REPETITION-

Maybe it's a festival. Firecrackers are lighting up the skies, and there are so many voices around me. But where am I? Is this the same world I was expecting? Shingu scratched her head, feeling clueless.

She looked around, realizing this new place wasn't what she had imagined. Just then, a middle-aged woman entered the room. "Hey, Suru, are you alright? Do you need some water or something? Should we go to the doctor?" the woman asked, her voice filled with concern.

Shingu sat up on the bed, confused. Suru? she thought. Why is she calling me that? The woman was worried, like she had a deep connection to whoever "Suru" was. "Are you sure you're alright?" the woman continued. "I've called your brother. He'll be here soon, and we can take you to the hospital if you need."

"Amm… I'm fine. It's just my head," Shingu replied, holding her aching head. "Can you... Can you please give me a glass of water?"

Shingu always tried to figure things out when her world felt chaotic, but this time was different—this was weird. Once she had a moment to herself, she thought, First of all, where am I? And why does this place, this room, feel so familiar? Is everything okay? Or… did I die? Panic washed over her. No, no! That can't be!

Her mind raced with confusion. Suddenly, a voice from behind her snapped her back to reality. "This isn't the time to sit around waiting for your world to end," the voice said.

Startled, Shingu turned to see who was speaking. It was a woman with a wrinkled face, looking dull yet strangely fit, wearing something like a saree. She smiled, her small mouth adding to the strange feeling in the air. The woman came closer, placing her hand on Shingu's head. Everything went black.

Shingu could hear voices as she slipped into unconsciousness.

"Suru, stay with your siblings…"

"Okay, Mom, I'm with them."

What is this? Shingu wondered, her mind swirling with confusion.

Suddenly, another voice pierced through the darkness. "Hello, beautiful kid. Do you want something? If not, get out of here!"

"Aah, my head!" Shingu cried out. The pain was unbearable, and before she could make sense of anything, she collapsed back onto the bed, unconscious.

"Suru! Beta, wake up! Look, your father brought something for you. It's your favorite dress. Get up, Suru!"

Slowly waking up, Suru rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the sleep. "Mother, I'm awake. I feel a little tired, though. Let me wash my face and freshen up. I'll be back soon."

She stood up from the bed and made her way to the washroom. After splashing water on her face, she looked at herself in the mirror. "I really need to focus on my skincare before I end up looking like Wade Wilson. I don't want to look like him," she muttered. Then she shook her head. "Why am I even worrying about that? I don't have cancer, so I won't need any treatment like his."

Suru loved skincare and was always trying new things to keep her skin glowing. Her thoughts snapped back to reality when her mom called her again.

"Yup, Mother! I'm coming!" she yelled, running towards the room where her mom was waiting.

"Look what your father brought for you," her mother said, holding up a new dress.

"Wow! I love it! Though… the color could've been better. But it's fine. I still love it," Suru said, smiling.

"You always find something to point out, don't you, Suru?" her mother teased.

"Umm, it's not like that, Mother," Suru replied, her voice soft and playful.

They both admired the dress her father had bought for the upcoming festival—Diwali, a festival celebrated in India for centuries. Known as the "Festival of Lights," Diwali marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It's a time when families come together, homes are decorated with lamps, and fireworks light up the night sky. People offer prayers, exchange sweets, and wear new clothes to celebrate. For Suru and her family, it was one of the most joyful times of the year, filled with laughter, traditions, and a sense of warmth that brought everyone closer.

Evening - 7:30 PM

"Puja time! Come on, children, we need to go now. The temple ceremony is about to start," Suru's mother called out, hurrying Suru and her siblings.

Suru, distracted by her phone, was texting a friend. "Suru, that place will be so crowded. Make sure of one thing," her mother said firmly.

"What's that, Mother?" Suru asked without looking up from her screen.

"Suru! Stay with your siblings. Got it?" Her mother's voice rose, filled with irritation.

"Yes, yes, I got it!" Suru mumbled, finally putting her phone away. The family gathered their things and headed out.

They arrived at the temple, which was packed with people. The crowd was thick, and everyone was pushing and shoving to get inside. "Suru, stay with your siblings!" her mother shouted over the noise of the crowd.

"Okay, Mom, I'm with them!" Suru called back, trying to stay close to her younger siblings.

After the family completed their prayers, Suru and her siblings waited near their car, keeping an eye out for their parents. Suddenly, something caught her attention. Why is that part of the temple so dark? she thought, narrowing her eyes. The rest of the area was brightly lit, with candles and lamps everywhere for Diwali, but that corner remained shadowy. And… did I just see two people going into that dark spot?

"Today is Diwali—there's no way there should be darkness anywhere," Suru muttered, curiosity getting the best of her. "I need to check it out."

As she cautiously moved toward the dark area, she overheard voices. Two men were standing there, one of them holding a strange object that looked like a test tube.

"Useless people," the man with transparent glasses muttered, shaking his head. "They're all celebrating their precious day of lights, and they have no idea that darkness is about to take over their lives."

The other man, nervous and holding a stick, spoke up in a shaky voice. "But sir, this could be dangerous for us too. We need to leave before we get infected. There are too many people around—this is too risky."

Suru's heart began to race. What on earth are they talking about? Her mind spun with fear. Is this some kind of poison? Or… something bigger, like a terrorist attack?

Just as she was about to back away, a voice came from behind her. "Hello, beautiful kid. Do you want something? If not, get out of here."

Suru turned around quickly, her breath catching in her throat. A man with a creepy smile and cold eyes stood there, staring right at her. She felt frozen in place, her mind screaming at her to move.

Without another thought, she bolted. She ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding in her ears.

Back in the dark corner, the men who caught Suru, walk towards those two mens who were talking about the serum and he told to them, "you idiots, complete the work fast before it too late. We can't afford any mistake in this task. "

The man with the stick hesitated for a moment, then quickly moved to follow orders, his hands trembling.

"Where were you, Suru? We were waiting for you so long," her mother asked as Suru finally returned to the car. Suru, still shaken, told them to leave quickly, saying she wasn't feeling well.

Her mother placed a hand on Suru's forehead and frowned. "Oh, Suru! You've got a heavy fever. Let's get you home. You need some rest."

When they reached home, Suru's mother gave her some medicine to help her feel better. Soon, Suru drifted into a restless sleep, but her mind kept circling back to the words she had overheard from those strange men.

Suddenly, she jolted awake, clutching her forehead. "Where am I?" she murmured, sitting up on the bed.

"Hey, Suru! Are you alright?" her mother asked, noticing her stirring. "Do you need some water or something? Should we go to the doctor?"

"Are you sure you're alright? I've called your brother. He'll be here soon, and we can take you to the doctor if you need," her mother said, worry clear in her voice.

"Amm… I'm fine. It's just my head," Suru replied, holding her aching forehead. "Could you… Could you give me a glass of water?" she said and her mother went out from the room. 

Suddenly, a voice came from behind her. "This isn't the time to sit around, waiting for your world to end," said a strange old lady, standing just behind her.

The woman stepped closer and gently placed her hand on Suru's head. Suru, feeling a chill, closed her eyes tightly in fear.