Candle Five – GirlfriendI use to be a very thin child right from my childhood and a shy one also. Almost all the guys and girls at my school in Paanchgaani se to mock at my fragile physic because of which slowly I got into depression. Slowly I steed into the teenage of mine and always feel lacking attention from by female schoolmates, while other boys went to enjoy their weekend with their girlfriends I use to stay alone sending my time with my canvas and paint brush. That place was surrounded by large mountains and small hills and painting them on my canvas had been my cup of tea in my leisure time. My days were boring and nights were restless until…………..he aused for a moment and continued. It was Saturday eve when I was drawing a famous church on my canvas in our schools playground when I feel like someone is whispering in my ears …..look back….look back….after a slight avoidance I turned back, behind me there was an old building which had been transformed into the school library, a heavy stone structure with many old windows. When I saw their suddenly my eyes stuck at a girl like edifice standing on the third floor of that structure on one of those rotten windows. Something was really magnetic in that figure as unusually I left my painting in-between and walked towards the library. While climbing the stairs in disordered state of mind an odd thing strikes to my mind…the library is on the first floor and after that there is a big iron lock to cease anyone go to the upper floors then how anyone can be on the third floor which hasn’t been opened even once in last three decades. Anyhow I continued or I must say that I was made to climb the stairs by some inner voice and force within me. As I reached to the stairs on second floor where I remember a big iron lock on a heave wooden door ………. It was open for a moment I was standstill but abruptly I proceed with a stiff jerk. While crossing all the garbage and junk accumulated there for over years surprisingly I was feeling very enliven. As I proceed while coping with the old hurdles a sweet aroma started hitting my nose. Moving further while losing my mind into that sweet-smelling sensation I had forgotten myself for few minutes when……….. Stop there… a sweet, thing but stern voice had made me put the brakes on my stroll. Stop or you fall, that voice had broken the hypnotic effect of that whiff over me and when I gain back my senses I was stunned with terror, the wall was broken ahead and another step would have had led me straight away down. I turned towards the direction of that voice. The deemed girl like figure was clear in front of my eyes, she was a long, slim girl and as I had perceived a bit elder than me in age for around couple of years with straight black hairs and small eyes was standing right behind me as she had been following me. She was wearing a shiny white top and a long skirt covering her toes and a silver bracelet which had pearls attached to it. Who are you? I asked in a soft toned voice and for that too I had to strain my every nerve.. I am your girlfriend, her lips parted in a horrible caricature of smile. Although her voice was sweet but seemed to be coming from a bit of a more distance from where she was standing. As I remain silent many changes assed over her face and she somehow knew that I had no words to say in reply so she only had rolled the conversation ahead.

What happened? You need a girlfriend na…am I not fine-looking? The stare of her tiny eyes were become more waxed and still I had been able to speak nothing at all. I slightly repeated my question again who are you? Simara, for first time I had saw some softness on her cold and shiny face. Where do you live? You are studying in which school? I followed her reply with couple of quick questions. I live near Pedro Street in the 13th house from cross over and I am studying in rosemary senior secondary school, she reverted after a decent pause. I was so much dazed and occupied by her beauty (which seemed to be from some other world) that I failed to realize the slyness in her voice. My name is………as I was about to introduce myself she interrupted in between. Karan, you study in high school, you are a very good painter and you are still single, her smile was more a teasing one then friendly. How do you know all this? I was dazed again by her. Without knowing anyone I never meet, you were at Sandra Falls near the railway track painting the view of the sunset last Saturday at that time I had saw you, you were not enjoying the Saturday eve like your friends were, she assented. While taking my mind into the flashback I remember the beautiful sunset view and I was making a painting there in anger and despair as Romila, a head girl of my class had refused to go out with me on Saturday eve and to make the matter worse she had gone with Raj, the playboy of our school who use to mock at me at every possible opportunity up his sleeve. I was cursing my fate for having no girlfriend in that solitude while making a master piece in anger. Oh were you there? That place is far from Pedro Street, for the first time I looked straight at her face..Her hair were all over her white cheek and she had a mount straight nose with shiny but what seemingly dry lips. That place is far away from here also so what you were doing there? She answered my question with a question. I am boy but that place is not safe for girls, I uttered Danger never recognizes boy or girl Karan it catches everyone with a same ace and treats everybody with same fate; she relied with a terrific roll of eyes. Oh I didn’t mean to hurt your feminine sentiments; I quickly tried to pacify the things over. As the sun was about to set I was thinking of going back to the hostels mess before the cream share of supper would have been enjoyed by the other boys. So will you make me your girlfriend? She harped the same question once again in her sweet voice. I don t know ,I voiced again in soft manner. Why? She rolled her eyes again. I had no words but somehow I manage to say, I have to go for supper, and I quietly move by her side and with fast steps I reached he door and as I turned back she was still staring at me with a thin smile on her face, I just turned around and started climbing the stairs downwards. As I reach down I felt that I had been out of the basic circle of manners as I hadn’t bid adieu even properly to that girl, what a quick goodbye will harm me, I thought and started moving upstairs once again.

