Chapter 2

                             

                   THAT HAUNTED HOUSE

After covering all the way of the road, the car was now passing through a desolate place. Not even a single bird could be seen flying over there in the sky and not even an ant could be found that way.

Xander stopped the car in front of a haunted house. Since it was cloudy, windy and raining at night. Only a lone lamp was there outside the house, casting a din, yellow light on the scary and faded features of the house. At an irregular interval, the house used to get illuminated from the lightning in the sky. He got down from the car and stood in front of the house, once again checking his pocket for the bottle.

"It's going to be 2 o'clock." He looked at the big clock that was hanging on the wall, inside the house,right in front of the main entrance. " Tick.. Tick.. Tick... " the sound was so loud that it could be heard from every corner of the house.

He moved ahead through room after room. The windows were broken, spider webs were stretched in the corners everywhere. At some places, weeds were overgrown that one could hide under. The house seemed as if no one had lived here for centuries.

He opened the door. "krr... rr.. rr.... " the door opened with a creaking sound. Flapping of the wings of birds and hooting of the owl started as if they got some signals.

There was a big hall, partly lit with dim light.

"Who's there? " a heavy sound came from a corner of another side of the hall. The shadow was seen only by that creature, it seemed like it was covering the whole body, and a hoodie covered the face,sitting on a cliff made of stone.

There was a very round big glass bowl kept beside, full of water in it.

"Xander... it's me Xander." he looked at that shadow and replied.

"How did you come here? Where is that girl? " Xander held his tears hard and said, " they killed her."

"Has she broken that safety thread that I gave you? "

"No, it was tied on her hand but she couldn't hold herself and changed herself into wolf when they provoked her intentionally."

"ohh.. it means they already knew about the secret of the thread that it wouldn't work with wolf appearance." the shadow said, " but how did they know about it?"

"You told me one day that she is gonna be reborn for taking revenge from them. Is it true? "

"Are you doubting me? "

"no, no.. please do me a favour. Please give me hints about where she is going to be born again." Xander pleaded with him. His voice was creaking like that old door.

"Come here and put the bottle that you have brought with you."

He took out that bottle from his pocket, filled with Caroline's ash, stepped towards him slowly. He was walking step by step with his heart ripped out due to the pain of departing from his lover.

when he reached almost near the shadow," stop there, Xander. don't cross that line." Xander looked down, there was a line drawn on the ground.

"Put the bottle ahead of that line and go back to your place and look back while going back."

"okay." he nodded and put the bottle at the place where he was asked. His hands were shaking and legs were trembling.

He turned back and rushed to his place where he was standing. He saw that the bottle wasn't there where he placed it.

He looked at the shadow for further command., " Now, close your eyes. You're gonna see where she is reincarnated." as he was closing his eyes., " and don't open your eyes until i tell you to do so.Otherwise, you won't be able to know completely about her ever in your life."

He nodded his head and closed his eyes. That man put some ash in the water and started chanting some words which was Xander' s understanding.

                         Scene-2

Firstly there was a blurry picture of a building. slowly, it got clear and heard. . .

"Please, please, clear the way. It's an emergency." a young boy was shouting while sliding a stretcher over which a young , beautiful girl was laying, flooded with blood all over her body.

"Nurse, admit her immediately in the ICU." the doctor told the hospital staff., " and please, you stay outside and cooperate with us." and the doctor got inside the unit with his team.

The boy was walking restlessly here and there, hoping to get everything alright.

An elderly man came there almost running with a woman, gasping.. " where is my daughter, Yuvan ? " the man asked, trying to catch his breaking breath.

"She is in the ICU." Yuvan said.

The lady was about to faint and fall down. Yuvan immediately held her, " aunty, please take care of yourself. She will be alright."

"How did it happen, Yuvan? Is she out of danger? Please tell me the truth." she said while sobbing. She was crying bitterly.

He cradled her face in his hands and said., " nothing will happen to her aunty. We need to be very strong." He wiped her tears, which were rolling down from her eyes continuously.

After some time, cops reached there for the inquiry. " How did it happen? " one of them put a question before Yuvan.

"I don't have any idea. I got the call that she had met with an accident." Yuvan said.

"Can you show me that number? " he asked again.

" Yeah, sure." and he groped his pocket for his phone and took out the phone and gave it to him.

The cop checked his phone and then returned it. The doctor came out of the ICU and said, " I'm really sorry. I couldn't save her." and walked away. That woman started crying heart out. Yuvan got frozen hearing it, his legs began to quiver with stifled sobs.

The cop rushed inside the room to see her and observe her clearly. Her mom and dad followed them, running to her. Yuvan too went inside.

The cop was looking at her very carefully. Suddenly, he saw some scratches on her neck. He turned her neck and saw there were marks of pointed teeth. He removed the clothes from which her body was covered. There were marks on her hands too, scratched with some pointed things like nails.

"ohh! So, this is not just an accident. It's murder." he said , " Mr. Harrison please tell me your phone number and address. I will call you for further investigation."

Suddenly, Mrs Harrison saw little movement in her left hand.

" She is alive." she shouted out and ran out of the room to call the doctor.

Doctor came running and checked her nerves. It was beating slowly.

"Please, leave the patient alone. Let me check her."

Yuvan held Mrs. Harrison hand., " Let him check her aunty, she will be alright."

Everyone was waiting outside the room eagerly. After an hour, the doctor came outside, smiling, shook his hand to Mr. Harrison, " congratulations. She is doing fine now but it was really a miracle."

"Can I talk to her?" the cop asked.

"She is out of danger but I'm sorry to say, she is still not in that condition to talk about anything." and he walked away.

"Please, have mercy on us and come tomorrow for your investigation." Mr. Harrison pleaded with him.`` Okay! as your wish." and he ordered the other cop to move out .

Once they were assured that the cops stepped out, they went to her.

"How are you feeling now, Lucinda?" Yuvan went near her and slowly asked. She nodded her head slowly and smiled. Mrs Harrison dragged a chair near her and sat on it. She caressed her hair slowly and said, "I know you're my strong child, a strong woman and you can't leave us alone."

Someone was sneaking stealthily from the window. It was blurred.

"Please show me clearly. Someone is there outside the window." Xander shouted and he forgot the warning and opened his eyes.

" why don't you show me that face clearly. someone was also there apart from them."

"Xander.... " he hissed., " I warned you not to open it till you're asked to do so."

"Many things were yet to come but you ruined it yourself. You are also an impatient guy like your girlfriend."

"I'm sorry. Can we try again one more time? Xander requested him.

"No, it's over . It's your turn to find that girl. Caroline's soul is dwelling inside her body."

Xander got very disappointed. He bent down before him and turned back to step out from there.

"Xander? "

"yes."

"Always remember, I'm with you. If you need my help, I'm always ready for it. Your father was a great person. He was obedient to me his whole life."

He nodded and walked away from there.