1 Chapter 1

1. Alice said we all know about Sandeep and Pavithra's story, tell us yours" she asked Jency... "Ours was a purely arranged marriage, I fell for him the second I saw his photo, I was all happy until the day I met him," said Jency... "Why," asked Alice. "Because he looked totally upset, he didn't even lift his head to look at me, but he said yes for the marriage, I felt something was wrong. Elders finalized our engagement date and he was never interested to call me or talk to me, I found him on Facebook and sent him a friend request; can you believe he neither accepted nor declined my request, I sent him a message with my number in it and asked him to call me, I wanted to know if he is really interested in us getting married, after 2 days I got a call from him, and you won't believe it,

The minute I answered his call, he didn't even bother to say "Hi" all he said was "it's not that I am not interested in getting married to you, I am interested, but it's just that I am not that comfortable talking to girls, I need some time" said Jency mimicking his voice. I liked his attitude and accepted him, even after our engagement I use to call him and he never did, it was only after our marriage that he slowly started opening up. We started off our relationship by being good friends, getting comfortable with each other and then finally after a year he realised he has a place for me in his heart said "Jency... Oh god!! are you serious? you were that patient Jency? Questioned Alice; "yes I was" replied Jency laughing... "So finally what changed you?" questioned Charles; "hmmm her patience, her love and innocence" replied John, "I didn't know even arranged marriage have a beautiful love story," said Alice.

They kept talking for a little longer and finally Pavithra said "let's have dinner and go back to the room, we should start early in the morning"... Sandeep "said guys carry on with the dinner, we 3 are headed to the bar, we'll join you later"they agreed. Jency looked at john and said "John, don't be too late" He replied, "no Jency we are not going out, we will be here in the bar and come back in an hour".

Charles, John, and Sandeep sat down in the bar... Sandeep and Charles were involved with some discussion and John was totally lost... "What are you thinking John?" Asked Sandeep "we are leaving tomorrow but I never found Roslyn"... "Who is Roslyn?"Asked Charles, "oh are you talking about your college junior who I saw" continued Charles; John nodded his head to yes, "she might have left dude. Now we know she is happy, why do you keep thinking about her? grilled Sandeep... John said "you are right Sandeep, but you very well know I want to apologize to her, I wanted to tell her what I had in mind about her" and he gulped one full beer bottle... Charles yelled "what are you doing John? What's wrong with you? Slow down man" John looked at Charles and said "you will never know my pain? Your heart was never broken but mine Shattered into pieces, Jency put those broken pieces back together, but the scars will remain forever" said John... "Will you stop it John!!" growled Sandeep in anger.

John looked at Charles "he knows my pain" Pointing at Sandeep "but he is not willing to help me" complained John... looking at Charles he continued "you know what? I never used to go to church, until I saw her. when I got to know that she never missed Sunday services, I made sure I was there just to get a glance at her. John laughed and if I missed church, I can only see her on Monday. That is one whole day without a glimpse of her beautiful face. But now it's been years since I've seen her". his eyes welled up with tears. "Few people are just like passing clouds John, we should forget things and move on," said Charles. "He is right John. this is what I've been trying to tell you from day one" said Sandeep... "It is not that easy to forget someone whom you thought was your future" and told Charles the whole story.

John took another beer bottle in his hand and gulped half of it, Charles stopped him, John said "it's because of me she had to discontinue her studies, it was because of me she…" and he pounded the table... Sandeep said "calm down John think about Jency. what if she got to know all these? Do you wanna break her heart too?". "No, no she can't take it, dude, she loves me a lot" replied John. "Then listen to me, let's not stop searching for Roslyn but I want you to have control of yourself, crying and drinking will not make her appear in front of you, say sorry to her when we find her, but for now don't make Jency cry". said Sandeep, John nodded his head... Charles said "let's have dinner and go back to our rooms Sandeep if we sit here he might keep drinking", Sandeep agreed and all three went to have dinner.

John who felt high after chugging almost two bottles of beer felt a little better after having dinner... They finished up and were on the way back to their room, Sandeep and Charles said Goodnight and got into their room... While walking towards his room John put his hand inside his pocket and he found something, he took it out and it was a lemon that Swamiji gave him, he threw the lemon away mumbling "why the hell is this in my pocket when the ghost has already left". He felt a strong gust of wind when he threw it but John just ignored and got into the room, and he turned to close the door, but the door got closed on its own.