As I reached up to my surprise I get across to a familiar scene a big iron lock on a heavy wooden flap. The door was closed. Somehow I manage to make myself understand that the care taker had locked it as the closing time of the library was approaching. So that was our first meeting despite of all the little strange mysteries in my mind like the lock on the door, sweet odor, from where the girl exit as the staircase is single route to move in library I was still under the spell of her charming beauty. My room in hostel was on third floor and from the window of my room that particular window of library was visible. After having my dinner when I was on bed that night I turned towards that window without any such intentions and I thought that I had saw a craze outline of a girls figure standing there but soon I realize that I may be missing her that’s why my weaken and confused mind is proving to be the subject of hallucinations. That night passed with a mixed dreams of attraction and anxiety and when I rose up the next day the first thing which I did as soon as I got my first free period was I straight away went to library but the entrance to the floor was locked again. Couple of more days gone by but that girl hadn’t appeared again but her face was engraved on my mind and slowly it had become my secret wish to see her again. The Saturday arrived and my lonely tale continuous without any hindrance as I had no partner again to enjoy my Saturday eve so I decided to stay back in school with my friends Farhan and Rohit. We decided to bake a cake and Farhan had stolen some wine bottles from Mentors office so it was a nice idea to enjoy the chilly weather in such passion when more than half of the hostel was empty. I had taken my bicycle and ride out to fetch the indigents of cake. Secretly I had a peg of wine avoiding the eyes of my friends. Generally after the sunset we never use to cross the gates until we are in a group as our school was situated around 2 kilometers from main city highway and market and we avoid leaving alone not because of ghosts or such stupid things but as a bit of a forest around so there always had been the possibility of Jackal or any other such animal. Anyways a treat of wine with cakes obviously worth that understandable risk so I set off while wiping out the memory of my so called girlfriend. As I have cycled around a kilometer someone had called me from my back..Stop. I gripped the brakes at once as I had been following the instruction of that voice….the voice which was a acquainted one somehow I knew it was she and as the accustomed scent strike my nose once again I knew for sure, it was she. Halt or you will fall, as I turned back my senses proved to be right as she was standing there, this time a thin net top a bit of a transparent one and white long skirt covering her toe, she was pointing her figure ahead of me when I peeped down there was a deep crack on road and if I had been continued it would have had cos5 me some scratches at least. A come off from by bicycle and stared towards her lovely face, it was a full moon night and her fair skin had gained some extra shining as the moon light falls on her face. I was again speechless simply gazing at her with my meek eyes. What happened? She asked How you come here at such dark hour of time ? Your school and residence both have decent distance from here, I was amazed again.

