THE VISION

2.2 | The Mystery of the Wife's Murder

Episode 01

'You really had to choose this house out of so many places in the city.' said Sonali in a slightly angry tone.

'Darling, I know you wanted to live in the busy part of the city, but just look at this house. It is surrounded by greenery. There are so many trees and plants all over. You know there is a small pond at the back of the house, and you would also find many types of birds. And see, the house has been completely renovated as per your choice. Just give this house a chance.' said Ashish with a smile.

Ashish and Sonali stood in front of the house. They looked around. A few houses spread across the place, and the small path connected all the other houses. The chirping of the birds and the sweet smell of the flowers filled the entire atmosphere as a faint smile spread on her face. She was beginning to fall in love with the place. It was quiet. Ashish was an architect and had moved here to renovate an old hotel. Sonali is a fashion photographer. She decided to vacation with Ashish in this quiet place before returning to her assignments.

The smell of antique rust filled the hall when they entered the house. All the household goods were covered. A small spiral staircase on the left led to the two bedrooms on the first floor. The ground floor boasted a large living hall followed by a kitchen and a tidy dining space. A single room was locked on the right side of the kitchen, which served as a guest room. The house was surrounded by greenery and a wooden fence. The locks were old but were functioning correctly. There was a small basement beneath the staircase, which housed all the house's old materials. It was locked, and they were instructed not to open it.

The house's electrical wiring was partially done, and then some parts were to be completed. The place needed a bit of cleaning. The maid was in the kitchen arranging the utensils when they entered the kitchen.

'Hello sir, hello ma'am. I hope you had a pleasant trip. I have arranged the house. There are a few works which will be completed in some time. I have prepared the meal. I hope you like it.' said Shanta, the maid.

'Thank you, Shanta. The food looks delicious. Is your room also ready?' asked Sonali.

Shanta looked tensed. She looked at Ashish; he had not informed Sonali about his discussion with Shanta. He nodded to Shanta to continue working and looked at Sonali.

'She won't be staying here. I had asked her earlier, but the locals have spread some rumours, so she does not want to stay here after the sunset. She will complete all the work and leave in the evening.' said Ashish.

'Seriously, Ashish. You could not get a better house, ' said Sonali disgustedly and moved away to check the backyard.

Ashish ran after Sonali to convince her. Shanta continued arranging the kitchen. She opened a drawer when suddenly her eyes fell on something. The dark object smelt bad and was not moving. Looking at it, she screamed loudly. Ashish and Sonali came inside worried. Shanta was standing in a corner, shaking, and pointed towards a drawer. Ashish slowly moved ahead. Beads of sweat perspired on his forehead. He indicated both of them move back. He picked up a knife and moved ahead. He looked at the drawer and heaved a huge relief.

'It's a dead rat, and I will have it removed. Shanta, you screamed as if you saw a ghost in the house.' laughed Ashish.

Shanta was still trembling. Seeing it, Sonali asked her to go home and come tomorrow so that they could arrange the house properly. Meanwhile, Ashish removed the dead rat and sanitised the cupboard.

'That's not a good sign, Ashish. A dead rat.' said Sonali.

'Don't worry, dear. This is an old house. Tomorrow I will call the pesticides guys to clean the house. You do not have to believe the rumours. Come on, let's eat. We have a lot of unpacking to do.' Ashish winked as he hugged Sonali.