Na hoga wo dubara gunehgar,

na firse fansne ko wo beqarar.

Kyunki qaidi to hai unn dino se wo uss khoobsurat bala ka,

jab unse uski nazre mili pehli baar.

Janab par ye kambakht dil hai ke,

deta hi nahi usse IJJAZAT,

ke bol dale hal-e-dil apna unse,

jinse karte hain wo beshumaar pyar.

Naina glares Rajveer, smiling viciously.

"Main yahin hun. Tu bhi yahin hai. Na main yahan se tujhe Naina ko kahin le jane dunga! Na tu mere yahan hote hue Naina ko mujhse durr le ja sakta hai!",

Rajveer states clearly, giving the entity a warning look.

"Ek baar Naina ko kho chuka hun, usse durr ho chuka hun. Ab dobara aisa main kisi keemat par hone nahi dunga!",

states Rajveer, clearly.

"Main tere jaal mein fansne nahi wala.",

Rajveer glares him.

The entity lets Naina's spirit to dominate himself, still keeping it under his control.

Now standing in front of Rajveer, Naina in her own voice says,

"Iske qaid se main nahi nikal sakti Rajveer, aap chale jaiye."

Rajveer out of anxiousness, calls out to Naina,

"Naina....",

desperate to hold her back to himself.

As he says that the spirit laughs throwing Naina's head back.

"JAAAA!!!!",

shouts the entity in his own voice, too loud.

Rajveer gets agitated. Pulling the door open of the room, he walks to the reception area to vent his anger on the owner of the hotel. As he exits the room, behind him the door shuts. Rajveer raging with anger doesn't care to turn and look at the closed room. He is also fully aware that inside the room is his Naina who has been captured by this entity, but he cares less at the moment to stay there. What his ultimate goal is - to get his Naina back to himself. And this he shall do, by hook or by crook!

*****

Inside the room, Naina sits on the floor at a corner, resting her back against the wall. Holding the loose end of her saree, she plays with it. With her head bowed, she talks to herself in that weird voice of hers.

"Tum... tum janti ho jabse... jabse tumhe dekha.... mujhe... mujhe pata chal gaya ke tum hi... tum hi meri Raina ho!",

the entity talks to Naina.

Naina's soul fights his soul to get out of her body, giving her the space to live.

"Nahi... nahi main tumhe chor kar kahin nahi jane wala... kahin nahi.",

he says, like a crazy lover, shaking his head vigorously.

Naina's hair messes up because of it.

"Par tum ho ki....",

he says, pulling Naina's hair.

Naina pulls her hair hard, inflicting pain into herself, as a result of which she shouts in pain too.

"Kabhi meri mohobbat ko ahmiyat nahi di. Kabhi nahi.",

he shouts.

He out of rage pulls out all the bangles Naina was wearing, throwing it with full force on the floor.

*****

The constant switching on and off of the light of a room right in front of Naina's parents' room wakes her father up. He gets up rubbing his eyes and switches on the bed side lamp to see clearly.

"Kya aap bhi Kavita ji. Uss kamre ki light jala kar aa gayin kya?",

asks Naina's father, trying to open his eyes properly.

He pushes Naina's mother a little, waking her up.

She wakes up rubbing her eyes and looks towards him, asking in her drowsiness,

"Kya hua? Kuch chahiye apko?"

"Aap uss room ki light jala kar aa gayi hain, jaiye ja kar bujha dijiye.",

says Naina's father.

"Kis room ki light?",

asks her mother, not willing to leave the bed.

"Naveen ke kamre ki!",

says her father.

As soon as he says that, Naina's mother's eyes opens wide and she asks again, in case she misheard him,

"Kiske kamre ki?"

"Naveen ki.",

repeats her father.

"Maine? Main... main to uss kamre mein gayi hi nahi!",

says her mother in horror.

That wakes both of them up properly, their eyes wide opened.

They look towards each other in horror.

The windchime outside Naveen's room starts chiming, as if trying to seek Naina's parents' attention.

They look towards it in horror. Naina's mother holds her father's arm out of fear.

"Suniye... hum... hum wahan nahi jayenge. Dar.. darwaza humare bedroom ka, band kar dete hain...",

suggests Naina's mother out of fear.

Her father turns to look towards her mother and finds her sweating in fully air conditioned room. That tenses her father. He tries to relax her,

"Dekhiye Kavita ji aap dariye mat. Main... main abhi jakar uss kamre ke darwaze ko band kar deta hoon.",

saying so her father turns to leave the bed that her mother pulls him to her, feeling dreadful.

"Na...nahi.... nahi aap mujhe chor kar kahin nahi ja rahe...",

says her mother, more than convincing him - giving him order to stay with her.

"Kavita ji... Kavita ji. Kuch nahi hoga mujhe. Aap bekar mein chinta kar rahi hain. Ek baar dekh kar aun to ke kon hain.",

says her father.

Nervous and frustrated, Naina's mother looks towards her husband and scolds him mildly, it is more of her concern and fear for his well being speaking,

"Teen din pehle jab ye hua tha pehli baar tab gaye to the aap. Kya hua tha? Lag gayi thi na ghutne par chont, fisal jane ki wajah se?"

"Kitna samjhaya maine apko ke Naina ko phone karke bata dete hain iss barey mein. Par nahi suni meri ek bhi.",

says Naina's mother, out of nervousness.

"Aur kya hota bata kar? Wo khamakha pareshan ho jati.",

says Naina's father.

"Rajveer, Rajveer ko to bata sakte the jo wo yahan aya tha?",

asks her mother.

