Clandestine House

Chapter 1-The Winter Morning

It is a lovely winter morning.

This morning seems brighter and shining.

Birds are chirping loudly.

Today is Christmas Eve, and everybody is very energetic, enthusiastic, and in a holiday mood except for Swandrian.

As for Swandrian, every day is the same, and she doesn't believe in Christmas. Christmas is just a normal day for her.

Swandrian is a young girl in her early 20s. She lives with her old and ill grandparents and two younger twin sisters, Diana and Darna, who are 16 years old. They live in a very small village named 'Kafiro' . They were very poor, and they lost both their parents soon after her sisters were born in an accident. They live in a small house that is 10 kilometres away from the village.

Swandrian is the only earning member of the family. Both her grandparents are physically unfit for doing any work, especially her grandfather, as he has lost one hand and one leg in an accident. She is the sole breadwinner in the family. She took over the responsibility of her family soon after her grandfather's accident at the age of 12. She used to run errands for the people of 'Kafiro' Village in return for money. She used to do multiple jobs at a time. She had to leave school too early to support her grandparents and to send her two sisters to school so that they could complete their studies. She does not want her sisters to be like her. She always wanted to give her sister a better life and a better future, and in order to do that, she worked with full dedication and gave her 100%. She does everything she can for them. Swandrian is a very brave, hardworking, strong, and sweet girl. Her family is her whole world. She can do anything for them. She is the problem solver of her village, 'Kafiro'. There is nothing impossible in her dictionary. She can do anything. She was a very cheerful girl, full of life. She is the life of Kafiro village, as she spreads her positive energy all over the village.

It was 6:00 in the morning of Christmas Eve.

And as usual, Swandrian is doing her house course. And suddenly she heard the sound of someone screaming. Help!!!!! Help!!!!!!

And a banging sound on the door... Bang!!!!! Bang!!!!!!! Please open the door.

She opened the door.

But she found that nobody was there.

Swandrian asked, "Is anybody out there? Hello!!!! Can you hear me? Where are you? I can't see you. Who are you? Hello!!!!

Just the sound of heavy wind blowing

Then she again heard the sound of someone screaming Help! Help!!!!!!

Swandrian went outside and searched everywhere around her house and asked again, "Is anybody there? Can you hear me? Please tell me. I will help you out. You can trust me, but just tell me, where are you? And who are you?

Swandrian waited for some time, and when she didn't get any response after repeatedly calling or didn't hear any voice further, she decided to go inside the house. And she started doing her incomplete work.

1 hour has passed.

Everybody is awake now.

Swandrian said to her family, "Now it's time for me to go run errands. As today is Christmas Eve, I have to leave early as so many errands have been staged. Today I packed up my schedule as usual. So I have to leave now; otherwise, I will be late".

Diana and Darna, you better take care of yourselves and Grand Pa and Grand Ma too.

Diana and Darna said, "Don't worry, we will take care of ourselves as well as Grandma and Grandpa. You take care of yourself, go safely, and return as soon as possible ".

Swandrian said, "Ok, I will take care of myself and will try to come soon. You all have your breakfast done and after that give medicines to GrandPa and GrandMa. Medicines are in the bedside drawer of the grandparents room".

Diana said, "Don't worry, you've done this thing every day for years. We can do this for one day. By the way, where are our Christmas Presents"?

Swandrian said, "You both make a list of gifts that you want. I will bring it in the evening on my way back home. And GrandPa and GrandMa, if you both want anything, then also tell me. I will bring them on my way back home".

Grandma said, "You need not worry about that; I will bring the stuff they want. You have already done everything for us. Today is Christmas Eve, and as your grandparents, we can't do much. So, let us do at least this for you all. And one thing that you must do today. Is to come early. I will be preparing dinner today and all the arrangements for tomorrow. You are getting late; you better hurry now".

Swandrian looks into her watch, and she is really getting let down, so without saying anything further, she went outside and closed the door of the house from outside.

And when she is just a few steps away from her home. She again heard a voice from behind screaming. Help!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!

And when she turned around, she found nobody was there. So, she again started walking in her own direction.

And after some time, she again heard the same voice screaming. Help!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!

This time, the voice is from another direction. So, she followed the voice; as of now, she can hear the voice continuously. She is unable to recognise whether it is a male or  female voice.

Suddenly, the voice stopped.

And she has realised that she has come far away from the village in a totally opposite direction, into the woods, where nobody is allowed to come.

After looking here and there for some time...

In a distant place on the ground, she found a gift box and a letter.

And when she gets closer to see. She shows her name written in bold letters.

She was shocked to see her name both in the gift box and in the letter.

Swandrian said to herself, "How is it possible? How can I get a gift and a letter in such a desolate place where I am not supposed to come? Even though today is Christmas Eve. Everyone in the village knows that I don't like gifts, I don't like Christmas, and I also don't believe in Christmas. So, who can give me this? Who knows my name. And why am I here? Why has suddenly the sound stopped coming? How will I get back?

Is it right to open the letter and the gifts first? Is it a prank or something? If it is a prank, then it is very bad. How can one play with someone's emotion?"

She is surrounded by questions in her mind but could not get any answers to them.

Swandrian screamed loudly in frustration, "Ahhhh!!!!!! Is anyone there? Please help me out. I am stuck over here. Hello!!!!! Please help me. Where am I now? I want to go back, please. I have a lot of things to do today, and I also have to do them on time, and I am running out of time right now. Can anybody be there? Please help me; I am begging you."