2
After Dr. Ravichandran checked on Chandrasekaran and left, assuring them there was nothing to fear, Vishal’s confusion remained unresolved.
“Dad.”
“Tell me, pa.”
“How are you feeling now?”
“I’m okay, Vishal.”
Vishal wanted to ask his father more, but he had been unconscious when the incident happened. What could he do? How could he find out who the visitor really was?
His anxiety mounting, Vishal sat on the sofa. Perhaps the watchman knows? The thought struck him, and he stood up, heading outside.
“Veerayya!”
“Yes, Thambi.”
“I need to ask you something.”
“Ask away, Thambi.”
“Dr. Ravichandran just left, right?”
“Yes, Thambi.”
“But what about the doctor who came a little while before him? Do you know who he was?”
Confusion clouded Veerayya’s face. “What are you saying, Thambi? Only one doctor came.”
Vishal was stunned. “Did you go away from the gate at any point?”
“No, Thambi. I’ve been right here at the gate since you arrived.”
“Are you sure? Two doctors entered this house—do you know that or not?”
“What’s wrong, Thambi? I’m telling you, only one doctor came.”
Vishal realized something was terribly wrong. “Fine. You may go.”
As the watchman left, Vishal stood outside, looking back at the bungalow. In the darkness, the building stood in eerie silence.
“Thambi,” Veerayya called out. “What should I get for dinner tonight?”
“Get some idlis for Dad. Parotta for me.”
“Alright, Thambi. I’ll be right back.”
Once the watchman left, Vishal scanned the surroundings. The neighboring bungalows appeared locked and empty, except for one where a light flickered. Vishal’s face brightened when he noticed a CCTV camera mounted on its front porch.
He walked straight there and pressed the calling bell. After a moment, a woman opened the door and looked at him inquisitively.
“My name is Vishal. I’ve moved into the Rose Estate bungalow.”
“Okay.”
“There’s a small problem. I need your help,” Vishal said. The woman turned and called inside, “Dad, could you come here a moment?”
An elderly man stepped out. “Come in, Thambi. Please, come inside.”
Vishal entered and sat on the sofa the man gestured toward.
“Who else is with you?” the man asked.
“Just my father and I, sir.”
“What does your father do?”
“He’s a retired City Health Officer.”
“Nice. Where was he posted?”
“Coimbatore, sir.”
“And what about you?”
“I’m on the SI selection list. Just waiting for my posting, sir.”
“Super. By the way, I am Nanjundeshwara.” He shook Vishal’s hand. “This is my daughter, Aarthi. She’s a school teacher.”
Aarthi smiled at Vishal. “What would you like? Tea or coffee?”
“Nothing, thank you. My father is alone at home. I just came for a small piece of information.”
“Go ahead.”
“Can I check the recordings on your CCTV camera?”
“Certainly. Is there a problem?”
“No, just a small doubt.”
Aarthi sat Vishal down in front of the computer. The view of the entire street was crystal clear. Vishal fast-forwarded a bit—there, Dr. Ravichandran was seen entering the bungalow.
Vishal went a little further back. He saw himself and Chandrasekaran talking to Veerayya at the gate.
But when Vishal rewound just a bit more to the time the “first doctor” arrived, the monitor screen began to flicker. The signal jammed, and the entire screen filled with static white noise.
Vishal was profoundly shaken.
As he bid farewell to Nanjundeshwara, Vishal’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion and shock. If the signal is jammed and not recording, this is a much deeper problem.
Lost in thought, he reached his bungalow. Veerayya hadn’t returned yet. He stepped inside.
“Dad!”
The man who had been lying on the sofa was gone. Vishal panicked.
“Dad!” he shouted.
When no answer came, he frantically ran through the house. He checked every room, but Chandrasekaran was nowhere to be found. He raced toward the stairs leading to the first floor.
“Dad!”
“Vishal…” his father’s voice drifted down from upstairs.
“What happened, Pa?” Vishal ran up.
Chandrasekaran was standing on the upper floor, drenched in sweat. His body was trembling, and his speech was slurred.
“Vishal…”
“What happened? Why are you standing here?”
“Vishal… It… it has come back.”
Vishal froze. “What are you talking about, Dad?”
“We need to leave here… the sooner we go… the better…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. Below, the sound of glass shattering—Shatter!—echoed through the house.
Vishal sprinted down the stairs. In the hall, glass lay pulverized on the floor.
A bizarre sound caught his attention. He realized it was coming from the garden at the back of the bungalow. He ran outside, but the darkness was so thick he couldn’t see a thing.
He dashed back in, grabbed a flashlight, and returned to the garden. He swung the beam in every direction, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
However, the sound grew louder. As he listened closely, he realized it was the sound of someone sobbing.
“Sir… please… save my child. I beg of you…”
The voice was hauntingly clear, yet the flashlight revealed nothing but empty air.
A few moments later, the sobbing turned into a chilling laugh.
“Child, where can he go? He’s here. He’s back. Mama will take care of it… you go to sleep.”
As the voice rang in his ears again, Vishal clamped his hands over his ears. His heart hammered against his ribs. There is a presence here. An evil one. He decided the only rational thing to do was to take his father and flee immediately.
But before he could move, a sudden whirlwind tore through the garden. Caught off guard, Vishal tried to run, but the force was too strong. The wind lashed against the house with such violence that every single window pane shattered.
Vishal squeezed his eyes shut, struggling against the gale. Despite himself, he forced his eyes open for a second. There, standing right in front of him in the beam of his fallen flashlight, was a figure.
Paralyzed by what he saw, Vishal dropped the light and collapsed, rolling to the ground in terror.
