The sound Asha heard sent an indefinable shiver of fear through her. She hesitated—should she go out and check? Her first instinct was to rush downstairs and wake her father, but she decided to investigate the source of the noise herself before disturbing his sleep.
Her hands trembled as she pushed the window open. Outside, there was only a wall of darkness. She peered out intensely, searching for the tiny red dots she had glimpsed moments ago, but they had vanished. Was it just an illusion? she wondered. A cold gust of wind struck her face. Lightning cracked across the sky, signaling an approaching storm.
Then, she froze.
The sound of breathing. Someone was out there. Heart hammering against her ribs, Asha slammed the window shut. Grabbing a flashlight, she hurried downstairs. She paused outside her father’s room; the steady, rhythmic sound of his snoring told her he was in a deep sleep. After a split second of indecision, she steeled herself. She gripped a sturdy wooden staff in her right hand, the flashlight in her left, and opened the door.
She scanned the yard. She switched on the porch light, but the trees stood motionless and silent. Feeling a flicker of confusion, she swung her flashlight toward the mango tree in the backyard. Everything looked normal. Just as she turned to retreat into the safety of the house, the power went out.
Fear surged. As she scrambled to get back inside, a flash of lightning illuminated the ground. Her eyes locked onto him—a man, lying right there.
***
"Amma... is the coffee ready?" Varsha asked, her voice thick with sleep. "Amma?"
When there was no reply, Varsha looked down and saw Karthika collapsed on the floor. Panic-stricken, she knelt beside her and splashed water on her face. As Karthika regained consciousness, she tried to smile at her daughter but failed.
"Ma, what’s going on?" Varsha asked, looking her straight in the eye. "This is the second time I’ve seen you faint. I don’t care what you say—you’re coming to the hospital with me today. We need to run some tests."
Karthika’s face turned pale for a moment. Collecting herself, she whispered, "I’ll go, I promise... but not today. And one more thing..."
"Tell me, Ma."
"Don't let Vijay know about this."
Varsha looked at her mother intensely. "You said the exact same thing last time. What’s wrong? You’re hiding something from us."
"No, dear... I’m not hiding anything," Karthika stammered just as Vijay walked in.
"Who’s hiding what?" he asked with a smile. Varsha quickly covered.
"Nothing, Brother. Mom is just trying to hide the fact that she doesn't want me having another coffee."
Vijay laughed. "Here, Varsha... your favorite." He set down some prawns. On any other day, Varsha would have been thrilled and teased Vijay for handling seafood since he’s a vegetarian. But her silence made him pause.
Nobody seems normal today, he thought, studying his mother’s face. "Ma, are you okay?"
Karthika instantly snapped back to her usual self. "I'm fine, pa! I’ll make some rasam and potato fry for you. Hey, you little brat," she turned to Varsha, "do you want prawn thokku or kurma?"
"Anything is fine," Varsha muttered before retreating to her room. Vijay’s phone rang; it was a friend. He headed to the terrace to take the call.
Karthika let out a long sigh of relief and drank a glass of water.
Upstairs, Vandana watched Vijay from the corner of her eye as he spoke on the phone. Every time he comes up here, I follow him, yet he never looks my way, she thought. She overheard his plans for the evening—six o’clock, perhaps a trip to the temple with his mother. She pretended to look away casually as he began doing push-ups. She waited, admiring him secretly, but when he finished and stood up, she gathered her courage.
"Hi, Vijay," she called out.
"Good morning, Vandana," he replied curtly. Without another word, he headed back downstairs, leaving her standing there in stunned silence.
***
Who is he? Asha’s heart raced erratically as she shone her light on the figure. He didn't move. As she leaned in to get a closer look, the rain began to pour. She didn't recognize his face. Then, she saw it—something dark staining the corners of his mouth.
Blood. Two crimson streaks ran down from his lips.
Get out of here! Run! every cell in her body screamed. But as she turned to flee, she gasped.
He was already standing right in front of her.
Another bolt of lightning lit up the night, revealing his face with terrifying clarity. His eyes were a feral, bloodshot red. With blood still dripping from his mouth, he began to close the distance between them, his expression a haunti
ng, hollow void.
To be continued
Her hands trembled as she pushed the window open. Outside, there was only a wall of darkness. She peered out intensely, searching for the tiny red dots she had glimpsed moments ago, but they had vanished. Was it just an illusion? she wondered. A cold gust of wind struck her face. Lightning cracked across the sky, signaling an approaching storm.
