That Place

Chapter 8

We stood at the door of the old man's house.The surrounding was completely dark as the house was situated at the outskirt of the village and there were no streetlights around.

Even there were no lights coming from inside as well.

"He might be sleeping already",I told to Adi."Is it OK to disturb him late at night"? I expressed my concern.

"Let's knock the door",saying that he knocked the old bamboo door,which had small holes in it,at the places where the sticks were joined.

No one responded from the other side.
He knocked it again with a little force and the door creaked open slightly.

"I think he didn't lock the door",Adi said and opened the door ajar.

"Are we trying to sneak-in?",I whispered.

"No,we are not",he said and called for the oldman,still standing at the door of the dark house.

"Let's go inside and see",he lighted his phone torch and went inside the house.

"Well now it is exactly sneaking in.I hope he won't call the cops on us".I said searching for the switch,to on the lights.

"Finally",I huffed out switching the lights on as the whole house lighted up.

Seeing, he was not around in the hall,I decided to search him in the oldroom which he called as his library.

"I will check if he is in his library",I said and moved towards his study which was already open.

"It's dark here,please bring the torch",I requested him and slowly entered the room in search of switch.

Something hard hit my bare feet and I came to a sudden halt.

Deep chills ran through my body, realizing what it was.

"Adi!!!.....Adi .....I shouted his name still rooted in the same place.

"What happened?Why are you.........
he came to a sudden stop as the light from his torch landed directly on the person's body lying on the ground.

I quickly knelt down and took hold of his hand to check his pulse.

"He is dead",I declared still traumatized

Adi quickly came by and checked his breath.Confirming he is dead he touched his face and closed his eyes gently.

The picture of my dad's death,flashed through my mind.

It was the same scene.Eyes open and lying on the floor.

"Ira.....Ira ..... someone shook my shoulder harshly,forcing me to come out of my past memories.

"We should get out of here,before someone arrives",he said and took hold of my shoulders lifting me up from the floor.

"Hmm",we moved out of the house and Adi informed his grandpa to look over the matter.

"He must have been dead,not more than three hours ago,as his eyelids had the elasticity to be closed",I told him when he finished talking with his grandpa.

"Hmm",he touched my shoulders gently
"You seems very much bothered by his death".

"Obviously",I let out a sigh."He was fine
two days back,Adi.He is dead now,all of a sudden".

"He was already very old,Ira".he said
"It was not a sudden death,as you think".

"If I remember correctly, he was perfectly fine the other day we visited",
I said still not able to accept his death.

"Ira",he huffed my name out holding my arm and turned my body to face him.

"We should not let anyone know that we were here,as it may raise suspicions
among others about our visit to his place",he continued, "I have told grandpa to take care of the matter".