THE NIGHT MARE

The road stretched ahead, its black asphalt glistening under the soft glow of streetlights. The RollsRoyce cruised smoothly, a fortress of comfort and silence amidst the night’s gentle drizzle. Inside, a

girl sat beside her mother in the plush leather backseat. Her head rested on her mother's shoulder,

the familiar scent of her perfume wrapping her in warmth and safety. The soft hum of the car engine

lulled her into a trance, her eyelids drooping.

The rain began to intensify, droplets racing down the car windows like tiny rivers. The girl absently

traced one with her finger, her thoughts drifting. Her father sat in the passenger seat, discussing

something trivial with the driver. Their voices blended with the rhythmic tap of rain against glass.

A sudden flash of light broke the serenity, cutting through the dark like a blade. It reflected off the

girl’s face, stark and blinding. She blinked, startled, and turned to the right, her breath catching as

she peered through the rain-streaked window.

A truck barreled toward them.

“Papa! Watch out!” she screamed, her voice cracking with terror.

The driver yanked the steering wheel, tires screeching in protest as the truck collided with the car.

The world exploded into chaos. Metal crunched, glass shattered, and the Rolls-Royce flipped,

tumbling like a lifeless toy.

The girl’s body was flung sideways, her mother’s arms instinctively tightening around her. The

deafening crash drowned out the scream that tore from her throat. Time slowed, the chaos around

her blurring into an incomprehensible whirlwind of sound and motion.

The car landed on its side with a bone-jarring thud. Blood smeared the shattered windshield, the

metallic scent thick in the air. Rain poured through the broken windows, mixing with the crimson

pooling around them.

“Ma… Papa…” the girl whispered, her voice trembling as she turned her head.

Her father lay still in the front seat, his head slumped unnaturally forward. The driver, motionless, his

face obscured by blood.

“Mam…” she choked, clutching at her mother. Her mother’s arms, warm and trembling, encased her

in a desperate embrace.

“It’s okay, beta… It’s ok..ay…” her mother whispered, her voice a fragile thread against the chaos. But

her breaths were labored, her strength fading.

The girl clung to her mother as sobs racked her chest, the rain soaking them through. Her mother’s

grip tightened one last time before loosening, her body sagging against her daughter’s.

“No NO NO, Ma! ” the girl cried, shaking her, but her mother’s head lolled lifelessly.

The rain poured harder, washing away the blood in streaks down the road. The girl lay there amidst

the wreckage, her mother’s body draped over her, her cries muffled by the relentless downpour. The

world around her dissolved into a haze of grief and rain, leaving her alone in the shattering silence of

her loss.

The rain battered against the wreckage as she sat in the mangled car, her mother’s lifeless arms

wrapped around her. Blood seeped into the pooling rainwater, and the silence was deafening, broken

only by the faint hiss of the storm.

She lifted her head slowly, her tear-streaked face illuminated by a distant streetlight. That’s when she

saw it—a figure. Just a glimpse, like a shadow flickering at the edge of her vision. Tall, motionless,

watching her from the distance.

Her heart seized, a scream rising in her throat, but it never came. The world around her dissolved,

shattered like glass.

She gasped awake, bolting upright in bed. Sweat dripped down her face, her chest heaving as if she’d

been running for miles. Her trembling hands clutched the blanket as her wide eyes darted around

the room, confirming she was safe. The soft hum of the ceiling fan, the faint glow of Jaipur’s city

lights filtering through her curtains—it was all real.

It had been six years. Six years since the accident.

She pressed her palm against her damp forehead, forcing herself to breathe. "All is well All is well,"

she whispered and patted her chest, though she didn’t quite believe it. The nightmare clung to her

like a shadow, refusing to let go

After a moment, she slid out of bed, her bare feet padding softly on the cool tiled floor. The clock

read 5:45 AM—almost time to open the flower shop. She worked there with her best friend, Meera,

who had given her a fresh start in this new city.

A New Day in Jaipur

By 7 AM, she was at Bloom & Bliss, the quaint little flower shop nestled in a bustling Jaipur street.

The scent of roses and marigolds greeted her as she unlocked the glass door, letting the early

sunlight spill inside. She inhaled deeply, finding momentary solace in the familiar aroma.

“hello beauty so early today !” Meera called from the back, her cheerful voice breaking through the

haze of Aarya’s lingering thoughts.

“Morning Meera,” Aarya replied, forcing a small smile as she began arranging the fresh flowers

Meera had picked up from the market earlier.

“morning…sweetie’’ Meera replied

The shop soon filled with customers—a young man nervously buying a bouquet for his girlfriend, an

elderly woman picking marigolds for a puja. Aarya smiled and interacted with them, her hands deftly

wrapping flowers, but her mind was never entirely at ease.

Every time the bell above the door jingled, her heart skipped a beat. Every glance from a passerby,

every shadow cast by the morning sun, made her stomach churn. She felt it again—the weight of

eyes on her. Someone watching.

It wasn’t new. Since moving to Jaipur, she had felt it constantly, like a presence just out of sight. She

would turn abruptly on the street, only to find no one there. She would look over her shoulder in the

shop and see nothing but the quiet street outside.

Meera often joked about her being paranoid. "You need to stop watching crime shows before bed!"

she’d laugh. But Aarya knew it wasn’t her imagination.

By mid-afternoon, the shop quieted down. Aarya was watering a pot of jasmine when she noticed a

man standing across the street. He was tall, wearing a dark jacket, and seemed to be looking straight

at her.

Her heart raced, but she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to focus on the flowers. When she

glanced back, he was gone.

“Hey you all right ?” Meera asked, noticing the tension in her face.

“mmhm ,” Aarya lied, her voice tight.

The day ended as it always did—her locking up the shop while Meera headed home early. As Aarya

walked back to her small apartment, the streets were alive with Jaipur’s evening bustle. Vendors

called out their wares, the scent of spices mingling with the city’s warm air.

But even amidst the crowd, she felt it. That presence. Her steps quickened, her eyes darting to every

shadow.

When she finally reached her apartment, she was struggling to open the lock and suddenly her eyes

fell on the corner of the door it was a marigold lying on the step its petals bright against the

concrete.

She picked it up and looked around. The street was empty but she could feel it. Someone was there

Watching.

End --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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