It is not that much late for Saturday night dude and I had come here for you as I know that you again have no partner to go and enjoy and I am also alone so I thought that I would be a great idea if we move to some place, she smiled softly as her eyes were as impassive as ever they were. I walked towards her as she was standing at her place and said, but we have a plan today I have to fetch cakes and some snacks from market. Drinking is not a good habit and that too at your age, she simpered at me. Ya I know but sometimes there is no harm in....in….my voice started producing a chocking tune, how do you that we have a plan to drink today? I threw a straight question in a quick voice. What is so amazing in it ? Even our school geeks do this to cope up with their solitude, she instantly said. Now I was right in front of her and hearing the word geek for me was a bit odd for me and may be from my expressions she had noticed that. I can’t spoil the evening of my friends for my own enjoyment, my voice had a slight touch of anger in it. Come on I will drop you by the market and you will get some conveyance from there I asked her to sit on my bicycle but she was still standing at very point. We can stroll it’s hardly a kilometer left from here and in the way I would like to talk with you, her voice had a hidden magic which made her words like command for me and I started walking with my bicycle alongside with me. The road had a fence of trees on its both sides and the shed of leaves was very common so even a slight heavy movement over the leave they start producing strange sounds and a bit of air was also their but for a kilometer or so it was manageable. Its cold today why are you wearing such a thin dress? I questioned while realizing the fact that something was wrong and I don’t know what it is? I am hot so I don’t need worm clots for first time in her voice there was a friendly softness. I too reacted with a soft giggle and our conversation carry on but one thing about which I was feeling odd that she was walking a step back from me but then I thought a typical masculine theory that girls move slower than boys. She asked me numerous questions about my home city, my family, my friends and my mentors? For first time in my life I had been having a long and soothing chat with any girl so I was enjoying very much but yet something was not right??????? Anyways within a short time I came to knew much about that cold beauty her name was Simara and she was a year senior to me and she studies in a non-boarding school right across the hill and in her family there were hi parents and her grandmother. I told her about my problems right from personal (the way few bully boys teases me, Mr. Khan our art teacher don’t give me the deserved exposer as he want to promote his niece and many other) to my love life for which I was carving for. While talking I moved a bit ahead and continued to talk she was answering but out of my sight. As we were talking some alarming sense in my brain had made me realize something, there were no sounds of footsteps and when I stressed my brain I thought that there were never any sounds which was impossible because of having so many rotten leaves on the road. But something was still over my mind as I didn’t knew how to react when……………..

Karan Where have you been ass?....sound of Rohit shook my mind out of that mesmerizing sensation that had made me forgot my exact surroundings. Karan he again shack me by holding my jacket. Where is Simara? Avoiding the presence of my friends I started looking in every possible direction with shaken eyes. What are you doing here? Farhan asked with anger Where is Simara? I dittoed my last sentence again completely avoiding their presence. After few minutes I slowly started to come back to reality, realizing what had happened? Where I am? Will you please stop playing these stupid tricks now and explain us what’s the matter , Rohit growled I told him everything which had happened with me. You have gone mad, you seriously need a girlfriend now, Farahn laughed. I am telling you the dam truth we had been walking together a moment before you guys had arrived, I yelled. You were walking? Rohit enquired Yes ,I replied in an obvious manner Continuously? He added to his question Yes, I confirmed You had left institute on bicycle around one and a half hours ago and right now you are hardly over a kilometer away from it even if you had walked at snail’s pace you would have reached from school to market at least twice, Farhan thrown his bag on ground in desperation. One-n-a-half hour I murmured with tones of disbelief in my eyes. Yes you idiot and now come quickly we have just an hour more to finish up our appetites, Farhan pulled me towards him. Ohh you ass you already have your share of wine? Farhan smells the wine scent from me. Yes and he is telling us long tales under the effect of wine, Rohit reinforced his words. I had tried to explain myself a lot but al in wane my strange truth was a cock and bull story for them. Anyways we rushed to our secret party venue and finished the available eatables and gone for sleep. The next day was again weird because of the incident I had faced last night. Fear has its own unique fantasy and it is a dangerous addiction, despite of having some clue in my mind that something was wrong with her yet my heart was too wild to be ruled by my mind. Next day during our physical training class I was told to fetch fresh oranges from market and ordered to go walking by my coach. As I had an intuition that I will meet her again today on the same path and somewhere in a hidden corner of my heart I had a secret and irresistible wish to see her again. I was expecting her general and unexpected entry from my back or sideways but after some distance……she was standing right in the middle of the road with blue sleeveless top and her hallmark a long skirt. With her usual slight smile she was staring at me. I proceed towards her with an ever pounding heart and a strange captivation which was either the result of her spell bounded beauty or my loneliness I frankly didn’t knew but one thing was

