Chapter 13
🕰️ Time: Midnight - 12:00 AM
📍 Location: Dense Forest - Covered in White Mist
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The night didn't just bring silence with it-it carried an unspoken scream.
The dense forest was drowned in white mist, as if someone had spilled the very soul of the night onto the earth. The air was damp-heavy with a suffocating weight that made even breathing feel like a burden.
Through that fog, a shadow tore its way forward-Romi.
Her steps stumbled. Her breaths came out in broken gasps. Her face was wet with tears. Finally, she stopped near a withered tree. Resting both hands on her knees, she collapsed onto the damp ground, falling to her knees-shattered.
Her sobs ripped through the silence of the forest.
She buried her face in her palms. With a trembling voice, she muttered to herself-
Romi (in a broken voice):
"What is this... what's happening to me? I never imagined this. No... no, I can't die! No one... no one will decide my life for me anymore... no one."
Her breathing turned erratic. Her heart pounded so wildly it felt like it might burst through her ribs. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dropping into the soil.
She lifted her gaze to the sky-towards the pale moonlight breaking through black clouds.
Romi (softly, with a fractured smile):
"The night looks so beautiful... the cool breeze from above... so calm. But... this forest... it feels like it stands against everyone. As if it wants to swallow me too."
Her words dissolved into the air, yet the mist seemed to listen.
The fog swirled tighter around her. The trees stretched their shadows long, closing in on her.
Romi hid her face in her knees, as though trying to shield herself from the world. But deep within, she could feel it-something... someone-watching.
Every sob. Every breath.
The forest was no longer just a forest...
It had become a living soul.
🕰️ Time: 12:15 AM
📍 Location: Dense Forest - Wrapped in Mist and White Fog
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Through the veil of mist, a shadow rushed toward Romi.
She only heard a whisper-heavy breaths-and the very next moment, the shadow was upon her.
Joy.
Before Romi could even react, Joy slammed her to the ground. His hands gripped hers with unyielding force.
Romi (screaming):
"Let me go! Are you out of your mind?!"
Joy's breaths were ragged, his face drenched with sweat and tears, blurred in the fog.
Joy (broken voice):
"Listen to me, Romi... please! It's not what you think."
Romi thrashed, trying to yank her hands free. Her eyes burned red-with fear and fury.
Romi (crying):
"Why are you doing this? You killed Sonal, didn't you? Joy-it's you behind all this evil, isn't it?!"
Joy's face twisted, trembling with rage and agony. He roared with all his strength-
Joy:
"No!!! I didn't kill anyone! Do you hear me??"
For a moment-silence.
The mist froze. Even the wind seemed to stop.
Then tears streamed from Joy's eyes.
His voice cracked, each word like a jagged stone tearing out of his chest.
Joy (softly, breaking down):
"Oldman... he wasn't my uncle. My real uncle died long ago.
Yes, I did all this... I admit it... but only for money.
I was told just to keep watch... and I agreed.
But Romi... now I regret it.
I love you... That's why I lied. But I never... never wanted to hurt you."
Romi's eyes widened. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
She couldn't tell if Joy was speaking the truth-or weaving yet another trap.
Joy released her hands.
He slumped onto the ground in front of her-broken, shattered.
Joy (in a trembling whisper):
"If you still think I'm guilty... then here.
Take the axe. Kill me... and end everything."
He shut his eyes, extending the axe toward Romi.
The mist and the air grew heavier in that moment.
Romi's fingers trembled as she took the axe. Her hands were ice.
Every step toward him felt like a stone pulling her down.
She moved slowly... painfully slow.
Her breaths shattered, her heartbeat deafening in her ears.
The axe glimmered in her trembling grip...
And Joy sat there, eyes closed-waiting to embrace death.
🕰️ Time: The Same Moment
📍 Location: Inside & Outside the House
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A loud "THAK!" thundered against the door.
Roz hurriedly bolted it from inside, stumbling back, panting.
Outside...
Right at the doorstep-Mohan lay sprawled on the ground. His entire body was drenched in blood. He writhed in agony, yet in his eyes, a final spark of hope still burned.
Mohan (screaming):
"Roz!! Open the door! Roz-please!! I'll die out here!"
His hands pounded the door again and again.
Bloodied fingers clawed at the edges of the wood, leaving red smears. Slowly, his body began to slide down. His eyes clung to Roz-as though a drowning man would cling to the sight of a distant shore till his last breath.
But Roz stayed silent.
Her eyes glimmered with madness. An eerie smile curled her lips. Fear and reason had long abandoned her.
Roz (muttering, almost a whisper):
"Go away... just die...
Everyone left me, didn't they?
Now you leave too..."
Mohan's voice grew weaker... until silence.
Only the stench of blood remained. And outside-loomed the heavy shadow of Oldman.
Suddenly-"DHAM... DHAM... DHAM!"
The door shook violently. Oldman was trying to break it down.
Roz staggered back. There was no fear on her face.
Instead-mad satisfaction.
Roz (shrieking):
"What do you want? Money, right?! Then take it!!"
She snatched the red bag and hurled it outside.
It hit the ground with a metallic thud-like the tolling of a death bell.
The door creaked open.
Oldman stood there. His movements slow, deliberate. But his eyes burned with fire. His face stretched into a monstrous grin-not of a man, but of something far more demonic.
Roz's pupils widened. Her throat turned dry.
Roz (stammering, half-crazed):
"You... you don't want money? Then what do you want?
Tell me!! What do you want?!
WHAT DO YOU WANT??"
She screamed in hysteria-then suddenly collapsed into laughter.
Her laughter echoed through the room-a deranged laugh, one that even she feared herself.
Oldman stepped forward. Each heavy footfall against the wooden floor thudded like death's own approach.
Roz's heart pounded wildly.
In a sudden burst, she spun around-flung open the back door-and ran outside.
Ahead lay the forest.
Her silhouette darted into the darkness, swallowed by mist.
Behind her, a chilling sound rang out-"CHHNNNAKK!"
Oldman had raised his axe. And now... he followed.
The game was no longer about survival.
It was a pact between death and madness.
Countinue.....
By Pooja Kumari
