Once a magnificent mansion, it was now macabre of broken bricks, charred walls, ever growing wilderness and homeless living beings. The fence around it finished with thorny bushes, whether to keep out the intruders from destroying it further or to protect them from dying in crumbling building, not known. A perfect horror venue in twilight.
The place reminded Ethan of past; lost in darkness and trying to come in light while struggling to gain what it want and yet failing. And now Ethan would bring light on this place because he needed help and this place could provide him exactly that, if things went well.
"Why little tigress? Why do you have to go and accept the proposal of that brat?" Ethan muttered staring the building. "Let's see if this place will change your decision."
A smile came on his face and just as he was about to turn, footsteps echoed in his ears. Moving around slightly, he found a shadow looking around. Stepping back, Ethan hid behind a bush and watched as shadow moved around searching for something apparently.
"Koi hai wahn(Is there someone?)" A voice floated in air and a worried man came in view of Ethan.
Ethan relaxed on noticing the uniform of man manifesting his job as a guard but a frown set on his face on wondering the reason behind one for such a destroyed building.
Getting out of hiding, Ethan approached the security guard.
"Excuse me, sir." Ethan called.
"Kon ho tm? Kya kr rhe ho yahn? (Who are you? What are you doing here?)" Guard questioned startled by his presence.
"I wanted to buy..." Ethan stopped when Guard stared him weirdly and Ethan realized the man did not know understand language.
Scratching his forehead, Ethan passed him a smile. "Mjhe ye ghr check krna hai. Khareedne k liye.(I want to check this house. For buying.)"
"Ap is madam se bat krain.(talk to this madam.)" Guard said handing him a card.
"Kya mai andar ja skta hun? Thori dair k liye?(can I go inside? For a little time?)"
"Agr madam ne anumati di to.(if only madam allowed.)"
Ethan stared the mansion with confusion. A guard for such building, didn't seem to balance the equation.
"Kya andar koi keemti sman hai? (Is there anything valuable inside?) " Ethan questioned.
"Sb kuch jala hua hai, Sahab. Pta nhy madam ne isse kyun khareeda. Kuch hai bhi nhy r mjhe raksha k liye khara kr diya.(everything is burnt. Don't know why madam bought it. There's nothing and still she made me stand here for protection.)" Guard whined.
"Kb se kam kr rhe ho tm yahn? (From when are you working here?)" Ethan was curious now.
"Bs ek hy din hua hai is manhoos jaga pr. (Just a day in this cursed place.)"
"Dhaneywad. (Thanks)" Ethan forced a smile and turned away confused.
The rectangular card held only a name in dark background.
Amaya Singhaniya.
Ethan turned around the card and found a small map showing directions to her office. There was no number on it.
Who is she?
A guard at Azaad mansion. Why?
_________
Sending the picture to her assistant, Ava stared the empty room with a feeling of longing. Things were going so smoothly for her but those anonymous cards and weird attacks had to ruin it all. Even attacks were bearable with her friends support but now things were going out of control. She was losing them just like the way she was losing control of herself and the situation, a problem that never occurred to her before.
Sighing, Ava covered her face in defeat. She was tired of this fight against the invisible even if it was a start. She couldn't win it like this.
Try to be normal Ava. You can win this. Don't hurt your relationship like this. C'mon.
Ava straightened. She should try to be normal to Archie again. Things would get better, won't they?
A small smile came on her face. She found Archie sitting lost on dining table and playing with a green Apple. Taking a deep breath she walked to him.
"Archie," Ava sat beside him on chair and took the Apple from him. "What's with this slurry boyfriend?"
Archie turned to her with surprise and confusion.
"Now don't look at me like this and plan a date for me at this instant." Ava said looking away with upset look.
"Woah..." Archie managed to say.
"Yeah sure... Let's go." Archie said getting a hold over himself and stood up giving a hand to her.
Ava stood up and wounded her hand around his arm.
"Not that I mind, but I never knew this side of you." Archie remarked.
"Learned a thing or two from Amy." Ava grinned.