sure……slowly I was started liking her. Where did you disappeared last night? My friends were scolding me for being late. I said in irritated tone. You were drunk and I was getting very late as you say na that this area is not safe for girls…she sneered at me more with her shining eyes then her smooth lips. I just put my head down for a moment and the speak out, I am a bit afraid of you ,I find your ways strange. She gawked at my face and slowly extended her hand towards my face and from my chin she pushes my face up and after a little eye contact she busted out in laughter. You are so very cute, what do you think I am a ghost or what? And she smiled again. No I didn’t mean to say this anyhow I don’t believe in stupidity li ghosts and spirits at all, I somewhat realized my foolishness of saying all that to her. You come and go so quickly so I thought that….my voice strangled. That I am a ghost, she laughed again and this time I too joined her. See I have to go otherwise my coach will penalize me, I say in a hurry and started moving. I will meet you at Meclays café on this Saturday eve, she said. I turned back and I motion say yes I will come. To wait for the coming Saturday was an uphill task but as it was my first legal date with any girl I decided to utilize my time for making it a perfect one. I use all the accessible beauty measures available in the hostel avoiding my friends and works on a painting of Simara with straining down each skill in my nerves. Articles like how to make your date perfect and many more came across me in computer lab. Soon the waiting week gone and Saturday arrived. I reached at Meclays café in the best possible habiliment I could have arranged. The café was a bit far away from the main city but yet a crowded spot on weekends. The sun rays were subsiding a bit earlier than usual and the atmosphere was also filling with chilly winds slowly when I saw her standing near a pillar wearing white silk top and red long skirt. Her eyes were defying the silence of sadness and crossing the limits of liveliness of life itself at the same time. For few moments I had no connection in between my mind, heart and eyes they all had separate tunes to play. Her beauty simply undone my wits and her cold shining face had made all my doubts in the cold storage. You come at the given time I am impressed you seems to be punctual. By and by we get involved in each other’s talk and with every passing minute my mind seems to be clearer about her and heart started accepting her as a normal sweet girl. Time seemed to have the widest wings as around an hour passed in our chat standing on one corner of that café while watching the clean sky and green but dark landscape. Slowly I realize that I was tired and my knees wants a nice bend on a chair so I slowly moved away towards a nearby table and sit on a chair ordering two hot coffees and a chocolate cake as that was enough for my pocket to bear. Come let’s sit for some time I asked her to come and sit beside me. But she was simply unmoved and staring at me with calmness. Don’t you get tired? I asked She shook her head in denoting NO and smiles again.

You order sir ,I suddenly distracted by the voice of waiter standing right behind me with coffee and cake. As he placed them on table and I look square Simara was standing there. Finally I took the coffee cups and cake to her and we eat and drink and talk while she was standing and I was half sited on boundary wall and evening grew darker. It’s time now you must go ,this pace is away from main city and the path is…………..Not safe for Girls she completed my sentence and we both started laughing. She asked me to drop her to the main highway on foot from there she will get some conveyance. On the we talked a lot and when we reached the high way………bye take care as I wanted to bid adieu with her she all of a sudden came close to me and put her lips on mine. A kiss , my first kiss with………….. Her lips were cold so as her skin but the passion behind her kiss was throwing the veil over every other thing. I was enjoying her silk over my lips with my eyes closed for those wonderful everlasting moments and when she removed her lips from mine I had no senses to be normal in a jiffy and opened my eyes after few seconds. She was gone may be she had got any means of transport and left in a hurry as it was getting darker as well as colder, for few minutes I stood there like a tomb and the started slowly my way back to my hostel with the bells ringing in my head and a storm in my heart. I had disclosed everything to my friends and they insisted to meet Simara to which I agreed but after two weeks as I wanted to create my full impression on her and making her meets my friends so early could have spoiled our relationship. We meet for four times in next two weeks and every time her charm had tighter grip on my mental freedom. She agreed to meet my friends after a bit of hesitation and the place decided was the only discothèque in our town on next Saturday. Rohit and Farhan were also ready with me to have their share in my date. We reached the nightclub by 7 o’clock and as usual Simara was again reached before time and waiting for us in her familiar clothing a green top and a white long skirt below her toes, I was a bit disappointed as I demanded Simara to come in jeans I wanted to see her wearing jeans but anyhow it was not a big deal to be a wet blanket at such a friendly gathering. He is Farhan and he is Rohit I introduced my friends to Simara whose reaction was normal towards them. After a bit of dance we ordered a combo pizza pack with cold drinks and catch a table at the corner and started eating but Simara was still standing and drinking lemon. Come Simara you must be tired, come sit here , Farhan stretched a chair towards her but she shook her head in no. Your dance is very smooth and unique one can hardly feel when you move from one spot to other,Rohit praised her in cheered voice. Thanks, she replied with a smile. A mischievous smile, which I noticed for the first time. My friends continued to praise her and I somewhat developing a feeling of insecurity for my love. Its 9 friends we must finish this up Simara also has to go, I bundled up the party relatively in a hurry and somewhat with insecurity.

