata matengra! (huffs) na lam maati enna HM kuptu warn panra alavuku poiruchu..'

Pavi pouted while Shirnila laughed,

'Athelam oru thani kalai iyyachaamy! seri vudu..apro? ethathu hot news iruku?'

Pavithra's eyes brightened while her cheeks turned pink, making Shrinila eye at her teasingly,

'Enna madam? kannam lam sevakkudhu, enna..Vishwa pesitaan polaye?'

Pavithra whined and smacked Shirnila's arm who laughed looking at her pinkened face,

'Ei! summa iru di! inum antha alavuku lam pohala..pathu sirikraan, avlo dha..athukulla nammala ethum imagine panika vendam..'

'Aana avan un pinadiye varrane? athu therilaya madam ku? enakennamo avan unkita seekramave propose pana poraan nu thonudhu..' Shirnila said while noticing her friend who blushed profusely,

'Apdilam ila di (grins) athu...' she dragged while Shirnila smirked,

'Intha Shirnila sonna ennaikume thappadhu! ni vena paru..chuma Romeo marra un munadi vanthu nikka poraan..madam kuda ithe mari vekkapatutu nikka poreenga...'

'Eiiii! Shiruuuu!'

Pavithra whined while Shirnila had a good laugh. Suddenly, Pavithra questioned Shirnila out of nowhere,

'Aama, madam ku epdi paiyan venum? yar melayachum interest iruka ena?'

Shirnila did a thinking pose, and shrugged her shoulders,

'Ippothaiku apdilam ila..future la pathukalam..' she smiled cheekily, while Pavithra questioned further,

'At least unaku vara pora paiyan ipdi irukanum nu oru dream aachu irukum la? ithuku matum ni ilanu sona na namba maten di..' Pavithra glared playfully while Shirnila chuckled.

'Seri seri! othukren..enaku (smiles) ipdi iruntha nalarukum nu aasa iruku...'

Pavithra looked at her amused, while Shirnila blushed,

'Parra! inum aale varala athukulla vekkama? (laughs) seri solu..avan epdi irukanum?'

Suddenly, Shirnila's face bloomed with a smile which brought a smile on Pavithra's face too.

'Love pananum..enna avan neraya love pananum..na tha avanuku ellame nu thonanum..enna vitu oru nodi kuda pirinjiruka maten nu avan en kanna pathu sollanum..enna katti pudichu ni tha enaku ellame nu sollanum..azhaga pesanum, cute ah sirikanum, na pesratha ketute irukanum, enna pathute irukanum..' she continued, while Pavithra stopped her in the middle,

'Hmm..podhum podhum, list uh perusssa pohuthu..(smirks) aaha mothathula avan unmela paithiyama irukanum..correct ah?'

Shirnila thought for a while and shrugged,

'Apdiya nu therila, aana avanuku nanum enaku avanum epovum irukanum..athu mattum tha thonudhu..'

'Ennennamo solra..unaku varravan paavam..enna paadu pada poraano!' Pavithra exclaimed dramatically, which made Shirnila gasp and glare at her friend.

'Romba tha! mothalla madam unga love ah okay panra vazhiya parunga, apro imagination la irukra en boyfriend ah vachu kalaaikalam..'

The girls had a good laugh while Shirnila felt the same uneasiness which she started feeling for the past four months. Her smile faded suddenly, and she looked around everywhere as she felt like someone was looking at her for a long time since she started talking with Pavithra. She found no one except the children who started to ponder around the school compound during the lunch break with their food.

'Enachu Shiru?'

Shirnila jerked when Pavithra shook her to bring her out of trance,

'Ath..athu..onnumila di..'

Pavithra noted her confused face and sensed what she was thinking about,

'Marubadiyum athe thana?'

Shirnila looked at her friend for a brief second and nodded her head,

'Suthi yarume ila, namma pasanga tha..apdi irukrappo epdi yaro unna pathute irukanga nu unaku thonudhu?'

Shirnila sighed and closed her eyes to heave a breath,

'Inga mattum ila di..veetla irukrappo kuda thonudhu..na enga ponalum yaro enkoodave irukra mari thonudhu..'

Pavithra frowned while Shirnila sighed and continued,

'Aarambathula school la mattum dha apdi feel aachu..enaku intha creepy stories lam padikra palakkam irukranala etho en bramma nu nenachu vituten..aana ipo nejamave enna yaro follow panrangalo nu thonudhu Pavi..'

'Epdi solra?'

'I can feel a presence with me di..en koodave en nezhal mari enala unara mudidhu..na endhrikrappo, school kelambrappo, school mudiju veetuku porappo, veetla thoongrappo..neraya instance la na atha feel panitu iruken di..ipo lam romba frequent ah iruku..'

Pavithra widened her eyes as she too felt scary,

'Aunty kita solidu di! enakennamo seriya padala..safety ku solli vachuralam..' hearing that, Shirnila panicked,

'Iyayo! vendam di! ivlo naalu amma enkoodave vanthu poitu irunthanga..ipo tha etho enna thaniya vida aarambichirukanga..ipo idha vera soli avangala bayamuruthiten na apro enna thaniyave anuppa matanga..' Shirnila exclaimed while Pavithra looked at her in disbelief,

'Ithu lam oru reason ah di? namma jaagradhaya irukrathu thane mukkiyam? evening la en veedu thaandinathuku apro nee thaniya vera pora..enakennamo ni solidrathu nalladhu nu thonudhu Shiru..'

Shirnila looked Pavithra and sighed,

'Inum konja naal papom, apro nane ammakita solidren..'

Their conversation was interrupted when Preethi ran towards them. 

'Ei Shiru! Shiru..'

Preethi breathed heavily while Shirnila and Pavithra frowned at her,

'Ethuku Pree ipdi oodi varra?'

Preethi looked at Shirnila's face who had a confused expression and gulped,

'Na solratha tension aahama porumaya kelu Shiru..'

Shirnila and Preethi frowned at Preethi, while Shirnila spoke,

'Ni enanu solu modhalla...'

Preethi looked around before looking at her friends who looked at her keenly,

'En anna enaku oru vishayam sonnaan..itha unkita epdiyadhu soliralam nu tha vanthe..'

Shirnila frowned more, 'Ennadhu?'

'Avaru football practice pora edathula oru paiyan..puthusa vanthirukaanam, ipo moonu maasama dha..ithuku modha avana pathathe ilanu sonaru..' 

Preethi gulped the lump in her throat while her eyes expressed the fear, and she continued looking at Shiru,

'Avan nenjula unoda pera pachcha kuthirukaanam di..'

To be continued...

Author's Note :

Hi Makkale!

So here's the 1st part of the story! Keep guessing what's going to happen next!

If you like my story, vote panungo, comment panungo, follow panungo, intha storya share panungo!

Sollunga bha! aarambam epdi iruku? pudichiruka? creepy ah iruka..ilana epdi? what do you think?

Ethathu idea ena nadaka pohuthu nu?

Porumaiyaaga kathirungal! seekrama elathukum badhil kedaikum! seekrama kedaikradhuku antha vote button ayum follow button ayum thattitu ponga bha!🏃‍♀️🙏

See you all soon in the next!

With Love,

Aathvi