"Rajveer beta bohot khyal rakhta hai humara. Inn choti-moti baaton ko bata kar main usse pareshan nahi karna chahta.",

says Naina's father.

They suddenly realize that everything has turned normal again.

They look towards the room again and find the light switched off and the door closed as always. They look towards his room in horror. Before they could fathom the fact that everything has turned normal again, the door opens again with a jerk and out falls a diary on the floor with a thud!!!

*****

Naina's parents initially shiver out of terror. They stare Naveen's room out of horror. Naina's father slowly walks ahead, her mother accompanies her husband, terrified. He slowly bends to pick up the diary. Holding it in his hand, he walks ahead towards the door of Naveen's room, Naina's mother follows him. He nervously places an ear on the door to hear any eerie sound. But finds it all calm.

"Kya hua?",

asks Naina's mother nervously.

Naina's father turns his face to look towards his wife and shakes his head into negative indicating that it is all calm inside. Her mother comes forward and tries to hear herself, and she too finds everything quiet inside. They stare each other. Naina's father holds the diary in between them and they look towards the diary in horror then towards each other, knowing that this diary shall clear all of their doubts.

But before they could understand what to do, the shadow of fire on the wall drag their attention. They get shocked again. In their haste to check what has happened they don't even realize that the shadow doesn't seem to be of something that has been set on fire; it is rather the shadow of some illuminated candles!

As they reach the main hall, on the dining table they find a beautiful cake that was basically brought by Naina's father for surprising his wife on their wedding anniversary which is today, as it is past midnight.

Naina's mother instead of getting pleasantly surprised on discovering the cake with candles lit on it; gets fearfully surprised and shocked on discovering the same.

Completely unaware of the fact that her husband has brought it, she in her terrified state asks, pointing towards the cake,

"Ye... ye cake..."

"Main laya tha!",

says her husband, staring the cake in utter shock.

His wife looks towards him, shocked.

Her husband looks back towards her, shocked himself.

As funny as this whole scene sounds to be, looks to be, when they want to laugh out loud at this funny incident, they find themselves too much terrified. The terror jeoperdize their laughter.

His father while selecting the cake; while buying the cake didn't have slightest idea that his izhaar-e-mohobbat in the form of this cake, would turn out to be khaufnak haqeeqat of their lives.

*****

Raging with anger, Rajveer at his highest speed that he is capable of, walks to the reception. Pulling Mr. Bhatia by his collar, taking him by shock, Rajveer with his eyes filled with rage, walks towards his room.

"Kya... kya hua Sir?",

asks Mr. Bhatia, out of shock.

"Jijaji.... Jijaji...",

shouts Nikhil, shocked, walking behind them.

As they reach the room. Rajveer stops and turns to look towards Mr. Bhatia, glaring him. Keeping control on his real anger somehow, he asks him to open the door,

"Khol!"

Terrified Mr. Bhatia, doesn't first understand what is he asking him to do and keeps staring Rajveer trying to comprehend with his words but with his mind spinning, and heart thumping inside his chest, he stands blank in front of Rajveer. Nikhil too stares Rajveer, out of fear.

"MAINE KAHA YE DARWAZA KHOLLLL!!!!",

shouts Rajveer, out of anger.

Nikhil and Mr. Bhatia shiver in terror.

"Shh.... wo jaag jayenge.",

says Mr. Bhatia, terrified.

This gets on Rajveer's nerves, too hard to endure. And out of anger, Rajveer brings out his pistol and places it on Mr. Bhatia's forehead.

"Nahi,.... Nahi aap aisa mat kariye. Jane dijiye Jijiaji ko.",

says a terrified Nikhil.

Rajveer keeps glaring Mr. Bhatia. Mr. Bhatia stares him back, going numb - not even terrified of dying anymore.

"Khol isse abhi.",

shouts Rajveer at him, losing his patience.

"Acha main chabi...",

and before Nikhil could say anything, the door unlocks.

*****

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil look towards the door. While Rajveer holds his breath, wondering what would it be to look at Naina like? He knits his brows. Desperate and frightened both about seeing Naina! There on other hand Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil take backward step set to run away anytime, if they discover anthing eerie.

As the door opens, Naina standing straight in front of them with zero expression on her face stares Rajveer. Rajveer, his breathing turned shallow - not out of fear but out of curiosity of knowing what is going to happen next.

"Mujhe akela chor kar chale gaye aap Sir?",

asks Naina, all serious, but her voice normal, staring Rajveer throughout.

For the first time her staring him constantly, doesn't flutter his heart, it rather exhilirates his rate of heartbeat out of curiosity. Curious to know what has happened to her? What is causing the frequent change in her?

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil gulp their saliva out of fear. Getting back into their normal state on discovering her normal.

"Na...i...na...!",

calls out Rajveer, slowly, gauging her reaction to his calling.

"Haan? Kya hua?",

asks Naina, in her normal tone.

She looks towards Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil and gets confused,

"Aap log yahan kya kar rahe hain?"

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil look towards each other in horror. Then together they look towards Rajveer, who is staring Naina, his brows knit together. They gulp their saliva out of fear.

"Ahmm... Sir hum chalein?",

asks they, looking towards Rajveer, in a state of horror.

Holding their breath, they pray that he gives them permission to leave soon before the situation goes out of control.

Rajveer staring Naina skeptically, nods his head into affirmative, slowly - indicating them that they can leave now.

As they leave, Naina looks towards Rajveer and smiles.

"Chalein ander? Ya yahin bahar khade rehne ka irada hai?",

asks Naina, smiling.

Rajveer realizes that he needs to take chance. He needs to unravel the truth. And once again for Naina, he enters the room.