Farhan had a bike and we came here all three on one but now Farhan had taken the bike right in front of Simara and said, I will drop you to the cross road from there you will get some local transport easily. She looked at me and said No with a little bit of hesitation. Ok Ok goes with Karan he will drive you there, Farhan in hast get off from the bike while feeling the pulse of the situation. I sat on the bike and look towards Simara,come sit now as I said she had an uneasy look on her face. Don’t be shy now you guys are engage Farhan tried to compensate for his earlier behavior, but Simara was still unmoved. Why you are not sitting?, I asked Simara First start the bike buddy ,Rohit turned on the key. I started kicking the bike but to no avail after continuous 25-30 kicks bike hadn’t gained any power. This is a useless bike, I kicked the bike in frustration. Farhan stepped up, let me try bike is not useless you are not use to it he said and I left the way for him. He also kicked for 5 minutes continuously but all in vain bike was at stand still. Finally task was handed over to Rohit who had also given up easily No we will prefer to walk ,I said in a bit ironic tone but my words delighted Simaras eyes, which was quite unusual. As we started walking Farhan and Rohit started following us while keeping a distance so as to provide bit privacy to me and Simara to enjoy our stroll. It was a half-moon night so the path was darker than usual and when we had almost reached the cross over………..Kaaraannnnn suddenly a sharp scream stroked my ears, it was Farhans voice. What happened? I said Farhan was staring at Simara and then again towards me but was looking in a shock. What happened Farhan? Rohit shacked him with force. Nothing just wanted to scare these love birds, Farhan replied in dim voice and started lifting up the bike which was fallen when he screamed. So we are leaving, are you sure that you will get conveyance from here, I asked Simara. Yes I will and don’t worry its only 9.30 now and on Saturday eve it’s a normal time to get transportation, Simara reverted. First think that how we will go back this bike has already ditched us, Rohit while saying put the kick of bike down with force. To my amazement the bike had started in a moment. Wonderful, great now Farhan can drop Simara her place is not very far away from here, Rohit tried to tease me but before I could have had spoken anything ……..No we are getting late our hostel is far from here, Farhan mumbled quickly. So I bid adieu with Simara while noticing a strange change in the behavior of Farhan on the whole drive to our hostel as me and Rohit were discussing our eventful evening today with the beauty of Simara Farhan had zipped his voice from this conversation and even not focusing on driving as he almost made couple of accidents in the way , my quick witted mind had made an easy conclusion that Farhan is jealous of my luck.

