Rajveer and Naina walk into Sujal and Kashish's room where they find all of them engrossed in a serious discussion.

Rajveer and Naina look towards each other, knitting their brows, respectively, before turning back to look towards others.

"Hi guys, kya hua aap sub itne pareshaan kyun hain?",

asks Rajveer, walking forth.

Naina walks next to him, gauging their expressions.

"Humne faisla kar liya hai Rajveer!",

says Sujal.

"Faisla? Kaisa faisla?",

asks Rajveer, looking towards Sujal.

Naina too gets tensed wondering what is he talking about.

"Hum sub yahan se jaa rahe hain.",

informs Sujal, looking towards Rajveer.

"Ye to achi baat hai.",

Rajveer relaxes a little.

"Iss jagah se jald se jald nikal jaana hi hum subke liye acha hai. Yahan se niklenge to ool-jaloos baatein bhi humare dimag se niklengi.",

says Rajveer.

Kashish knits her brows looking at Rajveer. Rajveer happens to look towards Kashish right at that moment, their eyes meet. Rajveer witnesses the disappointment in Kashish's eyes.

He gets nervous and slowly looks away.

"Hmm... jaane ki taiyaari karte hain.",

says Sujal, standing up, holding his waist from either sides.

"Mai...n... abhi aya.",

Sujal excuses himself.

"Kashish tum theek ho na?",

asks Naina, concerned.

Kashish smiles and nods her head.

Naina smiles back.

"Ahmm... chalein?",

asks Rajveer looking towards Naina.

Naina nods her head.

"Baad mein baat karte hain.",

smiles Naina at Kashish.

Kashish nods again, smiling.

Rajveer gives Kashish one last look, Kashish too stares him back. Rajveer and Naina leave for their room to pack their belongings.

●●●●

Meher walks to Sujal, who is sitting at the area where they had their breakfast, deep in his thoughts.

"Kya main yahan baith sakti hoon?",

asks Meher, smiling.

Sujal gets dragged out of his thoughts by her words. He straightens up and allows her to occupy the seat,

"Haan please baithiye na."

Meher smiles and sits whilst saying,

"Thank you."

Crossing her legs, entwining her fingers, Meher looks towards Sujal, smiling.

Sujal smiles back out of politeness and slowly cascades his eyes, unable to understand what to say.

"Sujalji, agar aap Kashishji ko lekar iss tarah pareshan rahenge to aap khud beemar parh jayenge.",

says Meher, knitting her brows lightly.

"To main aur kya karun Meher?",

asks Sujal, pissed off, looking towards Meher.

"Usey iss haal mein nahi dekh pa raha main.",

he says frustrated, looking towards Meher.

"Wo kahe na kahe magar wo har waqt Mumma aur jo kuch bhi hua uss baare mein sochti rehti hai.",

says Sujal, raising his voice a little.

Meher nods her head, looking somewhere at the ground, thinking.

Looking towards him, Meher asks,

"Iski wajah jaanne ki koshish ki aapne?"

Sujal knits his brows, wondering.

"Iski wajah hai aapka unse Veena aunty ke baare mein baat na karna. Unn par bharosa na karna.",

says Meher, politely.

Sujal's heart skips a beat hearing her.

"Unse baat kijiye Sujal. Unhe suniye. Unhe samjhiye.",

suggests Meher.

"Sirf physically weak ho jaane ko hi beemar hona nahi kehte Sujal. Physical fitness ke saath mental fitness bhi equally important hoti hai.",

says Meher.

Sujal nods his head in understanding, staring Meher.

"Aur ek shadishuda insaan ke liye mental fitness paane ka topmost tareeka hota hai ek healthy relationship uske partner ke saath!",

Meher states in desperation.

"Sirf shadi kar lene se; bachche paida kar lene se sari responsibilities nahi poori ho jaati Sujal.",

says Meher, raising her voice further in desperation.

Sujal's brows relax, staring Meher, serious.

"Su...b... sub theek hai na Meher?",

asks Sujal, reading in between the lines.

"Haan! Haan sub theek hai.",

says Meher, looking away in order to avoid eye contact with Sujal.

Sujal understands that there is something that she is not sharing.