As they enter the room first Naina, followed by Rajveer, keeping an eye on her, with her back turned towards him, her fingers interwined, Naina walks towards the window. Removing the curtains she lets the wind to enter through it hitting her face, making her hair to blow.

"Kitna acha mausam hai na?",

asks Naina, smiling, resting her hands on the window frame.

Rajveer slowly walks towards her, staring her skeptically. He stands next to her, resting his hands on the window frame next to Naina's.

"Apko ye yaad tha ke mujhe aisi shant jagah pasand hai, uske liye thank you Sir.",

smiles Naina, looking up towards the sky where the stars twinkle.

Rajveer stares her and gradually her beauty; her almond shaped eye attract him all over again towards themselves.

"Tumhe... tumhe yahan acha lag raha hai?",

asks Rajveer, slowly, skeptically.

Naina looks towards him, knitting her brows. She says,

"Haan Sir! Kyun apko shaq hai kya?",

she asks, smiling infectiously, teasing him.

Rajveer smiles unwillingly, wanting to show himself as normal as possible, as if nothing has happened unreal.

"Waise ye jagah hai thodi weird.",

says Naina, her smile decreasing gradually.

That skips Rajveer's heart, wondering why did she say that? Does she remember anything?

Keeping his rate of heartbeat under control, he asks,

"Kyun?"

Naina stays quiet, staring at the sky, thinking.

That gets Rajveer restless, anxious to get a reply from her to understand what is going on in her mind.

"Pata nahi!",

she says slowly, staring at the sky still.

Rajveer keeps staring her, his brows knitted.

"Aisa lag raha hai ke iss andheri raat ki tarah, yahan bhi ek andheri duniya hai.",

says Naina, unable to understand why she said so.

As Rajveer keeps staring her, flash of the other Naina she had turned into floats in front of his eyes. That scares him and he quickly shakes his head, closing his eyes, trying to forget it. Taking it as a nightmare! That has ended!

Rajveer, holding her by her elbow makes her to turn towards himself, with a little jerk, showing his domination. Naina's head spins out of his suddenly doing so, and she fumbles in her step but Rajveer holds her from the other arm too, to get her steady. Naina smiles thankfully, and looks towards him, wondering what has gotten into him that lead him to behave that way.

"Bhale hi ye duniya andheri ho Naina, par jab tak main tumhare saath hun, tumhari zindagi mein main andhera nahi hone dunga!",

says Rajveer, determined to protect her.

Naina smiles staring him.

With a little hesitation, but lots of love to overcome that, Naina gets out of his hold, never ending their precious eye contact, and envelopes him by locking her arms around his neck, smiling. Rajveer keeps staring her, knitting his brows out of too much love and affection for her.

"Ye jo humare beech hai....",

Naina says, in a hushed voice, looking deep into his eyes.

Rajveer stares her, his heart starting to pick up pace out of anticipation of what is coming up next.

"Yahan tak iss rishte mein ane ke liye, itna waqt lagane ke liye... I am extremely sorry Sir.",

Naina sincerely apologize.

Rajveer knits his brows afresh, wondering why would she say that?

"Sorry? Kyun Naina? Kya maine tumse kabhi koi shikayat ki?",

asks Rajveer, knitting his brows.

Naina lowers her eyes and says,

"Bhaiya ko nirdosh sabit karne ke dhun mein itni kho gayi thi ke ye bhi mehsus nahi kar payi ke apke prati mere jo emotions hain; meri addiction.... jo... jo sub dekh pa rahe the, jo main samjh nahi pa rahi thi, wo sirf ek teacher-student, mentor-protegee ka rishta nahi hai...",

she looks back towards him and says,

"Balki usse kayi zyada hai."

Rajveer keeps staring her, tightening his hold on her waist. He takes a deep breath, never looking away from her.

The sudden slow opening and closing of the cupboard door drags Rajveer and Naina's attention. They turn to look towards it.

"Tumne cupboard khula chor diya tha kya?",

asks Rajveer, looking towards Naina, smiling.

"Maine?",

Naina tries to remember, knitting her brows.

"Nahi Sir, maine to cupboard use hi nahi kiya. Sub to bag mein packed hai.",

says Naina, knitting her brows lightly.

Rajveer and Naina look towards each other in confusion.

"Shayad... shayad hawa se ho raha hoga. Main jakar band kar deta hun.",

smiling, looking towards Naina, Rajveer turns and walks towards the cupboard to lock it.

While Rajveer walks towards the cupboard, Naina unlocks the door of balcony to stand there and enjoy the view all the more. Smiling, she rests her elbows on the railing, enterwining her fingers she rests her chin on it.

On reaching the cupboard, Rajveer stands in front of the cupboard and checks it out, holding his waist from either side, his eyes rolled up, checking out the cupboard's exterior. He slowly, doesn't understand why feels air pressure around himself. As if someone is pushing him away from the cupboard. The ache on his chest due to the pressure, turns his breathing shallow. Taking it as his indigestion sign, he ignores it. He finally pulls the cupboard open. The smell that comes out of the cupboard the moment he opens it, becomes intolerable for Rajveer as he hadn't expected it.

He covers his nose immediately and keeps the cupboard open, letting the smell to ventilate and exit the room through the open windows.

As he waits for it to happen, he feels the breath of someone near his ear, as if someone is standing behind him. At first Rajveer gets alert, was almost going to bring out his pistol but suddenly he realizes that, that must be Naina and hence takes away his hand. Smiling, he asks, without turning to look towards her,

"Itna miss kar rahi ho mujhe ke kuch der mere bina khadi bhi nahi reh pa rahi mere bina?"