The next day Rohit asked Farhan when we were having our breakfast in hostel mess, why had you shouted yesterday night. Nothing, Farhan continued with his breakfast. I had saw something but what I had saw it cannot be possible but………..it must be my mind was playing with me, Farhan was in confuse state of mind. We didn’t force him to tell us what he had seen and find it better to finish our food too. Farhan had asked me every possible detail of Simara in lunch and was still looking baffled. What’s the problem buddy? I asked him but he nodded his head in NO and moved away. Farhan was seemingly upset from that day and used to behave very mysteriously and very often skip school without any ones knowledge. Meanwhile my relation with Simara had reached its highest level very often we date and she always provides me with passionate kisses but one thing was a bit uneasy for me too she never allowed me to hug her. It was Friday eve on that day when Simara had called me at Sandra Falls as it was the very first place where she had saw me for first time. Will you come for me? Simara asked in innocent voice Yes my dear but you are calling me at the odd hour it will be very late for me to get back to hostel, I replied. The don’t go then be there with me, her eyes lustered as she uttered these words. With you I can stay forever, my mind had thrown the veil over my hearts voice of smelling a rat in her exotic words and mysterious looks. I t will be forever only, she reverted in a sudden cold voice and a sharp blaze of light strikes the cloud and I see in that direction the season was growing heavy and there was a good possibility of rain and as I saw towards Simara she was at a vast distance walking away from me. It was may be the last time my heart had provided me with a red signal but I was such spell bounded by her beauty that I ignored just everything. The next evening when I was coming back from my supper I saw a huge gathering of students and police near our school laundry. What happened ?i marched towards the crowed with quick steps. One boy is found unconscious in laundry; some unknown voice from the crowed answered my question. When the people carrying that boy out from the laundry I was shocked it was Farhan, his face was pale but not even a single scratch on his body. After the first aid treatment in college he was shifted to hospital and I went along with Rohit to see him. What has happened to Farhan sir? Rohit asked the doctor who was sitting with our school dean Mr. Albert It’s a very strange case kids, doctor said. Farhan is in coma due to some really big shock and he doesn’t have a single injury just a very strong mental shock as if he had been afraid from something very fearful. When he will be alright? Mr. Albert asked I can’t say anything sir , doctor said After meeting parents of Farhan who came there to take their son home Rohit ,Mr. Albert came back to school with me. My mind was continuously playing the flash backs of Farhan's changed behavior after meeting Simara but somehow I just thrown those memories out of my mind and started preparing for my very special date with Simara next Friday.

The Friday of my fantasies arrived in a flash and I had dressed in my best habiliment possible with a brand new trousers white shirt and my very special blazer which I had given to the laundry to get dry cleaned as it was my blazer from Italy which one of my uncle had gifted me and in whole school nobody had such a thing to wear. When I reached Sandra Falls it was 5 o clock in the evening and I had decided to leave that place anyhow by 8 o clock as after that you rarely found any road transport to the habitant areas. Anyways I had prepared a white Lilly bookie for her and reached there. To my surprise there was a campfire, a small tent was nearby and on a small square table there was one bottle of very old wine and two glasses with some dry fruits were placed. Don’t you like this ,my focus over the surroundings was disturbed by a voice which is now very familiar to me. As I turned back my wits had gone for woolgathering as there was an embodiment of graceful and sexy beauty standing in front of me. Simara was dressed in a very short top with deep cleavage and looking in full mood to expose but again her skirt was covering her toes and very long but all in all she had dressed for kill that day. How am I looking? For first time her voice had a sex appeal in it and her little sharp eyes were penetrating my mind deep This night is a night with two full moons one in the sky and other is in front of me, I uttered in uncontrolled voice. She smiled and came closer to me and kissed me on my cheek and then moved towards the table and made two pegs of wine for both of us. The time had propellers attached to it as when we had finished our last peg it was already 9 o’clock. The effect of wine compounded with her beauty had made me forget everything which was unusual about her at that moment of time and place. Holding her hand into mine I was walking with her sometimes staring at moon and other time at girl more beautiful than moon. Simara I love you and I want to be with you forever, I hold her tightly and when I was holding her I had a strange feeling that something is wrong but what that something was I had no idea of that. Me too Simara answered We took a small stroll with holding each other’s hand when we reached on the edge of the valley of Sandra fall, I come in a couple of minutes Simara said, But where are you going? , I asked Just to prepare the final glass of wine she smirked and moved away Guzerte hain guzar jaayenge dilon k kaarwaan (The journey of love is endless) Reh jaayenge bas unke kadmoon k nishaan (Lovers come and go but there foot prints remains) I sing this sher (Urdu poetry) in romantic mood and turned back while expecting two pair of foot prints of Simara and me together as inseparable as our love. But the earth seemed to be swing in a jiffy for me as there were the foot prints of only me not of Simara. My drugged mind was continuously dragging me to some unusual danger which I had been failing to perceive. My forehead was pooled with sweat in that frigid season and I inserted my hand inside the pocket of my blazer to take out my hanky and my hands grabbed a piece of paper inside. I took