"Agar koi baat hai to tum mujhe bata sakti ho Meher. I think ab hum sub yahan ek dusre par itna to trust karte hi hain ke ek dusre se apna sukh-dukh baant sakein.",

says Sujal, tilting his head a little towards right, gauging her reaction.

Meher looks towards Sujal, considering his words.

●●●●●

After a brief moment Naushad knocks at the open door of Kashish's room. Kashish, sitting on the bed, resting her back against the pillow looks towards the door and finds Naushad standing there. They stare each other.

"Kya main ander aa sakta hoon?",

Naushad asks for her permission.

Smiling, she permits,

"Ji, aayiye."

Smiling a little, lowering his eyes out of awkwardness, Naushad says,

"Aise hi aapke kamre ke saamne se guzar raha tha socha aapse kuch der baat kar loon."

Kashish smiles.

"Baithiye.",

Kashish offers Naushad to take a seat at the sofa.

"Thanks.",

smiles Naushad and sits.

Kashish sits across the other side of the center table at the sofa, smiling.

Crossing her right leg over the left, resting her wrists on her crossed legs; intertwining her fingers, resting her hands on her popped up knee, Kashish looks towards him and smiles.

"Kashishji main jaanta hoon jo bhi aapke saath hua usko bhulana itna aasan nahi hai. Magar aapko uss baat se apna mind divert karna hoga.",

says Naushad.

"Aap doctors ke liye ye kehna kitna aasaan hota hai na Naushad? Aapko uss baat se dhyan bhatkana hoga! Aapko achi-achi kitabein read karni chahiye! Achi-achi baatein sochni chahiye!",

says Kashish, knitting her brows, staring Naushad.

Naushad listens to her silently.

"Doctor hone se pehle aap khud ek insaan hain. Aap mujhe bataiye ki kya jo kuch bhi hua mere saath usse mind divert karna mere liye aasaan hoga?",

asks Kashish, desperate.

Naushad's heart skips a beat hearing her. He slowly cascades his eyes.

Naushad nods his head in understanding and cascades his eyes.

"I.. I am sorry... main...",

Kashish realises she has been rude to him.

"Nahi... nahi Kashish...",

smiles Naushad, looking towards her.

"Aapko sorry bolne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai.",

he assures her.

Kashish stares him with her eyes filled with guilt.

"Main samjh sakta hoon.",

he says and looks towards a certain point at the floor and says,

"Kabhi kabar zindagi mein kuch aise haadse ho jaate hain, jo bhualye nahi bhoole jaate humse."

Kashish knits her brows lightly, wondering which incident is he particularly talking about.

"Aapke saath aisa kya hua hai?",

asks Kashish, intruiged.

Naushad turns to look towards her and considers sharing a part of his life story with her.

"Jab meri biwi Arwa mujhe aur humari do (2) saal ki beti Alia ko chhorh kar gayi thi, usse ubharna mere liye bohot mushkil tha.",

says Naushad.

That comes across as a shock for Kashish. She widens her eyes.

"Aapki beti bhi hai?",

she asks in utter shock.

Naushad nods his head, smiling.

"Haan bohot pyari hai. Meri jaan hai wo.",

he says, his heart filled with love for Alia.

Kashish smiles a little.

"Sharab mein doob jaata agar meri Aapi mujhe aakar nahi rokti."

Naushad looks towards Kashish and says,

"Ahmm... Aapi matlab badi behn.",

he smiles.

Kashish nods her head in understanding.

"Wo meri muh boli behn hain.",

he says.

Kashish again nods her head.

"Waise to Alia ki dekh bhaal ke liye Rahim Chacha thein. Magar Aapi samjhteen theen ke Alia ko Ma ki mamta ki zaroorat hai.",

he smiles sadly.

Kashish's heart clenches hearing him.

"Wo puri koshish karti hain ke Alia ko apni Ammi ki kami kabhi mehsoos na ho.",

he says, smiling.

Kashish smiles a little, her brows knit together, feeling bad for him and Alia.

Whilst laughing a little in awkwardness, he says,

"Aaj Aapi hain isliye sukoon se Alia ko unke bharose chhorhkar aaya hoon."

Kashish smiles wide.

"Ghar par ek bachche ke hone se ghar mein kitni chehl-pehl rehti hogi.",

says Kashish.

Naushad looks towards Kashish and understands her sentiments. He smiles little, unable to understand how else should he react. Kashish cascades her eyes out of awkwardness.