"Main to bus iss cupboard ko check kar raha tha. Isse kholte hi yahan se ek ajeeb si smell ayi, jaise iss cupboard ko kayi waqt se khola na gaya ho.",

says Rajveer, wondering.

The sudden sound of someone hammering drags Rajveer's attention and he looks up.

"Iss waqt kon kya kaam kar raha hoga?",

asks Rajveer, knitting his brows.

"Main bus Captain Rajveer mode par aa nahi raha warna inhe achi tarah samjha deta ke yun awaz karke kisi ko disturb karne ka kya nateeja hota hai.",

says Rajveer, staring up still.

"What say?",

asking so he turns to look towards Naina and gets shocked to find no one there but himself.

His head spins! How... how could she not be there? He definitely felt someone's presence behind himself. He knits his brows out of confusion. Standing at his place, he peeps to check on Naina, and finds her standing right there where he had left her. Rajveer's rate of heartbeat increases. he looks to his right, without turning his face, wondering. He looks around the room, standing at his place, to make sure that no one is there. He finds no one!

Shaking his head, his brows knitted, Rajveer focuses back on the cupboard, he checks the cupboard, the interior of it, every nook and crook and finds the cupboard attacked by termites. He knocks the sides of the cupboard to assure himself about the same and gets assured that indeed it has been attacked by termites. But the smell that evolved was nothing like that of the smell of wood after termites' attack. It is the smell of something rotten! Rotten.... rotten skin! Of a HUMAN BEING!!

Rajveer feels like vomiting and quickly closes the cupboard, covering his mouth with his hand as nausea hits him.

And he remains oblivious to the entity sitting inside the cupboard, resting his back against one of the sides of the cupboard. His knees popped up and his arms resting on his knees, covering his face as if feeling melancholy. As soon as Rajveer turns and leaves for Naina, the entity rises his face, skin of which is burnt partially! Black... really black from the partially burnt side. As if has been a victim of torture. Just that this time the torture hasn't been on a wife by her husband for dowry or someone who was when forced for abortion took the grave step of committing suicide, it is rather a man! A tortured man may be. But why has he been tortured, this is a mystery. Mystery that needs to be unraveled!

The entity glares Rajveer, as if taking him as the culprit! Culprit for his circumstances that he is in today. Revenge is in his mind. Izhaar-e-mohobbat to Naina by him? Nah! He is not even caring to much pay attention on her, let alone thinking about her romantically.

All he needs is revenge! Revenge from each and every person who dares to enter this motel!

This is his real home - the cupboard, where he can hide himself from the world. Afterall how can he face the world with his damaged skin? Who will love him now? Who would want to see a person whose skin is burnt, burnt to that extent that it seems to be rotten! Getting closer to Naina has nothing to do with falling in love with her. It is rather wanting to feel how it feels to touch a woman! How it feels when a woman doesn't deny him - he who according to him is ugly!

He has turned maniac for taking revenge. He doesn't know who are his real culprits. He is still in search of them. But who knows that someday the real culprit would enter this room and finally after taking his revenge, although being completely oblivious that that is or they are the real culprit he needs to take revenge from them, he finally will rest in peace and would finally reach his true love in heaven where he would be able to do izhaar-e-mohobbat to her!

But once he gets hold on his real culprit, he'll definitely make them realize how it feels to get burnt! How when throughout your skin the burning sensation runs like a fire, and gets you confused where the real burning spot is, you feel suffocated wanting this torture to end right at that moment but alas! may be this is your fate - not getting moksha, and getting punished to feel the same sensation over and over again throughout all these past years.

A nightmare when not leaving your mind, how terrified you get, not only when you feel it but every second and every moment, when it is not even there for you to feel, but that terror of its return doesnot let you to forget the pain altogether. Izhaar-e-nafrat you want to do to the person who is the reason for your state but you find yourself helpless, totally at God's mercy!

*****

Reaching behind Naina, shocked and terrified, Rajveer staring towards the cupboard out of horror, talks to Naina.

"Naina... pata nahi... pata nahi uss cupboard mein aisa kya hai! Wahan se itni badboo aai jaise hi maine usse khola. Mano wahan koi janwar jala kar mar diya gaya ho.",

says Rajveer, feeling disgust, wrapping his nose still with his hand.

He suddenly realizes that he doesn't have to cover his nose anymore. He removes it, looking towards his hand.

"Kaisa lagta hoga jab kisi insaan ko jala kar maar diya gaya ho?",

asks Naina, ever so slowly, still not turned to look towards Rajveer.

Rajveer finds her question weird and he turns to look towards her, knitting his brows.

"Hum uss barey mein soche hi kyun?",

asks Rajveer looking towards Naina whose back is turned towards Rajveer.

"Kyun?",

asks Naina, in a dreamy voice.

"Jab teri ye mashuka jalegi tab sochega na?",

asks Naina, and the dreadful voice returns back!!!

Rajveer stares the entity standing in front of him in horror.

"Jalna kisse kehte hain....",

she says in the same dreadful voice.

She turns her face towards Rajveer with a jerk, her hair falling on her face out of the jerk.

Rajveer stands fixated at his place unable to fathom all the weird incidents happening with him this evening!

"Kya tujhe pata hai Rajveer?",

asks the entity.

Rajveer's chest expands and contracts at quick pace, trying to accept the fact that his Naina has been possessed again!

*****

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil discuss amongst themselves.

"Wo uske ander hi hai!",

says Mr. Bhatia, confidently, without blinking his eyes.

Drinking from his cup of tea, Nikhil says,

"Kya baat karr rahe ho aap Jijaji? Dekha nahi kitni normal lag rahi thi wo?"

