Arshi SS: The Ghostly Girl

Chapter 6

Anand knocked the door of Khushi's house and looked at Arnav.

"So this is her house?" Arnav asked looking around. It was a resident area with small cottage kind of houses, just few km away from the lake.

Anand nodded his head and kept on knocking the door which seemed not to open.

After what seemed like eternity, someone opened the door and the boys stood up straight ready to greet that person.

An old woman stood before them and looked at the two boys.

"Yes?" she asked, "What do you want?"

"I'm Khushi's friend" Anand said, "I want to meet her"

"Khushi? Who Khushi?" she asked confused.

Anand looked at him confused and said, "Khushi, the girl who lives here! I came here a week ago and she was living here!"

"No my boy. I live here for the past twenty years!" the woman said.

Arnav and Anand looked at each other and then at the woman.

"Go away kids!" the woman said crossly, "Wasting my time!" she shut the door on their faces.

"Are you sure that the girl lived here?" Arnav asked Anand.

Anand nodded and said, "She stood by this gate when I came to pick her up. I asked her if she lived here and she nodded!"

"She lied!" Arnav said and walked away.

Two weeks later

Delhi

11.00 pm

After his shift as a waiter at Purple Orchid, a posh restaurant in Delhi, Arnav walked down to the lonely streets with his destination as home.

With his morning duties as newspaper boy and then as a cashier at a travel agency for 9 to 5 the night shift as waiter at Purple Orchid added his tiredness. With drooping eyes, he dragged his feet towards his home.

"Arnav!"

He suddenly stopped hearing someone calling him. It was a familiar voice but whose?

He turned and looked around but found no one.

Did he imagine it?

Shrugging his shoulder, he turned to continue his walk but jumped on his skin when he found someone standing before him.

"Did you forget me?"

Every cell of his body fell numb and he fell on the ground with a gasp. Lifting his head he looked at the figure before him dressed in a white gown.

"Answer me Arnav. Did you forget me?" she asked with a smile.

No sound came from his mouth and he sat on the ground looking up at her. She smiled and sat on her knees.

Kneeling to him, she whispered, "I need your help"

"Who are you?" he meant it as a stern voice but came out as a rat squeaking.

She chuckled and said, "Don't you know me? Didn't your friend talk to you about that memorable date?"

He looked at her and she moved her hand to his shirt pocket. He felt her pushing something into it and heard her saying, "I want you to help me!"

She stood up and walked away.

"Stop!" he cried with chocked voice but she kept walking.

"Who are you?" he shouted in his shivering voice.

She turned to him and gave him a smile.

What did that smile mean? He did not know.