DHARA

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My eyes widened noticing someone's presence. My chest felt constricted but the voice came from inside the house

'Kemonache Dhora??? Baadite Shagotom!!!'

And then I see the white figure climbing the stairs. I had contradictory feelings about this. Is this real? Is this a dream? Is that a human or an entity. Something inside me said I must stay out of this house but something strong invited me inside. I was fighting my inner self when I heard 'Dhara???' and I turned around to see Daadu standing there and behind him stood the priest with a burning torch lamp and a set of threads in his hands as he shouted 'Anarth!!! Ghor Anarth!!!' (Disaster!!! Huge Disaster").

I didn't understand anything when I noticed Dida along with Maa behind the priest as Dida sat cursing me in Bengali and I didn't quite understand what happened just now.

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'Who the hell permitted you to go there? Why were you there? What is your intension? Are you a witch? Tell us? Are you here to increase your evil powers? Come on!!! Speak up. I'm never letting her step inside this house... I'm telling you Beena. I don't care if she's your daughter in law.' Dida yelled while I was still trying to understand the context.

I looked at Daadu when he said 'Why did you open the doors to the Baadi, Beta?' and I shook my head denying the claims. I didn't open the door. The doors were already open. Why would I open the doors? I don't even have the keys.

'I didn't...I jus-' but before I could say further Dida yelled 'I told you she is creepy. Everything goes wrong when she is around. Beena...you told me she has a fever and she was sleeping, then why was she there? And why did she have a fever today? Especially when the priest was performing the Haavan (offering) today? Does this sit right to anyone? I'm telling you... we must ask the priest to make her sit in the Mandal (circle where the pooja is performed) and make her exorcised!!!'

Exorcised??? Is this for real??? What are they saying???

'Dida...Maa...I didn't...I didn't open the doors. I woke up a few minutes ago and noticed the lights to the Baadi were on, I was curious and I simply walked there, only to see the doors open. Then I experienced something scary. There were unknown voices, the lights went off and-'

'And now you'll say you saw a spirit? Come on..tell that too' Dida shouted when I had tears in my eyes and I said 'I did Dida. It was a white figure walking inside that house.' and I noticed everyone freezing. Dida however laughed it off saying 'Now she is playing new tricks. She saw someone whom we never saw. Is this believable? Huhhh...Sanjoy you think this is believable?' she asked Sanjoy Uncle who stood there silently without uttering much of a word.

I ran towards him and I confessed 'Dad!!! I'm not lying. Believe me. I saw someone. And I...I think it's a female figure'. Sanjoy Uncle although heard me but didn't utter anything in response but Dida said 'She is a liar. Kick her out. She is foul crying now' and I shook my head running towards almost each and every member of the house repeating the same. They sympathized with me but didn't say a word. I turned around to see the priest who also seemed shocked.

I ran towards him as I said 'Baba!!! I never believed in any of this but I swear. I swear I saw someone there. Why would I lie Baba... you keep saying na, that there is someone in there. I believe you Baba. I saw it. I heard it. I experienced it. Please Baba!!! Believe me. Please help me.' I begged when he looked at Dida and then asked me 'But why did you go there?' and I gulped saying 'I saw the lights were on and I-' but Dida interrupted 'She is like Ponditji...Don't trust this girl. I have seen, where there is trouble, there is she!!!'

I tried to argue when the priest said 'I will have to perform MahaPooja and again tie the holy threads across the house to contain the entity that Dhara saw in there.' and everyone in the house froze including Dida.

'Dhara is right. Whatever she saw, I experienced it too. Someone planted that witch inside that house with those black magic rituals Sayantani ji saw decades ago and now she's not ready to leave the mansion. We don't even know how powerful she is!!! I don't know if I'm enough to banish her from being there but certainly we can stop her from coming out of that place or worse attracting young souls like Dhara entering there!!! She already lured her before and this is her second time. I will perform a Pooja tonight after that no one will step their foot inside there. If any of you do, I won't be able to stop the Tandav (dancer of destruction) following it.