●●●●●

"Mere Abbu soldier hain. Pichle teen saal se ghar laut kar nahi aaye. Ammi ke paas ek number tha uss number par call karne par number nahi milta.",

says Meher.

Sujal gets shocked hearing Meher.

"Samay-samay par hum sub ghar ki aurtein ek dusre ko dilasa deti rehteen hain ke Abbu aa jayenge. Magar such to ye hai ke kahin na kahin hum sub ye jaante hain...",

shaking her head Meher continues,

"...ke Abbu kabhi nahi aayenge."

"Pehle to Abbu Ammi ko paise bhejte thein. Dheere dheere wo bhi band ho gaya.",

informs Meher.

"Aur jabse paise aane band hue, tabse Ammi aur Abbu ke maano saare talukat khatam ho gaye. Na Abbu ka koi call aata; na koi chhithhi. Unki posting kahin aur hui ke kya hua, kuch nahi maloom humein.",

says Meher, sadly.

"Kahan thi posting?",

asks Sujal, knitting his brows.

"Sikkim mein.",

informs Meher.

"Sikkim!",

thinks Sujal.

"Meher tum Rajveer se baat karke kyun nahi dekhti? Kya pata usey kuch pata ho?",

says Sujal, after thinking for a while.

Meher's heart flutters with hope. She stares Sujal, considering his words.

●●●●●

"Ghar jaakar Pooja aur Ali se milungi. Aisa lag raha hai kitne zamaane se Pooja se nahi mili.",

says Naina, smiling, packing her bag.

Rajveer, staring her, smiling a little, calls her out,

"Naina!"

Naina turns to look at him, her brows knit together.

Rajveer, bearing the smile on his face extends his hand towards her. Naina sighs; leaves the clothes she was packing, midway, and gives her hand in his hand, staring him, tiredly, in desperate need of his love and warmth.
Rajveer pulls her to him. Naina sits on his lap, her both thighs resting on his left thigh; her arms wrapped around his neck; fingers interwoven; head rested on his right shoulder while Rajveer's left arm is wrapped around her waist, holding her securely and right arm rested on the handle of the chair.

"Kuch acha nahi lag raha Sir.",

says Naina.

Taking a deep breath, Rajveer says,

"Jab bhi tum mujhe Sir bulati ho iska matlab ye hota hai ke tumhe mujhse koi advice; koi guidance chahiye.",

smiles Rajveer.

Naina tightens her hold on him, smiling a little, before turning serious again.

"Har museebat se khud larhi hoon. Ma-Baba se wo support kabhi paaya hi nahi tha.",

says Naina.

"Galti unki nahi thi. Main hi kabhi unke saamne khudko kamzor nahi dikhana chahti thi.",

she says.

"Apno se moral support mangne se kabhi hichkichana nahi chahiye Naina. Apno se baatein baantne se hum unke saamne kamzor prove nahi hote; balki unse baatein na share karne se hum ander se kamzor ho jaate hain. Apno ka saath hi to humari strength hai. KMA ka motto bhool gayi tum? Shakti aur Samman?",

says Rajveer.

Naina's heart skips a beat hearing that.

"Apno ka saath sirf diya hi nahi jaata; zaroorat parhne par apno se unka saath mangna bhi parhta hai. Yahi to sikhaya gaya hai humein KMA mein ke ek dusre ke liye hum shakti bhi hain aur ek dusre ke samman ke rakhwaale bhi hain hum.",

smiles Rajveer.

Naina smiles out of pride and tightens her hold on him.

"Mujhe paranormal cheezon mein interest hai; magar kabhi socha nahi tha mere ird-gird rehne waale logon mein se kisike saath aisa ho sakta hai.",

says Naina, knitting her brows, straightening up to look into Rajveer's eyes.

Suddenly she says, widening her eyes,

"Shayad yahan aane se pehle hi humein bhagwan aagha kar rahe the ke yahan aisa kuch hone waala hai."

Rajveer looks towards her, confused.

"Kon tha aapki gaadi ke saamne Rajveer?",

asks Naina, knitting her brows tight.

Rajveer gets tensed hearing her. He wonders who it could be indeed.

"Hoga koi Naina. Shayad gaadi se takrakar laash kahin idhar-udhar gir gayi hogi.",

says Rajveer.

