Her Nightmare | 18+

|| Chapter 15 ||

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PARINIDHI

"Rahul, let's hurry up, we're getting late," I called out while waiting outside his school.

"Yeah, di, I'm coming," Rahul replied, annoyance evident in his voice as he bid goodbye to his friends. "How many times have I told you not to pick me up from school?" he grumbled, his frustration palpable.

I gently ran my fingers through his hair, sensing his unease, and asked, "What's wrong, Rahul?"

"Everyone teases me because my sister still comes to pick me up. It's embarrassing," Rahul confessed, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

As we crossed the road, I held Rahul's hand firmly, offering reassurance. "So what? My college is right next to your school, and our timings match, so I come to pick you up," I explained.

"But di," Rahul protested, but I cut him off. "You feel ashamed because of me," I asked, searching his eyes for understanding.

"No, di, I won't say that again, sorry," Rahul replied, his tone contrite, as we neared our house.

"Why is there such a crowd outside?" Rahul asked, noticing the commotion.

Seeing the crowd, confusion clouded my mind, but it quickly turned into fear and dread when I noticed the white cloths. My steps faltered, and I bit my inner cheek to fight back tears as I looked at Rahul. "Rahul, doesn't your friend Vikram live nearby?" I asked urgently. "Go there, I'll come to pick you up in a while."

"But di," Rahul protested, but I insisted, "Do as I say."

"Okay, di," Rahul responded obediently and headed in the opposite direction. With a racing heartbeat, I rushed towards our home.

As I stepped through the threshold, the weight of dread bore down on me like a crushing wave. There, in the dimly lit hallway, lay my father's motionless form, bathed in an eerie stillness.

My mother's anguished wails pierced the heavy silence, echoing off the walls, while the hushed murmurs of mourners swirled around me like a haunting melody.

In that moment of utter despair, I sank to my knees, my voice torn from my throat in a primal scream of agony, "Papa!"

"Papa!" I jolted awake with a scream, my forehead slick with sweat. Gazing at my trembling hand, I surveyed my surroundings and recognized the familiar sight of my bedroom. It slowly dawned on me that I had been lost in a dream while asleep.

As my consciousness struggled to separate dreams from reality, the savagery of Devansh's actions persisted, haunting me like an eerie gust of wind swirling around me, casting a chilling aura.

The terrifying scene from moments ago resurfaced vividly, playing out before my eyes once more, causing a cold shiver to run down my spine, sending a bone-deep chill through my entire being.

"No, Devansh, please," I pleaded, my voice quivering with fear. "You're misunderstanding everything. I haven't done anything wrong." I lay on the bed, feeling helpless as Devansh loomed over me, his grip firm on both of my wrists, pinning them above my head with one hand.