2. Aisha was going to a place, which she had only heard about. It was a lost town near Dandeli in Karnataka. Among the rumours, one was that it was haunted. Her parents had resisted but she convinced them. She took a train till Londa. When she reached at the railway station many autos and rikshaw drivers approached her. 

"Where do you want to go mam? I will take you." Every auto guy was asking the same and the situation was chaotic. Aisha replied, almost shouted, "Waghanpalli". Something froze the guys for a moment and without uttering a word they moved aside. Aisha was surprised but relieved. She found her way outside the station and was looking for a public transport that could take her there. She observed that one taxi driver was taking passengers on sharing basis and he was shouting, "Dandeli, Dandeli". Waghanpalli was on the way of Dandeli from Londa. Aisha went to him and asked, "Bhaiyya, will you drop me to Waghanpalli?" He gave her glance, then moved face and cleared his ears with a key in his hands. Then turned back to Aisha and asked in a Kannada accent, "Where?"

"Waghanpalli."

"It's a lost town in middle of the Jungle. No one goes there."

"Ok, then drop me on the road near by the town." Aisha pleaded.

"I won't" He replied as if he would slap her, if she kept insisting.

Aisha was disappointed and irritated because of this behaviour. She knew no one would give her ride because of the rumours about the town.

'Let it be, I will go on my own. After all its 6 to 7 kms and I am a frequent Marathon runner.' She thought to herself. She walked for 1 to 2 kms and someone shouted from back, "Hey, hey." Aisha turned and saw a girl coming on a scooty. Aisha waited, and the girl stopped by her.

"Where do you want to go?" the girl asked.

"Waghanpalli." Aisha answered presuming the reaction.

"Ok, I am going to Dandeli. I will drop you off."

Aisha was surprised to hear that. "Are you sure because no one was ready to take me there."

She moved her hands in dismissal and said, "Oh, they are all illiterate, superstitious people. Don't take them seriously. Come sit."

"That's great! by the way, I am Aisha." She said by moving her hands forward to shake.

"I am Tanya." The girl replied with utter simplicity. 

Aisha sat on the scooty behind her and the journey started. It was around 10 in the morning and weather was cloudy. As they were getting closer to Waghanpalli, the weather started to change. The cold breeze was calming down her heart. The moisture in the air was soothing her skin. Nature was playing its music through bird's chirping, breeze and movement of leaves. Aisha was relaxed, happy, light as a feather. She did not realise when her eyes got shut and she fell asleep.

An odour of a rotten meat snatched her out of a sleep. She looked around devastatingly, it was a droughted land. A dead camel was rotting near her. She crawled away from it. The heat was burning her inside out. She was thirsty, tired and full of the dust. It was hard for her to stand up. No one was around except the bushes and cactus. Gradually, she started walking.

Aisha was soaked in sweat completely; she could not believe that she had just walked few steps. The silence was much more dreadful than screams. She thought her legs are drifting apart from her body.

'keep walking, keep walking.' She was telling herself. Every inch of movement required a strength of lifetime. She realised that there was a road and a dense jungle few meters away across the road. It was hard to believe but worth taking a chance. She accumulated her strength and started walking.

A few minutes later, a sound of vehicle fall on her ears. She looked everywhere but no vehicle was present although the sound was becoming clearer. Aisha turned back again and this time the white Bolero was right behind her. She was confused, the Bolero was no where a moment ago. It was still a relief; she could ask for a help now. Aisha dragged herself a bit towards the car only to realise that the wheels were covered with blood. The red, fresh blood drops were drenching the cactus below it. A shiver ran down her spine, she started running towards the road. Her body was heavier, the vultures were crying and roaming in the sky. The Bolero was coming closer, faster.

Aisha had increased her speed too. The vultures disappeared as she reached the road. She saw back, the Bolero came faster, took a round turn and stood in front of her. Until then she could only see the bloody wheels but now the Bolero was close enough to see through the glasses and much to her horror the car was vacant. She got froze, drenched in sweat, her body was immobile. Though there was no one in the car, she could sense someone's presence. She felt a hand on her left shoulder, turned back and screamed her heart out.

1 month later

Neha was surprised to hear that. "Are you sure because no one was ready to take me there."

She moved her hands in dismissal and said, "Oh, they are all illiterate, superstitious people. Don't take them seriously. Come sit."

"That's great! by the way, I am Neha." She said by moving her hands forward to shake.

"I am Aisha." The girl replied with utter simplicity.