The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

16. The most haunted place in India

She didn't wait for his response as she tugged at his arm, dragged him closer, and sprinted beyond the enclosure. She could hear the rumbles and the clanks of the tin roof collapsing while the wooden pillars splintered into bits and pieces, raining down on them from all sides. When they were safely out in the open, both had their breathing rash and their mouths agape as they absorbed the scene in front of them. The metal roof had successfully snapped the series of rickety chairs into numerous pieces under the weight, the sharp edges of the thin tin sticking out from the handles of the chairs as they had pierced through them. The posts were also lying around, the jagged ends digging into the ground while the raucous collapse reverberated off the nearby mounds and ridges.

Panting, he frowned. "How the hell did it collapse like that?"

She gulped, shaking her head. "I... I have no cl-clue. Must have been old, I guess."

It took them some time to feel normal again as their heartbeats lessened in their pace and the adrenaline rush calmed to a certain extent. Exhaling deeply, he mumbled, "That's the second time you have saved me in three days. We could've been gravely injured had you not paid attention to the surroundings. Thanks, Ishita. Thank you so much."

She passed him a congenial smile. "Anytime, Rudra Sharma."

As he held her hand and the duo walked away from the scene, both failed to notice the raging eyes of the mass of black smoke whose wrath was furthermore enhanced due to the plan going awry.

***

Inside the car, Surbhi was busy chatting with Siya as the two girls discussed the dating life of a popular actor in much detail while Shravani was peering out of the stationary car as they waited for Ishita and Rudra to return. Sniggering at whatever discourse was underway, Surbhi glimpsed at the girl sitting next to her. Shravani's body was too rigid, and the reflection of the girl's face on the rolled-up windows was all too perceptible due to the bare minimum sunlight gracing the Earth through the thicket of dark clouds. Surbhi was momentarily startled when she saw Shravani's unfocused eyes, the absence of black pupils, and the way she seemed too still to even respire properly.

Blinking her eyes a moment later, Surbhi placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You okay, Shravani? You seem zoned out."

A moment of silence later, Shravani shook her head, took a deep breath, and turned towards Surbhi. Warmth and color returned to her otherwise pallor-ridden face. "I am fine. Just wondering why those two aren't back yet. We are getting late."

Siya pursed her lips. "We are on a vacation. It's okay to be late, and it's alright if they want to spend some time here. The views are picturesque."

Shravani giggled. "But Bhangarh is the most picturesque and beautiful place ever. Tucked between the hills, surrounded by greenery, the roars of tigers falling on our ears at night, the jingling of anklets as the dancers put up a show for the royals, the marketplace bustling with people trying to hustle and bargain, the winding roads, the temples, the palace, the grandeur." Ebullience danced in her eyes and exhilaration dripped from her inflection. "Everything is so regal and so... pretty."

Siya frowned. "I thought the fort is in ruins. How can the dancers dance? And which royal family?"

Shravani chortled. "I meant this used to be the norm when the fort had a population of over ten thousand people nearly four centuries ago."

Siya's scowl deepened. "And how do you know everything in such excruciating detail? As far as I have read, there isn't much information available regarding the life at the fort because it was a tiny kingdom and was ransacked by intruders who probably massacred the entire populace."