Part 1 – Beginning
The wind blew stray leaves skyward, breaking the eerie silence of the clearing with the rustling in the trees. It was a bright sunny day and yet a gloomy pall hung over this part of the forest, an ancient darkness hanging in the shadows. The gates of a dilapidated mansion groaned its protest, the hinges creaking as it swayed in the wind. Once a bustling town, everything around it had fallen into ruin; its inhabitants long gone to dust.
The sounds of muted laughter came from a distance, startling a mouse searching for sustenance. No one had laughed here in ages. No one had breathed here for long. It scurried away as footsteps came closer rapidly.
A girl broke into the clearing, looking back and giggling as she scanned the surroundings to hide. Wearing a long red skirt with an off shoulder white top, she looked young and carefree. The wind caught her long dark hair, blowing it gently into her laughing face. ‘They won’t be able to catch me here,’ she thought, slipping behind a giant banyan tree. ‘Oh, what fun to play like a child again!’
Riddhima tucked her hair behind an ear, her silver jhumkas chinking merrily. This trip was something she had been looking forward to for the longest time! With her final exams over and a job offer at one of her dream companies, the world was her oyster. She had worked hard to get here in life, and she couldn’t think of a better way than this to spend her holidays. How amazing it would be to crash at their tree house tonight, after dancing away at the bonfire party. She could barely contain her glee and sighed happily.
Peeking around the tree, she saw her friends rushing past the clearing, breathless with laughter themselves. She ducked, crouching down a little. Any moment now Shivani would catch one of them and she intended to stay hidden for as long as possible. The groan of rusted hinges caught her attention, and she glanced ahead at the rundown house. Should she risk it?
“Sakshi, Riddhima, Ankit, I’m going to catch you,” came Shivani’s voice faintly in the distance. “Kitna chupoge mujhse?”
Catching her breath, Riddhima dashed across to the gate, struggling to squeeze past. “Ouch! Shit.” She cursed as something sharp pricked her palm, drawing blood. Before she could examine her wound, the gate dropped off the hinges and fell with a loud thud, startling her. She ducked behind the walls, hoping the sound wouldn’t draw her friend or any caretaker to this place. She gazed at the tiny prick on her palm, hoping that it won’t require a tetanus shot later.
Not hearing anyone in hot pursuit of her, she straightened and looked curiously at her surroundings. The garden grew wild here, adding to the desolate feel of the large building. Amongst the weeds, were wildflowers in hues of yellow and pink. She touched a pale pink flower, running her finger over its petals. “You must miss having someone taking care of you,” she spoke softly to it. “But you are so strong and beautiful on your own too.”
Shaking her head at her silliness in talking to a plant, she sighed and walked ahead. “Koi hai? Anyone home?” she called loudly, just incase. The last thing she wanted was an irate caretaker accusing her of trespassing and breaking their gate. The trees rustled in response, a gust of wind playing with her tresses again. A chill ran down her back, giving her pause as she knocked on the door. Riddhima looked around furtively, biting her lip in indecision. Should she explore this house? It looked like the set of a horror film and she didn’t enjoy the feeling. But she wanted to be adventurous today and the daylight just looked too inviting for her to truly fear a broken-down house.
Shrugging off her trepidation, she pushed open the door. She had expected a darkened haunted looking house but the large windows in the home brought a lovely airy feel to the place. Ignoring the musty smell of an old house, she walked into the foyer, cleared of any furniture. Peeling sketches of wildlife and nature adorned the walls as she walked from room to room. She hummed softly to herself as an abstract one caught her eye, the colours in bright blue and fiery orange drawing her in. Whoever had lived her was either an artist or a connoisseur. A shame no one had cared enough to preserve this art.
The sound of glass shattering came from upstairs, making her jump back in fear. What the hell was that? Slowly, she moved towards the staircase, every footstep creaking loudly in the silent home. Was she crazy? She should just turn away and go back to her friends. Riddhima paused on the stairs, wondering at her sanity. If this was a horror movie, she would be the crazy curious girl who explored strange places and got killed first. Biting her lip again, she pushed on. She was just being silly, scared of an abandoned house. It would have been majestic and filled with warmth in its glory days; she wanted to capture some bit of its lost beauty in her memories before returning to reality.
On the upper floor, she immediately saw a large painting with glass scattered over the floor. “Oh no no no,” she hurriedly rushed towards it. “The wind must have knocked it over. Ab yeh painting bhi kharab hojayegi.” She gingerly turned it over, being careful not to invite any more cuts from the glass. A man with dark brooding eyes stared back at her from the painting, his hair perfectly arranged. Back ramrod straight, he was sitting on an elegant chair, exuding wealth and charisma. She was mesmerized by the tinge of brown in his eyes, set off by thick brows. With a finger, she traced his clean-shaven jawline, the hint of a dimple in his sharp cheekbones. She blushed as her finger traced his lips. He was so handsome! This man must have been a heartbreaker in his days, she mused silently. She could imagine the throng of women that would have simpered around him in the olden days. Hell, she would have been quite interested herself!
