IT Follows me

Chapter-4 Few chills down the spine

Sonakshi pushed the duvet away while checking for Dev.
He wasn't asleep. The bed was empty.
This early bird...

Dev was jogging down the street. The villa he had bought was at the corner and too alien from the other villas.
He felt like something weird.
"Hello Sahab," A young man greeted him on the way,
"Hi, Are you residing here??" Dev asked back.
"Hmm...for 12 years, since my dad came in transfer to this city as Principal of an arts college here."
"Oh...I came here two days back,"
Why am I feeling as if I am accustomed with this guy and saying things about me??
"I am Abdul, Abdul Rehman."
"Dev, Dev Dixit."
The men shook hands.
"Where are you staying bhai??"
"In the villa at corner, 14-A..."
"Waah...really you are brave enough to stay there,"
"Kyun??"
"Then...who will stay in that villa?? It's sort of spooky."
"Spooky??"
"Haan," The man continued, "Before the villa was built, the place there had a demolished English Villa, which was gifted by Queen Victoria to Sir Greenwood, then deputy for this region during colonial era. After Independence, the people over here, due to the brainwash of then Kashmiri king, who held grudges against that Angrez Sahib, burnt him alive inside the house."
Dev felt like throwing up.
Yeh kya hai yaar...fine morning I am listening to things like burning alive etc.
"Later, the people who were involved in the affair died mysteriously,"
Abdul sighed, "It was said that Sir Greenwood 's vengeful ghost killed them all,"
"Then??"
"Then, people were afraid to even near the demolished building, Later the bank which took over the land, had the building demolished. New villa was built by one of the top official whose family was totally against it,"
By then two had reached a Chai shop.
"Want to have some chai??"
"Chai?? Then this jog will be useless,"
"Arrey Bhai, don't worry, Yeh Sulaiman ki tea main, no calories only herbal," Abdul snickered as he got two glasses.
"Have it,"
Dev extended his hand reluctantly.
I can't bluntly refuse to my new neighbour.
"So...where did I stop??"
"Hmm...A top official reconstructed a villa..."
"Haan...so," Abdul sat on the bench while indicating Dev to sit next to him.
"That official took those words lightly. Even the area members warned him off building a villa, saying that the ghost is possesive of the land but this guy paid no heed,"
Abdul slurped the tea,
"Finally, the day before grahapravesh, he disappeared and still now people are looking for him,"
Dev let the information sink in as he sipped the tea.
It's nice. I mean the tea.
Poor official. Where did he go??
"Then his wife, handed over the property to bank. Bank kept it for auction and Ishwari enterprises bought it,"
"I am the MD of it," Dev replied, "I was the one who bought it,"
Abdul shrieked.
"You are not a tenant??"
"Not at all,"
"Bhai saab, vacate the house immediately," Abdul jolted up.
"What??"
"Haan Bhai saab, don't you stay there. That too alone."
"Arrey...I am not alone but with my wife Sona. We both are newly married and are on our honeymoon,"
Dev said casually while sipping the last part of tea.

Sonakshi wore the yellow kurta.
Her hands touched the mangalsutra around her neck.
I am Mrs Dixit.
She smiled while looking at vermillion adorned on her forehead.
I am Mrs Dixit.
She heard few rumbling sounds.
Might be mice.
Slowly she felt the place turning colder.
The hair on skin raised up, and her throat became dry.
What is happening??
Wearing the cardigan, she walked out to the kitchen.

"Arrey Bhai...sun lo na. If you want a horror moon instead of honey moon, continue staying there."
"Kya bakwas hai yeh?? Ghosts and vengeance. We are living in 21st century and you are narrating old wives' tales."
"Ok Bhai. Educated city Sahibs like you shall never understand,"
Abdul sighed, "If any emergency, don't hesitate to reach me, I am right there in Villa 12-A."
Dev nodded.
"Waise bhi, I loved the tea,"

Sonakshi felt like someone watching her.
Her fingers were busy plucking curry leaves out of the stalk while her eyes kept roaming around.
The wind chimes danced due to air.
Soon two hands wrapped around her waist.
"Dev..." Sonakshi shrieked, "You scared me."
No reply.
She felt the hands to be cold.
They were bony. It was not Dev.
He had hands that had warmth for her.
Her heartbeats raced.
Who is that??
She felt the hold getting tighter.
"Leave me..." A whisper escaped her mouth.
Gathering courage, she pushed the plate on the marble slab away.
It reflected a half burnt face behind her with a toothless smile.
Sonakshi's voice died in her throat.
Her eyes widened while legs shivered.
"Dev...Dev..." She muttered slowly like a kid learning to speak.
Finally after gathering courage, she shouted loud.
Her blood curling scream was heard by all residents of the street.