Episode-4

Chapter 4: Between the Worlds

Aaradhya couldn’t sleep that night. The words Krish had said kept echoing in her mind, growing louder and louder with each passing moment. “You’re not alive. You’re somewhere in between.” How was that possible? She had felt so alive for the past twenty-five years, so real. Yet, in the face of Krish’s words, a small seed of doubt began to take root in her mind.

The room around her felt suffocating, the walls closing in as the air grew thick with tension. She tried to convince herself that it was all just some twisted game he was playing. Maybe he was just looking for attention, or perhaps he had some strange obsession with her. But the way he looked at her, with such intensity, it felt like there was more to it than that.

She sat up in bed, clutching the covers around her, staring into the darkness. Her mind raced with questions. If Krish wasn’t human, then what was he? And if she wasn’t human either, what did that mean for her? Was she some kind of ghost, living in the space between life and death? How could she even begin to understand something like that?

Aaradhya rubbed her temples, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Maybe it was best to just forget everything. Walk away from Krish, ignore the strange feelings, and live her life like she had before. But even as she thought about it, she knew she couldn’t. There was something about him, something that drew her in, something that made her feel like she needed to know the truth.

The next day, Aaradhya found herself at the coffee shop near her office, a small café that always provided a brief respite from her chaotic days. She tried to focus on the mundane tasks ahead of her, but her mind kept drifting back to Krish. The way he had looked at her last night—like he could see through her, like he knew the deepest parts of her soul. It unsettled her, but at the same time, it fascinated her.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed, breaking her thoughts. She looked at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. It was a text from Krish.

Krish: I know you’re confused. But I need you to trust me. Come by tonight. I have something important to show you.

Aaradhya stared at the message, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She didn’t know if she should go, if it was a good idea to meet him again. But deep down, she knew she couldn’t resist. She had to see this through, no matter how strange or dangerous it felt.

Aaradhya: I’ll be there.

After she sent the message, she sat back in her chair, feeling a sense of dread and anticipation. What could he possibly want to show her? What truth could he reveal that would explain the strange connection they shared? The thought of it made her stomach churn, but her curiosity overpowered any fears she had.

That night, she found herself standing in front of Krish’s house once again. The lights were dim inside, just like before. But this time, something felt different. The air was thick, charged with an energy she couldn’t explain. As she knocked on the door, her heart pounded in her chest.

Krish answered almost immediately, his expression serious but calm. He didn’t say anything at first, just stepped aside to let her in.

“Come in,” he said, his voice low and steady. “It’s time you knew the truth.”

Aaradhya followed him into the house, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn’t know what to expect, but she could feel the weight of something important hanging in the air. The same strange, sweet scent that lingered in the house seemed to have intensified, wrapping itself around her like a cloak.

Krish led her to the living room, where a small table stood in the center of the room. On it was a large, ancient-looking book, its pages yellowed with age. Aaradhya frowned. It looked like some sort of old journal or diary.

“This is what I wanted to show you,” Krish said softly, his voice almost reverent. “This is the key to everything. To understanding who I am, and who you are.”

Aaradhya hesitated before approaching the table. The book seemed to radiate a strange energy, almost like it was alive. As her fingers brushed against the cover, a sudden chill ran down her spine.

“What is this?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Krish took a deep breath before answering. “This is a record of everything—everything that has happened, everything that will happen. It’s the story of us, of people like us. And it’s the story of you, Aaradhya.”

Aaradhya’s head spun. She didn’t know what to think, but she couldn’t stop herself from flipping open the book. The pages were filled with strange symbols and drawings, none of which made any sense to her. But as she turned the pages, something strange happened. The symbols began to shift, moving as though they were alive.

“What is this?” she asked again, her voice shaky. “This… this isn’t real.”

Krish’s eyes glinted in the dim light. “It’s very real, Aaradhya. This book was written long before we were born. It tells the story of those who are like us—those who are caught between the living and the dead. And it tells the story of our connection.”

Aaradhya’s heart skipped a beat. “What connection?”

Krish stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “The connection that has brought you here. The connection that has brought us together. You and I are bound by something older than time itself. We are both part of the same world, but we don’t belong in it. We are both…”

He paused, his voice barely a whisper. “We are both ghosts, Aaradhya. But we are not dead. Not entirely.”

Aaradhya’s hands trembled as she reached for the book, her fingers brushing against the strange symbols. She didn’t know whether to run or to stay. She felt like the ground beneath her was shifting, like the entire world was turning upside down.

Krish’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “It’s time to decide, Aaradhya. Are you ready to accept who you really are?”

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