The silent Nightfall

Vikram's neighborhood was in panic. Everyone was talking about the serial killer and the brutal massacre of the Deshmukh family.

The elders were found dead in the hall, their bodies pierced by so many black feathers that they were barely recognizable. The father was discovered in the bathroom, killed in the same horrifying way Vikram had read about in the newspaper the other day. The mother's body parts were stuffed inside the fridge, and their daughter was found hanging in her room—her own intestines wrapped around her neck.

The sheer brutality of the crime sent shockwaves through the community. Fear spread like wildfire, and soon, the horrifying incident became the talk of the entire city.

"Vikram! Vikram, come down to eat!"

Anu, busy setting the dinner table, stepped into Vikram's room. "What happened? Come down, please."

He let out a sigh. "I'm coming in a few minutes."

She closed the door behind her. "Okay, just don't take too long."

Vikram was still lost in thought. If that 'seven-house' story is true, then one of the remaining six houses—either to the left or right—will be the next target.

He pulled the sheets over himself. It's bad, I know… but if it really is true, I just hope it's not the left side.

Shaking off the unsettling thought, he got out of bed and went to eat dinner.

Strangely, the air seemed thick with unease his house, a weight that pressed down on every house.

From a nearby house, the sound of prayers filled the night. It came from the sixth house on the right.

"Grandma, that's enough. If you keep stressing like this, you'll die from anxiety before anything else," a voice spoke from behind.

The old woman turned, clutching her prayer beads. Her grandson stood in the dim light of the hall, arms crossed.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "You don't understand. We don't know what could happen tonight. Only God can save us now."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know you're scared, but you're not doing yourself any favors. Your health is already bad. If you stay up all night, it'll only get worse."

Before she could reply, his father walked in, stopping near the temple. His voice was calm but firm. "Mom, you're making him anxious. If you keep this up, none of us will sleep."

His wife appeared at the entrance, concern etched on her face. "If you're really that worried, I'll chant the mantra all night. Just try to rest."

Grandma's wrinkled hands trembled as she gripped her beads tighter. She looked at their worried faces, her gaze softening just a little. After a long pause, she exhaled sharply. "Fine… but don't fall asleep while chanting."

The mother stepped closer, gently taking the old woman's arm to help her up. She felt how frail she had become, her legs unsteady.

"Chant the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra," Grandma murmured.

The mother gave a small nod. "I will."

As she led the old woman away, the grandson watched in silence. The flickering oil lamp by the temple cast long shadows across the walls, stretching unnaturally in the dim glow.

Outside, the wind howled. The prayers continued.

On the other hand, the sixth house from the left was eerily quiet. A man and his wife lay in bed, gazing at their baby who slept soundly, unaware of the tension in the air. Both parents gently placed their hands on him. The mother broke the silence, her voice filled with concern.

"Listen, I think we should go somewhere else. I don't feel safe here. What if—"

The father interrupted her softly, trying to reassure her, "Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to us. God isn't that cruel to take us when we're just starting our new life."

The mother softened her tone, feeling comforted by his words. "Yeah, if you say so. As long as you're with me, I don't feel scared."

He smiled gently at her, "Plus, Officer Samradh has stationed two officers at our house and the Desai family's house. We're safe. Nothing bad will happen."

Just as they shared a moment of calm, their baby began to cry. The mother quickly sat up, lifting him into her lap. "What happened? Don't worry, Mumma and Papa are here."

The father looked at the baby, noticing he had slightly turned toward him. "I think he wet his pants."

The mother looked down at the baby and handed him over to the father. He sat up, taking the crying baby into his lap. "Hold him. I'll bring the diaper."The fear of the serial killer wasn't confined to just the two houses or to Vikram's mind; it spread to all the twelve remaining houses. Everyone, lying in their beds, was consumed by the thought: Who's next? Who's next? It was already 3 AM, and the Desai household was still chanting their prayers. Meanwhile, Vikram, lying in bed, slept uneasily.

"Where am I? It's so dark…" Suddenly, a golden light appeared in the darkness. It seemed like a beautiful young maiden stood before him, though he could only make out the outline of her body due to the golden glow surrounding her.

"Wait, who are you?" Vikram whispered.

Compelled by an unknown force, he started running towards her. He was drawn to her, his every instinct urging him to follow. The maiden paused, turned back to look at him, and waved her hand.

"Are you asking me to hold you?" she asked softly.

Vikram, unable to resist, slowly reached out his hand and grasped hers. But as soon as he did, he was jolted awake. The loud ringing of his alarm filled the room, and his hand remained suspended in the air.

"What was that?" Vikram muttered to himself as he paused the alarm. Unlike his usual routine, he quickly got ready.

"You're up unusually early today. Did you not sleep?" Anu, Vikram's mother, asked, noticing his rushed movements.

Vikram, already in his shoes and ready to leave, forced a smile. "Nah, nothing. Just felt like going early today. Don't worry, I'm fine."

Anu raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. In a teasing tone, she said, "Hmm, says the one who bit his tongue this morning."

Vikram shot back, "Don't count that. It's a natural phenomenon. Sometimes it happens."

They shared a brief smile before Vikram opened the door and headed out.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it," he thought to himself as he walked through the cold early morning air, his breath visible in the steam rising from the houses around him. The two guards stationed outside the sixth house were still there.

"Thank God, nothing bad happened," Vikram thought, exhaling in relief. But then, he wondered about the right side of the sixth house. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw something glitch-like happen, and the two guards disappeared.

Vikram froze in shock. "Where did they go?"

Panic set in as he sprinted toward the house. When he arrived, black feathers were scattered all over the place. His throat tightened.

"If anyone's in the house, please respond..." he called out, but the silence only deepened his dread.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hand trembled as he shakily reached for the door. When he opened it, his eyes were met with a horrifying sight: body parts were strewn across the hallway, and in the mother's arms baby was....