We stood at the door of the old man's house.The surrounding was completely dark as the house was situated at the outskirt of the village and there were no streetlights around.

Even there were no lights coming from inside as well.

"He might be sleeping already",I told to Adi."Is it OK to disturb him late at night"? I expressed my concern.

"Let's knock the door",saying that he knocked the old bamboo door,which had small holes in it,at the places where the sticks were joined.

No one responded from the other side.
He knocked it again with a little force and the door creaked open slightly.

"I think he didn't lock the door",Adi said and opened the door ajar.

"Are we trying to sneak-in?",I whispered.

"No,we are not",he said and called for the oldman,still standing at the door of the dark house.

"Let's go inside and see",he lighted his phone torch and went inside the house.

"Well now it is exactly sneaking in.I hope he won't call the cops on us".I said searching for the switch,to on the lights.

"Finally",I huffed out switching the lights on as the whole house lighted up.

Seeing, he was not around in the hall,I decided to search him in the oldroom which he called as his library.

"I will check if he is in his library",I said and moved towards his study which was already open.

"It's dark here,please bring the torch",I requested him and slowly entered the room in search of switch.

Something hard hit my bare feet and I came to a sudden halt.

Deep chills ran through my body, realizing what it was.

"Adi!!!.....Adi .....I shouted his name still rooted in the same place.

"What happened?Why are you.........
he came to a sudden stop as the light from his torch landed directly on the person's body lying on the ground.

I quickly knelt down and took hold of his hand to check his pulse.

"He is dead",I declared still traumatized

Adi quickly came by and checked his breath.Confirming he is dead he touched his face and closed his eyes gently.

The picture of my dad's death,flashed through my mind.

It was the same scene.Eyes open and lying on the floor.

"Ira.....Ira ..... someone shook my shoulder harshly,forcing me to come out of my past memories.

"We should get out of here,before someone arrives",he said and took hold of my shoulders lifting me up from the floor.

"Hmm",we moved out of the house and Adi informed his grandpa to look over the matter.

"He must have been dead,not more than three hours ago,as his eyelids had the elasticity to be closed",I told him when he finished talking with his grandpa.

"Hmm",he touched my shoulders gently
"You seems very much bothered by his death".

"Obviously",I let out a sigh."He was fine
two days back,Adi.He is dead now,all of a sudden".

"He was already very old,Ira".he said
"It was not a sudden death,as you think".

"If I remember correctly, he was perfectly fine the other day we visited",
I said still not able to accept his death.

"Ira",he huffed my name out holding my arm and turned my body to face him.

"We should not let anyone know that we were here,as it may raise suspicions
among others about our visit to his place",he continued, "I have told grandpa to take care of the matter".

"Ok", I whispered looking straight at his face still disturbed by the scene we witnessed.

"Ira",he sighed seeing my troubled face,
he took hold of my shoulders and shook me gently.

"Now,stop giving too much work to that tiny brain of yours",he said flicking my nose.

"Ok,but still...."

"Stop it, right there.I can see the wheels turning in your head",he stopped me before I could speak.

"Hmm,OK fine!!!as you wish",I finally gave up.

I went to home and slept early as there was an early rituals to perform tomorrow in the temple,as it was a new moon day which was a special day to offer prayers to goddess.
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I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and the morning rays of sun entering through the window.

This was the best part of village life,as there was no need of alarm clock to wake you up.

I freshened up and wore a blue silk saree and went towards bellas room.

We went for the temple and offered the special prayers to the goddess.The temple was decorated with grandeur for the new-moon day as it was believed that,today goddess had the most power.

I felt intense gaze on me as I came outside.I looked at my surroundings to find Adi with his grandparents staring at me.

We went towards them and my grandpa introduced us.

"You are very beautiful my child",he gently gazed at me touching my head lovingly.

"I have a complaint too",he whispered to me slowly.

I looked at Adi nervously,knowing clearly he was referring to last night's events.

"My grandson can't take his eyes away from you,from the moment we came here",he said.

