Malhotra Mansion, Night.

Looking at nandini’s face manik felt dizzy. He became horrified. He don’t know how to react? What to do? He was a person who doesn’t believe in such things. He thought she must be tired because of the wedding and all so he compose himself and said “Nandu… jaan kya ho gaya hei tumhe? Tum aise bat kyu kar rahi ho? Dekho tum bahot thak gayi hogi na, to tum so jav… hum subah shanti se bat karenge…”

All the while nandini was just staring at him smiling evilly and then listening his words she first shouted furiously “Nandu nahi hu mei…” then she again said smiling evilly “Mei so kese Shakti hu manik?” she then stands up and started to walking towards him seductively saying “Aj to hame bahot kuchh karna hei… aj hamari suhagraat jo hei…”

He also started to walk backwards as she is about to approach him. He was not understanding what to do at this time. He knew there is something wrong about this. He thought of calling doctor and said “achha mei abhi ata hu… muje kuchh kam hei… tum yahi reho thik hei…” saying this he left from there and lock the door from behind.

After coming out of the room he called cabir and said in scared tone “Hello… cabir kaha hei tu? Sun tu jaldi doctor ko leke Malhotra mansion aja. There is something seriously wrong with nandini yar…” cabir said immediately “Doctor? But kya huwa nandu ko? Wo thik to hei na?” he answered back “I don’t know yar… she is behaving weirdly yar... tu please jaldi aja.”

In no time cabir and his wife navya came with the doctor. Navya is a best friend of nandini along with her college. When they came manik tell them everything and said “I don’t know doctor what happened to her… she never behaved such way before.” He was so tensed and scared for his life, his wife nandini.

But listening his words navya was in deep thoughts. She is a person who believes in superstitious signs. She was actually wondering about the word ‘ATMA’ which nandini said. Then they four came to the room where nandini was and manik open the door.

Nandini was still sitting there in middle of the bed. Her eyes are still red and face is pale white. She was actually looking SCARY… everyone got scared looking at her but manik came near her and said “Nandini… dekho doctor aye hei… tumhara checkup krne kliye…”

She first look at everyone with furious eyes and said “Mei nandini nahi hu… aur muje kisi ki zaroorat nahi hei…” But manik gestured doctor to come and he was about to touch her when she jerked his hand away and push him with great force that the poor doctor hit the opposite wall and fell down on the floor mercilessly.

Manik, cabir and navya froze at their places witnessing the scene in front of their eyes. They couldn’t believe that their nandini has such strength but little did they know she was not their nandini but someone else. But navya understand that doctor can’t help nandini as there must be some ‘ATMA’ in nandini’s body.

Meanwhile the poor doctor stands up on his feet with a scary and horrified face and instantly run away. Navya somehow composed herself from shock and said “Hame lagta hei… Nandu par kisi ATMA ka saya hei…”

Manik look at her and said angrily “Ye kya keh rahi ho tum navya? Mei aisi bato mei belive nahi krta… aisa kuchh nahi hei…” saying this he walk towards nandini and who was facing their back and said calmly “Nandini…”

And the next moment he found himself dizzy. Actually she was furious and when he again called her with nandini’s name she push him also towards the wall and he hit the wall and fell down miserably. She said looking at him furiously “Nandini Nandini Nandini…”

Saying this she left her hands up and started to move her body upwards in the air. Soon she was standing two feet above the floor in the air only. And then shouted looking their faces “Agar aur ek bar muje nandini kehke bulaya na tou mei…”

And soon she started to scratch her own cheeks with her long sharp nails while saying in her horrified tone “Tou mei… tumhari nandini ko bahot taklif pahochaungi…”

Manik shouted on top of his voice looking at her blood filled face “Nandini…” Blood is oozing continuously from her cheeks. And he was feeling like someone is piercing his heart. He wanted to shout and held her from hurting his life but he couldn’t move an inch. As if he get freeze on his place.

Manik and cabir was not able to move an inch from their places as she had glued them on their places with her dark magic. They were continuously shouting nandini’s name to stop her but she didn’t buzz and keep on doing scratches and bruises on nandini’s whole body.

But navya was holding a ‘holly thread’ in her hands so her dark magic didn’t affect her so she somehow composed herself and started to walk towards hanging nandini clutching that thread tightly in her fist. She was so scared and horrified seeing her in such state but she has to act brave for her best friend.

