The End Of Us

Chapter 11

28th June 1995

The next morning, I woke up by a persistent knocking at my door. "Nandani, wake up! It's already two in the afternoon. Aren't you hungry?" Navya called out.

Groggily, I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and yawning. I was astounded to see the state of my room. Blankets and pillows were scattered on the floor, along with my alarm clock, which was now broken. The glass vase was shattered, and the flower pots in the balcony were overturned. The clock had stopped at 3:30 a.m. What had happened? I couldn't understand it.

"Nandani, come on, wake up! How long are you going to sleep?" Navya's voice came again. I quickly tied my hair into a messy bun and made my way to the door. As I walked, something sharp pierced my foot.

"Ouch!" I cried out in pain.

"Nandani, are you alright?" Navya's voice came through the door. She was knocking more urgently now. I bent down and carefully picked up a broken photo frame lying on the floor. It was a picture of Manik and me.

How did this photo frame get here? Why was my entire room in such disarray? I thought.

"Nandani, you're scaring me! Are you okay?" Navya grew more frantic as she continued banging on the door. I could hear the worried voices of Cabir, Mukti, Abhimanyu, Dhruv, Harshad, and Aryaman joining in.

They all started pounding on the door.

I set the photo frame aside and carefully made my way to the door. As I opened it, my friends rushed into my room, their expressions quickly shifting from concern to shock at the chaotic scene before them. The room was a mess, with items strewn haphazardly across the floor.

"Nandu, what happened here?" Navya asked, taken aback.

"Why is your foot bleeding? Are you okay?" Dhruv asked concernedly.

"Guys, I have no idea," I replied, bewildered. "I woke up to find the entire room like this. When I got up to open the door, I felt something sharp pierce my foot. Look, even the flower pots in the balcony are broken, and there aren't any flowers left in them," I retorted.

"How is this even possible?" Abhimanyu asked, his voice tinged with disbelief as he looked at the destruction.

"Guys, I've been saying it all along- this villa is haunted. There is a spirit or a ghost in the house," Aryaman's voice trembled.

"Shut up, Aryaman. Ghosts do not exist," Dhruv snapped angrily. "It's ridiculous for someone as educated as you to believe in such nonsense."

"Exactly, Aryaman," Mukti chimed in. "It was probably a thief who did all this."

"Mukti, how could a thief have entered my room when the door was locked," I countered.

"See? What do you have to say now Mukti?" Aryaman persisted . "I'm telling you, this villa is haunted."

"Aryaman, if you say that this villa is haunted one more time, I swear I will grab a knife and stab you in the stomach," Mukti threatened, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Nandu, maybe the thief climbed up from the balcony," Dhruv interjected, trying to calm the situation. "Freshen up quickly, and we'll ask the caretaker about it," he suggested.

I nodded in agreement.

'The truth was in front of us, yet we turned a blind eye to it.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

After freshening up, I made my way downstairs to the living room. I noticed Dhruv, Abhimanyu, and Cabir were having a conversation with the caretaker, while Mukti and Navya played with Johnny. Aryaman and Harshad, in another corner, were having a clandestine conversation.

"Sir, we need an explanation. What's been going on in this villa since we arrived? Last night, we discovered Johnny in the backyard, crying bitterly. Later that same night, someone entered Nandani's room and wrecked havoc," Dhruv pressed the caretaker for answers.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," the caretaker replied.

I approached him and said, "Sir, there's no need for apologies. What we seek are answers. We traveled all the way to Ladakh to meet Manik and his family. You mentioned they disappeared a decade ago, but your explanation was insufficient. As Dhruv has just informed you, last night we found Johnny in the backyard, crying uncontrollably. Also, despite having locked my door securely, someone entered my room. Now, once again, you've offered an apology without providing a satisfactory explanation. What exactly is happening in this villa?"

Suddenly, I sensed a presence behind me. I spun around, but no one was there.

"I don't know where or how the Malhotra family disappeared, but they left Johnny behind. I look after him now. Last night, I wasn't feeling well, so I took some medicine and fell into a deep sleep. Maybe Johnny saw an opportunity and ran to the backyard. I believe a thief entered your room by climbing up the balcony," the caretaker explained

I felt a warm breath on my neck again. I quickly turned back, but once more, no one was there.

"Are you okay, Nandani?" Dhruv asked, his voice full of concern. I nodded.

"Guys, it's not safe here. We should leave immediately," Aryaman insisted.

Johnny started barking loudly and ran after Aryaman, trying to bite him. Aryaman hid behind me and pleaded, "Nandani, please save me!"

"Johnny remembers everything," the caretaker said, looking at Harshad and Aryaman.

Harshad and Aryaman looked at the caretaker, then at each other, fear clear on their faces.

But why?

Why were they scared?

What were they hiding from us?

There are mysteries still unsolved. The answers lay hidden in and around the villa. Perhaps we need to start from the beginning to uncover the truth.

"Manik, you were a risk, a mystery, and yet your love was the most certain thing I ever knew," I murmured. Suddenly, I sensed a presence beside me once again.