Episode 5

*Disclaimer*

The series is total work of fiction; resemblance to any character is purely a coincidence. This series doesn't claim that there is a presence of any supernatural powers, or doesn't support any superstitious beliefs.

***

Officer Azad made a quick move, he told Salunke to come with him. They both went to Vikrant's home.

"This guy must have some connection with Ravi's murder" Azad spoke.

They both jump out from jeep and went on the 6th floor of the Oberoi Apartments.

Azad knocked the door boorishly.

(Waiting for Vikrant to open the door)

No Response.

Again he knocked......

Nothing...

He tried for the third time but heard something,

"Your knocking is of no you Sir, Vikrant is not home."

Voice from their back, Azad and Salunke turned back...

They saw Vikrant's neighbor... He was young around in his twenties and looks disturbed by the loud knocking.

"What... What do you mean!?" Azad asked.

"I mean, Vikrant is gone for a trip, to Lonavala. He won't be back for 10 days." He said in a snoozy tone.

"Lonavla, okay, can you please tell us more about where he is going in Lonavla?" Azad asked.

"Uh...I don't know much, he just told that he is going at his farmhouse at Lonavala"

"And when did he left? Azad asked again.

"Just around half an hour before" The boy calculated and answered.

"Salunke, he might be not so far, take the jeep we will find him, I am sure this Vikrant has some connection with the case. I will find him right on the way."

Officer Azad and Salunke came down and started the jeep.

Salunke, "Sir but where would we find that boy in Lonavla, its big town now."

Azad, "Dont worry about that, we would find him, when you came downstairs, I took the number of Vikrant from that boy. So we can track him now, which means we would perfectly catch him on his way! haha" he laughed thinking himself a techno-savvy.

Salunke accelerated, and they moved quickly to find Vikrant Sharma.

They passed through the board written

'Lonavla 80 km'

***

Just behind them there were 2 slayers who were Armaan men's and sent to follow Vikrant.

And just 50 km ahead from them was Vikrant,

not having any idea of what was following him...

He was just enjoying the weather, the travel, the gossips, and looking Naina from rear view in small intervals.

He was feeling drowsy, he saw a board written, "Lonavala 32 km"

Vikrant took out his phone and looked at the time it was morning 10:55

There was winter breeze outside, Vikrant had now closed his window and turned on the heater of the car.

The radio was off, just the sound of wheels running over the agile road. And some twaddle talks going on behind.

Vikrant had clicked a photograph of the map, so he could see the map anytime anywhere just with his phone.

He opened the photo and observed the map again, every time whenever Vikrant tried to read the map, he found something new, this time Vikrant came out with a new Sanskrit text which he never had seen there on the map, Because there were many things written over.

This time the Sanskrit text was

"कृते प्रतिकृतं कुर्यात्ताडिते प्रतिताडितम्।"

Which again he didn't understand.

He again tried to Google, but this time he didn't got the meaning. Google was failed to answer him. He felt some kind of mystery in that. He wanted to know it's meaning, Something must be hidden in this, he thought. His mind was eating him and making him think for the meaning. He thought Abhishek might know the meaning.

Vikrant slowly leaned towards Abhishek, "Abhishek, do you know Sanskrit?"

"Uh, not that well, but just had learned in school, tell me that word, I might know about it!"

"Okay this is the line, tell me what does it mean. And slowly he showed his phone to Abhishek.

"Bro, read it for me. I am driving; I can't do two things at a time"

Vikrant took his hand back and read, slowly, not letting the backseaters hear.

"कृते..... प्रतिृतं ...कुर्यात्ताडिते ..प्रतिता....डितम।"

"Huh.. I can't answer it bro, it's out of my system...” Abhishek simply put his answer.

They were now near to the hill station. Looking at the valleys, backseaters were erasing the smog over the windows and looking outside, the glory.

They moved their vehicle from the Lonavla town. An evergreen look of the town with cold breeze made it more beautiful... Vikrant was feeling cold so he turned up the heater at max. He was trying to sleep now...

Abhishek, "Hey bro don't sleep now, we are in the town now, just tell me where to go from here now... Where is your farmhouse?"

"Aa.... Now take a left from here, around 5km far from the main town, my farmhouse is!" Vikrant was knowing this, as he had marked up the position on Google Maps. Ravi once told him about the address and directions. So that if they had to meet there they could directly come.

Abhishek took his car by the directions as Vikrant told. As they were in a hilly region there was fog around, and their car was passing through this mild fog.

Backside girls were taking clicks... Gautam and Vrushika were sleeping... And mama was looking at a small temples and praying with sparkle in eyes.

The road was wet by light ice crystals; there were no vehicles around, just this single vehicle. Everywhere greenery.

And suddenly,

Abhishek forced the break.

His eyes captured something on the road,

The car stopped,

Gautam and Vrushika brought to life back

due to this quick action.

Manish scowled at Abhishek "What happened man, why you stopped the car!"