She somehow throw that thread towards nandini’s body in air with her full force. And as soon as that thread touch nandini’s body, she screamed in pain and a sharp black shadow came out of her body and went away. Manik, cabir and navya was watching that shadow going out from the window when they heard a voice of someone falling.

THUD!!!!

They turned their face towards the direction of that voice and what manik saw make him feel the death. Nandini’s body fell down on the floor mercilessly. She was lying unconscious. And seeing her life like that manik run towards her and took her in his arms and make her lay down on bed keeping her head on his lap. He was crying with the fear of losing his life he was continuously calling her name and asking her to wake up. He was dying with each passing second watching her scratch filled face and body.

Cabir and navya came towards him and navya said handing him the holly thread “Manik ye lo… ese tum apne pas hi rakhna. Please ise chhodna mat manik…” manik helplessly look at her and said folding his hands “Please navya… kuchh karo… mei apni nandini ko aise nahi dekh sakta… please…”

Navya held his hands and said “manik.. tum yahi raho.. nandini k pas, mei ek panditji ko janti hu.” Then she look at her husband cabir and said “Cabir… chalo hum jaldise us panditji ko leke ate hei.” She then again look at manik and said “Manik tum ye thread mat chhodna please manik and take care…”

Then cabir and navya left from there. Manik was seating there taking support of headboard and he is holding nandini tightly in his arms near his heart. He then wipe the blood from her face softly through the cotton balls. And all the while silent tears were coming out of his face.

After sometime he felt nandini’s hands were moving and the next second she screamed on top of her voice “Manik…” she open her eyes. she was looking so scared while also sweating badly. Manik hugged her tightly and console her saying “Nandu… shh shh… it’s okay… I’m here with you…”

She then look at him and said stammeringly “Manik… I… I saw a dream… I... I pushed you… I was scratching my own face… my face…” saying this she moved a little and saw her face in the mirror and understood looking at her own face that it wasn’t her dream. It was a horrific reality.

She look at manik’s face to get her answers. And she got her all answers looking at manik’s pale face. His eyes were tired, the dry tears are there on his cheeks and his face was dull void of any emotions. She look at his eyes and said slowly “It wasn’t a dream… hei na manik? I… I was actually doing that… man…”

But before she could say anything more manik hugged her tightly and said “I love you nandini… you…” but she cut him in between saying “Manik… what is happening with me? Manik I hurt you… I’m sorry manik…” by now she was crying badly and continue saying “Manik muje kya huwa hei manik… please save me manik… I don’t want to hurt anyone…”

But manik has nothing to say because he himself don’t know that what is happening with his jaan, with them. But still he composed himself and said “Shhh… stop crying my love… you didn’t do anything… you just need sleep… please sleep… okay…” saying this he make her lay down on bed and soon she fell asleep because of her unconscious state.

After about twenty minute manik heard footsteps so he came out of the room after adjusting nandini on bed properly… he saw cavya coming towards the room with a man looking like pandit as he was wearing white kurta and there are some malas are there around his neck.

He came towards them and cabir asked “Ab kaisi hey nandu. Use hosh aya?” Manik replied “Han… but maine abhi use sulaya hei… use sab yad hei aur wo…” but before he continue further, they all heard a sharp sound coming from the room. They all rush towards the room as fast as possible and what they saw is enough to scare the hell out of them.

Everything on the room was scattered and broken and when they saw upwards they saw Nandini was hanging on the ceiling of the room. It is looking as if she was glued with the ceiling and smiling at them evilly.

But when the priest came forward her face changed into a furious one and she yelled “Go away from here…” but that priest came more forward and throw some ‘holly water’ on her body saying “Kon ho tum? Aur yaha kyu ayi ho?”

As soon as the water touch her body, it burns and looking at her burning skin manik try to run towards her shouting her name but cabir and navya held him tightly. That priest one more time throw that water on her asking the same question.

And this time she shouted painfully yet horrifyingly “Soha hu mei… aur meine shadi ki hei manik k sath. Apne pati k sath rehne ayi hu me.”

But listening the word ‘SOHA’, manik, cabir and navya froze at their places in state of shock.

To Be Continue…

Lots of Love
NISHU