WAJHA TUM HO

15. || Haunting Whispers ||

That night, Ananya didn't switch off the lights. She sat in a corner of the living room, every sound making her jump, her eyes constantly darting to the door. She was waiting for him, but he never came. As the hours dragged on, her fear grew more and more intense. She felt a cold sweat on her forehead, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Each minute seemed like an eternity, and the night passed in a relentless torment of waiting.

The next morning, Ananya opened her eyes and found herself slumped in the chair. She didn’t realize when she had fallen asleep. Her neck was stiff, and her body ached from the awkward position. She remembered Dev, and a deep sadness filled her heart. Her eyes welled with tears as she whispered to herself, “Dev... maybe it was just a figment of my imagination. Losing Dev is a nightmare in itself because what I did to him, no one would do to their worst enemy. And Dev... he was my husband... my husband.”

The day passed slowly, a haze of anxiety clouding her mind. She tried to distract herself with chores, but her hands trembled, and her thoughts kept drifting back to Dev. Every shadow seemed ominous, every noise a potential threat. As evening fell, her fear began to mount again. The night came, bringing with it a sense of foreboding, as if something dreadful was about to happen.

Ananya was in the kitchen, trying to prepare dinner, but her hands were shaking. She could barely hold the knife. Suddenly, she heard noises coming from the hall. Her heart skipped a beat. She swallowed her fear, set the knife down, and cautiously went to investigate.

As she reached the hall, she noticed the door slightly ajar. She felt a chill run down her spine. She approached it slowly and closed it, but as soon as she did, the lights went out, plunging her into complete darkness. Panic surged through her veins.

“Li...lights? What happened to the lights?” Ananya stammered, her voice quivering with fear.

Desperate for some light, she fetched a candle and lit it. The small flame cast eerie shadows on the walls as she made her way to her room. She didn’t realize that Dev had already sneaked into the house. She could hear footsteps behind her, soft but unmistakable. The power cut made the silence even more oppressive, heightening her fear.

Ananya stopped walking, trying to calm her racing heart. Dev quickly hid behind a couch. She cautiously turned around but saw no one, yet her fear intensified. She hurried to her room, placed the candle on the table, and just as she did, Dev bent down and blew out the candle, plunging the room back into darkness.

Her heartbeat quickened, pounding loudly in her chest. Suddenly, she felt strong arms wrap around her from behind, gripping her waist tightly. Her body turned cold, and she let out a loud scream.

“W-who... who are you?” Ananya gasped, trying to free herself, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Suddenly, music started playing, orchestrated by Sid from outside the window. The haunting melody froze her in place. She tried to free herself, and Dev released her, watching as her eyes filled with tears.

There was darkness all around, and Ananya backed away as the music continued. Dev grabbed her hand and began twirling her before letting her go again.

He moved around her like a phantom, heightening her fear to an unbearable level. Tears streamed down her face, and she covered her ears, trying to block out the song that was torturing her. She sat down, sobbing uncontrollably, and begged, “Please... please stop this. Stop it, please!”

Dev smiled, his own eyes glistening with tears. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and she was on the verge of collapsing. He knelt beside her, blowing air onto her face. Ananya's heart nearly stopped. Suddenly, the music stopped, and the lights flickered back on, but she saw no one in the room. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.