Chapter 6

Rohan asked Madhav, 'Where is Raj?' Madhav looked everywhere but couldn't find him. He went to ask the guide if Raj had arrived, but the guide replied, 'I can't say. I don't know about him.' Then Aman arrived and said, 'I met raj just 10 minutes ago, and I saw him going back heading toward the forest path, near the bus parking area.

Then Madhav listened to the sound of a lady calling Raj's name. Madhav said to the guide, 'I am going to check where he is.'

The guide said: 'Nothing happened. I think he doesn't want to be here.'

Then Mr. Nikhil said, 'If anything happens, call me.'

Madhav said: 'Okay.'

Rohan said: "I am also coming with you."

Madhav nodded at Rohan. "Let's go quickly. Something doesn't feel right."

Meanwhile Priya adjusted the camera and snapped a few shots of Rupali. "Alright, done! Rupali, you look great," she said with a smile.

"Thanks, Priya," Rupali replied, brushing her hair back.

Nearby, Meera called out, "Hey Priya, can you take a picture of me too?"

Priya glanced over, "Sure, Meera, but after this. Rupali still has to take my photo first."

"Fine, but don't take too long," Meera said with a playful sigh, crossing her arms.

A little farther away, Anika crouched near some small plants, her eyes narrowing. "Wait… is that a rabbit?" she murmured, trying to get a clearer look in the dim light.

"What are you talking about, Anika?" Rupali called out.

"I'm not sure. It looks like a rabbit, but it's too dark to tell," Anika said, standing slowly. She took a cautious step forward, but as soon as she moved, the animal darted away.

"Hey, wait!" Anika exclaimed, her curiosity piqued.

"Anika, what are you doing?" Priya asked, watching her friend take off after the creature.

"I just want to see what it is!" Anika called back, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

They followed the trail deeper into the forest. The voice grew louder, eerily clear now.

"Raj... come here, Raj..."

Madhav stopped abruptly. "Did you hear that? It's coming from that direction," he said, pointing toward a dense cluster of trees.

Rohan hesitated but followed as Madhav led the way. They pushed through the underbrush, their footsteps crunching on fallen leaves. The forest grew darker, the air colder.

Finally, they reached a small clearing, and there, in the shadows, they saw Raj standing by a large rock. He was motionless, staring into the darkness beyond the trees.

Raj turned slowly, his face eerily blank, his eyes distant. "She's calling me," he whispered.

Madhav frowned, glancing at Rohan. "Who's calling you?" Rohan asked, stepping closer.

Raj's voice was hollow as he replied, "My mother. She said I should go with her."

Madhav froze, his heart pounding. "Raj… your mother isn't alive. You told me she passed away years ago."

Rohan grabbed Raj by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Are you out of your mind? Snap out of it!"

Madhav's eyes dropped to Raj's hand, where he saw the golden coin glinting faintly. His breath caught. "Raj… where did you get that?"

Before Raj could answer, Madhav reached for the coin. As soon as his fingers brushed against it, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the area, chilling them to the bone.

"What the—" Rohan began, but his words were cut off as a shadowy figure materialized before them, its translucent form towering and ghostly.

The ghost's hollow eyes locked onto Madhav, its voice echoing through the air. "You cannot escape the curse…"

Anika followed the animal through the narrow path, spotting pieces of carrot scattered along the way. She kept walking until she unexpectedly stumbled upon Madhav, Rohan, and Raj. She paused, her eyes widening as she saw a ghostly figure materializing in front of them.

"What… is that?" she whispered, frozen in place.

Meanwhile, Madhav, Rohan, and Raj fell back onto the ground, fear etched across their faces as the ghost moved closer.

"Stay back!" Madhav shouted, scrambling to his feet.

Rohan's voice trembled. "This can't be real… What is that thing?"

The ghost loomed over them, its hollow eyes glowing with a menacing light.

Just then, Anika's voice cut through the tension. "Madhav! Rohan!" she yelled, sprinting toward them.

Rohan glanced over his shoulder, his face pale. "Anika, no! Stay back!"

But Anika wasn't stopping. She reached into her bag, pulling out a small container of Pooja Kumkum.

"What are you doing?" Madhav shouted, his voice laced with panic.