Vikrant asked Abhishek, "What happened bro?"

Scared Abhishek pointed at something.

Vikrant looked at that point.

A strange old sage was sitting on the road, long white hairs, white beard. His face. Eyes were hollow, face was wrinkled. He stood up and started walking towards their car, he came closer to Vikrant's window.

Vikrant and Abhishek were just looking in perplexity.

He knocked at Vikrant’s window... Scared Vikrant slowly opened the window...

Everyone was watching this...  All were looking in conundrum at the sage.

He spoke,

"कृते प्रतिकृतं कुर्यात्ताडिते प्रतिताडितम्।"

In rage, looking at Vikrant.

Vikrant was shocked to listen the same words he read a few minutes before. Abhishek too realized this.

The sage looked at everybody and whined "For every action, there is a counteraction. Be safe" And he moved away in the same rage.

Aisha, "Wh... What was that!!?"

Mama, "This is some kind of curse, I saw a black cat before, while we were passing,

She crossed our road."

Gautam, "Oh mama, you believing in this superstitious shit, he was a psychopath, just blocking our way..."

Manish said continuing Gautam, "Yes... He was an asshole; you began the car Abhishek... Bloody wasting our time... Let's enjoy the trip guys." saying this Manish took out three bottles of beer and one took for himself another gave it to Gautam and ask the last one to Naina, but she denied. And he asked Abhishek and Vikrant too... But they were so frightened and surprised by the words of the sage that they were unable to come out from that state. So he gave the last bottle to Aisha.

Abhishek started the car. They moved from that place.

Vikrant in his mind thinking about the sage... "What did he said, कृते प्रतिकृतं कुर्यात्ताडिते प्रतिताडितम्।

"That means

For every action, there is a counteraction.! But what kind of action, what is going to happen. Uhhh Gautam had said right, he was a psychopath..." Vikrant was trying to forgot the thing.

Mama started whispering some mantras... "It was something strange, this new generation won't understand what devil is, he comes in any habitude. And take the spirits... Oh god please look after us.. Om Shanti..."

Vrushika took Gautam’s beer bottle and took a sip.

Beside Manish was changed into a drunkard lying on his seat.

Aisha was offering Naina the drink but she always tried to keep herself a back from these things.

***

Abhishek, "Here we are..." And he stopped the car.

Vikrant open the door and came out with Abhishek and slowly everyone came out.

It was very cold outside. A farmhouse, turned into a disappointment as it was an old haveli type house... Surrounded all around with a wet green bushes and tress. Isolated from the town here 5km away. Nothing seemed closer. Just a small shop which was closed.

They took their bags and took out sweaters. Vikrant wore up his favorite white sweater... And tried to cover up from the cold... He looked at the house and thought, "So here is the treasure."

"Vikrant help, Vikrant... "

Vikrant heard someone's voice asking him for help he turned back to see who it was and he got freeze

It was Naina...

Trying to take down a heavy bag which they hooked up on the head carry of the car.

"Vikrant!" she exclaimed again and Vikrant got his senses back.

He quickly moved to her and lifted the bag with his strong arms and safely put that bag down.

She said, "Thanks"

Vikrant again got mesmerized and replied "Sorry"

She confused, "What?"

Vikrant, "What?"

She again tried to make him understand, "Sorry for what?"

He now understood that he made a mistake, "I said sorry? Oh... I am not saying sorry to you, I said it to my god, yesterday night I was very angry on him... For not sending any charming, adorable girl in my life. But now I feel I should sorry. Ask me why "

Naina, " Why? "

Vikrant continued, "Because I am standing infront of the most beautiful, charming, sensual, dazzling, elegant girl in the world, who recently asked me for help." Vikrant realised that he used all the synonyms for beautiful to flirt.

She got his move. She smiled at him, "Ooooo, so you should very thankful to god now as he blessed you. Naina tried to give a positive response.

"Yeah.., thank you very much God" Vikrant looked up and shouted with joy.

"Oye chillana band kr (Stop shouting) tell me where are the keys for the gate..." Abhishek asked.

Vikrant in his mind, "oh no, I don't have keys of these... "

Vikrant started acting fake, "Oh no Shit, I forgot the keys at home... What to do now. Oh god"

Everyone " Oh yaar, how you supposed to be so irresponsible.

"Sorry... yaar sorry... But for now... I have an idea... Look for a big stone and break the lock... I won't mind. I will buy a new lock later." Vikrant suggested.

Abhishek searched and brought a big rock, he broke the lock of the gate.

"yeyyyy" Aisha foolishly cheered up Abhishek. She was drunk.

Abhishek said, "Take the bags out I want to park the car."

Everyone took out their bags and got inside the yard. The place, the house was hemmed in the mid-size trees and green bushes around; the house was surrounded with steel rounded fencing. Sharp and rough, which was  covered by vivacious bushes.