Setting the painting respectfully aside, she gazed longingly at it. If she left it here, it would soon break down due to age and lack of a protective cover. But she couldn’t lug it around with her either. Should she comeback for it tomorrow with her friends? Try to take it home somehow?
As she thought over her dilemma, a chill ran down her spine again. Startled, she turned around. Finding nothing different, she walked into another room. Bigger than the others, this seemed to be the master bedroom. Huge windows lit up the empty space, making her feel strangely bereft. Why had every room been stripped bare of furnishings and these beautiful paintings left behind to wither away? This place had so much potential. Why had no one tried to make it into a home again and left it to rot with age?
“Perhaps, it’s because,” a voice whispered insidiously in her ear, striking fear into the deepest parts of her being. “they are scared of me, little girl.” Her terrified eyes met familiar dark ones in the window’s reflection. Crying out, she turned and slammed back against the wall.
“Who-who are you? How is this possible?”
She stared wildly at the man standing before her. Wearing the same royal blue suit as in the painting, he was standing inches away from her. Coldness, instead of the heat of life, emanated from him. An evil smirk tugged at the corners of those lips she had admired earlier. His dark eyes becoming darker still in his appraisal of her.
“You come to my house uninvited. Destroy my things. And you want to know who I am?” he whispered menacingly.
“I didn’t destroy anything,” her voice trembled as she looked into his merciless eyes. “I’m sorry. I will leave now. Please… Let me leave. I didn’t do anything.”
He stepped closer towards her. Flinching, she closed her eyes, fearing the worst. “My name is Vansh Raisinghania, little girl. You are in my world.” She felt his cold breath against her temples, the touch of his fingers sliding down her arm. A warmth spread through her body at his touch, surprising her. “You will leave. Eventually. But you will take me with you wherever you go.”
His hand caught hers, turning it palm up. She opened her eyes, curiosity getting the better of her. She could see the brown tones in his eyes again. In a swift deliberate motion, the ghost called Vansh ran his tongue over the small prick on her palm. She gasped, feeling a sharp tug in her woman’s core. He raised knowing eyes to hers, sucking deeper. Her eyes rolled shut as pure carnal lust seeped into her veins at his touch, overtaking her fear. Her knees buckled but his other hand caught her waist. She felt the cold walls behind her back as a stark contrast to the fire within her as Vansh’s lips moved over her skin.
“Riddhima,” he was calling to her. The sweet sound of her name on his lips. It was almost too much to bear. “Riddhima… open your eyes.”
With effort, she pried her eyes open, naked desire shining in their depths. His were dark again, seeming to consume her whole. He dropped her hand, holding her against the wall. “Touch me,” his deep voice was hoarse. “I know you want to. Touch me, Riddhima.”
Swallowing hard, she raised a trembling hand to his face. As handsome as in the painting, his features were carved into perfection. She touched his forehead, the skin cold to touch. Fascinated despite her fear, she ran her finger over his eyelids; moving to trace the aristocratic lines of his nose. He had a beautiful nose, the one of a man with pride and integrity. She touched the cheekbones. He sighed and closed his eyes, seeming to enjoy her exploration. A soft smile peeked at one corner of his lips, a dimple deepening. He looked so adorably boyish now. She touched that dimple, wondering at the insanity of her actions and yet unable to help herself.
As she reached his lips, they parted under her ministrations, his gaze intensely fixed on hers again. There was a need in his eyes, like he had been starving for eons and she was his sustenance. It should scare her, but she had given in to this bizarre dream. None of this could be real. She might as well enjoy it while it lasted. Riddhima arched her back to move closer to him, feeling an insatiable hunger take over her body. Her nipples hardened under her clothing, her eyes drawn to the delicious shape of his lips. Would she shatter if they kissed?
“You shouldn’t tempt me, vixen,” Vansh murmured, his arm around her waist tightening. She felt his words against her fingers, her eyes locked to his impossibly dark ones. “I would keep you here and never let you go. It’s been a hundred years…A hundred years of solitude till you. This isn’t your dream, Riddhima. It’s my nightmare.”
Like icy water on her head, his words brought her out of her hypnotic trance. A hundred years? What the fck? She stepped back, gazing in horror at Vansh. He was really a hundred-and-something-year-old ghost? Surreptitiously, she pinched her arm hard, feeling the pain. This wasn’t a dream. Oh my God, this was real! “What did you do to me?” she accused sharply, aghast at her actions awhile back.