Priest asked all the family members to be present as he performed the Pooja rituals tonight however Parth wasn't home yet. I tried calling him but his number was switched off. Sanjoy Uncle said that he must be busy with meetings and I didn't bother him again.

The priest performed the Pooja post which he went towards the house and tied the holy threads to the door of the house shutting it close. He also tied it across the entire house as he kept chanting some holy mantras. I, who never believed in any of this was forced to believe what I had finally seen. I couldn't get rid of that voice from my head and that figure in white scared the hell out of my soul.

Post the rituals the priest helped everyone with the holy water which we drank and also was thrown upon us. Each one of us was also given a red thread which we tied on our arms. The priest gave me an extra thread asking me to tie it onto Parth's wrist.

'I still don't believe in all this' Mishka whispered when I tied the thread onto her wrist but Maa said 'Even after what Dhara saw? Grow up Mishka. You don't believe us atleast trust your Baudi. She saw it herself. Thank God nothing happened to her' she said keeping a hand on my head. I smiled a little but fear still lurked around the back of my head.

I was scared to sleep alone as the haunting visuals of Baadi from my room churned my insides. Chill running down my spine, I begged Mishka if I could share her room tonight and she gladly accepted. I tried dialling Parth but his phone was still not reachable. Worried if he's had his meal, I handed over his dinner to the driver asking to deliver it to his office. That's when suddenly I remembered the file which Nibbi Di had asked me to give it to him. He may need it.

I immediately went to the room and reverified if that's the file which Di gave me. I was about to hand it over to the driver when I noticed a paper wasn't clipped correctly to the file and may fall off. That's when I read something which left me speechless. To confirm what I encountered is correct, I began going through the file and I was shocked.

I had to talk to someone about this. Parth, Didi, someone.

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'Dhara??? Tell me...what happened? Why did you call me so late?' and I cleared my throat yet hesitantly showed her the file and I asked 'Di...What is this? I...I didn't mean to but I went through this file. The company is suffering huge losses. We...we are at the brink of a bankruptcy???' I questioned her and she was shocked.

'Dhara!!! Damn it!!! Why did you read the file. Shit!!! Are you in your room right now?' she asked trying to caution me and I gulped asking 'Is this true Di?' and she hesitantly nodded and I was shocked.

'Parth is a dancer Dhara. He is not a businessman and Dad doesn't understand this simple point. He is trying. He really is trying but we are loosing our clients and the new ones that Parth is bringing aren't enough to get our business cover the already done losses. He is so stressed out Dhara. He is trying but I'm afraid even he won't be enough!!!' she said leaving me speechless.

'Sanjoy Un...I mean does Dad know about this?' when she gulped saying 'Not yet!!! Parth and I are trying our best. But I'm afraid, we will be exposed in the next general body meeting where figures will be discussed. Everyone has an idea that we are facing losses but bankruptcy...that's unknown to most of them.' she said and I pressed my forehead.

'Please Dhara. Don't tell anyone. I don't know how will the family pursue it.' she said when I asked her 'Isnt there any other way to mend this Di?' and she nodded saying 'There is!!! But I'm afraid Dad won't agree to it.' and I raised an eyebrow asking 'Why???' when she gulped saying 'It means letting our organization merge with someone bigger who could bring us out from this brink of bankruptcy!!!' and I asked 'If that's the only option then why not?' and she chuckled saying 'Because of the fake Chakraborty pride. The family who never had a female CEO, would they agree for someone else to take over us and loose our identity?'

'Isnt there anyone in the market ready to take over the Chakraborty business empire as it is...I mean... someone who'll respect that this is almost a 100 year old business and would run it as it is...' and Nibbi Di sadly smiled saying 'This is cut throat business my dear. No one would agree to do a charity here!!! Other than some stupid billionaire who offered us a few years ago which was outright atrocious. Back then we were ruling the market and we didn't need any unwanted mergers. I mean it felt like a trap, so we didn't even pursue it and back then Oni handled everything but now after Oni's exit everything started falling apart!!!' she said when I gulped saying 'But Di!!! As per Parth you have actively been a part of this business, can't you fix this?' I asked.

