The Devil in Boots - Manan ff

Chapter 1

------Midnight--------

A boy was running through the dense forest, looking back every second. It was clear that he was scared. The forest was forbidden for humans as the elderly people who lived near the forest said the forest is haunted by deadly ghosts. He was crying, shouting for help. But no one came for the rescue. It was pitch black, he stumbled and fell down many times hurting his face, hands and legs. He was bleeding badly. What started as a mere ragging ended badly.

###Flashback###

"Hey u come here." Said a boy who was standing with a group. "Yes" said the boy. "Aaww look who is here. It's our very own Manik Malhotra, the nerd of the college. The topper" said the other boy who snatched his bag and emptied the books on the floor. The group of boys started to laugh. "Please let me go" manik said trying to run away. He has always been like this. The nerd, the topper, always stays away from trouble but it always finds him.

"Don't show ur attitude boy" said the leader Cabir pushing manik against a wall. "Leave me" Manik tried to break free but in vain. "Tch tch tch..now you have to bear the punishment for raising your voice.." Cabir said with an evil smirk. "No Cabir, not raising his voice, but trying to find his voice against us" said the other boy in the group who wore a cap. "You are right Dhruv" said Abhi running his hands together. "So now your punishment is you have to go inside the forbidden forest" Cabir said grinning evily while others hi-fied each other.

Manik's eyes grew wide with fear. "No please don't " he begged them but in vain. "So midnight we will meet in front of the forest. If you don't show up you konw the consequences right. So better be there" Cabir patted manik's cheeks and ruffled his hair before leaving. Manik couldn't register what he just heard. 'The forbidden forest? No no. What will I do now? I can't escape' manik thought before he grabbed his stuff from the floor and ran from there.

At midnight they met at forbidden forest and Cabir pushed manik inside and asked him to stay inside for 10 mins but things changed when they saw shadows and movements. Cabir and gang fled from there, but when manik tried to escape he got more trapped in the forest.

###end of flashback###

Manik ran and ran. His vision was blurring that's when he saw a small cottage with only a lamp hanged in front of it as a source of light. The only light in the dark dense fearfull forest. He ran to the cottage and stood in front of the cottage door praying that someone to open it even though it was utter nonsense to think someone will live in the middle of a forest alone that too in the forbidden forest. Hoping for the best manik knocked the door. He was slowly loosing his senses, everything slowly blurring. First no one opened the door. He knocked for a second time, this time with all the energy he had left in him. As soon as he finished the knock some one opened the door.

He only saw a blurred figure. The only thing that he could register was the pale color of the persons face. It stood out even in his blurred vision and before he could say anything he blacked out.

He woke up the next morning with a bad headache. He wasn't able to register where he was. He blinked his eyes for a few times to get adjusted to the light. Suddenly the glimpses of last night flashed infront of his eyes. He stood up with a jerk as the last thing he remember was seeing a blurred vision of a person. As he scanned the room he found that he was in his room. He checked his head, hands and legs for bruises of yesterday but was shocked to find none. 'How is this possible? Yesterday I was bruised badly and now there is not even a scar? Am sure it was not a dream. Hell, it was too real and damn scary' thought manik. "How did I get here? And who lives in that cottage in the middle of forbidden forest. A forest where no one even have the guts to look at?" Manik asked himself looking in the mirror checking for scars or bruises.

"Manik, baby, breakfast is ready" called his mother from downstairs. "Ya mom. I'll be there in 5" manik replied. "Ya honey, fast you can't be late for college" she reminded him. "Ya mom" manik whispered and got ready for college. "Good morning mom, good morning dad" manik wished them as he sat down for breakfast. "So had a good sleep?" Asked his mom Leena Malhotra placing a bowl of cereal in front of manik. "Ya mom" manik said not disclosing what happened last night. They'd freak out. Whenever Cabir's gang rag manik and hurt him, they freak out and become over protective.

"So when are your last year grades coming out?" Asked Manik's dad David Malhotra. "It'll be out by next month end" said manik filling his mouth with a spoon full of cereal. "Ok dad, bye mom" he kissed their cheeks and ran to college so that he won't miss the first lecture.