The evil smirk back on his face, Vansh shrugged nonchalantly. “That was all you, darling. Can’t say I minded. I only bound my spirit to your life.”
“You w-what? What?” Words failed her. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to articulate her thoughts. He gave her that dimpled half smile, enjoying her struggle.
“Like I said,” he spoke silkily. “When you leave here, you will take me with you. Only you can see me, only you can…touch me.” A wicked smile at the last words. “You will find a priestess not far from here. I don’t know her name, but she is a descendent of Ahilya Devi – a powerful sorceress from my time. You will kindly request her to track down a vile man’s spirit called Kabir. When you get to Kabir’s haunting grounds, I will finish him and break his soul into pieces like he destroyed my family.”
Pure rage showed on Vansh’s expressive face, frightening her as she stared mutely up at him. “Once he is destroyed, you will be free to live your life, Riddhima. I will sever my link to you and find peace. My family will find peace. We will be free too.”
“What are you saying? Are you crazy?” She ran a shaky hand through her hair. “I have a life of my own, Vansh. I cannot just go tracking down random spirits for your personal vendetta. I have a freakin job to join in couple of days. I have a boyfriend…I can’t do this. You can’t do this to me.”
She dashed around him to run towards the door, her heart pounding painfully. The strewn glass cracked under her feet as she ran down the stairs in panic. Throwing open the main door, she stepped into the garden, feeling like she could breathe again. No way, no way would she do what this mad ghost wanted her to do. She shouldn’t have come here. Dammit, she was so stupid. Clutching a stitch in her side, she jumped over the broken rusted gate. She stopped short near the banyan tree, taking the support of its sturdy trunk to steady herself and catch her breath.
“Well, this was foolish,” came the voice she dreaded from behind her. She pushed away from the tree with a scream. Vansh stepped out from behind, an irate expression on his face. “I have bound us, Riddhima. You can’t fucking run and get rid of me. Is that so hard to understand?”
“Why? Why me? You can’t steal my life like this, Vansh!”
“I’m sorry it has to be this way,” he said flatly, managing to look apologetic. It did nothing to ease her rising temper and panic. “My bloodline’s essence is in this clearing. Every tree, every wall, every gate. I’m trapped here unless I find a way to bind my spirit to someone else’s blood. You were the first to give me the opportunity when you bled on that gate. I strengthened our connection when I sucked the blood from your palm. I need you, Riddhima. I can’t live this existence anymore. Please help me.”
“Oh God…” she bit her lip, looking skyward. “This cannot be happening to me. I have always been a good person. A good daughter, a straight A student. A loyal friend. This can’t be happening to me.”
Vansh stepped closer, regret crossing his handsome features. “Don’t come near me,” she shouted, clambering back. “I will find a priest and get rid of you, you-you demon. You can’t coerce me like this into participating in a fucking hundred-year-old vendetta. Just wait and watch.”
In a flash, Vansh was beside her, anger radiating from him in waves. He gripped her shoulders hard, murderous rage in his eyes. “You foolish girl. You think if any priest could exorcise me out, they won’t have done so already to get access to my very expensive house? No one can push me out unless I want to go. I will not rest till I wipe Kabir’s entire existence. My family was murdered in cold blood; we lost everything over his petty jealousies and greed. He knocked me unconscious and buried me alive under this banyan tree. He stripped my house bare of every possession except my paintings. But he could not take over my home. I was powerful in life, but even more so in death. He tried every trick in the magical book to exorcise my spirit, but I would not let go of my home. I had built it with my own sweat and blood. My essence was in every corner, every brick of this home. My paintings held fragments of my soul. I was bound too tightly to be thrown out. He finally gave up and moved away, living a happy, long and prosperous life till he died of old age. He fucking lived a life that he stole from me, built at the cost of my family’s demise! If he could not pay for his sins in life, he will pay for them in death. He will never find peace. He will suffer unending torment when I shatter his soul for eternity. And you- “
She flinched as his fingers dug deeper into her shoulders. “You will help me whether you want to or not! This isn’t a request, girl. I swear I will leave you to your mundane life when you finish my cause. You will never see me again. But till then… you are mine and you will do as I wish. Do you understand?”
She nodded jerkily, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Use your words, girl.”
“Yes. Yes, I understand,” she spoke loudly, pushing away from his grip. “Just-just give me today’s time, okay? I need to think, to absorb…You can’t just expect me to…My friends will be worried for me. I have to go now.”
Vansh inclined his head once, his expression resolute. “You have today to reconcile, Riddhima.” As he disappeared, she sank to the ground in despair. What was she going to do now?
***