Marked By Darkness

Chapter 51- Processed

Ruhan's POV...

I slammed the door open, my heart hammering as I scanned the house for Ruhi. She was nowhere to be seen. The oppressive silence gnawed at me, and every shadow seemed to twist and shift with malice. My chest tightened, fear clawing at my insides.

Then, I caught a flicker of movement outside.

The garden.

I rushed to the back door, flinging it open to the cold night air. My gaze locked onto her instantly. Ruhi sat on the damp grass, her back to me, swallowed by the shadows of the backyard. She was unnervingly still, the kind of stillness that made every instinct in me scream something was wrong.

"Ruhi," I called, my voice steady despite the dread coiling in my gut.

She didn’t respond.

I moved closer, each step hesitant, my unease deepening with every passing second. When I finally reached her, I touched her shoulder lightly.

"Ruhi, come inside."

At my touch, she turned to face me, and my breath caught. The person before me had Ruhi’s face, but her expression was foreign, alien. Her eyes gleamed with a cruel, unsettling light, and her smile—God, her smile—was twisted, mocking.

Before I could react, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me, pressing her cold face against my shoulder.

"I was waiting for you," she whispered, her voice soft yet brimming with malice.

Every fiber of my being screamed this wasn’t Ruhi. Her touch, her voice, even her presence felt wrong. I pulled back, keeping my voice firm and controlled.

"Where is Ruhi? Who are you?"

Her eyes gleamed with dark amusement as she tilted her head, the smile never faltering. "She’s with me now," she said, her tone chillingly calm. "You can’t save her. You can’t save anyone she loves."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, refusing to let the fear show. I had faced darkness before, the curse of the bungalow, the weight of the family’s tragic history. I wasn’t about to back down now.

"I’m not afraid of you," I said firmly, meeting her gaze head-on. "You might have her now, but I will get her back."

For a fleeting moment, her expression faltered, a crack in the façade of confidence. That was all I needed. My eyes flicked to the pendant around her neck—a small, innocuous object I’d noticed before but now radiating a sinister energy.

In one swift motion, I grabbed the pendant and yanked it off.

The transformation was instant. Darkness seemed to drain from her, her body going limp as her eyes rolled back. She collapsed into my arms, lifeless but alive.

"Ruhi," I whispered urgently, shaking her gently. "Ruhi, wake up."

She didn’t stir. My gaze fell to the pendant in my hand, cold and pulsing with an eerie energy. It was clear now—this wasn’t just an ornament. It was something far more dangerous, something that had nearly consumed her.

I carried her inside, laying her on the bed. My mind raced as I stared at the pendant, its weight a constant reminder of the battle I was now fighting. Whatever had tried to take her wasn’t finished. But now, I had a weapon—and I wasn’t letting her go.

---

Ruhi's POV...

My eyelids fluttered open, my head heavy and pounding. I blinked, taking in the familiar surroundings of my room. The soft scent of my sheets grounded me, but I felt an odd hollowness inside, like I’d been somewhere far away and only just returned.

Ruhan was there, sitting beside me, his expression tense. Without a word, he handed me a glass of water. I took it, my hands trembling as I brought it to my lips.

"Thanks," I mumbled, my voice hoarse.

He leaned forward, his eyes sharp and probing.

"Why did you wear that pendant again, Ruhi? I warned you not to. What happened? Why did you drop the call?"

I frowned, confusion clouding my thoughts. "I don’t know," I admitted, my voice shaky. "I don’t remember anything. One minute, I was talking to you, and the next... it’s all blank."

His gaze didn’t waver, his intensity unnerving. "You really don’t remember?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just... darkness."

His jaw tightened, and he exhaled sharply. After a long pause, he asked, "Ruhi, who are the closest people in your life?"

The question threw me. "My mom. My friends," I answered slowly. "Why are you asking?"

His expression softened, but there was something guarded in his tone when he replied. "Just curious. Nothing more."

I narrowed my eyes, suspicion creeping in. "Is everything okay, Ruhan? You’re acting strange."

He sighed, the weight of whatever he was holding back evident. "Ruhi, I told you to stay away from that pendant for a reason. You need to stop digging into the truth about the bungalow, the stranger, all of it. It’s dangerous."

"But I can’t," I shot back, my frustration bubbling over. "Too much has happened. I need to know the truth. I can’t just sit here and pretend everything’s fine."

His hand covered mine, his grip firm yet comforting.

"I understand," he said softly. "But you need to trust me. Let me handle this. You’ve been through enough. Just... stay away from it all. Please."

The sincerity in his voice gave me pause. He’d always been there, shielding me when everything else fell apart. Maybe I could trust him this time, too.

"Okay," I whispered reluctantly. "I’ll try."

He smiled faintly, but his eyes carried a burden he wasn’t ready to share. As I watched him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something—something I needed to know.

Before I could press him, the doorbell rang, shattering the silence.

"I’ll get it," I said, standing up despite my unsteady legs.

When I opened the door, "Esha?" I said, surprised to see her. Esha stood there, pale and trembling, her eyes red and swollen.

"Esha? What’s wrong?"

Her voice cracked as she spoke, each word laced with sorrow. "Ruhi... I have bad news."

---