Archie chuckled.
The weather was getting colder and the evening didn't help in the temperature. Booking a table closer to old heater and away from main dining area, Ava and Archie thanked for the privacy too, the extra Rupees paying off.
Holding hand over the table, they kept on looking each other with emotions beyond their grasp. The candle simmering between them adding to the nuance of the atmosphere, old fashioned yet different and beautiful than the machinery world they lived in their own country.
"This visit was not my happy moment, but after you came this happened to be my favourite." Archie said, a small smile lightening his face.
"It was Amelia wish and I relented for her happiness without knowing I'll found happiness here, in this wilderness and coldness." Ava said.
Their eyes lightened with love and small hum of heater sounding more soothing than any music out there.
Dehradoon was a paradise of their happiness now, housing their most precious moments amid the disasters that they didn't wish to remember at that moment.
"I think this place has most of our fate planned. You me, little tigress and Ash, we all got someone to look after. I don't know what's in future for us but at least we all started somewhere." Archie smiled.
"I'm hoping and planning for a brighter future for us. But Ash and Amelia..." Ava trailed off.
"What are you thinking?" Archie asked, a frown appearing on his face.
"Don't you feel like their relationship sounds weird? With Honey and Dhruv, I mean."
"How?" Archie frown deepened.
"I think they did this just due to each other. Its kind of like they're unable to avoid each other for reasons they don't understand." Ava voiced her thoughts.
"Are you trying to say..." Archie narrowed his eyes avoiding to speak the forbidden declaration.
Ava sighed. "I think we should help them in understanding these emotions else they'll end up doing something disastrous."
Archie took a deep breath. "Look Ava, first I don't believe you're right in your assumptions. I mean Ash and Amelia? That's impossible. And secondly even if there's any such thing we shouldn't involve ourselves in their matter."
"But..." Ava tried to argue.
"Ava," Archie held her hand, looking in her eyes. " They're mature enough to handle themselves. Our involvement can only ruin things than help."
"Let them understand themselves without any confusing interference, okay?" Archie looked at her with hope.
Ava nodded reluctantly, a smile came on her face a second later.
"You look beautiful when smiling." Archie smiled. "I have a surprise."
"Surprise?" Ava asked holding his hand with confusion.
"Let me pay first and then I'll show you." Archie said tapping on her hand lovingly.
Ava smiled confusingly and Archie left to pay at counter. Leaning back Ava played with the flower on the table.
A pink paper caught her attention from the periphery. A certain familiarity rose the hair on her skin, she sat up straight avoiding to look at it. Fingers convulsing and anxiety spreading in her veins, Ava snatched the note from table, her eyes turned sideways to check if Archie was back or not.
The words were crawled in similar cursive fashion as first three cards. Still to be safe from the last time mistake, she pulled out last message from the depth of her purse and matched the handwriting.
The writing was same as of that last message where you're mine was written in huge letters.
With her heart going wild, she read the new message.
Don't let him near you. He'll pay for what he is doing.
The concealed threat left her breathless. Her fingers tightened, crumbling the paper. Footsteps reached her ear jerking her from thoughts, fear shivered her and she threw the papers in her bag impulsively. Correcting her posture, Ava tried to bring smile on her withered face.
"I was thinking..." Archie trailed off.
Ava forced a smile, pushing a strand off her face.
"What's wrong?" Archie asked.
Looking here and there, Ava tried to control her anxiety but it turned out she wasn't a great actor.
"Not... Nothing. Just tired." Ava shrugged.
Frown and distrust appeared on Archie face.
"Don't you want to know the surprise?" Archie asked.
"Yeah, why not..." Ava trailed off, her smile wiped off as she noticed a shadow just behind Archie.
Archie noticing her gaze, turned around, shadow disappeared.
"But let's go back at our place. I'll see the surprise there." Ava stood up and held his hand, her eyes darting around in search of the stalker.
"Sure." Archie said in low tone.
Ava noticed the hurt on his face but she wanted to get out of that place anyhow. The number of people around them decreasing the chances of identifying the psycho.
