Eternal whispers

– Part 5

Ruhan paced anxiously in his room. His feet were exhausted, but the worry on his face was evident. He muttered,

"I should just tear this book apart if it's causing us so much trouble!"

One question kept swirling in his mind—why did Sehra issue this book in the first place?

The clock struck nine at night. The library was still open and would remain so until midnight. Ruhan composed himself, quickly went to the washroom, changed his clothes, and stepped outside.

---

Sehra's Room

The night had deepened. The darkness outside felt even more terrifying, as if the void of space had settled there. The curtains swayed slightly, yet there wasn't even a hint of wind in the room. Everything seemed frozen in place—time, moments, and even Sehra herself.

Suddenly, The Whispering Shadows started opening on its own. Its pages flipped as if turned by an invisible force. Sehra curled up in the corner of her bed, eyes fixed on the book. Then, it stopped on a page.

It was the same abandoned mansion she had seen before. But this time… the writing had changed. The words, inked in black, stood out with terrifying clarity:

"Accept your fate."

Sehra's heart pounded. As soon as she read the words, a whisper echoed in the room—yet no one was there. She pulled the blanket tightly around her, her breaths turning erratic.

Suddenly, another page flipped.

The mansion's image shifted.

Now, it depicted a ruined place—walls and remnants bearing witness to a tragic disaster. Sehra's eyes widened in fear. In the book's corner, a dark shadow emerged, as if someone was writing more words.

"Open the door and accept the truth."

A whisper escaped Sehra's lips,

"The door?"

A spark—of realization, of truth—flashed in her mind. This book wasn't just a story… it was a portal.

She shut her eyes, trying to gather herself, but darkness clouded her vision. And then—everything faded into nothingness.

---

12 PM – The Next Day

Sehra woke up, but a searing pain throbbed in her head, as if her mind was burdened by a thousand weights. She rubbed her eyes, and the events of last night flashed through her memory like lightning.

"It was all real!"

But when she opened the book… there was nothing. No writings, no abandoned mansion, no terrifying shadows.

"How can it all just disappear? I know this really happened!"

She kept questioning herself, but no answers came.

---

Library

She quickly got ready and rushed to the library. Upon arriving, she waited for someone—three hours passed, yet the person she was expecting did not show up.

Disheartened, she was about to leave when suddenly, hurried footsteps approached her.

Ruhan.

Sehra looked at him and, strangely, felt a sense of relief. Perhaps because at least someone was there who might believe her.

"I need to tell you something!" Sehra blurted out.

Ruhan looked at her for a moment, then spoke in a mysterious tone,

"I know."

Sehra froze.

"What do you mean?" she asked, stunned.

Ruhan's gaze deepened.

"This book is a portal—between two worlds. This world… and the other one."

Sehra's heartbeat quickened.

"That door… completely opened last night. The moment you accepted it as real, you acknowledged the existence of that world. Now, you've unknowingly given these things permission to cross over!"

Sehra's face turned pale.

"This book… does whatever it wants to?"

Ruhan nodded.

"Yes. And now…" He paused before saying,

"Now, what's about to happen—you are not ready for it!"

Sehra nervously glanced around. Suddenly, the library lights began to dim. A dark shadow moved behind them.

And then, as the shadow crept closer, a whisper echoed in Sehra's ears—

"The door has been opened…"