Naina shakes her head, staring Rajveer throughout and says,

"Nahi! Laash kahin nahi gayi....",

raising her voice, she says,

"Kyunki koi laash thi hi nahi!"

Rajveer stares Naina in horror.

"Aur ye baat aap bhi jaante hain. Jaante hain na aap Rajveer?",

asks Naina, staring him throughout to gauge his reaction.

Rajveer lifts her down, letting her stand on the floor and gets up.

Walking forth, his back turned towards her, Rajveer, turning his face to right, his hands shoved into his trousers' pocket asks her,

"To wo kon tha jisey humne dekha tha?"

"Aatmaon mein taakat hoti hai ke wo aapke saamne aa jaayein jab unka mann kare, kisi bhi roop mein, aur jab unka mann kare apki nazaron se ojhal ho jaayein.",

Naina tries to make him understand, desperate.

Irritated, Rajveer asks, still not looking towards her,

"Agar aisa hai to usne humein koi nuksaan kyun nahi pohnchaya?"

"Kya pata wo wahan sirf humein aaghaa karne aayi thi?",

says Naina.

Rajveer looks towards her, still irritated.

"Aapne dekha na yahan kya hua Kashish ke saath? Ye mere saath bhi ho sakta tha!",

says Naina.

Rajveer's heart skips a beat hearing her. He widens his eyes.

Turning to look towards her; walking to her; holding her by her shoulders; looking straight into her eyes; his brows knit together, Rajveer says,

"Main kuch nahi hone dunga tumhare saath!"

Naina smiles, her brows knit together and nods her head. Rajveer embraces her into a tight hug. Naina hugs him back. Was it really paranormal that they encountered with? - wonders Rajveer.

●●●●●

"Nahi main nahi jaa rahi. Last mein decide hua ke wo hi aa raha hai.",

says Nitya to Revati over the phone, stretching her temple's skin briefly, her eyes closed.

"Finally tumne usey mana hi liya ke wo tumhare ghar aa jaye, good going Nitya!",

says Revati, excited.

"A tumne kya pehna hai? Kuch hot aur sexy sa pehnna!",

she asks.

Nitya widens her eyes out of shock.

"Revati wo yahan mujhse milne nahi aa raha Vivaan se milne aa raha hai.",

clears Nitya.

"Oh come on Nitya, ye tu aur main dono hi jaante hain ke wo sirf Vivaan se milne nahi aa raha... apne parivaar se milne aa raha hai!",

smiles Revati.

"Parivaar!",

says Nitya, sarcastically, looking away.

"Unka parivaar to unki Mom hain.",

says Nitya, loudly.

"Aur kya pata Seema bhi!",

she says, under her breath.

"Mumma dekho Vikram aaya hai!",

Vivaan's voice skips Nitya's heartbeat.

With a throbbing heart and widened eyes, Nitya slowly turns to look towards him and finds him staring her. His face expression revealing that he has heard her. They stare each other - Nitya nervously; Vikram helplessly.

"I'll talk to you later.",

she says to Revati, in a low voice, over the phone and ends the call without waiting for her reply, staring Vikram throughout.

"Okay main....",

Revati stops abruptly upon realising that Nitya has already ended the call.

Staring at the mobile, Revati says,

"Kaat diya!"

Sighing, she shakes her head.

●●●●●

Nitya stares Vikram, nervously and greets him,

"Hi!"

"Hi!",

smiles Vikram, politely.

"Hum tumhara kabse wait kar rahe the Vikram, hai na Mom?",

says Vivaan, looking towards Nitya, holding Vikram's hand.

Vikram looks at Nitya, little smile playing on his face out of love for Vivaan.

"Haan beta.",

Nitya smiles a little, looking at Vivaan briefly then slowly looks back towards Vikram, her face expression serious.

"Aao baitho na.",

Vivaan pulls Vikram, holding his hand, towards the dining table.

"Aaj ka khaana Mummy ne mere kehne par sub tumhare pasand ka banaya hai.",

says Vivaan, proudly.

Vikram smiles and occupies his seat at the dining table and asks Vivaan,

"Magar aapko kaise pata ke mujhe khaane mein kya-kya pasand hai?",

he looks towards Nitya to gauge her reaction to his words.

