1 The Mysterious Lady

Tintinnabulation was being felt in her delicate and well-suited ears. It was not a morning or a day; it was past midnight. Lying in her bed, she had been craving for a slumber, which seemed unattainable. Frequent tossing and turning did not soothe her. The sound was heard again. She mulled over getting to her feet to follow the rhythm, but an intuition, rising within her soul, hampered her advancement forcefully.

She gazed at the ceiling; all its corners and sides were almost obliterated with cobwebs, and the old paint had peeled off, giving it the look of an antique world with patches. The only ceiling fan with two of its bent blades was spinning with much hardship like an old, feeble, ailing ox circling a well. At a corner stood a pedestal fan that had refused to function long back.

She heard the jingle again. And unlike before, it was not from a distance; it seemed that the source was under her bed. Being solely alone in such an extra-capacious dwelling, she did not dare to push her head down the bed to have a glance. Things were getting formidable gradually. The darkness was evident. The silence was audible. The horror remained prevalent. The dreadfulness was rampant and she was susceptible.

Out of the blue, with a flash, but with no more tintinnabulation, no jingling, no tinkling, a ray of grayish hazy smoke wriggled in the room. It boogied, bopped, hopped, hovered, and then making a jamboree, halted at her feet.

"You want to break up with me…no way…you are always at my disposal…" The indistinct, hazy entity blurted, "You are mine, always… so what… if we don't share the same creature."

She burst into a shuddering, quivering, and scary fright. A shiver ran down her spine. Warm phlegm gathered in her throat; she swallowed and pushed it down. She felt her eyelids twitch over her stare; her consciousness fell into the momentary darkness. Her gestures were dead, her lips were seized, her mouth turned mute, her eyes shot and she kept mum; the traumatized lady fell into a light trance.

In no time, without waiting for a reply, the bodach made his way, through her ears, inside her body. This gave her some sudden jerking movements like slaughtered fowl writhes and twists before its soul departed. Her face turned pale and jaw stiff. And then she began long-lasting intermittent yelling and moaning.

The next morning saw another scorching sun. Several local inhabitants had gathered outside her house; they were her neighbors and had come out of their houses when heard shrill shrieks in the dead stillness of the night.

"It's 2 a.m. We don't know what's wrong with this lady… loud cries and strange noises are heard often at midnight," a middle-aged man complained.

"Yeah…rude is an understatement… my wife and I woke up twice….can you believe the nerve of this lady? We couldn't go back to sleep," another man angered.

"I mean…wailing and moaning in the middle of the night! I almost called the police…" This time it was an adult.

"Is someone torturing that woman in the middle of the night?" Sam, a young man, who shifted to this locality recently, was intrigued.

"No! She is all alone… and I think she has been suffering from epilepsy… that must be causing her severe pain and she yells. This happens always at midnight," a sophistically intellectual elderly-looking man shared.

"Why doesn't she get herself cured? What's her name? How old is she? Does she live alone? Where are her family members?" Sam was bombarded with an array of questions.

"Jenny! This is what her mother called her. Her real name is Jennifer Desouza. She is around thirty. She has no children. Her husband had divorced her just within a few years of their marriage. Her only companion was her widow's mother before she passed away last year. Since then she has been living in this house alone," faltered an elderly man whose words mixed with coughing.

"Oh, I see!" Sam raised his eyebrows with astonishment. Sam was a tall, well-built, man of thirty-two. He had a creamy complexion. His hair was wavy, but not much thick. His brown eyes behind spectacles were always thirsty for something new. He wore slim and light mustaches. His inquisitive curious nature and keen interest made him develop a career in journalism. Soon after his Post-Graduation, a local magazine, 'The Sunshine' took him on as an investigative reporter.

Sam looked exceptionally interested in all such talks, which entail enigma. Since he had always been an anxious soul to unravel a mystery to make an interesting story for his magazine, he wanted to learn more about Jennifer. Thus, he deliberated to catch up with her to investigate why the lady had not been acting normally.

Throughout the day he immersed himself in planning; how he could collect data for an interesting factual story and how and when to begin. At one moment, he thought to share it with his childhood friend and colleague Michael, but then considering his full credit, he dropped the idea. However, he kept it in the back of his mind, just in case he needs some advice.

The day and the night passed with no more noises. The next morning, Sam took a stroll around the houses. Nothing unusual occurred. While walking past her house, he halted in front of the gate. Gazing at the doorbell, he had the nerve and pressed his right index finger on it. There was no chime. He tried again but with no success again.

"I think the doorbell is out of order," He muttered to himself. He then began pounding at the black iron door….loud enough to be heard clearly.

"I heard ya… okay!" A glimmering feminine voice was heard.

This brought a promising grin to his face. In a while, a faint movement inside was heard; He heard the shuffling that kept getting nearer and nearer and nearer…. And then he heard a creek; the gate sluggishly opened. In front of her standing was a pale-faced with sunken- rheumy eyes, sickly looking lady with disheveled hair and in an unkempt casual outfit, seemed formerly beautiful although attractive currently. On her feet were worn-out flip-flops. She looked very deep and complex. On a close examination, Sam recognized her as his schoolmate. She seemed to be the same Jennifer; he used to crave a talk, a walk, and for a romantic time to spend with her.