Then, she froze.
The sound of breathing. Someone was out there. Heart hammering against her ribs, Asha slammed the window shut. Grabbing a flashlight, she hurried downstairs. She paused outside her father’s room; the steady, rhythmic sound of his snoring told her he was in a deep sleep. After a split second of indecision, she steeled herself. She gripped a sturdy wooden staff in her right hand, the flashlight in her left, and opened the door.
She scanned the yard. She switched on the porch light, but the trees stood motionless and silent. Feeling a flicker of confusion, she swung her flashlight toward the mango tree in the backyard. Everything looked normal. Just as she turned to retreat into the safety of the house, the power went out.
Fear surged. As she scrambled to get back inside, a flash of lightning illuminated the ground. Her eyes locked onto him—a man, lying right there.
***
"Amma... is the coffee ready?" Varsha asked, her voice thick with sleep. "Amma?"
When there was no reply, Varsha looked down and saw Karthika collapsed on the floor. Panic-stricken, she knelt beside her and splashed water on her face. As Karthika regained consciousness, she tried to smile at her daughter but failed.
"Ma, what’s going on?" Varsha asked, looking her straight in the eye. "This is the second time I’ve seen you faint. I don’t care what you say—you’re coming to the hospital with me today. We need to run some tests."
Karthika’s face turned pale for a moment. Collecting herself, she whispered, "I’ll go, I promise... but not today. And one more thing..."
"Tell me, Ma."
"Don't let Vijay know about this."
Varsha looked at her mother intensely. "You said the exact same thing last time. What’s wrong? You’re hiding something from us."
"No, dear... I’m not hiding anything," Karthika stammered just as Vijay walked in.
"Who’s hiding what?" he asked with a smile. Varsha quickly covered.
"Nothing, Brother. Mom is just trying to hide the fact that she doesn't want me having another coffee."
Vijay laughed. "Here, Varsha... your favorite." He set down some prawns. On any other day, Varsha would have been thrilled and teased Vijay for handling seafood since he’s a vegetarian. But her silence made him pause.
Nobody seems normal today, he thought, studying his mother’s face. "Ma, are you okay?"
Karthika instantly snapped back to her usual self. "I'm fine, pa! I’ll make some rasam and potato fry for you. Hey, you little brat," she turned to Varsha, "do you want prawn thokku or kurma?"
"Anything is fine," Varsha muttered before retreating to her room. Vijay’s phone rang; it was a friend. He headed to the terrace to take the call.
Karthika let out a long sigh of relief and drank a glass of water.
Upstairs, Vandana watched Vijay from the corner of her eye as he spoke on the phone. Every time he comes up here, I follow him, yet he never looks my way, she thought. She overheard his plans for the evening—six o’clock, perhaps a trip to the temple with his mother. She pretended to look away casually as he began doing push-ups. She waited, admiring him secretly, but when he finished and stood up, she gathered her courage.
"Hi, Vijay," she called out.
"Good morning, Vandana," he replied curtly. Without another word, he headed back downstairs, leaving her standing there in stunned silence.
***
Who is he? Asha’s heart raced erratically as she shone her light on the figure. He didn't move. As she leaned in to get a closer look, the rain began to pour. She didn't recognize his face. Then, she saw it—something dark staining the corners of his mouth.
Blood. Two crimson streaks ran down from his lips.
Get out of here! Run! every cell in her body screamed. But as she turned to flee, she gasped.
He was already standing right in front of her.
Another bolt of lightning lit up the night, revealing his face with terrifying clarity. His eyes were a feral, bloodshot red. With blood still dripping from his mouth, he began to close the distance between them, his expression a haunti
ng, hollow void.
To be continued
Author: gavudham
Article Title: Beware 2
Source URL: Gk Tamil Novels-https://gktamilnovels.com
Quote & Share Rules: Short quotations can be made from the article provided that the source is included, but the entire article cannot be copied to another site or published elsewhere without permission of the author.
Article Title: Beware 2
Source URL: Gk Tamil Novels-https://gktamilnovels.com
Quote & Share Rules: Short quotations can be made from the article provided that the source is included, but the entire article cannot be copied to another site or published elsewhere without permission of the author.