She smiled sadly confessing 'I have tried reaching out that billionaire Dhara. That's the only thing I could do from my side to save ourselves from this drowning boat. But I don't think dad will agree to it'

'Who is it Di? Maybe we can talk to him and try to crack a deal with him.' when she smiled saying 'I already did and he's still ready to do a merger and but he has some conditions to which I really doubt if my dad would ever agree!!!'

'If it's going to save the company, then why not? I think Parth and you must talk to Dad on this!!!' I said and she nodded saying 'Lets see!!! Look...Parth must be really tired. He is really under a lot of pressure. From one side the business is not doing well and the other side he's not able to choreograph the act, and now especially after what Maa told me happened at the Baadi, everything looks impossible.' she said and I felt extremely guilty for forcing Parth into renovation. If not for the renovation, the kids would have a place to practice.

'By the way Dhara... Did you really see something in there? I mean...I don't know...we have only heard of things there but never really experienced...it's just strange that you saw something there!!!' she said and I swallowed hard confessing 'I don't know Di...I still cannot get it out of my mind. The voice...the figure...I...I don't know'

'You think this could be some prank? What if someone is trying to scare you? Maybe...they don't want you enter the Baadi?' and suddenly Di's words brought a rational thought into my mind.

Wait a minute. What if it's really something...someone...trying to trap me into this? The door to Baadi was open and yet I was been blamed to open the doors. What if someone is behind all this? But what about the priest? Didn't be say that he felt the witch in that house?

No!!! Wait think practically Dhara. That house has been locked for decades now. Although there were rumours of things heard and seen, no one really experienced anything there. Suddenly everything has come alive? Everything is changing so fast. Isn't it fishy?

I thanked Nibbi Di for bringing in a more practical thought into my mind. Maybe I should go back there and try to recheck the surroundings. What if I find something there? What if this is all someone's prank or someone's trap to be precise. I looked outside the window noticing that there was guard outside the Baadi now. I must try to sneak in whenever I find an opportunity.

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The night passed and I woke up this time early in the morning as the first rays of sun was out. I freshened up, got ready and walked towards the Puraani Baadi. I noticed the guard was fast asleep and I thought this would be the best time to sneak in and I slowly avoided the little wooden gate and instead jumped the little walls of the compound. I was now standing in the densely unmaintained gardens opposite to the Baadi.

I slowly made my way towards the haunted mansion which looked as normal as any other house in the wee hours of morning. This time I decided rather than going inside, I must try to walk around the house to understand how it's been built. I slowly walked past the house moving slowly as I noticed the red thread tied around the house making it look creepy.

I slowly walked to notice it was built with old school marbles and stones making it an extremely strong building to demolish. No wonder they never decided to break it down all these years. I noticed little roses grown around the house and somehow the stupid theory of this place being barren and that even the Tulsi opposite to the house always died, sounded dumb to me. If this house was so negative, why do we see so many flowers growing around it.

I reached the backside of the house which also had a door that was closed. I was about to move away from there when my eyes fell on something that caught my eyes. I slowly walked towards it as I took a deep breath and I noticed footprints of someone's shoes that came were on the staircase of the back door. The staircase had 7 steps to be precise but the footprints were only on the first three steps and then they were missing. I noticed on the third step there was another pair of footprints.

Hold on!!! Which ghost wears shoes?

And even if he did...why would he leave his shoe on the third step? This means... someone came here...walked three steps above, and remembered to remove their shoes. Left it on the third step and then probably walked inside...bare footed.

Damn!!!

I must check more.

I was about to slowly sneak inside the red threads when I heard the guard shout 'Who is it?' and with the fear of being caught I immediately sneaked inside the red threads, hiding from him and to my surprise I realised the door was only closed. It wasn't locked.

Wow!!!

And before I knew I had stepped inside the Puraani Baadi.