Sush...(completed)

2

"Rani Rashmoni 's husband made the Princep Ghat in order to pay a tribute to James Princep.. Apparently these ghats have interesting stories as well. " Shailza explained as we both strolled leisurely at the field. Robi and Satya took their work very seriously. But being the owner cum CEO of the Mehras has perks... That girl had her own charm. The way she talked could make anyone fall head over heels for her. Her tone of saying was so chirpy and lively yet the words weighed so much sense. Even my best trained employees lacked this kind of people skill ,way of talking and body language. In a nutshell, she was damn impressive.
"... Are you even listening, Mr Mehra? " Shailza snapped her fingers in front of me to break my chain of thoughts.
"No,.. I just.. "
"Zoned out? " She completed my sentence. "Dont worry, it happens. " She smiled at me... That smile, i can never forget that smile. It was so beautiful.
"Apologies. Miss Mathur, i was thinking, why didn't you approach me when i was gesturing at you? " I asked.
"Well, i was hesitant. I was nervous and most importantly I... I.. Never mind. " She sighed.
Her answer tickled my curiosity.
"You what? " I asked her. She already looked lost. It appeared as if I touched one of her nerves. I felt awkward as she looked away a gulped her thoughts.
"Nothing, lets just talk something else, shall we? " She smiled again and the lost colour of her face returned. I didn't probe her with any further questions. The next few minutes went normal. She flooded me with important historical facts about the city and the place..
"You were talking about the ghats.. What stories are there? " I asked.
"Oh yes, it is said that the Princep Ghat is haunted too.. People call it Ghost of the ghats. " She whispered slowly in a very serious tone, And then narrowed her eyes towards me. I glanced at her in bit surprise before laughing out loud.
"You are talking about ghost?! " I said.
"Apparently the city seems so peaceful.. But things can be deceiving. You never know what happens in life that can turn your life upside down. Most of the sites here, starting from Victoria to Writers Building are haunted. People have experienced paranormal activities.. " She said. Her tone wasn't of a mockery. She sounded as if she believed it. And as she has dealt with it.
"Wow.. Then probably a ghost is standing right beside me.. You never know that right.. " I mocked.
"What if that's true?" She looked at me queerly.. Her beautiful eyes, which hid such deep mysteries, seem to say so many unsaid things. She kept looking at me, until i looked away. Then there was an awkward silence between us.

"Sir! Sir!" Robi came running to us.. We didn't realise we crossed our extent of site and walked much far away from the main site. Time seemed to have stopped with Shailza.
Robi didn't look good. He kept shouting and panting. He sweated.
"Robi, Robi.. Calm down! Kya hua hai? Kyun chilla rahe ho? " I rubbed his back to calm him down.. I swallowed and exhaled sharply.. Confusion and terror all over his face.
"Sir, the main site.. There has been a casualty. " He said shakily.
"Casualty? " Shailza asked. We both glanced at each other.
"A tree fell over on two employees.. " Robi said.
"A tree?! What? " I shouted ,alarmed.

Without wasting a second moment, i ran towards the site. Shailza and Robi followed me. When I reached the site, there was a complete ruckus among the associates. A huge Mango tree which was standing erect perfectly just a few minutes ago, was fallen.. Under one of its branches lay one of our associates Mr Sen. By the grace of god, he was not dead, but severely injured. We all rushed to him... Shailza too lended me her help. Few of us manged to pull him out, he was unconscious.
"Jai baba loknath, jai shree loknath.. " Mr Das kept chanting... The ambulance and help every thing came. Some of the police surgents also took our statement.
And as it is, my associates were clearly terrified. So was I. So many questions were running in my mind. A clearly, perfect Mango tree, standing erect; how can it suddenly get uprooted? I was there in the site, till then every thing was normal. Then how did it happen?
As I saw Shailza giving her statement of one of the police officer I walked back near the fallen tree. And that's when i saw it.

What I saw, was nerve breaking for me. There was a silhoutte standing right beside the tree staring at me. It was hooded in black, long and slender. But the eyes - they were terrifying, as it didn't have any eyes ball, just the socket. It then turned its head sideways and smiled at me.. A demonic smile, an evil smile.
I didn't know what to do. I started palpitating. The whispers from the nightmare ran in my mind..
"Come to me... I beckon you.. " I could hear the whispers. Untill..

"Amaan? Mr Mehra? " Shailza kept her hands on my shoulder.
My thoughts and fear broke and i looked at her.
"What happened? " She asked..
I pointed her towards the figure nervously. I could still see the figure. "Can you see that? " I asked with the most steadiness possible at that time..

Shailza saw at the pointed direction and immediately she looked so pale. But after a moment of staring, she glanced at me. "Amaan, there is nothing over there. "
Disbelievingly i looked back, only to see nada. Nothing was there. I sighed.
"Maybe its just... Never mind. I need to call Sofia. " I said.
"Maybe you should rest. You have had a long day. " She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder..
"My arrival and the tree, every thing is not coincidental. Someone is behind it. And i am going to find that out. "
I looked at Shailza. She smiled slyly.