Chapter 3

I want to overcome this trauma to find out the truth behind this misery. I opened the door using the key and stepped inside the living room where most of the area was covered by dust as it had been not used for ages but it was left alone for 15 years that's what my uncle said to me. He was not happy with my idea when I informed him about my visit to India but he gave his support and also got me approval from the central government and even asked me to use his cottage. I dusted the table with my hand and put my bag on this before walking out of the living room to invite my friends inside. "There are lots of rooms inside and who is wishing to get a fine room can come with me and forget about the room on the left side, I already picked that for me," I said that gained their attention and they looked at each other faces before screaming and running inside the living room. "Reil." They whined like a child once they saw the dusted living hall. "Now pick your room and dusted it well." I threw each other a broom which I found behind the door and climbed on the stairs to reach my room that is left to the staircase. After three hours of cleaning and mopping the room, I smiled happily looking at my hard work shining through this room like a diamond. We spent two more hours to mop the living room and the kitchen but being a lazy bug, we didn't bother to open the spare room. Maybe in the future, if we find any time we will clean that too but now we have no energy. Chole, Natasha, Dacy, Nichole, Clara occupied the room on the ground floor where I and Emiem preferred the first floor. After settling everything in their respective place, I cooked for everyone, not that I'm caring for them, it's because I felt hungry and wanted to eat something spicy to calm my hunger stomach. "Come on, noodles ready," I called from the kitchen and started to eat mine. They came and took their bowl before heading back to their room. They seem so tired and I can't blame them, today was a hectic day but like them, I didn't feel tired rather my mind asking me to take a good look around the place. I was hesitant at first but my uncle's words assured me that the place is safe and harmless rather you can't find any human until you cross the city. I grabbed my hoodie and started to walk out of the cottage. It's a straight road that is very easy for me to remember the path where I'm going. I stopped when my legs gave up and sat on the big rock. The environment feels so good to my mind and it seems I'm breathing fresh air. I stayed there almost an hour until my eyes landed on a figure who looks like a human. The hair in my neck stood up sprightly when I recalled my uncle's words. He said it's difficult to find any human fellow here until you cross the city but here I'm seeing an old lady walking towards my direction, her eyes solely on mine which gives goosebumps to my stomach but I stood there not moving a bit where my mind screaming me to run away. "Who are you?" She brought her right hand above her forehead just to take a good look at me. "Ahh, grandma-" but she cut me off saying, "Go back where you are from. It's not safe here." Her voice alarmed and she began to walk faster than a 90 years old woman could. "Grandma, grandma." I grabbed her hand and turned her to look at my face. "Where are you from? By chance, the city is anywhere closer to this area?" I asked but she shoved my hand and started to run like someone is after her. "Go to your home before the beast hunt you." She yelled. I stood there confusingly trying to figure out what I have heard. "The beast will kill you if he finds you after 6." She yelled one more time before running to her destination. I shrugged my shoulder and decided to walk to the cottage but her words kept playing on my mind like a tape recorder. "The beast will kill you if he finds you after 6." What is she coming to say? Who is the beast? And why he would kill me? Maybe she too believes those fable stories. I shook my head and kept walking towards the cottage. At sharp 6 in the evening, I reached the cottage and felt a heavy wind passing my body but it's my hallucinations because the rain started to pour and a cold wind caressed my face as it is crying it's hearted out. Why all of a sudden? I looked at the dark angry sky that sent a dread to my core and closed the door. "Girl, where did you go?" Emiem asked standing on the stairs holding a phone in her hand. "Just walking." I shrugged my shoulder and walked past her. "Just walking?!" She repeated my word but gave it right away. I crawled into the bed and looked at the white ceiling not knowing whether to tell them about the incidents but saved it for the morning. We planned to go outside to wander around the place but the rain is still pouring followed by heavy thundering and lightning. In the morning there was a skin sucking hot and now it's raining. How amazing. At night I had rice and rasam for dinner, I'm okay with this meal but poor them, no one touched the rice at the end they had bread and jam. "We have to go grocery shopping." I mentally took a note and went back to my room. As usual, I talked with my dad's photo and drifted asleep but it's not easy to fell asleep in new places and as expected I had a black eye in the morning when I woke up.