The Other Side(15)

“No, thanks. I'm wondering why I even came this close,” Samir said and Sushant nodded in agreement looking at the tiled roof of the mansion.

“We'll be close by at Samir's farm-house,” Sushant said while Samir pointed out a distant structure to his right, which would have been easily a mile from there.

“If you have any problem, ring us up on our cell phones but don't expect us to come in the middle of the night,” Samir winked.

“That won't be needed, thanks,” Nirbhay said. “Just keep the money ready tomorrow morning,” he added, turning to walk towards the mansion.

“We'll come to fetch you by six, just after sunrise,” Sushant shouted out.

“See you,” Nirbhay wagged his middle finger with his back still turned to the gate.

“Hope so,” Samir muttered under his breath before walking away with Sushant.



The Other Side

79 Nirbhay walked towards the front door, eyeing the porch cautiously. The plan in his mind was already in place. The sight of the bungalow did not comfort him and he had decided he would spend the night outside. He had made up his mind that he would wait inside the mansion for a couple of hours, finish his meals and then jump out of the gate to spend the night in some nearby hotel. If he had a choice, he would have been running from this place that very instant but he was very sure the rascals would be keeping an eye on the mansion from a distance. He couldn't risk it. He needed the money. He had to repay the amount he had taken from Mishra and get rid of the mental torture every time that chipmunk called. Whatever was left would fund the booze trips for sometime.

A slow breeze went past Nirbhay, gently pushing him forward as if urging him to step inside the mansion. The door to the bungalow was just latched from the outside and he had second thoughts about touching the cold metal. Looking over his shoulder, Nirbhay quickly undid the latch and pushed the door with his hands. The door for all its rustiness opened smoothly and covered a bit more distance at his gentle touch than it should have as if the mansion was beckoning him inside. Slowly, he stepped inside the darkness and latched the timber door from inside. A cat mewed in the distance. He couldn't exactly point where.

With the sun gone down, Nirbhay rummaged in his bag for candles and gathered six long sticks from the box he had brought along. He was pretty sure; he wouldn't require a fan in this cool weather with this destination being some kind of a hill-station. After gathering the candles, Nirbhay switched on the pocket torch and looked around. The place was almost a ruin. Dust dating back at least a couple of decades decorated the walls. A couple of wornout chairs lay around a table in the corner and dirt covered the marble flooring that had developed large cracks. He looked around the main hall, checking and rechecking rooms that seemed alike. Towards his extreme right, he saw a spacious place, which might have once been the kitchen. Towards his left, he came across what he so wanted to use at that time. He placed the bag on the floor outside after checking the knot lest a rodent made its way inside, and entered the loo. He was relieving himself after using the torch to find his way in. He did not bother to shut the door. Mid-way in the act, Nirbhay felt someone peering over his shoulder. A cold shudder passed his body. Immediately, he turned back. The emptiness stared back at him. He shook his head and emerged out from the loo.

He shone the torch on the floor and swore.

“What the hell! Where's my bag?” he wondered out aloud, noticing it missing from where he had kept it. He searched the surroundings but could not spot it. Scratching his head, he made his way back towards the hall and saw the familiar cloth bag lying near the main door through which he had entered. He scooped up the bag and stood there wondering how it ended up there. He dismissed the feeling, blaming his own reckless and forgetful behavior. But he could not shake off the feeling of being watched. Nervously, he looked around almost hoping to encounter a pair of eyes but in the darkness, he could see nothing. And then his eyes fell on the old grandfather clock with its glass broken, the fragments still scattered on the dusty ground. The antique piece of furniture fascinated him for a moment and he shone the torch at it, coming near. The hour hand and the minute hand were almost indistinguishable, as the smaller hand had almost hidden itself behind the bigger one. The clock had frozen with both hands on 12, not a minute here, not a minute there. Nirbhay crept closer to inspect it when a loud clatter made him almost jump out of his skin.



The Other Side

81 “What the hell was that?” he asked out aloud, half expecting to receive an answer from the grandfather clock. Warily he crept towards the source of the sound and again turned up at the kitchen.There lying in the middle of the floor, was an old vessel still shaking from the tumble it had taken from the shelf above. He went near to pick it up, when he felt he was being watched closely. He turned and fell back, the torch almost escaping his hands.