The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

69. Blessed soul

The next two days slipped by in a blissful blur of cheerfulness and family time. Avinash and Rudra argued like before. Shweta and Rudra pulled Avinash's leg like before, prompting the older man to grumble and carp over the lack of support on his side since Nidhi was in Shimla. Rudra and Ishita spent a lot of time at the former's terrace, gazing at the night sky and talking about their teenage years, giggling over silly quips, and engaging in childish squabbles.

However, the more he willed time to slow down, the faster it ticked onward, and he found himself staring at the possibility of death with only one night intervening between his life and the afterlife. He couldn't slip into a slumber that night after packing his bag. A deep-rooted desire to run away and hide from Kalavati reared its head inside his heart, but her voice tinkled in the back of his mind, reminding him that he was no match against her.

Unable to keep lying on the bed anymore, he hauled the blanket off him and stepped out of the room. He went to every nook and cranny inside the house he had grown up in, the very place where he made a lot of good memories that he was going to cherish till his last breath. He wished to commit every detail to his brain and ensure he would never forget how Shweta had the crockery aligned in the fancy cabinets of the dining area, or how Avinash stacked his dossiers on the desk of his home office, or how Nidhi's Tweety pillow had the smile of the bird twisted. Every little attribute that mattered to him more than he ever knew, and he wished he could take these to the afterlife in the supernatural realm where except for darkness and a sense of dread, he would've nothing else to hold onto.

But then morning arrived soon enough, and he had to gulp down the briny tears when Aman came to pick him and Ishita up. He was compelled to bid his parents goodbye, hugging Shweta, receiving a pat on the back from Avinash. The father was still of the opinion that the youngsters should never venture anywhere close to the fort, but he had no option left as his son made the decision to pay a visit to the lady in red on her home turf. Shweta cautioned Rudra to keep wearing the freshly energized holy thread while a bracelet infused with mantras was instantly slid around his other wrist. She reminded him of the power faith can exude and kissed his forehead, telling him how much she loved him.

With tears in her eyes and moisture in his, he embraced his mother once more, bit his cheeks to ensure he wouldn't cry aloud, and pulled away at the last moment, refusing to glance at them lest he lose his will to go. Taking a deep breath, he slid inside the car and watched as Ishita clambered in too. The side view mirror told him that Avinash had his arm around a lachrymose Shweta's shoulder while she had her mouth hidden by her palms to suppress a sob. He couldn't bear to continue looking at them and tore his gaze away when Aman ignited the engine.

***

The car ride was largely silent, unlike the last time when it was filled with joy and joviality. Siya was no longer with them, and Ranvir's playfulness disappeared the moment he crawled inside Aman's vehicle and noticed Janki's seat being occupied by Rishabh. Though Rishabh was new to the clique, there was a major lack of enthusiasm on everyone's part to get to know him better. After all, it was not a vacation they were undertaking. It was an attempt to get a ghost off their backs.

Ayush and Surbhi were also picked up eventually before heading towards Shravani's locality. This time, she didn't make anyone wait as she was already at the intersection with a roller bag behind her while the locket of the Sun God was around her neck. The only difference as perceived by Rudra was the shimmer of the metallic locket. It looked new, and there were no scrapes and scratches on the surface. Probably she had gotten it polished to give it the sheen.

No one spoke when the car propelled towards the highway. Offices, apartments, and malls sped past them while the frigid morning air was getting beaten by the heating circulating the air inside. The city was waking up from its customary daily slumber as pedestrians and vehicles crowded the roads. Aman tried playing music on the stereo, but a general consensus favored utter quietude because of the anxiety and nervousness ruling their minds and hearts. Hence, the melodies were shut off while the roar of the engine resounded in their ears.