STORY OF THE NIGHT

The streetlights were dim as the mist enclosed it in its mysterious grip. She peered out of her window into the darkness, was there someone out there or was it her imagination?

She shook her head at the thought, why would somebody be there so late at night? and even if there was someone, why would they be in front of her window?

She opened her window. It was freezing cold outside and not a single human could be seen on the street. Loud barks of street dogs could be heard across the street. Tall trees that were growing on the roadside appears like giant figures in the dark.

“Maybe it was the trees moving”, she thought.

As she was about to close her window, she saw it again, a figure like shadow. It moved again among the trees and this time a tiny light like spark appeared with it. Though not the bravest move ever taken by her she thought she had to check. So, she grabbed her hooded jacket, lying on the sofa of her room, she ran out. She did not even care about closing her window.

It felt colder than the moment she was standing by her window. She went inside the house and grabbed her pashmina shawl. She wrapped it around her to keep herself warm and continued.

Spotting the place where she saw the figure, she moved towards it. Switching on the flashlight of her phone, she searched for anything that would have made the movement. She kept searching here and there but could not find any evidence.

“I am sure it was the trees. What a waste of time! Let me head back.”, she said to herself while heading back home.

She went back home. “Oh my God! Is that the time? Its too late, I should go back to bed.”

She went back to her bed and was about to sleep when she realised that she had seen someone again in front of the window. A young boy was standing there and banging the window.

She screamed from within and hid behind the bed.

“Ahaana, Ahaana, it’s me, its Rohan. Please open the door. I need to talk to you. Please.”, the boy screamed.

Ahaana came to the front of the bed and closer to the window. It was indeed Rohan, her brother.

“ROHAN???? YOU IDIOT??? WHAT THE HELLL ARE YOU DOING AT THIS HOUR OF NIGHT??? YOU ALL SCARED ME TO DEATH.”, Ahaana screamed.

“I am so deeply sorry, Ahaana. I will explain you everything. Can you please open the window and let me in.”?

Ahaana opened the window and let Rohan in. Rohan sighed out of relief and jumped onto Ahaana’s bed.

“Ahaana, your bed is incredibly soft. Do you mind if I sleep here??”, Rohan said. As he turned towards Ahaana, his jaws dropped. Ahaana was extremely angry and it was quite visible on her face.

“GET UP FROM MY BED OR ELSE I WILL KILL YOU.”

“OK!! Fine. Why are you hitting me?”, asked Rohan.

“First tell me what was so urgent that you had to come at 12am midnight?”, enquired Ahaana.

Suddenly she saw that Rohan’s face had gone pale. The irritating brother had become serious and numb. Ahaana could not understand. She had never seen her brother so tensed, horrified, and quiet.

She went and stood beside Rohan and called out his name. But he did not respond but was continuously staring at the window, as if he had seen or done something that he should not have done. Ahaana, shook Rohan, “Rohan?? Rohan??”

Rohan got his nerves back and responded, “Yes, I am here only.”

Ahaana asked, “Hey! What is the matter, Ro? Are you Ok? You never come during this time. Is everyone fine at home?”

Rohan replied, “Yes, don’t you worry Sis, everything is fine at home.”

But Ahaana was not convinced with Rohan’s answer. She was his twin. So, she knew him more than anyone else. “Rohan, please tell me what are hiding?”

Rohan sighed, “Ok. Fine then. He is back.”

Ahaana asked, “Who is back?”

Rohan was scared and terrified, “Mona…”

Ahaana asked, “What happened to Mona?”

Mona was Ahaana’s best friend and Rohan’s love interest. Rohan has been dating Mona since the last three months.

Ahaana asked again, “What happened to Mona?”

Rohan cried, “MONA…… IS…… DEAD….”

Ahaana replied surprisingly, “What are you saying??? Do you even realize what you are talking??”

Rohan said, “I know, Sis it’s a shock for you but that is true.”

Ahaana sat down on the floor sobbing. She asked Rohan, “How did it happen?”

Rohan said, “We were supposed to go for a movie tonight. So, I went to her house to pick her at 8 pm. I stood there, pressed the doorbell almost ten times, but no one opened the door. I called on her mobile, she did not pick that up too. I tried calling her on landline, but it was not getting connected.”

“Then, I got a text from a private no.”

“Text? What was written there? And how can you be so sure that Mona is no more?”, asked Ahaana.

“In that text, It was written :

‘WHAT YOU DID TO US FIVE YEARS AGO, WILL HAPPEN TO YOU. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR NEAR AND DEAR ONES. 1 WICKET DOWN. 4 MORE TO GO. XOXO.’

You only say is she dead or alive?” Rohan continued.

This time the look that was on Rohan’s face was on Ahaana’s Face. Who was it? What was the secret? What happened five years ago?

Chapter 2- FLASHBACK

Ahaana was terrified as her eyes was clouded with the erased unwanted memory. She was sweating nervously in the month of March. She was horrified. The horror of that Christmas night started dancing in front of her eyes as if it happened yesterday.

It was a normal evening of 25^th December. There was a small house Christmas Party at Jacob’s house. Ahaana and all her friends were invited as they were family friends.

It was 6 pm. Mona and Ahaana were in latter’s room getting ready for the party.

“Mona, how do I look?”, asked Ahaana, who was wearing a stunning black off shoulder maxi gown, accessorised with a thin necklace having a beautiful tiny heart shaped pendant. She also wore a pair of long hoops to match her outfit.

Mona turned towards her with wide mouth open and stared for a couple of seconds. Ahaana asked her again, “Hey! Why are you staring at me like that? Do I look that bad? I’d better change it.”

As she was about to go and change, Mona stopped her and said, “You look gorgeous and elegant, Ahaana.