Anika ignored him, rushing closer. She stood her ground and threw the Kumkum directly at the ghost's face.

The ghost let out an ear-splitting shriek as its face ignited in flames. "Aaahhh!" it bellowed, thrashing wildly before vanishing into thin air.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Rohan gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's… gone?"

Anika nodded, breathing heavily. "Sri Lord Hanuman's blessings… It worked."

Madhav stared at her in disbelief. "You… saved us."

Anika said "What were you three even doing out here?"

Rohan turned to Anika, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Anika. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would've happened."

Madhav knelt beside Raj, gently shaking him. "Raj, are you okay? Say something!"

Rohan crouched next to them, his face etched with concern. "I think he's unconscious."

Anika pulled out her phone, her hands trembling as she dialed. "I'll call Miss Kajal for help."

Minutes later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the forest as the teachers and students arrived.

Mr. Nikhil took one look at Raj and barked, "Hurry up! We need to get him to the hospital."

As the group began organizing to carry Raj, Priya froze, her gaze locking onto a figure standing quietly under the shadow of a nearby tree.

"Rupali," she whispered, nudging her friend. "Look… it's him. The blind man from the bird park. He's watching us."

Rupali turned, her eyes narrowing. "You're right. What's he doing here?"

The blind man remained still, his expression unreadable as he silently observed the commotion.

At that time, when Raj wasn't opening his eyes on the trip bus going to the hospital,

Mr. Nikhil, worried, called the principal and explained everything that had happened to Raj. The principal informed the old man about the situation, and the old man instructed them to direct the bus to the villa. He assured them that he would call a doctor, who would arrive shortly.

In the villa, Raj lay in bed, his breathing steady as he slept. The doctor stood by, speaking calmly to the group. "He'll be fine," the doctor reassured them. "He just needs proper rest. I've given him some medication. No need to worry."

The old man nodded. "Thank you, Doctor, for coming on such short notice."

"It's no problem, sir," the doctor replied before packing his bag and leaving.

The principal approached the old man with a grateful smile. "You've done so much for us already. Thank you for arranging everything."

The old man waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. These students are like family now. We'll make sure Raj recovers well."

Later, as Raj continued to rest in his room, Madhav slipped in quietly. He reached into his pant pocket, pulling out the golden coin. He glanced around nervously before tucking it into his jacket pocket, just as before.

Unbeknownst to him, Aman, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, caught the movement. His eyes narrowed as he silently watched Madhav's every move.

In the morning, Raj slowly opened his eyes, blinking as the sunlight streamed into the room. Rohan stood nearby, smiling gently.

"Do you need anything, brother?" Rohan asked.

Raj sat up, rubbing his forehead. "No, I'm okay. But… it's already 10:30 a.m. Why are you here?"

Rohan shrugged. "Today's trip is canceled for our bus group."

Raj raised an eyebrow. "Why? What happened?"

"Since we went to the waterfall yesterday, the guide decided to give us a rest day," Rohan explained.

Raj glanced around. "Where's Madhav?"

"I don't know," Rohan replied. "Probably in the breakfast area. Come on, get ready, and we'll head there together."

Raj nodded. "Alright, give me a few minutes."

After a few minutes, Raj and Rohan stepped out of their room, heading toward the breakfast area.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rohan asked, glancing at Raj with concern.

Raj nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. But… I really don't remember anything from yesterday. The only thing I recall is hearing my mother's voice calling my name."

When they arrived at the breakfast area, most of the students and teachers were chatting or getting up to leave, their meals already finished.

"Your breakfast is still there," Rohan said, pointing to a plate left on the table. "Don't worry."

Raj grabbed the plate and sat down. Just as he started eating, Priya approached him.

"Raj, are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.

Raj gave her a small smile. "I'm fine now, Priya."

Priya exhaled in relief. "I was really worried about you."

Meanwhile, Aman quietly slipped into Madhav's room. He glanced around, ensuring no one was inside. Approaching the closet, he found Madhav's jacket hanging neatly. He reached into the pocket and pulled out a small, glimmering golden coin.

Aman stared at the coin, his eyes wide with curiosity. He quickly slipped it into his own pocket and carefully returned the jacket to its original position before leaving the room.