it out in a hurry it was shaded with dry blood and wretched badly. I unfolded it with trembling figures it was Farhan’s handwriting for sure but with vibrating moves. ‘Karan your girlfriend is a death on stroll friend I hadn’t told you what I had saw that night when we were walking behind you with my bike. I saw that a sudden gust of wind had blown Simara’s skirt away but beneath that skirt there was nothing, at that time I had thought that it could be my vision defect as the distance between us was fair and light too was dim but to remove my suspicion about her I went to her house address, her school and and every place you told me about her. To my horror that house was in depleted condition and from a neighbor I came to know that nobody lives in there since last 8 years and the last owners had left the town after the sudden death of their daughter. In her school I got a success to get details about her…seven years ago a high school girl name Simara had committed suicide at the railway track near Sandra Falls, her body had been cut into two pieces and her below waist area was so damaged that it was non gatherable ,she was pregnant and it was supposed that she had an affair with her basketball coach and he fled away while making her pregnant, in the agony of betrayed love and upcoming bad name she had committed sucide,her parents left the town soon after that and the most strange thing is that coach was found dead near a railway track in some distant city exactly after three months of this incident. Later on the cat came out of the bag that Simara was killed by her coach as he made her drink a full bottle of wine and when she was under the effect of wine badly he dropped her on the track and went away from there, it was her birthday.From last seven years there had been death every year of a boy cut half by the train near Sandra Falls and the strangest coincidence is every time it had been the full moon night. Stay away from her my friend she is death in herself, I may not be able to tell you all this on time as I can sense her claws approaching near me I had hided myself in school laundry but I don’t know whether I will be able to skip my death or not I am putting this letter in your blazers pocket hope it will reach to you in time , she is coming near me …..’ The rest of the art of the paper was drenched with blood and dust and simply not readable at all. My mind had blown away after reading that letter I had no courage even to turn back and see where Simara was? Each and every scene of our dare was reeling in front of my eyes like a flashback. Her dry skin, a bit cold body, the strange aroma from her and most mysterious of all she had never ever sat down anywhere and now I knew it why? The most secret and sweet desire of my heart my girlfriend……is a chudail (witch), where to go and what to do I was not capable of thinking anything as the effect of alcohol was still hanging heavily on my mind. Neither I had courage to run away nor was it to any avail as I remember her hasty movements she seemed to walk on air, so fast and so smooth. Then all of a sudden I remember my father’s words …… Brain is the best remedy of all problems no matter how tough the situation is a balance brain can always drag out a solution……. Karan here is our last peg…my soul shivered with that voice of Simara from my back; somehow I kept that paper back in my pocket and strived every possible measure to keep myself calm and normal.

As I turned back there was Simara with two glasses with her smiling mischievously. I knew that I was dinning with the devil in its own den and this peg will be the last peg of my life but still I was trying to remember every possible thing about her to seek out for any rout to escape. Simara was talking to me and I was replying her but my mind was wondering in the past analyzing our each and every meet in the meanwhile I realized couple of things that Simara was very eager that I finish my glass quickly and we were strolling towards the railway track in the perfect moon light. Suddenly I recall an incident in between Simara and me that when I had left cold drink in bottle and Simara had forced me to finish it she don’t let anything go waste that’s why she was forcing me to finish my glass of wine. My blood circulation had doubled as I listen to the slight whistle of the train from a bit far distance coming towards the track as in the complete solitude it was easy to hear the whistle. For a moment I started thinking of running away but I knew that I can’t escape in that fashion but in a moment I had a thought that if I can catch the train then there is still a chance that I can be safely away from there…..in the meanwhile we had reached the track and I had started observing slight changes in Simara my hunter. The train was hardly couple of minutes away and Simara said in commanding tone, Karan finish the glass quickly. My mind was still telling me that I am missing something very vital which can save me but I was unable to respond to the situation in desired manner. Karan drink the winneeee….abruptly the tone of Simaras voice had changed along with her face expressions which were looking very scary and terrible. As I extended the glass towards my lips a scene strikes to my mind once when I was tired of asking Simara to wear jeans,shorts and small skirts instead of her long toe covering skirt I holed her skrit and said today I will remove this and make you wear small skirt with me , it was for first time that Simara had started crying and she was looking very frightened on the name of removing her skirt so I quickly dropped my grip off and said sorry to her. It was the last ray of hope for me and as I had no bridges behind me I decided to take the bull by horns. Drink Karan drink……Simara grumbled. As the clouds grown heavy and at any moment there could have been rain her voice seemed to be distracted by wind. Sweet Heart I will drink even a pure poison for your happiness then this is to just a little wine but I want you to close your eyes as I want to give you a surprise after that I will drink this, I replied. She stared at me for a moment and a sharp shiver ran through my spine but she had given a mimic of a smile and closed her eyes quickly. All of a sudden I grabbed her skirt and snatched away in a jiffy, BBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the whole environment was echoed with a heart bounding scream of Simara, to my heavens she had no lower portion and as I snatched her skirt she fell on the ground, her appearance started devising horrible looks her beautiful skin dimmed and her complexion grew pale, her hair gone dry and disturbed and her nails became extra-long. I was stand there like a wooden tomb simply unmoved and it was not my fault even the person with heart of a lion cold have reacted like a coward at that scene, the train had reached there and started crossing right beside me but I had no courage to run and catch it. Simara was now approaching towards me , dragging her top half along using her claw-like hands. Every time she

