The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

20. Voice of death

Everyone promptly jumped into action as their senses told them that Surbhi and Aman were in danger, for they disappeared inside one of the chambers on the other end of the well and hadn't shown up while her shrieks continued to reverberate off the ancient walls. As panic set inside their hearts and all mirth lay forgotten, they sprinted towards the source of the sound. Jogging across the length of the platform encompassing the well, they reached the opposite end. A raised plinth had a staircase leading to the upper floors of the palatial edifice, and as Surbhi's sobs resounded in the area along with a plea for help, the rest of them ran up the stone steps.

Chipped on the edges, weak and ready to crumble under their cumulative weight, the stairs had their thudding footsteps echo off the old architectural marvel while they continued to rush ahead. Ranvir responded to Surbhi's cries, informing her that they were on their way to reach her, but the girl was screeching without respite, and one could tell she was beyond frightened at the moment.

Rudra sprinted up the last set of stairs that led him to the fifth floor, and as soon as he crossed the patio and entered the corridor overlooking the arched windows, his steps faltered, and his breath hitched in his throat. Aman was lying on the ground with his arms and legs sprawled on either side while his eyes were shut. Surbhi was hunkered next to him as she wailed and shouted for help, jerking at his shoulders from time to time and hoping he would come out of his sentient form.

Rudra covered the rest of the distance in two furious strides and kneeled down next to Aman, slapping the unconscious guy's cheeks and calling his name out but to no avail since Aman remained as still as stone.

Once the rest of them assembled around Rudra and fiddled with their fingers in nervousness and anxiety, Ayush went ahead to place a comforting arm around a weeping Surbhi and ruffled her hair. "What happened to him?"

Surbhi wiped her tears. "We wer-were tal-talking wh-when a sh-shadow hovered near the st-staircase until it came at us. He fe-fell down, and he hasn't woken u-up ev-ever since."

Siya extracted a bottle of water from her tote bag and handed it over to Rudra at the latter's command. Rudra didn't waste a single moment before snatching it from the girl and uncorking the bottle open. Emptying the entire contents over Aman's face, he heaved a sigh of relief when the guy finally had his eyelids fluttering.

Aman groaned, snapping his eyes open and eyeing Rudra with much distaste. Sitting upright, he scowled. "Why did you do that, dude?"

The others wiped the sweat off their foreheads as relief coursed through their bodies upon watching Aman be fit and fine.

Surbhi sniffled one last time before pursing her lips and finally breaking into a fit of sniggers. "Such idiots! Did you guys really think he collapsed because of a shadow?" She snorted. "Weirdos!"

Ishita cast an accusing glare at Aman. "Are you for real?"

Aman bit his tongue and shrugged his shoulders. "It was a prank, guys."

Ranvir cursed aloud while Ayush sprang away from Surbhi before pulling at her curly hair. Ishita and Siya shook their heads in disapproval while Rudra smacked Amn on the back of his head due to the exaggerated caricaturing he was coming up with as he pantomimed the scared demeanor and expressions of one and all.

Though Aman and Surbhi jocularly apologized to everyone for the prank they had pulled on the rest of the clique, the others were very much unhappy with how things had panned out since they were indeed very solicitous after coming across Aman in that state.

Siya schooled the two of them while the group chose to exit the chambers and leave the location as soon as possible. Though their banters and arguments echoed off the walls as they retreated away from the corridor, no one seemed to pay attention to the black shadow flitting across the plinth in a quick motion and a puff of green smoke dispersing in the air above the well outside the windows.