Mr. Bhatia engrossed in his deep thinking doesn't accept Nikhil's idea.

He shakes his index finger in front of Nikhil, his eyes transfixed at Rajveer and Naina's room's door and says,

"Wo normal lag rahi thi. Wo normal thi nahi."

"Kya matlab?",

asks Nikhil, confused.

Mr. Bhatia, looks towards Nikhil, his eyes wide open in horror.

"Ek aatma ek shareer ko khokhla karne ki himmat rakhti hai. Thaka deti hai ek shareer ko. Kamzori kyun mehsoos ho rahi hai iss baat ka pata na wo shareer laga pati hai aur na hi uske aas paas rehne wale log.",

says Mr. Bhatia, in hushed voice.

Nikhil hears him shocked.

"Ek aatma kitna waqt lagati hai ek dusri aatma ko apne qaid mein karne ke liye iska na uss shareer ko pata hota hai jiske ander wo hai aur na hi unn logo ko jo bahar reh kar unke ander ke badlaw ko mehsus karte hain.",

shares Mr. Bhatia, thinking deep.

"Lekin... lekin Jeejaji ek aatma ka ek zinda shareer ke ander ghusne ka matlab hi to ye hai ke usne uss shareer ki aatma ko apne vash mein kar liya ho?",

asks Nikhil, his throat drying, as he questions staring his Jeejaji in horror.

Mr. Bhatia, staring at a far away point constantly, shakes his head into negative and ever so slowly says,

"Nahi!"

That sends shiver to run down Nikhil's spine.

"Ma...matlab??",

asks Nikhil, shocked, his heart thumping inside his chest in anticipation.

"Matlab ye ke wo aatma jo uss shareer mein ghusti hai wo bhale hi uss shareer mein rehti hai magar uss insaan ki apni aatma usse larhne ki puri koshish karti hai. Uss buri aatma ko bahar nikalne ki koshish karti hai.",

Mr. Bhatia, shares a piece of information about spirits with Nikhil.

"Isliye jiske ander aatma ghusti hai wo shareer ander se khokhli hone lagti hai. Thak jati hai larhte larhte."

He gets quiet, thinking, feeling it.

"Aur jis din uski apni aatma ne uss buri aatma se larhna chor diya.....",

Mr. Bhatia goes numb, thinking.

Nikhil's rate of heartbeat picks up pace waiting for Mr. Bhatia to continue,

"Wo uski puri tarah vash mein ho jati hai!!"

Nikhil's chest expands and contracts at quick succession hearing that. His eyes wide opened.

Laughing a little, sarcastically, Mr. Bhatia says,

"Izhaar-e-mohobbat jo ho jati hai uss aatma ko uss shareer se!"

Nikhil could feel sweat beads getting collected behind his neck out of fear.

"Kya... kya apko lagta hai Mrs. Alekh Sharma ki aatma ne larhna chor diya hoga?",

asks Nikhil, finding his own words weird and worth giving goosebumps to himself.

Mr. Bhatia staring still, shakes his head into negative,

"Itni kamzor aurat nahi lagti wo mujhe. Na jane kyun ek bharosa hai ke wo uss aatma ko jeetne nahi degi. Akhri dum tak larhegi.",

he shares his thought.

"Aap ye isliye keh rahe ho na kyunki aap chahte ho ke wo uss aatma se larhe aur jeet jaye?",

asks Nikhil pointing an index finger towards Mr. Bhatia.

"Kyunki aap nahi chahte ke Didi ki tarah koi bhi insaan inn shaitani takaton ke agey haar jaye?",

asks Nikhil.

Mr. Bhatia turns to look towards Nikhil in horror, too shocked to reply to that!

He slowly turns back, looking towards his front, thinking, and says,

"Bohot pyar karta tha main usse."

"Yahan kaam mein mashroof rehne ki wajah se kayi kayi din ghar jana nahi hota tha.",

he says, drowning into the pool of his thoughts.

"Uss din... uss din bada khush tha main. Salgira thi hum dono ki shadi ki.",

says Mr. Bhatia, his throat chokes out of emotions for his wife.

"Tab yahin paas mein ek aur motel hua karta tha Mr. Verma ka. Unse ijjazat maang kar unke hawale iss hotel ko kuch dino ke liye chor kar gaya tha. Unka bhai dekhta tha yahan ka kaam mere gairhazri mein.",

remembers Mr. Bhatia and shares it with Nikhil.

"Tab kahan pata tha ke kuch dino ki chuththi, ek mahine ki chuththi bann jayegi. Aisi ke... ke mujhe ye jagah band kar dena parhega ek mahine ke liye!",

says Mr. Bhatia, fear bubbling inside him.

"Wo to acha hai ke yahan aksar koi nahi aata to uss waqt ye jagah khali thi, warna na jane main kya karta!",

exclaims Mr. Bhatia, wondering.

"Itne waqt baad milne par main usse izhaar-e-mohobbat bhi nahi kar paya!",

says Mr. Bhatia, sadly.

Nikhil feels sad about him.

"Jijaji. Itne saal beet chukey hain iss baat ko. Apne aaj tak mujhe ye nahi bataya ke akhir uss din hua kya tha Didi ke saath? Achi khasi to thi Didi jab akhri baar mujhse milne ayi thi.",

says Nikhil, feeling extreme pain and loneliness all over again.

"Uss din!!!....",

says Mr. Bhatia looking towards Nikhil and slowly turns again looking at infinity remembering that fateful day!

*****

"Naveen!",

murmurs his mother with tearful eyes, looking heavenwards.

Her husband wraps her by her shoulders from behind.

"Chaliye, Naveen ki khwahish puri karte hain.",

says her husband, smiling sadly.

