Chapter 9
Location: Old Man’s House – Living Room
Time: 11:30 PM
A deep silence hung over the old wooden house. Outside, the winds drifted slowly, but inside, every heartbeat felt heavier, more terrifying. The damp smell of mildew clung to the walls, as if no window had been opened for years. The lone yellow bulb hanging from the ceiling flickered unevenly—each time swaying on the verge of dying, then gasping back to life.
Mohan sat on the floor. His hands drummed nervously on his knees—tap-tap-tap. The restless rhythm was faster than his breathing. Just moments ago, he had spoken to the driver on the phone, but after hanging up, the nameless fear in his chest only grew heavier.
Suddenly, a faint rattling came from the back room—the same room where the old man usually slept. Mohan’s body froze. His ears strained to catch the sound.
He muttered under his breath:
“Brother… we should leave soon… something’s not right here.”
Slowly, he stood up. The wooden floor groaned under each of his steps—creak… creak… creak. It was as if the house itself was warning him not to go further. His breathing grew heavy. With trembling hands, he pushed open the half-closed door.
At that very instant—a black shadow leapt across the window. A cat! Its glowing eyes flashed in the darkness for a split second, then disappeared outside.
Mohan’s heart pounded violently. He exhaled in panic and tried to laugh at himself.
“Just… just a cat… and I got scared!”
But the relief didn’t last long. His gaze shifted to the corner of the room—where an old, dust-covered television sat. The cord was still plugged in.
Curiosity tugged at him. He stepped forward and turned the knob.
For a few moments, the screen remained hazy—black and white lines danced across it. Then suddenly, an old news broadcast flickered to life. The crackling voice echoed through the room, as if shadows of the past had been awakened.
Almost instinctively, Mohan’s hands reached for the table beside the TV. Scattered papers lay there. He picked up a crumpled newspaper.
And the next moment—his breath caught in his throat.
On the front page were five photographs—Raj, Sonal, Roz, Sonam… and Mohan himself. Below them, the bold headline screamed:
“₹5 Crore Heist – Five Youths Still on the Run.”
Mohan’s fingers shook violently. A chill crawled through his eyes.
“This… this means… the old man knew everything?”
A shiver ran down his spine. The man they had thought was harmless… who had given them shelter without question… had known it all along. Their faces. Their crime. Their secret.
Mohan clutched the newspaper tightly. Sweat rolled down from his forehead, tracing his cheeks. His breaths came in ragged bursts, as if someone were choking him.
He muttered again—
“No… I need to tell the others… I’m leaving… right now!”
In the very next moment, he dashed down the dark hallway and out of the house. Behind him, the old wooden home stood still, cloaked in silence and mystery—its walls hiding truths yet unspoken.
Location: Forest – Romi and Joy’s Path
Time: 11:35 PM
The darkness along the forest trail had deepened. Romi and Joy moved cautiously, their flashlights slicing through the black. The beams caught on the high branches of trees one moment, the damp ground the next. The air was moist, carrying with it the scent of earth and moss—and something else. A strange smell, sharp and metallic.
Suddenly, Romi froze. Her foot locked onto the ground.
“Joy… look… this… this is blood…”
Under the flashlight’s glow, thick streaks of blood lay smeared across leaves and soil. The stench grew stronger, harsher. Both of them exchanged a fearful glance. No words were needed—silently, they knew. They had to follow the trail.
Step by cautious step, they advanced. Soon, just off the trail beneath a towering tree, a lifeless body came into view.
Romi’s heart skipped. Her fingers turned to ice. She clutched Joy’s hand tightly, as if holding herself from collapsing.
They bent down slowly. The beam of light slid across the face—and Romi’s scream tore through the night.
“No! No, no, no! This can’t be—!”
Her voice broke into fragments.
“S… Sonal…”
Sonal’s body lay sprawled on the ground. Her neck was slashed brutally, the earth and her clothes soaked crimson. Her eyes were still open—frozen wide in the terror of her last moment.
Beside her lay a small knife. Its blade was smeared with blood, dark and gleaming even now.
Joy’s voice trembled as he asked,
“You… you know her?”
Romi nodded, tears shimmering in her lashes.
“Yes… she came with us… but… who could do this to her?”
Joy swallowed hard.
“I don’t know… but this isn’t the work of an animal. Her throat—it was cut clean. And look—there’s the knife… still bloody.”
Romi’s breath shuddered out.
“Which means… a human did this. But… why?”
Joy’s lips were dry.
“I don’t know… but what was she even doing out here, this late?”
Romi’s throat tightened as she remembered.
“She… she had been missing since morning. She fought with Raj… and stormed out in anger… alone…”
Joy swept his eyes around. The darkness felt heavier, thicker, pressing in on them.
“Then… then who did this? That means… there’s someone else out here. Someone… besides us.”
His voice faded into the night air.
Romi’s tears now flowed freely. She covered her mouth, but her sobs slipped through, shaking her whole body.
Instead of calling for help, their instincts pulled them back. Step by step, they began to retreat, their flashlights quivering in their trembling hands.
Romi’s broken voice whispered—
“We… we have to tell the others… about her… Let’s go home… right now…”
And then, shattered inside, the two of them turned away—leaving the dense, merciless darkness of the forest behind.
Continue.....
By Pooja kumari
