Twisted Tales #YourStoryIndia

Shadows

Back in 2003, I just finished my final year exams so I thought to take up a part time job for some extra income. That's how i started working as a front desk executive at my Uncle's Fitness Centre . Every thing was going great but on 20th May 2003 everything changed . Even though it happened so many years back still I can recollect every single detail of that night .

My Uncle bought huge abandoned place which was located at the outskirts of our city. He build a huge Fitness Studio , it approximately 2000 sq feet ,it consists of the big reception area, cardio activity section, weight training section ,steam , sauna and even a mini swimming pool was constructed in the basement of this place.

After 2 months of huge sucess , My uncle made decision to introduce 24/7 feature which back then was very rare. My father was not so keen about me doing night shift but he finally agreed because my cousin was also going to do the night shift with me. My cousin , Nikesh had recently completed his MBA studies and was helping his father manage the family business.

First few weeks were hard as my body was still not adjusted to this night schedule . Just 4 people managed the entire shift, me , Nikesh and two fitness trainers Deepak and Kaushik. We got good response for our 24 hours Feature but rarely any member came at night for workout. It was good for me as I was getting paid to literally do nothing. My shift starts at 10pm which goes on till morning 6am.

On 19th May, I reached the centre at around 9:45pm with Nikesh.It was around 2am , I was feeling little sleepy so I excused myself to freshen up. I had requested Nikesh to change the slow instrumental music few times but he was too engrossed in the books. He was sitting on the couch which was diagonal to my Frontdesk reading some fitness books. I went downstairs, yellow lights illuminated the entire basement floor. The swimming pool was on the opposite end and the washroom were on both sides of the Staircase. I went inside and splashed water few times then turned the tap off . When I wiping my face checking my reflection on the mirror, I noticed the music had stopped . I was happy as finally Nitesh was changing the boring music . But then I noticed how oddly silent the entire floor was. I couldn't hear any crickets or typical wind blowing sounds which I found very odd. The boring music was far better than this piercing silence. Just then I thought i heard ...

( Water splashing sounds)

( Water splashing sounds)

I realised splashing sounds were coming from the pool. Someone was in the pool but no one was supposed to be in this floor. I was standing in the corridor now trying to confirm about the splashing sounds. The splashing sounds were stopped by then but the pool water rippled as if someone just came out of the pool. I backed up slowly on the staircase and I ran upstairs without looking back . I told Nikesh about the sounds and others went downstairs and I followed them. They saw the wet puddles near the pool and searched around. They found some chunks of wet brown near the backdoor. The backdoor besides the pool was slighty open,which the cleaning staff used to take the garbage upstairs. Kaushik went upstairs using that door and found a wet cat sleeping besides the garbage bins. He came down after locking the backdoor, he told us about it. Everyone laughed at me that i got scared by a small cat. We went upstairs and nothing happened for next 2 hours. It was around 4am when I told I am going to the pantry to make coffee and egg sandwiches for everyone. Pantry was on the same floor but it was on the opposite end from the entrance. All three were sitting on the couch and discussing about some leg workout routine. I reached the pantry room and started warming the milk and boiling the eggs . Few minutes passed and I was chopping the boiled eggs for the sandwiches .

( Knocking sounds)

I jerked back because of the sudden sound. I was about to run outside towards my cousin when I heard.