Few hours ago.
Mahi and the driver stepped out of the bus into the stormy night, their flashlights cutting through the thick darkness. The rain poured relentlessly, making it difficult to see far ahead, but a faint, flickering light in the distance caught their attention.
"What’s that?" the driver muttered, squinting.
"I don’t know" Mahi replied, his voice steady but cautious. "But let’s check it out. It might help us figure out where we are."
They both began walking toward the light, each step drawing them deeper into the eerie silence of the night. The whispers of the wind and the rustling of the trees seemed to grow louder, but neither of them spoke. It was as if an invisible force was pulling them forward, compelling them to move closer to the mysterious glow.
By the time they reached the light, they realized they had wandered far from the bus. Their trance broke as they found themselves standing before an old, dilapidated temple. A small oil lamp flickered in front of it, casting unsettling shadows on the worn stone walls.
Before they could react, a figure stepped out from behind the shrine...a priest, his face lined with age but his eyes sharp and piercing. He wore a white dhoti, and his hands clutched a staff adorned with beads and sacred threads.
"You shouldn’t have come here" the priest said in a low, gravelly voice, his gaze fixed on Mahi. "But… it seems fate brought you here just in time."
"What do you mean?" Mahi asked, his instincts immediately on alert. "Who are you?"
The priest stepped closer, his expression grim. "You were being lured into her trap. If you hadn’t come here, she would have killed you both by now."
The driver’s eyes widened in terror. "Killed us? What are you talking about? Who’s she?"
The priest sighed deeply and gestured to the shrine. "This place… it’s cursed. A restless spirit resides here...a woman who once sought revenge against those who wronged her. Over the years, she has grown more powerful, more vengeful. She preys on travelers who lose their way on this mountain."
Mahi’s face remained calm, though his mind raced with questions. "But why didn’t she attack us? Why are we still alive?"
The priest looked at Mahi, his expression softening slightly. "You were protected...your soul is strong, unyielding. And as for him…" He glanced at the driver. "He was close enough to you to share that protection. But make no mistake...she knows you are here. She will come for you."
Mahi clenched his fists, his voice firm. "Then we need to leave immediately. We’re not alone. There are others...my friends, my brothers....they’re still on the bus. We need to get back to them."
The priest’s eyes widened in alarm. "Others? How many?"
"Ten" Mahi replied, his voice steady but tense. "They’re all waiting for us."
The priest’s face turned pale, and he gripped his staff tightly. "You must hurry" he said urgently. "The spirit… she thrives on groups. The more people, the stronger her hold. If she’s already made her way to them, it might be too late."
The driver began to panic, his breathing quickening. "Too late? What do you mean? What’s she going to do to them?"
"She doesn’t just kill" the priest said gravely. “She manipulates. She takes on forms, preys on their fears, and breaks their will. If she has already entered your group…" He trailed off, his eyes filled with dread.
Mahi’s jaw tightened. "How do we stop her?"
The priest hesitated, then reached into his satchel and pulled out a small vial of red liquid and a bundle of sacred threads. "Take these" he said, handing them to Mahi. "This is holy water, and these threads are blessed. Use them to protect yourselves and your friends. But remember...her power is strongest in the dark. If she’s taken a form among you, it will be difficult to tell who’s real and who’s not."
Mahi nodded, his resolve unwavering. "We’ll get them back safely."
The priest placed a hand on Mahi’s shoulder. "Be careful, son. She is cunning, and she will do everything in her power to break you."
Without another word, Mahi turned to the driver. "Let’s go. We don’t have much time."
As they retraced their steps toward the bus, Mahi’s mind raced. His friends were in danger, and the thought of losing even one of them was unbearable. But what unsettled him the most was the priest’s warning...she manipulates, she takes on forms.
"Was she already with them?" he thought, quickening his pace.
As they approached the bus, Mahi noticed something strange. The door was wide open, and the interior was eerily silent.
"Stay close" he whispered to the driver as they climbed aboard.
But the moment they stepped inside, a chilling realization hit them...the bus was empty.
The group was gone.
The storm outside roared louder, and the whispers returned, this time echoing all around them.
"Where are they?" the driver whispered, his voice shaking.
Mahi’s grip tightened around the vial of holy water. "We’re going to find them" he said, his voice firm. "No matter what."
Little did he know, the group was already deep inside the house, and the entity had begun to reveal its true intentions.
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You all are amazing! Once again, you’ve hit the target, and I’m so sorry for publishing this chapter late 😭.
The next chapter will be the final one, and this time, the target is 20 votes. I don’t want you to finish the 15-vote target too quickly because I want to keep you on edge, excited to find out what happens next!