Getting out of the restaurant with icy distance between them just as biting coldness outside, the two got in taxi and waited for their destination.
_______________
The bright screen was giving him headache. The thoughts running wild in his head were forcing him to wish for a peaceful sleep. Ashley almost punched the hologram and rested back on the bed.
The ceiling looked dark in the evening, reminding him of the deep forest surrounding them. The dark and beautiful forest. The place he wouldn't wish to step in but couldn't look away.
Just like Amelia. Her eyes filled with fire. The love for forest and the way he couldn't be away from her despite the distance.
They would like Abhay and Piya, if became together, beautiful and lovely.
She is with Dhruv, Ashley groaned sitting up straight. How could he forget that both of them were now committed to someone else.
Why the hell did he accept Honey proposal though?
But wait, can't he have a girlfriend when Amelia was with Dhruv?
Ahhh, there she was again. Ashley slapped his forehead and rubbed his face again.
"She is not mine. I don't like her." Ashley said out aloud to make his mind understand.
But she is adorable as she is and how will it look if she was mine?
Ashley shook his head. What bullshit he was thinking.
Get back to work idiot, Ashley chided himself and played with the keys of his laptop.
A strange website gained his attention, diverting him from disturbing thoughts. Clicking on the website, he checked it thoroughly. Every word attracting him further.
By the end of his intensive search, he sat back shocked.
Who could made such website? And why?
____________________
It was a beautiful antique bracelet with infinity loop forging into connected hearts, small stones studded in their left halves and AR inscribed on its silver chain. It was a priceless gift that held essence of their relationship in every way possible and yet her heart was filled with pain.
Losing her control destroyed this little moment of surprise, the first gift that was much like a symbol of their love.
Tears filled her eyes, fisting her hand she closed her mouth to muffle the painful sigh.
Archie was being affected by her weird behavior, explaining him everything would clear things but she couldn't be sure if this would help her or not. For all she knew, Archie might become more upset over this whole issue.
"But I can't hide it forever." Ava whispered clenching the bracelet closer to her.
"He must know and I should be the one explaining him everything."
Adorning the bracelet on her wrist she looked it with determination. Archie would know everything and they would do something against it together.
Azaad family mystery would give her the perfect time to talk about this issue with Archie.
That was right. Everything would be fine.
Soft tone blared from her phone, breaking the comforting silence of room. She checked the number, her assistant was calling. She must've got some lead on Azaad family, Ava received the call eagerly.
"You saw the picture right?" Ava questioned hoping to gain some useful information.
"Are you pulling some prank on me, Allen?" Ava frowned at question.
"What do you mean?" Ava questioned.
"There's something you should check in picture, if its the right one which I don't believe it is."
"Can you be clear, Riva?" Ava crossed her arm feeling sudden coldness.
"Its a blank picture except for a few faces that are clearly yours with Amelia and your new friends in some old fashioned costumes." Riva huffed.
"What?" Ava eyes widened, her hand freeze in disbelief.
She sent the picture of that article, then how was it possible a weird picture was received?
"I'm forwarding you as a proof, if you deleted it." Riva spoke with a sigh.
Ava cut the call without proper bye and sat confused for a second.
"There must be some misunderstanding." Ava mumbled.
Fumbling, she checked the phone and opened the digital center. The picture appeared with ultra quality on hologram. The familiar faces smiled back at her while their eyes seeking something from her, urging her to unravel their mystery.
"Its the right picture. What was Riva saying then?" Ava questioned no one.
Riva was responsible and wouldn't joke when an important work was involved. But there were chances Riva joked due to her and Amelia doppelganger in the ancient family.
That was possible.
Message binged and Ava checked the picture sent by Riva. It was a screenshot to prove Riva point. Everything was fine and accurate except for the picture that Riva received.
Breath left her body, Ava stared the picture with goosebumps rising on her body. Shivering, she matched both the pictures, the one sent and the one received, the difference somehow clear but the similarity and the point that they missed rising the questions on her sanity.