Sush...(completed)

5

"Hello, Mr Mehra speaking?" The voice on the call said. 

"Yes, Robi. What is it?" 

"Sir there is an accident in the field site. We were establishing the foundation stone for our hotel. The machineries were there too. Suddenly they all stopped. And when one of our workers tried to fix it, it started working all of a sudden. Sir you know the danger of these machines. He lost his right arm." Robi informed.

"What! At first a tree falls injuring Mr Sen critically and now one of our workers loses an arm! Two accidents in literally a week?! I am coming." I said.

"No use sir. No one is there now. I have been trying to reach you first but considering the situation, I thought it was necessary to eradicate the panic first. I called you after everything was sorted out."

"Yeah, but yeh sab ho kaise raha hai? Tumne machines acche se check kiya? Koi bhi kharabi dikhayi di? What I mean to say is, was it tampered?" 

"No. Not at all. Infact these were all new."

"Right. Okay, You compensate the worker with some help. Everything, every hospital bill, medication bills is on me. He should get the best care and help. Check the finances and credit accordingly. Is that clear?" I said.

"Clear sir." The call hung up.

Things were getting pretty serious. A week has passed in Kolkata. And there were accidents in these two weeks. The more I tried to dip deep, all I did was end up getting confused. Earlier the nights used to haunt me with the same dream happening over and over again like a deja vu. And now, it was the days as well. Every day there was some kind of obstruction going on with the deal. Either, the paperworks were not cleared or there would be an accident, or somehow the work would stall. It was like some external force was trying to stop and end all of these - My client deals and the hotel project. The land was perfect as location. It was a few kilometres far from the Ghats, the view was awesome and it was barren for years. The upcoming hotel built there would have been the gateway to my franchise in the city. But somehow it was not happening.  I decided to investigate the site myself. 

When Robi called me, it was about 8 in the evening. Though he assured me there was nothing to worry about, my gut feeling provoked me to graver danger. I thought of calling Shailza first, but on second thought I checked myself. I decided to go alone; to see what's actually causing everything. I decided to go to the site. 

The night was serene and the light from the half eaten moon twined with the city lights made the City looked even more beautiful and dreamy. But this dreaminess was gone , as if snatched away by someone the moment I reached the field. I kept my car far away and decided to walk through the field. It was company car, just in case you have doubts. Walking provides a better chance of investigation. Everything was dead silent, and the otherwise soothing cricket shrills amplified the grimness and hauntedness of the place. The trees that looked so pleasant during the days, stood their as black hideous warriors from my dream. It felt as if the civillizations were not close than infinity miles of distance. I walked around the field examining the stopped machines, piles of cement and the blood pool, most probably exsanguinated from the lost arm of our worker. But some how I felt hard to breath. I seemed as if there was no air at all, and the place was surrounded by a coldness which made me feel chilly. That exact same, weird feeling ran down my veins; the feeling I got when I entered Mr Sen's hospital cabin, the half of which I felt when I met Shailza. I decided to turn back. But then, I saw her again.

I saw the exact same black sillhoutte standing ten hands away from me beside the accidental cement machine, staring directly towards me. She twisted her neck sideways and smiled at me, her creepy smile which sent a chill down my spine. There were no eyes, it was just dry,white and hollow. And the face was charred, exposing parts of her skeletonic demeanour. It extended her hands towards me, showing her long, slender bony fingers. I couldn't figure out her intension. The figure was calling me, in whispers. But they were loud, and ringing. The same tone - mixture of an old man and a young girl. It was as if I was living that same dream again. The neck was choked from inside. I turned back and started to run, without looking back. But I could feel she was chasing me...laughing, and then crying. Squealing and then howling. 

"Come back to me, please.."It cried...

I ran..I ran and ran. Desperately wishing it to be a dream. I was waiting for me to wake up. But the fun was, it wasn't a dream. I ran until I found another figure right on my way. I couldn't control my pace and crashed directly into the figure. 

"Amaan?" She asked..I was too scared to look at her first, but when the voice was relievingly familiar, I realized it was Shailza. I didn't notice that I was clutching her so hard in fear and she rubbed my back trying to calm me down.

"Amaan, main yahi hu. Kuch nahi hoga..Calm down ..Shush." She held me tightly until I was stable and calm enough to talk anything. 

After clearing my throat, I looked at her trying to hide the fear of whatever I just saw or felt. "What are you doing here? And in night?" I asked.

"I came here searching for you. I called you so many times, but you didn't pick up. And then I went to your hotel and then office. You weren't there. And then I came here looking for you. What happened Amaan? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I am fine. Its...nothing..You called me? Why?" 

"Yep. Lets go home Amaan. I think you need some rest." 

Though she took me with her, before leaving she looked back at the direction I was running from. Her eyes communicated with the place. I dropped her home and then returned to my hotel. I dropped her to her Pg in my car. She somehow made me feel better. She took away all the Post trauma syndromes from me. And her way of talking, it made me feel heaven. I wished her Pg never arrived and we could drive like this forever. 

The whole way, my focus was on Shailza. But when I returned hotel, I checked my phone to see if there were any message from her regarding the night. But then I realised. 

She lied to me just like the first day when she said she saw nothing beside the tree. There were no missed calls. I checked with my office and the hotel receptionist. She never came to find me.She knew exactly where I was. And she went there directly to fetch me. She lied to me, again.