The Scary Past Ep-2

After Raina is done with Vicky Raina left to her apartment in the late night and slept

The faint glow of the city lights seeps through partially closed curtains. The room is quiet except for the soft ticking of a clock on the wall. Raina lies tangled in her sheets, her brows furrowed, her breath uneven. The room grows colder, unnaturally so. A faint crackling sound echoes, like fire consuming wood.

Voice

*Faint, distorted* Raina... Raina... Look at me...

In her dream, she’s standing in a dim, smoky room. Shadows dance violently on cracked walls. In the center, a figure stands—his body engulfed in flames. His face is twisted, grotesque, melting into itself, yet his hollow, fiery eyes remain locked on her.

Voice

*Voice crackling like burnt wood* You let this happen... You watched... You walked away...

The sound of flesh sizzling fills the silence, accompanied by distant screams. The figure takes a step closer, and the smell of burning flesh becomes suffocating.

Raina Mehra (fl)

*Whispers in her sleep* No… stop… please…

Suddenly, the flaming man’s charred hand grabs her wrist, his touch blistering her skin. His face gets impossibly close, and his hollow eyes reflect her own terror.

Voice

Flaming Figure *screaming* LOOK AT ME!

Raina jerks awake with a sharp gasp, bolting upright in bed. Her chest heaves, and her skin glistens with sweat. Her hand trembles as she clutches the blanket to her chest. The faint smell of smoke lingers in her senses, making her glance around the dark room frantically.

Raina Mehra (fl)

*Panting, whispering* It’s not real… it’s not real…

Her breath is sharp, uneven, and she struggles to steady herself. Her hand reaches for the glass of water on her bedside table, but it tips over, spilling water across the floor. Her entire body shakes as she runs her hands through her hair, trying to ground herself.

She stumbles out of bed, nearly tripping over her tangled sheets. Her bare feet hit the cold floor as she makes her way to the bathroom. The fluorescent light flickers as she switches it on. Raina grips the sink tightly, her knuckles turning white as she stares at her reflection in the mirror. Her face is pale, her eyes wide with lingering fear

Raina Mehra (fl)

*Staring into the mirror, voice trembling* Pull yourself together. It’s just a dream. Just… a dream.

But her reflection doesn’t offer any comfort. The faint image of flames flickers in her pupils, and she quickly shuts her eyes, turning the tap on and splashing cold water on her face repeatedly.

Her phone buzzes on the nightstand, breaking the silence. Raina takes a deep breath, straightens her posture, and wipes her face with a towel. She walks back into the bedroom, her expression now carefully controlled, the panic buried deep beneath her composed exterior

Raina Mehra (fl)

*Softly, but firmly* You’re stronger than this.

She grabs her phone and sees a notification from Ravi about a new case. Her face hardens as she slips into her authoritative demeanor. The haunting echoes of the nightmare linger in the shadows of her room, but Raina refuses to let them consume her.

CBI Headquarters – Briefing Room

The sun filters through the large glass windows of the briefing room. A long conference table sits at the center, scattered with case files, photographs, and a laptop displaying gruesome images of burnt bodies. Raina enters briskly, wearing a crisp black blazer over her shirt. Ravi is already seated, flipping through the case files, his expression serious.

Ravi Sharma (Inspector)

*Looking up* Morning, Raina. You’re earlier than I expected.

Raina Mehra (fl)

*Crossing her arms* Let’s cut to the chase, Ravi. You said it’s urgent.

Ravi gestures to a whiteboard with images pinned in sequence—two crime scene photos showing burnt bodies in grotesque poses.

---- bye -----