The Horror of Nandighati

The Shadows of The Past

"Where am I?" The boy questioned himself, his voice a mere whisper against the stillness surrounding him. He looked around, realizing he was in an isolated place, the vibrant green hills encircling him, while an endless road stretched out before him, leading to an unknown destination.

Turning to look behind him, he saw that the road originated from the very spot where he stood. Surprise washed over him; he felt an inexplicable pull to follow it. Despite the uncertainty gnawing at his mind, he began walking forward, each step heavy with questions. How did he end up here? Why was he here?

As he continued along the road, thoughts spiraled in his mind, but suddenly he turned back to check how far he had walked. To his astonishment, the road had vanished. Everything remained unchanged, as if he had never moved at all. Puzzled, he faced forward again and found himself standing before a giant overhead board, stark and blank.

A sense of dread settled in. "What's happening to me?" he murmured, his heart racing. "Why am I here? If this is a dream, why doesn't it end?" In a fit of desperation, he pinched his skin hard, trying to wake himself up, but nothing changed. After a few agonizing minutes of panic, he summoned the courage to keep moving, to take another step into the unknown.

As he walked, something caught his eye on the horizon. A glimmer of hope ignited within him. He ran tirelessly toward it, desperate to find someone-anyone-who could help.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally approached the settlement, but disappointment washed over him. Before him lay a lifeless village, a chilling silence blanketing the scene. With a mix of trepidation and curiosity, he ventured into the village, searching for something useful that might guide him out of this desolation.

As he roamed the empty streets, he noted the absence of life. He entered house after house, but each one was devoid of any signs of existence. Suddenly, he noticed that the clocks in every home were missing hands and numbers, frozen in time. A shiver ran down his spine, and he left them behind, feeling as if he were wandering through a graveyard.

Continuing his exploration, he came upon a gate that led to a small building surrounded by a barren yard. Intrigued, he stepped through the gate, but what he saw next shocked him. A group of dogs was playing with a dead bird, blood splattering the grass and walls in a grotesque display.

The cacophony of crows filled the air as they flew overhead, some perched on the building's roof. The boy turned to look at the dogs again, but they had vanished without a trace. The bloodstains remained, stark and vivid against the backdrop of the eerie village. Confusion swirled in his mind. Where had they gone?

Deciding not to dwell on the unsettling disappearance, he approached the building's door and pushed it open. Inside, he found a mattress surrounding an open fireplace, various covered mud pots scattered about. Drawn by curiosity, he moved closer to one of the pots. Just then, a rock fell from the ceiling, crashing onto a pot and shattering it. A putrid smell erupted from the broken vessel, engulfing the room.

Gasping for air, he looked up to find a hole in the ceiling where the rock had fallen. The stench was unbearable. He stumbled outside, desperate to escape the noxious odor. Outside, more questions churned in his mind as he approached the exit gate.

To his shock, when he stepped through the gate, he found the once-lifeless village street now bustling with people. A spark of hope ignited in his chest. He ran toward them, calling out for help. "Can anyone hear me?" he shouted, but the crowd continued moving, unresponsive to his cries.

He reached out, trying to touch one of them, but his hand passed through like he was trying to grasp smoke. Panic surged within him as he realized he couldn't touch any of them. Kneeling in the middle of the street, tears streamed down his face. How could he be surrounded by people yet feel so utterly alone?

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air from behind him. He turned to see all the people staring at him, their faces filled with an unsettling urgency as they began to run toward him. Fear gripped him; he stood up and bolted, his heart pounding in his chest.

As he ran, the atmosphere grew dark and oppressive. Shadows danced around him, thickening the air with despair. Ahead, he spotted a house perched on an elevation, light spilling from its windows. Desperate to escape the approaching crowd, he sprinted toward it without hesitation.

Upon reaching the door, he slammed it shut behind him and leaned against it, breathless. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his racing heart. But then, a voice broke the silence, chilling him to the bone. "Why are you hiding here? Don't you want to meet your people, Ashudev?"

Startled, he opened his eyes to see a dark figure standing before him, a red lantern in its left hand. Its glowing white eyes pierced through the darkness. The light intensified, blinding him momentarily, but then it unveiled a horrific tableau of memories.

He witnessed scenes of despair-people committing unspeakable acts against themselves, against animals, against children. They collected blood in pots, performing what looked like a ritual steeped in madness, a horrific massacre unfolding before him.

Overwhelmed by the sheer terror of it all, Ashudev awoke from this nightmarish vision, gasping and retching, the gruesome images seared into his mind. He realized he was trapped in a realm of shadows, haunted by echoes of a forgotten past, and a chilling truth gripped him: he must find a way out-not just for himself, but for the souls he had seen, if they were even real.

With a flicker of resolve igniting within him, Ashudev steeled himself. He was determined to confront the darkness ahead and unravel the mystery of this place, forging a path toward liberation from this nightmare that threatened to consume him whole.