As expected, Nitya's cheeks turn warm, hearing him and she cascades her eyes out of shyness.

"Ohoo Vikram!",

Vivaan slaps his forehead.

"Mumma aur tum ek hi restaurant mein kaam karte ho. To pata to hoga na unhe!",

he says.

"Maine... maine to...",

he tries to climb the chair but fails because of his height.

Vikram finds it adorable. Getting up, smiling throughout, he says,

"Come, I'll help."

He picks him up and settles him down at his chair and sets Vivaan's black coat that he is wearing properly.

"Perfect!",

smiles Vikram, once assured that Vivaan is seated properly.

Nitya's heart clenches witnessing the sight.

Smiling, walking to Vivaan, pressing his nose, Nitya completes for Vivaan,

"Inhone to bus mujhe order de diya tha...",

straightening up, imitating Vivaan,

"Mumma, mere dost Vikram aa rahe hain, aap pehle unse pooch lena unhe khaane mein kya pasand hai, aur phir wo sub bana dena.",

laughs Nitya.

Vikram laughs too, silently, staring Nitya.

"Hai na?",

Nitya asks Vivaan, bending a little.

"Haan! Magar aap apne kaam mein itni busy raheen ke aapne nahi poocha Vikram se ki unhe kya pasand hai. Hai na?",

he utters 'hai na' by pointing his index finger towards Nitya, his eyes on her but face turned a little towards left, his brows knit together.

Laughing, Nitya says,

"Arey iss mein usse poochne ki kya zaroorat, Vikram ko khaane mein kya pasand hai ye mujhse behtar kon jaanega!",

laughs Nitya.

Vikram's heart skips a beat hearing her. He widens his eyes. Nitya's smile vanishes immediately as she realises the blooper she made.

Nitya turns to look towards Vikram immediately, out of shock. Vikram stares back.

(Vikram-Nitya's background tune begins)

Nitya looks away self consciously and says,

"Ahmm... khaana... main khaana paros deti hoon."

"Par Mumma aapko kaise pata Vikram ki choice?",

asks Vivaan, confused, his right index figer resting on his chin.

Nitya stops abruptly hearing Vivaan and turns to look towards him, holding her breath. She then slowly looks towards Vikram, whom she finds staring her, his eyes beaming with affection for her which Nitya chooses to not acknowledge, hence looks away quickly.

Leaving a perplexed Vivaan with Vikram, Nitya leaves for kitchen.

●●●●●

Ananya searches for an autorickshaw to return home but finds none. She checks the time in her mobile and gets tensed thinking how will she return home if she fails to fetch an autorickshaw. Not even a single transport in sight to drop her home.

"Aaj saare rickshe strike par hain kya?",

she murmurs.

"Kabeer ko bolun kya wo aajayein lene?",

wonders Ananya, walking on the lonely road.

Wrinkling her nose, she says,

"Nahi rehne deti hoon. Kahin kaam-waam mein agar funse hon to sub chhorh-chharh kar aa jayenge. Mujhe batayenge bhi nahi ke kaam tha.",

says Ananya, rolls her eyes, and smiles thinking fondly of Kabeer.

Suddenly an auto rickshaw stops in front of her. Ananya smiles out of excitement.

"Bhaiya Pritampur chaloge?",

asks Ananya, bending down, holding the rod of the auto.

The driver looks at Ananya. The way he stares her gives Ananya the vibe that something is not normal about him! No, he doesn't seem to be of the kind who would kidnap or molest her but this is something beyond that, her sixth sense is working here!

He nods his head slowly, staring Ananya throughout. Ananya looks left then to her right in case she finds some other transport but finds none. She again looks towards the driver.

"Ahmm... theek hai chalo.",

reluctantly she gets into the rickshaw, keeping a check on the driver.

After a few moments she relaxes realising that he is harboring no bad intention towards her.

Ananya notices that the route he is opting is not the correct one.

"Ye... ye kahan se jaa rahein hain aap?",

she asks, straightening up.

"Ye shortcut hai.",

replies the driver, in a serious tone.

"Nahi... aa...p... aa...pko shortcut lene ki zaroorat nahi hai. Aap morh lijiye.",

says Ananya, indicating with her hand to turn.

But the driver doesn't listen.

"Madam aap aaram se baithiye, main aapko pohncha doonga aapki manzil tak.",

says the driver.

