Adarsh_Kartik

"Some doors should never be opened. Some secrets should never be uncovered. But when the Abyss calls, no one escapes."

Aryan, an ordinary IT professional, never expected his life to spiral into darkness. When his close friend Meera goes missing, what starts as a simple inquiry turns into a nightmare of blood, deception, and an ancient cult known as The Pendulum of Death.

The deeper Aryan digs, the more horrifying the truth becomes—people disappearing without a trace, ritualistic murders, and a secret that refuses to stay buried. Alongside his loyal friends Karan and Riya, and the sharp-witted police officer Naina, Aryan finds himself on a collision course with a deadly force that transcends reality.

As they uncover the cult’s twisted rituals, hypnotic mind control, and a leader who claims to have touched the Abyss itself, they realize that stopping them means more than just survival—it means preventing an apocalyptic sacrifice.

But when the Cult Leader offers Aryan a choice—become the new vessel or let the world burn—Aryan must face the ultimate truth.

Because the Abyss never truly dies.

And those who stare into it for too long… never return the same.

Shadows Of The Abyss

The day passed slowly. Karan spent most of it idly browsing the internet, playing games, and trying to distract himself from the heaviness in his chest.

By noon, hunger struck. He went to the kitchen, prepared a simple lunch, and had just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang.

Thinking it was Aryan, he got up and opened the door—only to be completely taken aback.

Standing there was the yellow dress girl.

She smiled warmly. "Hi! I'm sorry to bother you, but my gas cylinder just ran out, and I was wondering if you could help me replace it?"

For a moment, Karan just stood there, processing her words. Then, snapping back to reality, he quickly nodded. "Yeah, of course. No problem."

She stepped aside as he followed her into her apartment. It was neat and well-decorated, with shelves filled with books. Karan noticed "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë lying open on a small table—it was the same book she had been reading earlier.

He crouched down and began replacing the gas cylinder while she stood nearby, watching with a small smile.

"You just moved in?" Karan asked as he tightened the valve.

She nodded. "Yeah, last week. I haven't had time to meet many neighbors yet."

Karan finished the setup and stood up, dusting off his hands. "There you go. All set."

She turned on the stove, and the flame ignited instantly. "Perfect! Thank you so much."

But before he could leave, an idea struck him.

"Hey," he said, hesitating for a second. "I just made lunch… if you're free, do you wanna join?"

Her eyes lit up. "That sounds great!"

Chapter 6 – An Unexpected meeting