"Marking by Darkness"
Ruhi's life has always been overshadowed by something dark. A haunting presence, a cursed bungalow, and the lingering ghost of her twin sister, threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But when a mysterious figure from th...
I stood frozen outside my mom's room, my breath caught in my throat.
What truth? What’s wrong with the necklace?
That familiar feeling of unease crept through me, the same one I felt every time my mom’s mood shifted at the sight of the necklace. I backed away from her door slowly, careful not to make a sound, and returned to my own room.
The silence in the house felt heavier now. I slipped the necklace off my neck and held it up to the dim light in my room. The pendant with the letter “H” glinted faintly.
What’s really behind this?
Memories from my childhood flashed before me. I remembered the days when my mom called me “Hina” with so much love in her voice. Then one day, it stopped. She stopped calling me by that name, and everything that reminded her of it seemed to cause her pain. And now, this pendant.
I sat on the edge of my bed, twirling the necklace between my fingers.
Why does Mom get upset every time she sees this? And why does Anshi seem to know something about it?
The conversation I overheard earlier made one thing clear—Anshi knew more than she was letting on.
Unable to sit still, I reached for my phone and paused. Should I call Anshi and ask her directly?
But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t work. If Mom had made her promise to stay quiet, Anshi wouldn’t betray her trust so easily. I decided to approach this differently and sent her a casual message instead.
"Hey, made it home safely. Thanks for everything today. Hope you’re not too bored without me. :)"
My heart raced as I hit send. Moments later, my phone buzzed.
"Glad to hear! Missing you already, though. Is everything okay with your mom?"
Of course, she’d ask. She was trying to check in without raising suspicion. I needed to tread carefully.
"Yeah, everything’s fine. But… she’s acting weird about the necklace again. The one with the “H” pendant."
The typing bubble appeared, then disappeared. Then it reappeared, like she was carefully choosing her words.
"Oh… Yeah, I figured that might happen. You know how she gets about certain things. Don’t worry too much."
That was it? My frown deepened. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I debated pushing further. Finally, I typed a more direct question.
"What’s her problem with it, though? There’s more to this, isn’t there?"
The minutes that followed felt endless. When my phone buzzed again, I snatched it up.
"Ruhi, I can’t explain over text. Can we meet tomorrow?"
My heart raced. So there was more to this.
"Sure. Where?"
"The old café near the market. Noon?"
I agreed, though a sense of unease settled in my stomach. Why was she suddenly so cautious?
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The next day, I arrived at the café earlier than planned, nervously fidgeting with the pendant in my hand. The soft hum of music and quiet chatter around me did little to calm my nerves. I stared out the window, watching strangers go about their lives, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me.
When Anshi walked in, she scanned the room before spotting me. She gave me a small wave, her usual brightness replaced by a guarded expression. She slid into the seat across from me, her eyes darting as if to make sure no one was listening.
"Okay, spill it. What’s going on? Why does Mom get so worked up over this necklace? And what did she tell you to keep from me?"
I leaned forward, my voice sharper than I intended.
Anshi hesitated, her fingers fiddling with a napkin. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"There’s more to your past than you know. It’s not just the necklace—it’s what it represents."
Her words didn’t make sense.
"My past? I was there. It’s my life."
"You remember things the way you grew up, but there are parts you never knew. Things that happened before you could understand. Your mom did everything she could to protect you from it."
My stomach churned. "Protect me from what? What are you talking about?"
"Your mom wasn’t always the person you think she is. That necklace… it’s tied to a part of her life—and yours—that she’s tried to bury."
A chill ran through me. "What part of her life? What does this have to do with me?"
Anshi looked directly at me, her face full of conflict. Before she could respond, my phone buzzed on the table. I glanced down and froze. It was from Mom.
"Ruhi, come home. We need to talk."
I looked up at Anshi, panic rising in my chest. "Maybe she knows we’re here."
Anshi’s face paled. "Then you need to go. Now. Before she finds out too much."
Without thinking, I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the café, her words ringing in my ears. 'A different life?' What could that even mean?
As I hurried home, the streets that had always been so familiar now felt strange and unrecognizable. It was as if I was walking through a story that wasn’t entirely my own.