Ananya's rate of heartbeat picks up pace.

The driver applies the break reaching in front of an abandoned house. Ananya turns to look towards the house. It seems nothing less than a haunted house they show in horror movies. But Ananya, she is not a fan of horror movies, hence she brushes off the thought.

"Ye... ye kahan aa gaye hain hum?",

asks Ananya, noticing the house properly.

Upon receiving silence as a reply, Ananya turns to look towards the driver saying,

"Haan, ye...",

her words get cut short by the absence of the driver from his seat.

Her every nerve ending stands erect as she realises that the one who was present there inside the autorickshaw moments ago, is no longer there with her. He has left her alone in this unfamiliar place.

"Bha...bhaiya...???",

calls out Ananya in horror.

Her limbs get freezed, out of horror.

She could hear her heartbeat now, such was its intensity after the disappearance of the driver.

"Bhaiya kahan hain aap?",

Ananya somehow manages to utter the words out of her choked throat.

She could now feel the blood rush in her lips. The upper part of her lips begins to sweat. Her eyes opened wide, not wanting to miss any strange happening. She slowly gets out of the autorickshaw. The wind blows harshly. The dry leaves hit against her body, but the level of her horror doesn't give her mind room to register the presence of the dry leaves there. She stares at the abandoned house with her eyes wide opened. She turns every now and then to make sure that no one unwelcomed is approaching her from anywhere.

"Ma..in... ma..in... Kabeer... Kabeer ko call karti hoon.",

she talks to herself.

With a throbbing heart she dials Kabeer's number. His phone rings and her pace of breathing turns shallow in desperation.

"Phone uthaiye Kabeer!!",

she murmurs.

In an adverse state when you have no one to accompany you to deal with the situation, the presence of someone even through a phone call succeeds in providing you with a lot of courage; but when it is a state of something paranormal, even the phone call sometimes doesn't serve the purpose even a wee bit; because paranormal state is taken as an alien!; a planet unknown! The only help you can get is your presence of mind. Hence, it is utmost important to keep your terror, fear under control. Getting fearful would only block your mind of ideas that might be there inside your head, that you are yet unaware of!

"Hello!"

"Hello Kabeer! Kabeer aap... aap please jaldi se mujhe lene aa jaiye. Mujhe... mujhe bohot darr lag raha hai. Main yahan...",

says Ananya, but gets cut short by Kabeer.

"Daro mat Ananya. Kuch nahi hoga tumhe. Tum zinda nahi bachogi!",

comes Kabeer's reply from the other side, calm and composed.

"Main aapka intezaar....",

Ananya stops abruptly as his words hit the nerves of her brain.

What did he say?!

Her throat turns dry out of horror! Her heart almost stops beating. This... this is not her Kabeer! Then who is it? Her eyes are wide opened. She is going through her state of shock.

"K....kon?",

asks Ananya.

"Hello Ananya?! Ananya kya hua?",

comes Kabeer's desperate voice.

It seems to be some kind of cross connection taking place.

Now that Ananya is being able to listen to Kabeer's voice, her state of horror has turned her numb! She is in a state of trance.

"For God's sake Ananya kuch bolo!!!",

shouts Kabeer.

"Bhaago Ananya! Bhaago!",

says the voice.

Ananya's mouth is open, out of horror. It seems like Kabeer's voice is hitting deaf ears because all Ananya could focus on is the other voice.

"Bhaago kyunki main tumhe pakadne aa raha hoon!",

he says!

Her phone slips out of her hand and she freezes. She trembles out of fear. For a brief moment she fails to make a choice of the way towards which she should run. The next moment she is running into the abandoned building!

The moment she enters the building she gets lifted up in the air, with her face turned towards the ceiling, as if she has reached some zero gravity zone! She shouts out loud, as loud as is possible for her. She can feel her ears getting blocked out of blood rush.

"K... kon hai? Mujhe... mujhe jaane do... mai...ne... ku...ch nahi... ki..ya...!!",

pleads Ananya, crying hard, sweating profusely.

She turns absolute silent, trying to hear.

She rotates her eye balls to the left, trying to see the left side of the floor through her peripheral vision. Upon failing to discover anything unusual, she rotates her eye balls to the right, to check on the right side of the floor but same result! Ananya knits her brows in confusion and unconsciously her eyes turn in front of her, that is, towards the ceiling and she discovers an eye staring her through a hole at the ceiling!!