His mother wipes off her tears and nods her head slowly.

Together they cut the cake, crying.

Breeze enters the room hitting their face lightly. Closing their eyes, they take it to be Naveen, smiling.

They feed each other the cake.

His mother cuts another piece and forwards it in the air, waiting for Naveen to have it. Her throat chokes, tears roll down her cheeks out of expectation. Naveen's father's state is no better!

"Beta... tu ne humare liye apni mohobbat ka izhar kar diya. Ab humein ek mauka de na tujh par jee bhar kar pyar lutane ka?",

requests Naveen's father, crying.

His mother cries harder, bowing her head; shutting her eyes out of helplessness. Her hand holding the cake up in the air for him to have. But nothing happens it stays as it is - in her hand.

"Koi baat nahi. Aap roiye mat. Shayad... shayad humne kuch zyada hi chaah rakh li thi. Nahi bhulna chahiye humein ke humein itna bhi mila, wohi humare liye bohot badi baat hai.",

says Naveen's father, controlling his emotions.

Naveen's mother whilst crying, places the cake back on a plate.

"Ye diary...!!",

says Naveen's father, holding the diary in his hands.

Naveen's mother too stares it in horror.

"Khol kar dekhiye. Akhir kya hai aisa iss mein jo Naveen chahta hai ke hum janey.",

says his mother.

His father opens the diary and starts flipping the pages that the diary falls open on the floor with a thud, that skips their heartbeat. They stare it in horror. The pages get flipped in a manner that it looks someone is flipping the pages, checking for the correct page. It stops flipping at a particular page. HIs parents look towards the diary out of shock, followed by looking towards each other.

His father slowly picks up the diary and reads it.

Aaj main bohot khush hun. Har bhai ki tarah mera bhi ek sapna tha ke main Naina ke liye ek ghar khareedun, uska apna ghar. Main bhaley hi uske saath humesha nahi reh pata, akhir soldier banna itna aasan to nahi na! magar uski bhavishya ki chinta mujhe humesha satati rehti hai.

Ma-Baba mujhse kuch kehte nahi hain. Mere sapno ke beech kabhi nahi aatey. Magar main janta hun kahin na kahin unhe mujhse kafi umeed hai. Ho bhi kyun na akhir unka eklauta beta jo hun main. Waise Naina bhi unke bete se kam kahan hai? :)

Ye ghar uski shadi par usse tohfe ke roop mein dunga main. Nahi... main nahi Baba denge. Uss mein Ma-Baba ke saath saath mera pyar aur ashirwad bhi rahega apni Naina ke liye. :) Janta hun... janta hun ke wo bilkul inkaar kar degi lene se. Mehnat karke khud ka ghar khareedna usse zyada pasand hoga. :) Par maine roka kahan hai usse? Badi ho jaye, mehnat karke kuch bann jaye, apne pairo par khadi ho jaye fir jo mann aye khareede. Ye ghar bhi uska rahega aur wo jo ghar khareedna chahe wo bhi uska. :)

Main janta hun, aaj jab main Ma-Baba ko wo ghar dikhane le gaya, wo behad khush the. Unki ankhon ki chamak mujhe sub bata rahi thi. Ma to fir bhi shabdon mein apne bhavnao ko mere samne rakh deti hai. Magar Baba, Baba to bilkul Raj ki tarah hain. Koi bhi baat ho apne dil mein daba kar rakhenge. Mujhe tak nahi batate ye soch kar ke main academy mein baitha bekar mein pareshan ho jaunga. Magar wo ye kab samjhenge ke jinse hum pyar karte hain unki pareshaniyon ko apna samjh kar unhe theek karna hi to unke liye humara izhaar-e-mohobbat hai ?

Bus ek baar main apni choti behn ki shadi kar dun ek ache ladke se. Koi aisa jo meri behn se bohot pyar kare. Ma-Baba ki bohot izzat kare. Mere Ma-Baba ko apne Ma-Baba ke saman mane. Tab nishchint ho kar apne desh ki sewa kar paunga. :) Yein khush rahein, aur kya chahiye mujhe?

Soch raha hun ke Raj ko bhi ek baar wo ghar dikha dun. Par uski posting filhal Siliguri mein hui hui hai. Wahan ke mausam ka mast maza utha raha hoga wo mujhe yahan akela chor kar. *hahaha!* Sahi mauka milte hi usse le jaunga taki achi tarah jaanch-partal karle wo. Balki ho sakey to Naina aur Raj dono ko main saath mein le jaunga. Usse Raj aur Naina ka milna bhi ho jayega.... Pata nahi jab main Raj aur Naina ke barey mein sochta hun, mujhe itni khushi kyun hoti hai? Wo to ek dusre ko jante tak nahi hai. :)

Shayad... shayad isliye kyunki apne parivaar ke baad, Naina ke baad agar main kisiko apne parivaar ki tarah pyar karta hun, wo Raj hai, bus Raj! :)

Reading it, Naveen's mother and father look towards each other, knitting their brows, wondering what could be the reason behind his showing this diary to them!

"Ye diary.... Naveen iss diary se humein kya batana chahta hai?",

asks Naveen's mother, knitting her brows, looking towards her husband.

Naveen's father wonders in confusion too.

"Kahin... kahin wo humein Rajveer aur Naina ke barey mein to kuch nahi batana chahta?",

wonders Naveen's mother looking towards her husband.

Naveen's father doesn't say anything as he himself isn't assured about any probability that crosses his mind.

"Bohot waqt ho gaya hai Kavitaji.",

says Naveen's father drowning into a thought.

