(#1 in hauntedmantion)
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 t...
week had passed since my tense conversation with Mom, but the air between us had only grown heavier. She had left to stay with my aunt for a few days, and the house felt eerily silent without her. Part of me was relieved—I wasn’t ready to confront her again. But no amount of quiet could drown out the thoughts of Hina that seemed to consume me, especially at night. The dreams were relentless now, vivid and unsettling, leaving me drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
Tonight, I needed some air. The silence in the house was suffocating, and I couldn't sleep. So I grabbed my jacket and decided to take a quick walk to the nearby departmental store. It was late, probably too late to be out alone, but I wasn't thinking clearly. The cold night air felt refreshing as I made my way down the empty streets.
The store was nearly deserted when I arrived. Just a few stragglers picking up late-night groceries, and an elderly man working the register. I wandered through the aisles, barely paying attention to the shelves, my mind racing with everything that had been happening. But as I turned a corner, I felt something strange-a prickle on the back of my neck, like I was being watched.
I turned my head slightly and caught a glimpse of a man standing at the far end of the aisle. He was staring at me. His face was half-hidden in the shadows, but there was something about him that made my skin crawl. He didn't move, didn't pick up anything from the shelves-he was just standing there, watching.
A chill ran down my spine, but I told myself I was being paranoid. I turned back and continued down the aisle, trying to act like I hadn't noticed him. But I could feel his eyes on me, heavy and unsettling. I grabbed a random item off the shelf-something I didn't even need-and headed toward the front of the store, my heart beating faster than I'd like to admit.
At the register, I glanced over my shoulder. The man was still there, standing in the same spot, watching me. His gaze was intense, almost predatory.
I decided not to buy anything. The feeling of being watched was too overwhelming. I quickly placed the item back on the nearest shelf and headed out of the store, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over me. The night air was colder now, and I regretted not taking the car. But the store wasn't far from home-I could walk back quickly.
As I walked down the dark street, I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder. The man from the store was there, a few feet behind me. He wasn't walking fast, but he was keeping pace, his footsteps eerily in sync with mine. Panic surged through me, and I quickened my steps, trying to stay calm. But the sound of his footsteps followed, steady and deliberate.
I turned a corner, hoping to lose him, but as I passed by the old graveyard, I could still hear him behind me. The eerie silence of the graveyard, combined with the echo of his steps, made my pulse race. My breathing quickened, and I could feel my chest tightening with fear.
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I sped up, almost breaking into a jog, but my heart nearly stopped when I suddenly collided with something-no, someone.
"Whoa, easy there."
The voice was familiar, grounding me for a moment. I looked up to see Ruhan, his hands on my arms to steady me. Relief flooded through me, but it was quickly replaced by fear.
“Ruhan!” I gasped, my voice shaky.
His brows furrowed in concern. “What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I turned, my eyes darting to the street behind me. The man was gone. The dark stretch of road was empty, save for the eerie shadows cast by the streetlights.
“I... I think someone was following me,” I stammered. “From the store. There was this man, he was watching me, and then... I don’t know, he was just... there.”
Ruhan’s expression darkened, his eyes scanning the area with sharp intensity. “Are you sure? Where did he go?”
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“I don’t know.” My voice wavered. “He was right behind me, but now... he’s gone.”
His grip on my arms tightened protectively. “Come on. I’ll walk you home. You shouldn’t be out here alone this late.”
I nodded, still shaken, and we started walking. His presence was comforting, but my mind couldn’t stop replaying the encounter. That man wasn’t just a random stranger—there was something about him, something that felt connected to everything I’d been grappling with lately.
As we walked, Ruhan glanced at me, his voice softer now. “Why didn’t you call me or Anshika if you were heading out? You know it’s not safe.”
“I just needed some air,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t think anything like this would happen.”
“Next time, call me. I’ll come get you, no questions asked,” he said firmly.
We continued in silence, the deserted streets amplifying every sound around us. The pendant around my neck felt heavier than ever, its weight a constant reminder of Hina, of the truth I was trying to avoid. As we reached my house, Ruhan stopped, his expression serious.
“If you see him again, or if anything feels off, you call me immediately. Understand?”
I nodded, the fear still lingering in the back of my mind. “Thank you, Ruhan. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t been there.”
He gave a small smile, but his eyes remained vigilant. “You’re safe now. Just be careful.”
I watched him walk back into the night, his figure disappearing into the shadows. But even as I stepped inside, locking the door behind me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over. The man’s gaze, the way he’d followed me—it wasn’t random. It felt deliberate, purposeful.
The pendant’s cold weight against my skin seemed to pull me deeper into the darkness, dragging me closer to a truth I wasn’t ready to confront.
