Marked By Darkness

Chapter 67- Funeral Day

Ruhi's POV...

The next morning felt surreal. My heart was numb, the weight of grief settling heavily in my chest. Sounak, Anshi, Esha, and Neil stayed close, their words gentle, their support steady. But there were no words to dull the ache of knowing that my mother was gone. The postmortem report confirmed what I dreaded most-it wasn't a peaceful passing. She had suffocated, her last moments lost in struggle.

I didn't want to believe it, but the truth hung over us all. My mom had been found outside the bungalow, the cursed house that seemed to take everyone dear to me. Every time I thought of her final moments, my stomach twisted, and the sorrow I carried grew heavier.

Sounak stayed by my side, his presence an anchor in the whirlwind of emotions. He didn't say much, but he was there, a quiet strength I needed. When my hands trembled, he held them. When I faltered, he steadied me. Esha, Neil, and Anshi did the same, their support constant, a reminder that I wasn't alone.

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Funeral Day...

The day of my mother's funeral arrived, a cold, gray morning that mirrored the emptiness inside me. The ceremony felt distant, like I was watching from afar. Elijah had arrived, his quiet presence reassuring, and Father Daniel stood beside him, his expression solemn, offering words of comfort to those who gathered.

I felt Sounak's hand on my shoulder as I approached my mother's resting place, my heart breaking with every step. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him-Ruhan, standing at a distance, keeping his promise to be there. Our eyes met, and in that fleeting moment, I saw his sorrow, his regret, a reflection of the weight he carried. He kept his distance, respecting my anger and grief, but his presence reminded me of everything we had been through, everything we had lost.

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The days after the funeral blurred together in a quiet haze. Everyone returned to their lives, but mine felt like it had stopped. I drifted through the house, every room a reminder of my mother. I missed her presence, her laughter, even her quiet moments. The ache felt endless, and yet, everyone around me was trying to pull me back to life.

Anshi called every day, her voice gentle, steady, just like she always had been. Sometimes, she'd stop by unannounced, bringing little things to distract me-flowers, homemade meals, her own silent companionship. Esha, Sounak, and Neil checked in regularly too, their support unwavering, making sure I didn't feel alone. But loneliness wasn't something they could chase away. It was a shadow that seemed to cling to me, deeper than I could explain.

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Ruhan's POV...

The next day, I found myself standing at the church steps, the weight of the diary tucked under my arm. The old book held so much more than family secrets-it held power, darkness, a curse that had shaped generations.

Inside, Father Daniel waited for me. He looked older today, as if the gravity of what we were facing had aged him overnight. I handed him the diary, my heart heavy with the knowledge that whatever was written in its pages would likely cost us even more than I wanted to admit.

Father Daniel opened the book, his hands lingering over the faded handwriting of my grandmother. The room seemed to darken, shadows clinging to the corners as he read in silence, a deep frown settling on his face. After a long moment, he closed it, his expression somber.

"This curse, Ruhan... it is rooted in vengeance, in bitterness," he began quietly, looking up at me. "It was bound to your family for a reason, a spell cast in such a way that it thrives on suffering. To break this curse completely, to save Ruhi's spirit from its hold, would require... a sacrifice."

I felt my heart pound, disbelief and horror settling like ice in my veins. "What do you mean, 'a sacrifice?'"

Father Daniel's voice was low, filled with the weight of ancient knowledge. "To free one soul, another must take its place. A life for a life. The curse won't be broken until the scales are balanced."

The room spun, his words reverberating in my mind. Could I ask someone to pay that price? Could I ask Ruhi to continue living in fear, knowing the only way to end her suffering was through such a terrible exchange?

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The Next Day...

With these dark thoughts clouding my mind, I called Anshika. She came over that afternoon, sensing the urgency in my voice. I didn't know how to explain what I had learned, but Anshika had always been able to understand, even the things I couldn't put into words.

When she arrived, I sat her down and told her everything Father Daniel had said. As I spoke, I saw her face shift from shock to dread, her hands trembling slightly as she absorbed the weight of the curse.

"So, you're saying..." she whispered, her voice tight, "someone... one of us...?"

I nodded, unable to meet her eyes. "It's the only way to save her, Anshika. But I can't... I can't ask that of anyone. And Ruhi... she can never know."

We sat in silence, the gravity of the situation settling over us. Anshika's expression grew firm, her hands curling into fists as she tried to stay strong.

"Ruhan," she said finally, her voice quiet but steady, "we'll find a way. We have to. But we can't let Ruhi suffer any longer. If there's a way to save her, we owe it to her to try."

The burden felt immense, but in that moment, her resolve strengthened my own. I knew I had to protect Ruhi, even if it meant making an impossible choice.

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