other indicating that the ghost had trapped the doctor. In the end, he could stand it no longer. “I don't want to be looking over my shoulder every minute. A week of ma's cooking and fussing is what I need,” Rajiv told himself and applied for a week's leave.
Rajiv found himself under the tamarind tree. The wind rustled the leaves, creating a death-like rattle. Rajiv wondered what he was doing there at this time of the night. He did not remember walking to the tree but there he was under the full moon. The entire PHC glistened silver in the moonlight but it did not seem romantic or soothing anymore. He felt afraid. His parched throat indicated him to turn and make a dash for the quarters but his feet were lead. He could feel the presence around him. He did not want to meet her again. He tried to run away but realised that he was rooted to the ground.
He heard the familiar laugh ring out. It was coming from the well. And suddenly he could see her form floating out of the well, arms flailing and a deathly-white shade covered her face. Her hair flew wild in the wind and he could hear her voice clearly despite the distance. “You may run but you cannot escape. Nobody can escape. We all want to be free but are tied to this place. Can you find a way out of this maze, Dr. Rajiv Gupta?”
Rajiv wanted to reply but looked helplessly while Poonam started to glide towards him. Her laughter sounding perilously close with each inch she covered of the ground.
“No, don't come near me!” He managed to find his voice at last.
But Poonam did not stop. “Don't be afraid. I am not going to harm you. I need your help. Can you help me?” she asked, looking at him with big white eyes.
As she came near he noticed the despair in those eyes and the pallor on her face. He tried to back out, petrified.
“Stop!” He croaked. She did not listen but came nearer and nearer.
“No, no, no! Go away, leave me alone,” he tried to shout again but could not move his tongue.
Poonam was almost upon him by now, showering her desolateness on him.
“Can you help me?” she whispered.
“Can you help me?” Echoed the well, the tree, the wind and the moon.
“Can you help me?” The whisper came back louder and louder till the entire PHC reverberated with the query.
Rajiv woke up with a start. He fumbled for the bed sheet and wiped his head, face and neck that were soaked in perspiration. He realised that he had been dreaming. Was it really a dream? It seemed too real to be a dream. He looked around wildly and realised that he was in Agra, in his home, on his bed. He went to the fridge, took out a glass of water and gulped it down, hands trembling.
'Was that just a dream or is Poonam really crying out for help?' He pondered deep into the night as sleep eluded him. He fell into an uneasy sleep while dawn broke.
Next morning Rajiv's mother saw him packing his belongings and she took her position to stand nearby, watching him mutely stuff his clothes into the bag with her hands placed on her hips.
“I have to go to Meerut on some official work,” Rajiv said, noticing his mother after a while.
There was a howl of protest, “But you said you will stay for the whole week. What happened? Some girl called you at night?”
“Ah Ma, don't be silly!”he said, thinking 'If Ma knew the truth about the girl who is the reason for the trip, she would have a fit.'
He reached Meerut the same evening. Having done his MBBS from Meerut Medical College, it was a familiar city to him. He made his way to the College and felt a familiar surge of affection as he looked at his alma mater. He still had many friends around the area. He made a beeline for the residents' hostel and hunted up someone who stayed there. Riteish Sharma was surprised as well as pleased when he found his old roommate on his door.
“What a pleasant surprise! I thought you were out there in the wilds trying to provide health for all,” he said as he ushered Rajiv in.
“Well, I was in town for a day and thought of visiting you,” Rajiv said smiling.
“Great! I am on duty tonight. So you can sleep in my bed. There is no need to go to the guest room,” Riteish said. “Hang around till tomorrow and we can have a beer challenge just like old times.”
Rajiv smiled as he remembered the contests that invariably ended in a draw as both of them usually passed out in the end.
“I don't know if I can stay back tomorrow but we'll see,” his reply was non-committal.
Riteish was off to his ward duty in an hour and Rajiv decided to get on with the unfinished business he was there for. He made his way to Shastri Nagar and was soon standing below Prem Gupta's abode. It was a small unpretentious house, the kind he had grown up in. A small plastic nameplate that said 'S. K. Gupta, Head Clerk (retd.)' hung limply from the door.