Without uttering a word, with an interrogative facial expression, she asked him who he was and what he wanted.

"I…. I'm your neighbor and I thought to ask you… if…. you…. you need. s..s..some help....." He stuttered.

At first, the so-called paranormal lady wagged her right hand in disapproval accompanied by an expression of indignation on her face, but then incredibly she gestured for him to get in. As soon as Sam entered, She slammed the gate on their behind and waved to him with her right index finger to follow her. He did so.

The moment Sam entered the house, a wave of unknown fear ran through his spine. He felt nauseous with the exotic smell of the air as if the ground had been unearthed and a burial ritual was to be taken place. They went into an old, worn-out painted room with cobwebs at every corner of the ceiling. It seemed to have been a long time since it was taken care of. With her left hand and without uttering a word again, she gestured to him to sit on a chair, whose seat was covered with a flimsy layer of dust. He rubbed it with his left middle and index finger, looked at it, but then sat on it. Facing him, the lady perched on her bed.

"Do you remember me? I'm Sam ….. Standard 9A and you Jennifer Desouza Standard 10B, Woodstock School, right?" Sam reminded her.

"Oh really! Sorry, I didn't recognize you, maybe because life has beaten me down, things have affected me too much, pushed me back, drained the life from my chest until it's hollow now," Jennifer looked extremely somber.

"I know there will always be things that hit you hard, but setbacks are inevitable. They cloud our minds to the point that we feel unable to do anything about them. I had falls and pains that have taken a long time to recover. I've also been down but then I turned things around more quickly," Sam tried to console her.

"O.K.… What would you like to have?" She asked huskily.

"No… no it's ok…" Sam hesitated.

"No way... Do you fancy coffee, tea, juice, or burgundy drink?" She persisted.

"Burgundy drink?" He weakly asked.

"Yes… the most favorite of mine…" She smirked and without his nod, she stood on her feet and lumbered out of the room.

Sam inspected the room, where sitting on the left corner was an old vanity that caught his attention. The next moment, he was looking at his reflection in the ramshackle mirror. All of a sudden, he felt the earth move under his feet when he sensed a hand pressing his left shoulder from the back. He jumped and turned around frantically to see that no one was there.

"Who is there? Who pressed my shoulder?" He touched his left shoulder and whispered in the air. No one was there.

The next moment, the lady emerged with a tray bearing two glass tumblers filled with burgundy drinks.

"Why did you move into our room? Why did you look into our mirror?" She snarled.

"I… I… I'm sorry… I just wanted to…" He tried to apologize.

"You know this is our room… nobody moves here but we… nobody looks into the mirror but we… you did it …You wretch! O.K… come and sit," She cooled herself down... "We are hospitable by nature…. We don't let our guests down… drink it … cheers! " She tossed her glass with his.

Reluctantly, he took a sip…"Ugh… ugh…" It tasted something revolting… 'What a horrible smell and taste it has!' He thought to himself.

"What brought you here?" She smirked without noticing a scowl on his face.

"Actually… for a couple of nights since I moved house to this locality, I have been hearing some weird shrills from this house," Sam extended defensibly.

"Oh! … So you're another volunteer… or a representative from an NGO … to find a solution for my woes?" She raised her voice.

"No, I'm a journalist and want to…" Sam cleared his throat.

'Want to make a nice catchy creepy story to earn you a high rating… hmm…" She curtailed him with a snicker.

"I'd be much… much grateful to you if you could just… share… something about yourself…" He beseeched her.

Such an imploration was a unique episode she encountered in her life… Even though she never wanted to open up to anyone, she could not resist Sam; a very young, gentle, smart, and charming guy in front of her. How could she resist in a lonely environment when two young souls crave to grab each other's company?

Jennifer deliberated for a couple of moments and then sighed, "I belonged to a noble family. My father was a professor at a college. We were three female siblings. I was the eldest. I wanted to be a doctor, but unfortunately, my father's sad demise in an accident shattered our family. My mother had to take up a teaching job in a school to run the family….Since it was very hard for us to make ends meet, I could not pursue medical qualifications and simply ended up teaching with my mother at her school. My youngest sister found a crush during her high school and tied the knot with her paramour. The middle one also married my cousin and shifted to another city. I was left alone with my mother. I had many proposals, but I did not want to leave my mom... I knew what marriage requires….my obligations…and I didn't want to bow to them…to leave my mom…time passed like that. One day I encountered Joseph in a supermarket. He was a very decent guy who accepted all my conditions to live with me and my mother after marriage. In six months we got married, sold our house, and bought this house in this part of the city."

"Why were you so intent on selling that place?" Sam interrupted.