moves, she makes a strange horrible sound. She made her way towards me, clawing along the ground and running on her elbows making a scary sound and I was still there like a Dodos Dummy as she was dragging herself her speed was not that much fast but still had decent pace. When God decides to help anyone he very often fetch help through unusual means so as for me, the train which had almost passed had given a strong whistle near my ears and I all of a sudden regained my senses. My mind was a livewire now and my body was trembling but I managed to turn around and started chasing the train in full speed as it was my last straw of hope to be alive. Simara was chasing me like a shattered breeze dragging her body with the help of her long nails inserting into ground but I was running with my full energy so capable of creating substantial distance among us despite of the strong wind blowing in the opposite direction. When I was about to reach the train then Simara had held her elbows deep into the ground and jumped like a frog towards me and inserted her sharp nails in my leg and I fell down the train was moving away and my death was dragging near me ,soon Simara had dragged herself over my body even in that chilly season and strong wind my whole body was wet with my sweat, Simaras body was as cold as ice and her cold breath was hitting my face, her my chest was drenched with her dirty saliva I knew that I can’t survive now but maybe I had to die another day as the whole environment was enlightened by a sharp very sharp lightning in the sky for a moment, Simara screamed loud and closed her eyes for a second and at that moment don’t know how but I gathered the energy of my every nerve and thrown her away fr4om my body, I sprang up and became a bullet targeted towards the train Simara was still behind me but my full focus was on train and in around one minute of heart out chase I manage to grab it and as I get inside there was a ticket checker looking at me an amusement and when I told everyone about what had happened everybody assumed that I was trying to escape from the punishment of travelling without ticket. I didn’t had substantial money to foot the fine so I had to left the train on the next station and I had made a call to my hostel and when I told all the incident to my warden and dean even they didn’t believe me but thanks to my stars that Farhan regained his consciousness and his statement was also wired, he told that Simara had tried to kill him as he knew very much about her and when he was hiding in laundry and thought that it was his end he suddenly recognized the blazer of Karan and put the letter inside. We had left the school in midterm only and left the place also the dust of time had hide the memories of that fearful event but its reflection is still carved on my soul. Karan goes into silence as his story was over but everyone there was still mute and a bit terrified too. Is it true? Ankit broken the silence after sometime and as all of them had diverted there focus the candle in front of Karan blown off with a no sound effect, very smoothly as someone has willfully does that there. “How this happens?” Navomita voiced Because his story is true………………………………, A strange and cold voice attracted their attention. It was Avani spoken in loud and heavy voice and all of a sudden started smiling.

“Make you guys scare”, she looked at Maahi trying to find fear in his eyes but it was not there.

“So funny’,Roshni reacted in filthy manner.

“Must be wind, who will break the next ice?”, Maahi looked at everyone.

As half of the candles were blown off now even the little light looking precious for everyone and visibility too had fallen to a decent level it was hard to see clearly whatever is happening on the opposite wall of the room.

“I have a story but not by me but it am from my very good school mate Vishnu if you guys are interested I should roll on with it? Ankit finished his sandwich.

“This game is about rolling on the night and the darkness with stories so please proceed”,Avani stared at Ankit.