I was clearly dumbfounded by his relevation.As his words slowly went into my astonished brain,A small blush crept up my face.

I chuckled nervously,not knowing what to respond;nonetheless, I was relieved that he didn't bring up yesterday's topic.

"Don't worry,I will behave as if I didn't catch him staring at you",he patted my shoulder and went away to speak with grandpa.

"What was that?",came Adi's throaty voice.

My heart started racing uncontrollably.
My cheeks flaming.I shook away from my train of thoughts and turned towards him.

"What?",I questioned him back.

He scoffed,clearly knowing I was dodging his question.

"Don't believe that oldman's words",he said frowning at his grandpa.

"And why will I do that?"I let out a laugh.

"Because I said so",he huffed out clearly irritated.

"He said".......,I dragged out my words seeing his reaction.

"What did he tell"?,he asked pressingly.

"Well,he said that, his only grandson was checking out a woman" I said staring at his beautiful golden-brown eyes.

"That vile oldman",he glared at his grandpa who was oblivious to it.

"Was that true"?,I asked him arching my brow teasingly.

"Ofcourse not",he said rather too fast.

"Well, I believe you,Mr.Adidev Varma".
I said looking seriously at him trying to stifle my laughter at his embarrassed face.

I heard Otto calling me,"I will take my leave now",I said and turned to leave before halting for a moment.

"You look handsome today",I said scanning his traditional outfit and took leave from there.

Was it a blush I saw on his face?

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It was almost eleven at night and I was working on my laptop,when I heard the same jingling sounds that I heard two days back.

My senses became alert and I slowly removed my spectacles and kept them on the side table.

I sat for few minutes trying to confirm and I heard it again,little loudly now, and too near.

I wasted no time and went near the windows quickly,scanning the surroundings for the source.

The night was pitch-black as there was no light from the moon today,and it was difficult to see anything from here.

As I decided to move away from the window,I saw a form of a lady walking away towards the gate.

I ran outside my room not wasting any time,intending to follow her.As I came outside there was no trace of anyone except the watchman.

"Where is the lady?",I asked him in urgency.

"There was no one around,mam",he said furrowing his eyebrows.

"There was a lady walking here,just a minute ago",I pressed my point searching around frantically.

I opened the gate and went outside into the dark street.

I took a few steps away from the mansion.Suddenly a shimmering glow appeared at faraway place among the dense trees, almost blinding my sight.

I turned away my face covering it with my hands and took a few staggering steps back at its intensity.

I slowly opened my eyes and gazed at the same direction,only to see the face of same women I saw in my dream.
The same beautiful women who turned into wrinkly old-women and finally fell down into the abyss.

As I carefully gazed at her face,I observed one thing different in her looks though.

The calm and sereneness were now replaced with vicious and bloodthirsty look.

For a moment my body shook at the barbaric look of her.She held no divine- ness in her.She was in the mood of destruction.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat at her glare.

"Who are you?",I finally gathered up my courage and whimpered at her, my voice shooking.

She turned away from me and started walking through the dense trees.

I started to take slow steps in her direction following her.

"What's your name?",I asked in a little loud voice.

There was no reply.She started moving into the trees hastily.

The sharp stones and thorns in the path
stung my bare foot,but I continued following her,without taking my gaze away from her, afraid I will lose her.

Suddenly she came to a stop in the middle of woods.The same shimmering light started to form around her form.

It became very intense to hold my gaze on her.The glow made my vision difficult.I closed my eyes tightly.

When I opened my eyes again,there was no sight of her.I was stranded alone in the middle of dark forest.

But the only difference is, this is not a dream;this time it's a reality.

Why did I follow her?I must be crazy,I muttered to myself.

My heart started beating erratically in fear.

Is this how my life is going to end?Being the prey of wild animals.

I stood there,without moving,as tears threatened to fall from my eyes.Until I saw a familiar figure walking aimlessly, from the corner of my eyes.

Why does she seems familiar?

I narrowed my gaze at her trying to identify her.My breath hitched for a moment,as I realized who it was.

Stuti?........

What is she doing here?

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