Anshi's POV...
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, warm and inviting, but the chill that ran down my spine had nothing to do with the temperature.
"Good morning, Anshi. Anshi! Anshi."
The voice startled me awake. It was Ruhi’s, but it carried an unfamiliar undertone—cold and distant. I blinked my eyes open, expecting to see her standing nearby, but there was no one in the room.
"Good morning, Ruhi," I muttered groggily, more out of habit than clarity. I was half-sure I had just imagined her voice.
Then, I heard it again.
"Are you looking for me?"
This time, it was behind me. My breath hitched, and my body froze. Slowly, hesitantly, I turned. Standing there was… Ruhi. Or someone who looked like her. Her expression was blank, but her eyes were filled with something dark and unnerving.
My heart raced. “Ruhi?” I managed to croak.
The figure took a step toward me, and—
“Anshi! It’s 10 o’clock. Wake up!”
I jolted upright, gasping for air, my heartbeat thundering in my chest. The room was the same, yet different. The unsettling presence was gone.
Ruhi stood at the door, her face etched with concern. “Anshi, are you okay? You’re pale. Do you need some water?”
I blinked, trying to shake off the dream—or whatever it was. “Who was behind me just now?” I asked, my voice shaky.
Ruhi’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about? I’ve been here for a while, trying to wake you up. You didn’t move, so I thought you were in deep sleep.”
I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to steady myself. “Was I dreaming?”
“Seems like it,” Ruhi said softly, handing me a glass of water. “It looked like you were having a bad one.”
“It wasn’t just a dream. It felt so real,” I muttered, clutching the glass. “There was someone in my room… pretending to be you.”
Ruhi sat beside me, her expression turning serious. “You’ve been under a lot of stress, Anshi. Maybe your mind’s playing tricks on you.”
I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely convinced.
“Don’t worry. These things happen sometimes,” Ruhi said, her tone gentle.
“Really?”
“Yes. This used to happen to me often. Nightmares, bad dreams, all sorts of weird things.”
“I feel sorry for you, Ruhi,” I said, offering a small, apologetic smile.
She waved it off. “It’s fine. These things usually happen when you’re overthinking or stressed.”
“Stress!” I scoffed, trying to lighten the mood. “Want some coffee?”
“I already made some,” Ruhi said, smiling. “You’ll like it.”
We sat sipping coffee, the warmth chasing away the last remnants of the eerie dream.
---
Later, Ruhi mentioned, “By the way, Ruhan came over this morning.”
“Ruhan? Why?”
“Aunty wasn’t home, and since we had lunch together yesterday, he invited us over for lunch today.”
“Oh, no. We were supposed to invite him here!”
“He beat us to it,” Ruhi laughed.
“Well, we should prepare something to take over, then,” I suggested.
“Good idea. Search on YouTube while I freshen up,” Ruhi instructed, already heading to the bathroom.
“What? Alone?” I protested.
“Find something nice. We’ll cook together when I’m back!”
---
After a lot of indecisive scrolling, Ruhi rejoined me.
“Any ideas?” she asked.
“Nothing seems easy enough,” I admitted, feeling defeated.
“My mom always said, ‘When you cook with love, it turns out great.’ Let’s make something simple,” Ruhi said confidently.
“Like what?”
“Soup,” Ruhi announced.
“Soup?”
“Yes. Hot and sour soup.”
“Can you make that?”
Ruhi grinned. “Let’s find out.”
---
In the kitchen, Ruhi took charge while I handed her ingredients.
“Cornflour, please.”
“Here.”
“Soy sauce.”
“Got it. Anything else?”
We worked together, and before long, the soup was ready. Its aroma filled the kitchen, making my stomach growl.
“Wow, Ruhi, this smells amazing. You always say you can’t cook, but this is impressive.”
Ruhi shrugged. “It’s a simple dish. Nothing fancy.”
---
Ruhi's POV...
At Ruhan’s house, Anshi and I arrived carrying the soup.
Ding dong.
The door opened, and there was Ruhan—wearing an apron.
The sight was so unexpected that we both froze.
“Uh… sorry,” Ruhan said sheepishly. “I was just finishing up in the kitchen.”
“No problem!” Anshi jumped in. “We’ll wait inside.”
After sometime.
As Anshi made herself comfortable on the sofa, I wandered into the kitchen.
“Need help?” I asked Ruhan.
He glanced at me, surprised. “No, it’s almost done.”
“What are you making?”
“Macaroni,” he replied.
“With extra cheese?” I teased.
“If you like cheese,” he said, smiling.
“Anshi does,” I replied softly.
He looked at me for a moment. “What about you? What’s your favorite?”
“Ice cream,” I blurted out, then quickly corrected, “I mean, pancakes. My mom makes great ones.”
He nodded. “Good to know.”
Before I could say more, a loud scream echoed from the living room.
“No!”
I turned, my heart racing. “Anshi!” I called, rushing toward her.
YOU ARE READING
Marked By Darkness
Romance"Marking by Darkness" Ruhi's life has always been overshadowed by something dark. A haunting presence, a cursed bungalow, and the lingering ghost of her twin sister, threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But when a mysterious figure from th...
