The Casement

Something Anticipated

In the night, I came back to her room after having dinner. I started feeling cold because that window was open,so I turned on the room heater which I  saw today. I then closed the door and went to the washroom for my night routine. As the mirror was right beside my bathroom’s door, I could see the reflection of my things kept there. I was peacefully doing my skin care when I noticed my bag moving but when I turned back to see it, it was completely normal. I shrugged it off. Now the room was warm enough for me to sleep comfortably. I saw my phone had low battery so I plucked it in the socket which was just beside my bed and kept her phone on the side table.I then lay on her bed. I was half asleep when I heard someone’s footsteps but when I turned back to check, no one was there. Then I just covered herself with a blanket and again tried to sleep, when I heard someone with long nails tapping my phone that it almost sounded like that person was scratching my phone’s screen. I  tried to ignore it but when this sound was being louder and louder by every minute passing, I finally sat on the  bed to check who it was that I found no one but there were some drops of blood on one of the pillows beside her. I was just frightened after seeing that I didn’t even realise when I fell asleep.

Next day,I woke up to the nonstop knocks on my door. That's when I realised that I was late to the “Haldi”. “fxck I'm late again” I whispered to myself before shouting “Aa rahi hun baba, ab darwaja todoge kya”(I'm coming, would you break the door now), I slowly got up from the bed while stretching my body, I opened the window only to feel cold by the extremely cool winds from the window, “it's literally summer why the weather is so cold” I thought. I then got dressed in a masturd yellow lehenga and went outside where haldi was happening, suddenly someone whispered in my ear from behind, “Itni der kaise ho gyi, hamare naina aapke deedar ko yun hi bekarar baithe the (why you're late, my eye were waiting to admire you)”. I turned back and saw Rishav, “oh my god you scared the shit out of me Rishu, i thought i heard a ghost or something, damn.” I said while catching a breath.  “You got scared by this little act, then how will you react when you find out about us?” he said while bringing his face close to mine. “You and your mysteries, I'm going” I spoke while pushing him away. “Jo teri khatir tadpe pehle se hi kya use tadpana, oh zaalima (why you're troubling the one who already yearn for you, oh cruel person)” he said while keeping his hand on his heart and smiling crazily. He couldn't see but I was smiling too. It may look like I got irritated but inside I was enjoying what was between us, it was something so simple yet so beautiful. “Oh wow, looks like the next wedding has been planned,” Pratiksha exclaimed, coming out of nowhere. “What the hell, you both siblings are giving me heart attacks” I said looking absolutely done. “No no bhabhi(brother's wife) only i give you a heart attack cuz my brother only gives you butterflies and eternal love” she spoke, being dramatically shy. “You- nvm let's go and enjoy” I said while dragging her to the dance floor. And the whole day went by us enjoying and exploring.

In the night I came back to my room, changed her clothes and went to sleep. But in the middle of the sleep I remember having a dream, a woman looking like a traditional Rajasthani bride with a burned face and covered in blood and ashes was coming towards her. In a flick of second that woman was choking me so hard that her nails were a few centimetres inside my skin, blood was dripping from my neck as I felt unconscious.