"Joseph did not want to live in that ramshackle house so we moved here. Even I've put this house in escrow because of my debts… anyway, it was just the first month of our shifting to this house and the fourth year of our marriage when Joseph was out of the country for some business training. One night my deep slumber was tarnished by a nightmare… I opened my eyes and felt a heavy burden on my body… I could see nothing… I could hear nothing. Even though I tried with all my strength, I could not scream to wake my mom, who was sleeping in another room. I felt bound and gagged and remained in a trance for more than an hour. I can't express how I felt.

Again in the middle of the next night, the same happened…and then again and again. Gradually, it became so intoxicating that I began enjoying it. Every night I waited for the moment to overwhelm me. It was as if I was on drugs. Those were the moments of euphoria. I was as ecstatic as a clam without knowing its repercussions. That continued till Joseph returned after six months… I could not face him. I felt why he came back. He should not be here. He should go away. Joseph felt a different behavior from me and asked me the reason. But I could say nothing… because I was not in my control. I began resisting and blaming him that his presence hurting me. He complained to my mom, who was already very sick and feeble. She counseled me a couple of times, but I imbibed nothing. I had developed within me a sort of loath against my husband for no reason. He had been very good to me, very caring, but I fell into restlessness when he was home. I craved that he should go away for a longer and longer time and leave me alone to let me live on my own. I was in oblivion to enjoy being with myself. No one was mine… I was on my own.

"Did you consult any physician or a shrink?" He intervened again.

A mysterious smile spread across her face, "Yes we did… Joseph took me to several Homeopathic, Allopathic, and Ayurvedic doctors … but I never followed their prescriptions regularly… I dodged my hubby by ensuring him repeatedly that I was taking pills, yet I checked all my meds… For more than four years I could not bear him any brood. I could not succeed to be his life companion. He tried hard, but I was reluctant… He bought me things, but I threw them away. He took me to dine out, but I criticized him, he tried to get close to me, but I made faces, and then one day being disheartened, he went out of the country on the pretext of some business and never returned."

"What! That is preposterous…" Sam's eyes shot open.

"In six months, we had no means of communication and then I received the divorce papers with a letter bearing the details of my transgression and peculiar behavior. This did not shock me neither did I shed a drop of tears… I don't know why… But my mom could not stand it anymore… She suffered a few strokes and one day she succumbed to the last one. After her sad demise, I was left alone not only in this house but in this entire world… because all my relatives and loved ones reckoned me a maniac, a lunatic or somatic patient, and worst of all, an importunate numbskull. My sisters tried to medicate me for my woes as they thought I had been agonizing over my emotional distress but to me no worries at all. I never cooperated and the situation was like an active witness with a lazy complainant. At last, being exhausted, they gave in. I was happy to be alone… to be in my world…..would you like another glass of burgundy?" She asked gawping at him while he was drowned in the pool of his contemplation.

"No thanks … just enough… em… I just want to take a glass of plain water… if you could … this burgundy drink is … I don't know what to say…" Sam refused her offer point blank without letting her complete it.

"This burgundy drink is from out of the world. I adore it…we crave it… we relish it all the time," She chortled and left to get me water.

In her absence for a few seconds, he brooded, "How could a lady be like her? I know her very well… she was an active student in school, taking part in all curricular and co-curricular activities with all her zeal and zest… what has happened to her now?… what's her quandary?…why did she say 'we' when she is living here alone? Is there a lad who only visits her at night? But then why does she wail? Maybe a demon… no … no… a supernatural can't have a relationship with a human… no way… two different creatures… such is only horror movie stuff not in real life… Anyway, I must diagnose and bring her to normality; I must reach a denouement!" Sam committed to himself. In a few moments, Jennifer returned carrying a glass of plain water.

"Here you're… are you in a relationship Sam?" Jennifer asked interestingly.

"No… not exactly…" Sam lied… although he had been with Rebecca for two years.

"Have you been before?" Jennifer threw another question.

"Yeah… but nothing worked well… I'm single now… I'm alone; I need a friend, a companion, will you be one? "

"Well! I don't mind … you were my schoolmate… it's O.K. to me but things might not turn out to be the way you're expecting, " She hesitated.

"Why not? Is there anyone else? I mean…are you in a relationship with someone?

"Yes I am… no…. no… I'm not… that's not called relationship… human to human is a relationship," Jennifer gibbered.

Considering Jennifer's mental condition not stable, Sam overlooked what she uttered, "Even if there is… how can anyone else know what is best for you? No one knows what is best for you except you. It's only your right to decide what to do."

Give me a break! Let me ponder on it." Jennifer spoke faintly.

"Come on … you're alone. You need someone you could share your grievances with… someone you could cherish with." Sam continued when he noticed Jennifer was speechless, "I have an acquaintance, my late father's friend, Dr. Jerome, and he's a shrink. In case you don't want to visit him, I'll bring him here for your treatment. And please you've to cooperate," Sam pleaded.

Jennifer saw eye to eye with Sam, who then gulped the glass of water and stood on his feet, "I gotta split… for now I must make haste; I've to report to my office, but I'll come again with Dr. Jerome."

Jennifer nodded hesitatingly with a grin.