Location : A dark and bleak narrow ally
Time : 8:30 pm

A girl around her late teenage is walking in a hasty gait and mumbling.

The Girl: "Ganpati Bappa...Ganpati Bappa...plz be with me. I am scared of darkness...No, actually, I am a brave girl (she looks here and there and swallows the saliva)....but..you know na...this darkness."

Suddenly something rattles past her and she almost yells,

The Girl: " Aiyooo...now what was that?"

She jumps like a clown and converts her walk to run. Inwardly she is cursing all the members of Booktrovet who asked her to come to the movie hall for a late-night show. After corona, it was the first opportunity for her to meet her friends and of course, the temptation of a movie and sleepover at a friend's house was indeed hard to resist. However, they ditched her and when she called Nahar, she told her that the plan has been cancelled. To be frank, she didn't expect this from them. At least they should have informed her. Anyaa Di (Suk) knows very well how much she is scared of darkness and solitary roads. Tears prick her eyes. But then she again thinks aloud,

The Girl: "Okey dokeyy Vaishnavi! (she takes a deep breath) Chill kar...kuch nehi hoga. You are a brave girl. It might be a snake."

But the word 'snake' makes her tremble more. She almost cries out,

Vaishnavi: "Aiyoooo...snake...main to aaj marhi jaaing..."

She increases her speed. The ally at last ends to the main road. From here, she can get an auto or bus. At least, she hopes so. Vaishnavi looks at the sky and prays inwardly.

Vaisnavi: "Bappa...bacha lena. Abse kabhi bhi Mom Dad ki baat nehi talungi. Thik se padai karungi. Friends ke batome nehi aungi...aur..aur...late night movie plan to bilkul nehi banaungi...Ghar phochado pleeeeeease..."

Suddenly, a raspy voice whispers against her ear,

The voice: "Rasta bhool gai ho? Madat karu?"

Vaishnavi immediately turns towards the source of the voice but can't see anybody. Actually, it is too dark to locate anyone. In the next moment, one more whisper is hard from her behind.

Another voice: "Yaha pass me ek grave yard hain...jana chahogi?"

Another mysterious voice echoes,

Mysterious voice: "Haan....Actually, hum sab chudail mil ke ek game khel rahe hain....Kaun Banega Chudailpati like Kaun Banega Crorepati you know."

Now, Vaishnavi strains her eyes in the pitch black surrounding and locates some female figures are circling her. One of them comes forward and continues,

The voice: "But isme hume ek insaan chahiye jo hot seat par baith sake aur yeh game khel sake. But the twist is (another person...sorry ghost explains) if the person answers all questions, we will let her go but if can't then we will kill and make her our new Chudailpati...I mean she will be our leader cum graveyard owner. Come let's go...we are getting late."

A feared moan lets out Vaishanavi's mouth,

Vaishnavi: "Main...main...GK me bohot weak hu... aur...aur...leadership me bhi...is liye..is liye...mu..muje class me bhi monitor nehi banaya jata...Main answer nehi kar paungi..."

The mysterious voice: "That we want...tum harogi, tabhi to Chudailpati banogi. Chalo..chalo..ab der maat karo. Iske baad hume paske haunted house me bhi jana hain...we got a contract you know. Every night we are to scare people. Uske liye naye naye tarike bhi dhundni padti hain."

Another voice: "Chudail hona mazak thodi hain?"

Vaishnavi: "Par par...mujhe chudail nehi banna...main insan hi thik hu..haan thodi padai karni parti hain...par I will manage."

Now, one of the chudails gets angry and growls,

Chudail: "Jati hain ya yehi gardan maror du?"

Another Chudail: "Ahhh...Buddy....use darao maat...woh aisehi jayegi. After all, who can miss this golden opportunity? Vivi...I mean...insaan...hume gussa maat dilao....jaogi to ek chance hain insaan bane raheneka par agar nehi jaogi to chudail jarur banogi...right here..right now."

She tries to grab Vaishnavi's wrist when Vaishnavi lets out a fearful mumble and collapses on the chudail's body.

Vaishnavi: "Aaaaaaaaa.....bachao..."

Immediately some torchlights flicker to their lives and all the chudails remove the cover from their heads and faces. Now, we can see their faces. They are none other than the Booktrovert members.

Suk: "Kya hua? Yeh sach me to ghost nehi ban gai?"

She is still holding Vaishnavi's slackened body. Nahar and Neer come forward to observe her face.

