The Haunted Bhangarh Fort- Rajasthan, India

CHAPTER 11

Trudging towards the melancholy I wondered if I was going the right way.
"You don't find the truth, the truth finds you," played in the back of my mind as my steps grew firm. 

Nikhil-

My father choked out a hurried breath like he had finally found the shore after drowning.
Gulping water quickly he let out a relieved breath which could be heard even over the engine of the moving jeep.

Nandini offered him the refreshments she had packed in her paper towel to ease his throat so that he didn't feel like throwing up. 

I kept checking on my dad, in hopes that he doesn't go through such a situation ever again. I fought back my tears which were willing to escape any moment.

Flabbergasted was an understatement. The mind suddenly felt too slow to calibrate what had happened within those few minutes. I could not bring myself to decipher whether or not what was happening was a mere nightmare. But I was sincerely hoping it was. I only wanted to wake up in the bed with my mother stroking my hair as I evoked from the subtle arms of sleep.

I suddenly felt a light touch on my palm. I was about to flinch until I realised its welcoming warmth. I didn't move, allowing the touch to soothe me. Slowly her fingers slipped into mine in an awkward, embarrassed hold, as though comprehending if I need the assurance or not. I gripped back, tighter allowing the warmth to reach my sullen heart as I realised it had finally started beating normally. I certainly needed her.

It will be fine.

No one dared to say a word after that. Not until we reached the resort.

—————

The car halted to a stop. It was 1:05 am.
My heart was in my mouth until I allowed the surrounding to seep in. It looked familiar, but different in the night light. We were outside the gates of the resort.

Nandini gently slipped her hand out of mine and stepped out of the jeep.
My mind motioned towards the conversation that was taking place.

"—she had gotten to you," the driver shuddered.

"Who?" My father asked, but he struggled to revive his normal voice.

"The woman you yelled at. I told you to not speak a word. Any person roaming in such a late hour, especially on that street is never a human. At least not a living one." His voice had now dropped to a whisper.

"What bullshit," my father scoffed. He was still unwilling to believe it. "It was nothing like that. Probably the food didn't suit me and motion sickness made it worse."

"Ask yourself if you were feeling uneasy all along or whether it happened in a sudden jerk right after the encounter with her," he took a dramatic pause to let the words sink in. "And check yourself in the mirror. It's enough proof that what I'm saying is not bullshit."

With that, he sped off. 

"Crazy man," Paa forced a chuckle.

Ma looked at his neck and then back at him. This time she didn't nod in agreement.

————————

As calm as my father pretended to look, he was certainly in a hurry to have a look at himself in the mirror.

The moment he got closer, the sheer blatant wounds made his steps falter.
He wasn't quick now. With slow steps he squinted his eyes and as he got closer they kept widening in horror.

He ran a finger on his fresh bruises.
"Why are there finger marks on my neck?" He whispered to himself in severe shock.

"The reason why he wasn't as crazy as you were thinking him to be," Ma softly said from the back.

My father looked back at Ma, befuddled and unable to reply and instantly focused back on the mirror tracing his wounds.

"How can this be possible?"

A sudden knock on the door made us jump out of the collective feeling of petrified void we were facing.

"I'll get it," I said and walked towards the door.

It was Nandini, beautiful as always, hair tied up in a bun and changed in a silky yellow night suit.

"How is uncle?" She asked softly.

"Not very good," I responded honestly. "He just noticed the marks on his neck."

She gasped knowingly as though recalling the scenario.

I looked down at the first aid kit she was carrying in her hands. Noticing my gaze on it she snapped back to recalling what she had come for.
"I got some medicines to treat the bruises on your father's neck," she said handing over the kit to me.
I took it and ventured her inside the room.

"Ma, Nandini got a first aid kit for Paa."

"What a sweet girl!" Ma smiled warmly at Nandini.

"Thank you so much, honey, we really needed that."

"It's no problem at all." She smiled back with just as much warmth. "I'll take my leave now. Please take care uncle. Let us know if you need anything."

Paa forced a smile in response.

"Oh, um Nandini," Ma called back.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if you take Nikhil and Nikki along with you in your room? There's something I need to discuss with Nikhil's father."

"Oh, of course! Not a problem at all."

Nandini looked at me, as if asking me to join her.
I went to the balcony and dragged Nikki out.
Giving a small smile and Ma a hug, we left the room.

——————

It seemed like Nandini's parents were already expecting Nikki and I.

"Hi sweetheart. You might be tired, I've readied the bed for you. Snuggle in!" Mrs. Rajput pointed at the sofa-cum-bed pulled out and made for Nikki and I.

I smiled and was about to jump in but Nandini's father stopped us with his overtly excited voice. Standing with four mugs full of coffee in a tray he grinned.
"Or we can stay up all night and watch a movie!"

I was all in for it, because I'd rather stay up and distract myself than stay up thinking about disturbing scenarios.

"Yes!" Nikki and I said in perfect unison.

"I'm in too!" Nandini and Sagar chimed in.

"Perfect, then pick one mug each and hop on the bed!"

We grabbed a mug for ourselves and started sipping, eyes trained on the screen as the movie flashed on.
We didn't realise how time passed by, but by the time it was morning, the mugs had disappeared, the TV was switched off, while the four of us were wrapped in our blankets on the bed, and Mr. and Mrs. Rajput dozed off on the sofa-cum-bed instead.

Author's note:
Not much to say except I hope it's going well.
Lovely love,
Mansi.