Moran - Dare to Love

Part -2 Missing teenagers

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Continuing from the previous one,

Monami lived alone in the old house at the police compound during the holidays. This was where Monami’s family lived before her father’s death. When Monami’s mother remarried, they moved out and this house was left vacant.

It was already late evening, the lights in the compound were mostly lit up and the smell of food could be detected. Similarly, the lights in the police office was also lit up while the police busied themselves.

Monami unlocked her house door only to see her sister, Koel, lying on the couch and munching an apple while watching the television.

When Koel saw that her sister was back, she turned around and complained a little, “Itni late kaise ho gayi tu? Pta hai.. I waited almost half a day for you.”

Monami tossed her bag at her sister and sat down beside her. “My interview ended late. Besides, I thought that you will be home late? Waise bhi Mujhe laga tha tu uss jagah jaake rest kregii.. pehle.”

By 'uss jagah', Monami was referring to her stepfather’s house. Both of them had spent quite a number of years there, resulting in a close relationship with their stepfather. However, her stepfather’s house was rather cramped.

This was why Monami chose to move out once she was of age. Koel spent her time alternating between the two places. But during festivals like holi and Diwali, the whole family would usually gather together.

Koel was currently studying abroad at a university. It took her ten hours to get home which explained why she looked rather haggard. However, once she heard the word ‘interview’, she had sat up immediately, her eyes brimming with curiosity as she looked at her sister.

“So, maine mom se suna that you went there for an interview?”

Monami gave her a smile before replying, “I did go over there for an interview.” She briefly recounted what happened during the interview without mentioning the content of her translation work due to confidentiality requirements of the job.

Koel's expression turned enigmatic, “So, tune uss Mr. Shergill ko abhi tak dekha nahi l, Monu?”

“No.” Monami looked at her and asked, “par isme kya.. jaroori nahi har employee apne employer se mile.. in the interview?”

“Well,” Koel suddenly patted her sister’s shoulder and with a very dignified bitter tone said, “Sister, you must be prepared. I think I might have seen him before. Bahut jyada darwana dikhta hai.."

Suddenly, an image of the man emerged in Monami’s mind. It was the image of the man which she had glimpsed on the second floor of her house. He looks scary?

Koel immediately described to Monami what happened.

Last year, during the holi festival, Koel had come back home. One time, when she and her friends went up the mountain to view the sunset, she passed by the house and saw the man standing on the second floor.

During that time, Monami was still working in the city and hence did not know what happened.

Although this happened a year ago, Koel could still clearly remember what she saw.

She shivered a little, “He was all skin and bones, with sunken eyes and wrinkled skin – he resembled a skeleton. Actually, woh rakshas jaisa dikhta tha..! Baad me mere classmate ne usse road par dekha tha.. tab bhi uske mask tha chehre par – pakka se usne apna chehra isliye chupaya hoga ki log usse dekh kar dare na.”