Marked By Darkness

Chapter 62- Silent Promises

They laid Ruhi gently in the backseat of the car, her body limp and fragile after the harrowing events of the night. The first rays of dawn began to break over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the bungalow that had been the source of their nightmare. The air was heavy with exhaustion, but no one dared to relax just yet.

Ruhan stood by the car, his mind swirling with thoughts of what had just happened and the lingering danger they still faced. Elijah stood beside him, quiet and contemplative, while Father Daniel, though physically tired, remained vigilant.

Suddenly, there was a small stir from the backseat.

Sounak, who had been anxiously watching over Ruhi, noticed her fingers twitch slightly. His breath caught in his throat as he leaned closer, his voice trembling with hope. “Ruhi?” he called softly, his heart racing. “Ruhi, can you hear me?”

Ruhi’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused for a moment as she adjusted to the light. Sounak’s face lit up with relief as he saw her slowly come to. “Ruhi! You’re awake!” he exclaimed, leaning forward with concern and happiness mixed in his tone.

Without saying a word, Ruhi’s eyes shifted, searching. Her gaze moved past Sounak, and she looked for someone else. Her eyes finally landed on Ruhan, who stood a few steps away. For a long moment, their eyes met—silent, heavy with unspoken emotions. Ruhan’s gaze locked on hers, unable to look away. It was as though they were the only two people in the world for that brief moment, bound by the harrowing experiences they had shared.

But Sounak, unaware of the silent connection between them, moved forward in a rush of emotion, pulling Ruhi into a tight embrace. “Thank God you’re okay,” he whispered into her hair, holding her as though afraid to let go.

Ruhi, still groggy, accepted the hug but kept her gaze on Ruhan for a beat longer. Esha, standing nearby, smiled softly at the reunion, relief evident in her expression. But Anshi, standing at a slight distance, observed the scene differently. Her eyes flicked from Sounak to Ruhi, then to Ruhan. Her expression hardened, not pleased with what she saw. She turned her attention toward Ruhan, whose emotions were clearly in turmoil.

As the moment lingered, Ruhan approached Father Daniel and Elijah. His voice was quiet, but his gratitude was deep. “Thank you, Father. Thank you, Elijah. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you. You saved Ruhi.”

Father Daniel, ever solemn, gave a small nod but kept his gaze firm. “Ruhan,” he said, his voice carrying a heavy weight, “the game is not over. Ruhi is not truly safe yet.”

Ruhan frowned, his stomach tightening. “What do you mean, Father? She’s... she’s okay now, isn’t she?”

Father Daniel shook his head. “This bungalow’s curse is still active. It hasn’t been broken. Hina’s spirit may have left Ruhi’s body for now, but she’s still bound to this place. The danger is far from over.”

Ruhan’s heart sank at the priest’s words. He wanted to believe it was all behind them, that they had saved Ruhi, but he knew better. The fight wasn’t finished yet.

“We have to stay vigilant,” Father Daniel continued. “Hina is not gone for good, and this bungalow still holds its curse over Ruhi. You must be prepared.”

Ruhan swallowed hard, the weight of the words settling on his shoulders. “I understand, Father. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

With that sobering warning hanging in the air, they decided to take Ruhi to the hospital for a general check-up. They all knew she needed to be monitored, even though she seemed to be slowly recovering. Elijah helped Ruhan gently carry her out of the car and into the hospital.

After a brief series of tests, the doctor confirmed that, aside from exhaustion, Ruhi was physically fine. They discharged her soon after, but the feeling of relief was far from complete.

As they walked out of the hospital, Ruhan approached Ruhi, who seemed a little more aware now.

“Feeling better?” he asked gently, his voice filled with concern.

Ruhi nodded slowly. “Yes... a little bit. Everything feels... strange.”

Ruhan hesitated before asking, “Do you remember anything? Anything from the bungalow or after the accident?”

Ruhi frowned slightly, as if trying to recall something through the fog of her mind. “No... I remember the accident, but after that, it’s all a blur. What happened to me?”

Before Ruhan could answer, Sounak stepped forward. “Ruhi, don’t worry about it right now. You need rest. Let’s go home,” he said softly, offering her a reassuring smile.

Ruhi gave a small smile in return, nodding. She moved closer to Sounak, leaning on him as they walked, leaving Ruhan standing there, watching them.

Ruhan’s heart twisted. He was happy she was safe, but the sight of her so close to Sounak stirred something bitter inside him. He wasn’t sure what it was—jealousy, frustration, or something deeper—but it gnawed at him.

Anshi, who had been quietly observing everything, stepped up beside Ruhan. She crossed her arms, her face showing none of the relief the others had. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“I’m not happy for them,” she said bluntly.

Ruhan turned to her, surprised. “What do you mean?”

Anshi’s eyes stayed on Ruhi and Sounak as they walked away. “Ruhi’s loved Sounak for years. But he didn’t realize it until her life was in danger. That’s not love. If we hadn’t saved her, what would his feelings mean then?”

Ruhan shook his head, trying to process what she was saying. “I don’t know, Anshi. All I know is that I had to save her. I couldn’t let anything happen to her.”

Anshi turned to him, her gaze intense. “And that’s the love Ruhi deserves. The kind that would fight for her, no matter what.”

With those final words, she walked away, leaving Ruhan alone with his thoughts. He stood there, staring after Ruhi and Sounak, knowing that this was far from over—not just the curse, but everything else.