Naveen's mother knits her brows tighter, staring her husband, wondering what does he want to say.

"Bohot waqt ho gaya hai uss ghar mein humein gaye hue!",

he says, smiling, looking towards Naveen's mother.

Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he says,

"Chaliye ho atey hain wahan."

Naveen's mother finally relaxes, smiling, and nods her head in affirmative.

Naveen's mother thinks knitting her brows, and slowly says,

"Par Naveen ye bolne aya tha humein?"

"Ohoo... Kavita ji aap bhi kitna sochti hain.",

he says, coolly.

"Naveen bechara dekh raha hoga na ke Naina to academy mein rehti hai. Hum bechara yahan akele parhe rehte hain. To kyun na Ma-Baba ko ek aur honeymoon par bhej dun?",

saying so Naveen's father knocks his shoulder with Naveen's mother's shoulder, teasingly, smiling.

Naveen's mother blushing, says,

"Kya aap bhi! Bilkul sharm nahi aati. Do-do jawaan bachey hain aur aap hain ke humesha masti karne ki sujhi rehti hai."

Their smiles vanish gradually as their hearts skip a beat each on saying and hearing the words 'Do-do jawaan bachey hain!' They get emotional looking towards each other, missing Naveen.

"Naveen...",

cries his mother, looking towards her husband.

They hug each other, their eyes turned teary.

Ending the hug Naina's father looks towards her mother and says, smiling,

"To taye raha, hum uss ghar ja rahe hain bus."

As soon as they say that a plate made up of bone china kept on the dining table hits the ground with a loud thud and smashes into bits and pieces!

That sends shivers to run down Naveen's parents spines and they turn to look towards the smashed plate in horror.

After few moments, as they gain back their composure, they bursts into fits of laughter.

"Aap dar gayi thi na?",

asks Naveen's father, teasing his mother.

"Nahi... nahi bilkul nahi...",

says his mother, blushing, trying to hide her state of terror.

"Dekhiye aap mujhse jhoot nahi bol sakteen.",

says his father, pointing an index finger towards his wife, narrowing his eyes on her.

"Kuch bhi! Abhi na...",

says his mother, lowering her eyes, blushing, accepting that she got terrified.

"Darey aap bhi the. Kaise kamp uthethe.",

points out his mother.

"Ab aap mujhse jhoot mat boliyega.",

warns his mother to his father, mildly, pointing her index finger towards him.

They both end up laughing.

"Jaiye jakar isse saaf kar dijiye. Isse pehle ke ye kisi ke pair mein chubh jaye.",

smiles his father.

"Abhi jati hun.",

saying so Naveen's mother goes to clean the bits of the broken plate.

'Kaise samjhaun main aap dono ko Ma-Baba? Main aap dono ko wahan jaa kar rehne ko nahi keh raha. Balki uss ghar ko todne ko keh raha hun. Wo ghar kisi bhi insaan ke rehne ke liye sahi nahi hai. Sahi nahi hai!',

says Naveen, tensed, helpless.

*****

"Tumhe mera naam kaise pata?",

asks a shocked Rajveer, but his voice all calm and demanding. His brows knitted together out of anger.

The spirit inside Naina laughs out loud. Throwing Naina's head behind.

The laughter echos.

Naina removes her earrings and throwing it on the floor says,

"Ye tere paas chor kar ja raha hun. Ye chorna matlab ye mera waada hai! Ye mera waada hai ke main wapas aunga."

Saying so, looking in front at the door of the room with rage and determination, the spirit whilst still staying inside Naina's body walks towards the door. Rajveer holds Naina's body not permitting the spirit to take Naina anywhere.

"Nahi... nahi main tujhe Naina ko kahin le jane nahi dunga.",

says a stubborn Rajveer, staring straight into Naina's eyes for the first time with hatred. But the hatred isn't for Naina but the spirit inside her.

Naina pushes Rajveer to a side and he falls back with a great force, which causes his back to ache hard. He shuts his eyes, out of reflex action, taking his hand on his back, giving it support.

Within few seconds Rajveer could hear something being dragged slowly. As he focuses on the sound he realizes that the sound is getting clearer with each passing moment.

He gets curious to know what it is.

Soon after, Naina emerges again back to the same place, pulling with herself a body of a person either dead or unconscious. Rajveer curiously focus on the body whose face is turned towards the floor. Naina on reaching Rajveer, pushes the body in front of him, with its face turned up.

What meets Rajveer's eyes drains the blood out of his face, in front of him, lying unconscious is RAJVEER HIMSELF!!!

*****

"Ye... ye to main hun!!!",

states Rajveer in horror, staring himself in a state he had never imagined before - deteriorated.

Naina laughs out loud, sarcastically in a horrific way. Her laughter today is nothing that would be compare to jingling bells; it is rather a laughter that has the power to send chills down the spines of the people hearing it. Shake them in terror!

"Main tujhe chorunga nahi!",

shouts Rajveer and looks here and there in search of anything that he might use to hurt the spirit.

Naina laughs out again, louder, throwing her head back.

"To kya karega tu jaan se maar dega?",

asks Naina, challenging Rajveer.

"Aur jab tak tu mujhe marega. Tab tak teri ye mashuka.... itni kamzor ho jayegi ke chah kar bhi zinda nahi reh payegi ye. Mar jayegi!!",

he says, his voice full of rage and challenge.

"Ek aur cheez dikhaun?",

asks Naina glaring Rajveer, sarcastic smile on her face.

Rajveer waits, glaring, his heart throbbing inside his chest out of frustration that he is being unable to do anything to get his Naina back.

Naina sits down on her feet around Rajveer's replica, glaring it.