As Aman turned to leave the room, he froze. Standing in the doorway was the principal, his arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"What's in your pocket, Aman?" the principal demanded, his voice low but firm.

Aman's heart pounded, and his mouth went dry. He stammered, "N-nothing, sir. I—I just came here to check on my friend Raj."

The principal narrowed his eyes. "Really? Then why are you sneaking out of an empty room? Were you trying to steal something?"

From a distance, the old man observed the exchange, his expression tense.

The principal stepped closer. "Take out whatever you're hiding."

Aman hesitated, his hands trembling as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden coin.

The principal's eyes widened slightly. "Give me that," he said, snatching the coin. "You're going to clean all the plates after lunch as punishment. Understood?"

"S-sorry, sir," Aman muttered, his face flushed with shame.

"Now get out of here," the principal snapped.

Aman hurried away, his head bowed low.

The old man, watching from a distance, seemed shaken. His face grew pale, and he clutched his chest lightly. Turning to his staff member, he said weakly, "I'm not feeling well. Take me to my room."

The young staff girl's eyes widened in panic. "Yes, sir. Right away."

Noticing the old man's discomfort, the principal rushed over. "Sir, are you alright? What happened?"

The old man waved him off, his voice faint. "Just… get me to my room. Quickly."

With the principal's help, the staff girl guided the old man back to his quarters, her steps hurried yet careful.

Meanwhile, Madhav entered the breakfast area and spotted Raj sitting at a table. He walked over and placed a hand on Raj's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Madhav asked, his tone full of concern.

Raj nodded, offering a faint smile. "Yes, I'm okay."

Priya, standing nearby, leaned in. "Do you need anything else to eat, Raj?"

Raj shook his head. "No, I'm full. Thank you, Priya."

Madhav turned to Priya. "Where's Anika?"

Priya raised an eyebrow. "She's probably in her room or somewhere nearby. Why? What do you need from her?"

"I just need to talk to her about something," Madhav replied.

Rohan, noticing the serious expression on Madhav's face, interjected. "Whatever it is, I'm coming too."

Anika strolled through the villa garden, admiring the serene beauty of the flowers and trees swaying gently in the morning breeze. Meanwhile, Madhav and Rohan entered the garden, searching for her.

"There she is," Madhav said, spotting her near a cluster of roses.

As they approached, Madhav called out, "Anika, thank you for helping us yesterday."

Anika turned to face them, her expression calm. "It's okay, Madhav," she replied.

Rohan looked at her curiously. "You didn't feel scared at all when you saw the ghost right in front of us?"

Anika smiled faintly. "No, not really. I grew up in a village where we hear stories of ghosts all the time. Seeing things like that doesn't surprise me much."

Rohan shook his head in disbelief. "You've got nerves of steel, Anika. I was frozen in fear."

Anika chuckled softly. "Fear only makes things worse. Sometimes, you just need to face it head-on."

In the principal's room, he sat deep in thought, worrying about Mr. Gaurav's sudden health issue. As he absentmindedly turned the golden coin over in his hand, he admired its craftsmanship. "What a magnificent coin," he murmured. "It feels like it's worth a fortune. I completely forgot to return it."

Just then, the lights in the room flickered and went out. The principal stiffened. "What's going on?" he muttered, his voice laced with unease. Suddenly, the door slammed shut with a loud bang, making him jump.

In the pitch-black room, a faint shadow began to form. A small girl emerged, her figure eerily still. "Who…who are you? How did you get in here?" the principal stammered, his heart pounding.

The girl stepped closer, her face pale and hollow. Her empty eye sockets oozed a dark, viscous liquid, and her hands dripped with blood. A sinister smile curled on her lips.

The principal gasped, stumbling back. "Help! Somebody, help me!" he shouted desperately, his voice echoing through the villa.

The girl tilted her head and whispered, "No one will hear you."

Her words sent chills down his spine. The last thing the principal saw was her bloodied hand reaching out toward him before everything went silent.

A few moments later, Alok arrived at the principal's room. Noticing the closed door, he knocked. "Sir? Are you in there?" When there was no response, he pushed the door open.

The sight inside froze him in place. The principal lay lifeless on the floor beside the bed, his eyes wide with terror. Alok's breath caught in his throat, and he staggered back, fear overwhelming him.