Lost in the Abyss

Ram’s hands trembled as he slapped and shook Pavan, trying to bring him back to his senses. “Wake up, Pavan! Snap out of it!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the eerie silence of the night. Pavan blinked, his wild eyes darting around as if he’d just emerged from a nightmare.

Suddenly, his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground. “Pavan!” Ram knelt beside him, shaking his shoulders. “Get up! What’s wrong? We need to leave this place!”

Pavan’s voice was barely a whisper as he mumbled, “Where… where is Avi? Ram, where is he?” His eyes filled with terror as he added, “Someone is watching us, Ram.”

“Who?!” Ram asked, his heart pounding.

“I don’t know… but we need to get out of here. Now.”

Summoning all his strength, Pavan staggered to his feet, and the two of them began running, their breaths loud and uneven in the still air. The forest surrounding the cliff seemed darker than before, the shadows moving in unnatural ways. Every step they took was filled with dread.

As they quickened their pace, they could hear it. Footsteps. Not theirs, but something—or someone—was running too, matching their speed. Ram’s chest tightened. He dared to glance back, but the path behind them was empty. Nothing but the swaying trees and the faint rustle of leaves.

“Ram!” Pavan’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Don’t stop! Keep running!”

They reached the edge of the forest and found their bicycles lying where they had left them. With shaking hands, they climbed on and pedaled as fast as they could, leaving the cursed place behind. But the fear followed them, clinging to their backs like a shadow.

Pavan’s sobs broke the silence as they rode. “Avi is gone, Ram. He’s gone. What if we never find him? What if…” His voice cracked.

Ram didn’t reply. He couldn’t. The image of Avi, his laughter from earlier that day, was burned into his mind, and now it felt like a cruel memory.

When they finally reached the village, the familiar streets seemed strange, as if tainted by the horrors of Kaali Pahadi. Pavan stopped his bike abruptly and turned to Ram. What do we do now

Ram took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. “We have to tell someone about Avi. We’ll go to his house first.”

No! Everyone will blame us,Pavan said, his voice rising in panic. They’ll think it’s our fault

That doesn’t matter, Ram said firmly, though his voice wavered. “We have to find him. That’s what’s important.

Reluctantly, Pavan nodded, and they made their way to Avi’s house. As they approached, they saw Avi’s mother sitting outside, chatting with a few women from the village. The sight of her calm face made their guilt heavier.

The moment she saw them, her expression changed. “Ram? Pavan? What’s wrong? Why do you both look like this? And where is Avi? You all were together, weren’t you?”

Ram hesitated, his throat dry. But he couldn’t hide the truth. Aunty… we… we lost him.”

Her face paled. “Lost? What do you mean, lost? Where is my son? What happened?”

Ram stammered, We… we went to Kaali Pahadi.

The moment those words left his mouth, her eyes widened in shock and fear. The women sitting nearby gasped, whispering among themselves. Avi’s mother stood abruptly, her voice shaking. “Kaali Pahadi? Are you out of your minds?!”

Before Ram could explain further, she slapped him across the face. “You fools! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

Pavan, wiping his tears, tried to speak, Aunty, we didn’t

Do you even know the stories about that place? she interrupted, her voice breaking. People don’t go there for a reason. That place is cursed

Ram and Pavan exchanged a terrified glance. “But… but Avi said it was just a legend,” Ram said weakly.

“Legends,she spat, don’t make people disappear without a trace”

The air grew heavy as Avi’s mother’s words sank in. The whispers of the villagers grew louder, and Ram felt the weight of their stares. The fear they had felt on the cliff began creeping back, stronger than before.

Pavan finally asked, his voice trembling, “Aunty what happens to people who go to Kaali Pahadi?

Her lips quivered, and tears filled her eyes. “They don’t come back.”

Silence fell, broken only by the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. Ram clenched his fists, trying to summon his courage. “We’ll find him, aunty. We’ll bring him back, he said, though his voice was barely audible.

But as they walked away, Pavan noticed the look on Ram’s face. His confidence seemed to have crumbled. Ram’s hands were shaking, his breathing shallow, and his eyes were distant, clouded with fear.

Ram? Pavan whispered, worried.

Ram didn’t reply. For the first time that night, he realized he wasn’t sure if they could bring Avi back. If Avi was even alive. The terror of Kaali Pahadi had seeped into him, and his resolve was fading with every passing second.

In the back of his mind, a horrifying thought began to grow What if

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***