Ananya's whole body trembles out of horror. She shouts out loud again! She cries hard, staring the eye throughout. Shaking her head - a gesture of pleading who so ever it is to let her go.

"Pl...ease.... pl...ease... mujhe jaa...ne do....",

she somehow manages to plead and cries harder, as deep down she knows that mercy won't be shown to her.

"Ma...ine.... ma...ine... kuch nahi kiya....",

cries Ananya, shaking her head, staring the eye.

"KUCH NAHI KIYAAAA MAINEEE!!!",

she shouts out loud whilst crying hard.

She has started sweating.

She slaps her forehead! Hard! Once! Twice! Thrice! Cursing her luck!

Before she could think further, a hand widens the hole as it aims her neck, strangling her.

Ananya widens her eyes out of horror and shouts out loud,

"Aaaaa....!!!Aaaa......!!!!",

her voice breaks in between as the louder she tries to shout the harder the hand strangles her.

Ananya almost turns into a maniac! Upon losing her senses she clenches her hair from both the sides and pulls them.

"Jaa...ne.... do...!!",

she cries out loud, her voice barely audible.

She gets thrown and she lands against her back but thankfully saves herself from fracturing her bone. She slithers forward to escape from anyone or anything that might try to harm her, her eyes wide opened staring in front of her.

"Tu humare baare mein jaanna chahti thi na? Le jaan!",

a male voice echoes, making Ananya to tremble out of shock.

She looks here and there in horror.

"Nahi... nahi mujhe kuch nahi janna... kuch nahi janna mujhe!",

she cries hard, folding her hands.

"Ananya kya janna chahti ho tum?",

the spirit teases Ananya by speaking in Kabeer's voice.

Ananya cries harder as she gets a sense of danger by the voice which her every nerve ending is well aware is her savior!

A big tin box falls in front of her out of no where, creating a loud noise. Ananya, who didn't see it coming, shouts out loud, crying further, hard.

She now feels the presence of someone around her. She turns silent out of horror. She sweats profusely.

The level of horror has reached to such a height by now that it has ceased to affect her! Although silent but her heart throbs inside her chest; her chest expanding and contracting in quick succession.

"Humari duniya mein dakhal dena band kar warna anjaam acha nahi hoga! Wo tera Kabeer, wo bhi zinda nahi bachega.",

warns a spirit in a voice that if heard, can give sleepless nights to any person.

He shouldn't have mentioned about Kabeer! What he thought would scare her; provokes her to continue with her job!

"Shayad chhorh deti akela. Magar ab to bilkul nahi chhorungi!",

she says in anger, tears of fear and anger constantly rolling down her cheeks but her face expression shows her determination.

"Kabeer meri kamzori nahi taakat hain! Unka naam lekar tu mujhe dara nahi sakta!",

warns Ananya, glaring at a particular side, unaware of where the spirit is lurking at the moment.

The only bulb that was illuminating, filament of it bursts out loud! Ananya trembles, shouts and covers her ears with her hands. Trembling still, she turns to look towards the burst bulb in darkness. The smoke evolves from the burnt filament.

Ananya's heartbeat picks up pace as she feels someone's presence behind her. Her breath hitches. She waits for him/her to take step towards her. He/she does!

Passing by Ananya and appearing in front of her eyes is a woman on her knees; her hands spread in front of her on the floor. Ananya stares her wide eyed! She crawls towards Ananya at a very slow pace, giving Ananya's fear ample time to grow. Her hair, messed up. Her face seems to be nothing but a skeleton. Her arms and legs all dirty as if she has not taken bath for ages.

Ananya freezes for a brief moment! Her mouth slightly opened. Her eyes opened wide. Wrapping her arms around her popped up knees, Ananya cries hard, staring the woman in horror. She finds it difficult to breath normally, after crying so hard. Her hair all messed up! Her kohl messed up due to her excessive crying.

"Maine kaha tha na main tujhe pakad loonga?",

says the male spirit inside the woman.

Ananya stares him out of shock.

She pushes herself back out of shock.

"Ab kahan jayegi mujhse bachkar?",

the male spirit laughs out loud, throwing his head backwards.