Nahar: " This was Doll's (Chinmayi) plan. I always knew that Coco is very scared of ghosts. She can't take this pressure."

Chnimayi replies in a breaking voice,

Chinmayi: "Meri kay galti? It was Iqra's idea to scare her. I just chose the place and time."

Pournima: "Actually, it was our fault that we agreed to this stupid plan. Now, check if she is okay. Otherwise, we can never forgive ourselves."

Neer and Cathy near and pat Vaishnavi's cheeks.

Suk, Pournu, Iqra: "Vivi...Coco...butterscotch...wake up...it was just a joke. See we are your friends. Don't be scared. We are not Chudails...see we don't look like ghosts or skeletons.."

Chinmayi: "He...he...we look like fools..."

Nahar: "Shut up, Doll...agar yeh hosh me nehi ai to hume heart attack ajayega. Tab hum sab milke khelenge Comedy Nights with Chudails."

Sharanya & Iqra: "First we should take her to a bright place. In fact, this place is very shady and spooky."

They roam their timid eyes all around.

Shreya: "Let's get her to Booktrovert office. In any case, we planned to celebrate her birthday there. Movie plan and sleepover were just the parts of that surprise."

All agree and get her to the Booktrovert office. They lie her down on a couch. Suk sprinkles some water on her face. However, Vaishnavi remains in the same motionless position. Now, fear clouds their faces.

Titisha: "Ab kya hoga, guys. Murder case me jail jayenge."

Safa: "Nobody will believe us that it was a joke."

Nahar: "Nehi..nehi main jail nehi jana chahati. Abi to main Parth se bhi nehi mili."

Pournu & Suk: " Oh God, give me a break..Isko abhi bhi Parth ki padi hai."

Krishna & Charms: "Let's do one thing. Let's tickle her. She feels very ticklish."

Suk: "Chalo..yeh bhi karke dekhte hain..."

She was about to tickle her ribcage when Vaishnavi giggles and sits squarely,

Vaishnavi: "No...no...plz...nehi to main sach me mar jaaing. He..he..."

All roll their eyes,

Pournu: "YOU! That means you were acting?"

Suk: "Vivi...!"

Neer: "You gave us a heart attack..."

Vaishnavi: "Achha...aaplog acting kar sakte ho aur main nehi?"

Chinmayi: "But how did you know? I mean tumhe pata kaise chala?"

Vaisnavi turns her face at Suk.

Vaishnavi: "Anyaa Di ki wajah se. She addressed Nahardi as Buddy and me as Vivi. I knew only she calls me Vivi..not any Chudail...ha...ha...and I catch..caught..caught her."

She winks and Suk slaps her forehead.

Vaishnavi: "By the way, when I was unconscious...I mean..when I was acting that I am unconscious then I heard about some birthday surprise. Now, when I am alive and in full sense, I would like to know what are those?"

Charms: "But those are supposed to be a surprise Coco. We can't spoil the game."

Vaishnavi: "Okay, as tomorrow is my birthday; I don't want you all to reveal the birthday gifts but you all can wish me in advance. Look, at first, I was really scared. So, you all should make me relax and happy. So, come on...wish me one by one. Pamper me with your words. Anyaa Di, first your turn,"

Suk shrugs and pouts in defeat.

Suk: " Okay as you wish. So, this is my wish for you,

"Always remain like this...cute...bubbly and adorable. May God fulfil all your wishes and bestow you with his special blessings. Keep smiling like Sunshine. I call you Vivi. It reminds me how vivid your smile can be. We never met in person but I can feel the vibrance you hold. The warmth and lovingness in your words always overwhelm me. God bless you. Love you to the Moon and back. Muahhhh. 😘😘😘😘

Nahar : Now my wish..🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

Iqra :

Manu :
Happyyyyyyyyyyy brithdayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Vivo...🎂🎂🎂🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🎈🎈✨✨✨🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎁🎁🎀🎁🎁🎀🎀🎀🎀may God bless you with alots of happiness and success...It's been days we spoke to each other...Madam is so busy😒😒😒😒coming and coming, disappearing all of sudden😐😐😒😒when u planning to come again....missscchhh you so much...I am sad😔😔...come back soon..and be happy always like this....❤️❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗😘😘😘😘😘😘alots of love, hugs and kisses🤗🤗😘😘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Ps:- sent me more potatoes😒

Hope you enjoyed and liked this gift from our family...Wish you all success and progress in life. Love❤ and Hugs🤗🤗

For : __serratedshadow__

From : TheBooktrovert

Skit by : Suk-24