Some stone pillars were standing in the yard at some irregular pace. Scribbled with a hoary message. Naina was observing this, the antique designs over the stones and some message scribbled.

Vikrant looked at the farmhouse...  It was a perfect picturesque to an old Indian haveli.

A vast quaint yard around, and the haveli at the bottom, shuttered in the fog.

A finely wooden alleyway was passing to the main door of the house.

Vikrant walked to the main door, he found that the door was already unlocked; he just pushed it away and opened it. The door opened with a spooky sound, dust fall apart by the door motion and Vikrant put his foot inside. His heart was started beating faster now; he was getting cold-hearted creeps for no reason. He was aroused; he took a deep breath.

He was not understanding why his body was acting in such a way.

Now he looked front, it was a true old haveli, with an Indian traditional look. Paintings hanged on the wall, the furniture, the design were different, and was implicated to the old 1500s.

Like some quite Royal feel. Everyone came inside now, they were too amazed to see this wonder, a finely designed the most luxurious Haveli of that time.

Gautam, "Woah, look baby at that marvelous piece." He told Vrushika pointing at a Crystal statue of a king.

Vikrant too looked at it, he confirmed that this was a king's haveli, whose treasure is still here, obscured.

Abhishek was parking the car in the out yard. How can that sage repeat those same words which were first asked by Vikrant? There is something which Vikrant is hiding from us, every time he seemed confused and acted strange. Should I ask him about that? Abhishek was thinking.

"I should, I should ask him, I want to know what he is hiding..."

Abhishek took his bags, locked the car, and came inside the haveli. He got the same amazed by the inner glory of the antique haveli.

He walked to Vikrant, but didn't ask anything, He was trying to find out some miscellaneous through his facial expressions.

***

"What happened Salunke. Why you stop the car!?" Azad angrily shouted at Salunke.

Salunke pointed towards something. But before Officer Azad could see what it was, Someone hit on their car from the back. Azad looked back quickly, he saw 2 men sitting in a car and they smashed their car from back which was obvious invisible for them in the smog.

Scared slayers quickly took a U-turn as they saw that they hit a police car, they just tried to escape, and they did.

Before Azad could do anything those two quickly disappeared.

By this everything Azad got more angry, he looked at the point where Salunke pointed there was no one, and he just then scowled at Salunke.

"Who is **** you saw their Salunke, There is no one, and because of you someone broke our backlights of the car...It was such a nonsense... Are you listening to me!!?? "

"A... A.. Sorry... Sorry Sahab (Sir)" Salunke came to normal, as he was shocked.

I am sorry Sahab but I saw a sage sitting right there" Salunke.

Azad, "Okay... Okay...  Whoever it was, let that be, but you stopped the Jeep so harshly that someone crashed their car onto ours."

"What?" Salunke got to know this now, because he was in another state a few moments before.

Salunke quickly came out from jeep he went back to look at the damage, he found that it was just a dent in the back, nothing more.

He told that to Officer Azad, and said sorry again.

"Its okay, but now take the Jeep fast we have to reach there, we are very closer."

And they moved on.

***

Here these guys were exploring the haveli, "So let's distribute the room, this room near to kitchen is yours Vrushika and Gautam" Vikrant said.

"Ohho, so the bed bugs are going to spite tonight." Gautam said looking at Vrushika in a naughty way.

"The room next to them will belong to Aisha; just apart to it will be Naina's room. Looking at the Abhishek, Vikrant said, Abhishek your room will be near to my room which is on the 2nd floor, Manish's room and Mama's room is also respectively aside from mine. Okay! let's get settled in our respective rooms." Vikrant said and winked.

Everyone moved to their rooms.

Little unclean but luxurious.

Abhishek, Vikrant, Manish, and mama went upstairs.

While going up Abhishek tried to ask Vikrant about the secret, "Vikrant I want to ask you something..."

"Hmm, ask" Vikrant said.

"What you hiding?"

Vikrant stopped, Manish and mama went up, to their rooms, Abhishek again asked.

"Are you hiding something from us? Tell me... Just feel free, don't keep secrets from me, at last I am your good friend"

Vikrant was thinking, "how did he get to know about the secret!?

Vikrant decided to reveal the secret but thought for a second that he also need to give some amount to Abhishek to shut his mouth else if he told someone else, it would be more problematic.

Instead, he shouldn't tell anything about that to anyone.

"No...  I am not hiding anything... Why"

Vikrant simply answered as he didn't want to reveal anything.

"No just asking, I was surprised by the sight when the sage repeated the same words you earlier"-

"Aaaaaaa"

Someone screamed very loudly.

Abhishek and Vikrant looked at the direction of the sound, both quickly ran downstairs, they saw Naina she was gone white, there was terror she was looking at; everyone came there and saw what it was.

"What...... the..... ****......" Manish spelled while looking at the thing.

All of them were shocked to see that... The thing... it was...

It was terrible...

***

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