Ananya turns to leave but gets pulled by the spirit. She shouts out loud, trying to hold anything that comes her way to pull herself free from his hold but sadly finds nothing.

●●●●●

"Ananya!",

says Ronnie, standing outside the place, in utter shock, in his hand is Ananya's mobile which he tracked and reached here but found it on the ground. Upon recognizing her phone, picking it up Ronnie tells Sunny,

"Ananya ka phone!"

Looking in front of him here and there, Ronnie says,

"Ananya zaroor yahin kahin hai."

It was Ananya's shout that confirmed of her presence there.

"Ananyaaaa!!!",

Ronnie shouts out loud.

Sunny shouts too.

The low sound of their shout succeed in reaching Ananya. Ananya's heart skips a beat in hope.

"Ronnie! Sunny!",

she exclaims, inaudibly.

"Ronnieeee! Sunnyyyy!!",

Ananya shouts again and cries in desperation.

"Ananya!",

they exclaim in unison and look towards each other.

"Ananya! Ananya!",

shouting they run into the building in search of Ananya.

Her shouts soon end but Ronnie and Sunny keep calling out her name. They get puzzled, they did hear her voice, where is she then?

"Yaar suni thi na uski awaz?",

asks Ronnie, just to confirm that he wasn't hallucinating, shoving his right hand in his hair in frustration, looking here and there.

"Hanji Ronnie bhaiya suni to thi!",

says Sunny, his eyes opened wide, shocked.

Everything turns absolute silent.

They freeze briefly out of shock upon hearing Ananya's voice again, murmuring something incoherent.

"Bhaiya....",

Sunny tries to alert Ronnie, but Ronnie indicates him to stay quiet, their back turned towards the building.

"Shh... shh....!",

Ronnie rests his index finger on his lips, then puts his same index finger vertically, a gesture to ask Sunny to concentrate on the voice. Sunny turns quiet. Their rates of heartbeat accelerate as they recognize the cry of Ananya. Sunny and Ronnie look towards each other in shock. Ronnie points towards the building. Sunny and Ronnie slowly, silently, with throbbing hearts walk into the building, all alert. Their eyes wide open.

"Aaja tera hi intezaar tha!",

an unfamiliar and weird voice greet them, startling them.

Ronnie and Sunny, their chest expanding and contracting in quick succession, look here and there, but don't turn their neck all around.

Sunny gets closer to Ronnie out of fear.

"A...nan...ya...?",

calls out Sunny, alert, scanning the place.

"Ye rahi teri dost. Piche dekh piche!",

he says calmly.

Sunny and Ronnie holding their breath, respectively, slowly turn to look towards the source of sound. They feel their hearts have stopped working when in front of them they discover Ananya, her hair untied; her left knee popped up and the right leg folded, such that her right knee is facing right. Her left forearm resting on her popped up knee. And she constantly is snapping her fingers in a set rhythm, as if enjoying some music which is audible to only her.

Sunny hold Ronnie by his upper arm, staring Ananya throughout.

"Bohot tang kiya saali ne!",

says Ananya.

"Tum logon ko bhi ye tang karti hai kya?",

asks Ananya.

Ronnie and Sunny miss replying, out of shock.

"A bolna jo pooch raha hoon!",

shouts Ananya.

Sunny and Ronnie widen their eyes further out of shock and horror.

"De..kh... An..anya... ma...zak... ba..nd... kar. Cha...l... cha...l... cha...lte... hain.",

Sunny somehow manages to say, extending his right hand towards Ananya.

Ananya, bowing her head, rests her hand on Sunny's hand.

Sunny trembles in fear when Ananya holds him. Ronnie holds Sunny by his shoulders to pull him to himself if situation demands.

Holding Sunny's hand tight, looking up towards them, her eyes filled with evil motives, with her left hand she strangles Ronnie.

"Ronnie bhaiyaaaa!!!",

shouts Sunny in horror, looking at Ronnie as he gets pulled up in the air.

"Meri zindagi ki kahani sunaoge duniya ko tum log? Meri zindagi ki?",

asks Ananya in the same horrible voice!

All Sunny and Ronnie could do is stare Ananya in shock.

"Mazak mere saath tum log kar rahe ho; aur mujhe keh rahe ho ke mazak na karoon?",

Ananya asks, emphasizing on 'tum'.

She glares them!