"Ek aurat ko jab tu marta hai to usse kitna dard hota hai, wo aaj tujhe ek aurat hi sikhayegi. Teri ye girlfriend!",

states Naina, looking up towards Rajveer, smiling infectiously.

Rajveer glares Naina with disgust!

Naina gets angry on seeing such reaction from Rajveer, hence she pulls Naina's hair hard and asks,

"Kyun, sikhayegina?"

Rajveer gets anxious, worried about his Naina's well being.

"Aaagggghhh!!!",

his Naina shouts, out of immense pain.

Afterall it is not only about pain, it is also that she is going weak with each passing moment which is not allowing her to tolerate the pain that the spirit is inflicting into her by pulling her hair.

"Nahiiii!!! Dekho.... Dekho Naina ko jane do. Tum... tum mujhe apna qaidi bana lo jitna dard dena chaho de do.",

pleads Rajveer.

"Par... par please... please Naina ko jane do. Jane do Naina ko."

"Itni bhi kya jaldi hai Rajveer. Abhi to khel shuru hua hai.",

laughs Naina like a maniac.

"Aaaagggghhhh!!!",

comes the shout of one of the occupants of one of the other rooms of the motel.

Shocked Rajveer, turns to look towards the door of his room in horror.

He takes his step forward to run for the room from where apparantly the shout reached him, but Naina stops him, holding his wrist tight,

"Ruk!!!"

Rajveer turns to look towards Naina, confused.

"Main bhi chalungi tere saath. Teri Naina bann kar!!",

smiles Naina, devilishly.

Rajveer glaring Naina, runs towards the room.

*****

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil stare towards the occupants of the room in horror.

Rajveer reaches the room and asks them to get a side to let him watch too, what has exactly happened there. With her stands Naina, who appears there suddenly. All of them preoccupied with the horror of witnessing the incident in front of their eyes, doesn't realize how Naina appeared there suddenly. Rajveer of course knows, but doesn't pay much attention.

"Dekhna chahti hai?? Dekhna chahti hai kaise mara tha main?",

asks the spirit to the woman whose husband's body is its home!

The women cries in horror.

Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil gulp their saliva out of horror.

Rajveer stares all of the happening in horror.

The constant sound of hammering disturbs Rajveer, Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil. Mr. Bhatia and Nikhil look up towards the ceiling in horror.

Rajveer, not having patience to endure all this nonsense, drags Mr. Bhatia by his collar, pulling him out of the room.

"Jijaji.... Jijaji...",

shouts Nikhil in horror, running after them.

Naina smiles devilishly, staring the agitated Rajveer.

She appears at a corner, standing - resting her right shoulder against the pillar. Her head tilted to the left, devilish smile stretched on her lips.

Pushing him to the center, Rajveer punches him on the face, hard. He falls down right with the first blow. Nikhil holds him, getting down,

"Jijaji.... Jijaji...!!",

he cries.

Mr. Bhatia cries too but consoles Nikhil, patting his face lightly,

"Koi... koi baat nahi."

"Kis haq se tu ye motel chala raha hai? Zindagi ke saath khelna chahta hai tu subke?",

shouts Rajveer at Mr. Bhatia.

"Nahi... Nahi Jijaji.... Jijaji aise nahi hain.",

Nikhil takes his Jijaji's side, crying.

"Such chupa kar logo ko iss bhoot bangle mein rehne de rahe hain tere Jijaji aur tu keh raha hai galat nahi hai?",

asks Rajveer, looking towards Nikhil, shouting at him.

Nikhil shakes his head vigorously, trying to explain.

Rajveer with a new determination, points his index finger towards Nikhil and asks,

"Tu... tu bhi mila hua hai na iske saath?"

Nikhil gets terrified and shakes his head again into negative.

"Batao... batao kitne paise kama lete ho tum log ye sub karke? Batao?",

asks Rajveer, shouting at them.

"Bus ek baar... bus ek baar meri Naina mujhe sahi salamat wapas mil jaye aur hum yahan se chale jayein, tab... tab dekhna main tum dono ka ye khel khatam karta hun. Band karwata hun tumhara ye bhootiya motel.",

states Rajveer, glaring them.

"Nahi.... nahi please aisa mat kariyega.",

requests Mr. Bhatia, holding Rajveer's feet, then folding his hands in front of Rajveer.

"Agar... Agar... aisa kiya to... to wo log mujhe barbaad karke chorenge.",

says Mr. Bhatia, widening his eyes in terror.

Rajveer stares him shocked. Trying to understand everything.

"Jabse... jabse mujhe pata chala ke ye motel ab mere haath se nikalta ja raha hai. Wo shaitani taqatein, bhatakti roohein... iss motel mein kabza karti ja rahi hain, maine.... maine ye pura motel tudwa diya. Sub kuch firse banwaya. Par koi asar nahi hua. Koi bhi asar nahi hua!!!",

states Mr. Bhatia, drowning into the pool of those goosebumps giving moments.

He shivers in terror.

"Hua kya tha?",

asks Rajveer, knitting his brows, his tone turned a little polite out of curiosity of knowing the whole truth.

Mr. Bhatia turns to look towards Rajveer, slowly, widening his eyes,

"Bhool gaya tha!",

he says, ever so slowly, staring Rajveer in horror.

"Bhool gaye the? Kya?",

asks Rajveer, confused, knitting his brows tighter.

"Ijjazat mangna unse!!",

he says, in a hushed voice.

Rajveer doesn't understand why his tone, his expression succeed in sending shivers to run down his spine.

Rajveer was about to ask further, but realizes this tit-bit of information is more than enough for him as for now. He has much more important task in his hands - saving his Naina!