Valerie: I will be back in few mins. You girls need anything?
Priya: Get me fried chicken and Chilled Beer please.
Reyn: Fries and a glass of wine.
Valerie: Ok (Valerie leaves)
Reyn: She was texting Ataa or Elijah?
Priya: I bet it was Elijah; though I wish its Ataa.
Reyn: Poor Ataa, He has no clues where he is heading. After all the ending will be same, like what happened with Stefan.
Priya: I really thought he will last longer. He almost became Mini-Elijah. No, Elijah clone version-2 (snickers and then immediately getting all dreamy) I liked Stefan, though.
Reyn: You like everyone she dates.
Priya: They are all cute. Anyway, it's not true. I don't like Elijah for a change.
Reyn: I thought you like him.
Priya: I like him. But I don't like him like I like cute guys. He is one and only love of Valerie. How can I have a crush on my best friend's guy?
Reyn: While you can crush on her boy-friends, you can't have a crush on her One and only Love. How noble of you?
But again, that's what you think. Am sure Valerie doesn't feel the same.
Priya: (snickers) I bet, I should start dating Elijah so that Val realizes how much she loves him.
Reyn: (Rolls her eyes) and what will happen to your Boy-friend Seth? And what will happen between you and Valerie. I am sure she won't be very happy about you dating Elijah. Remember how she treats Elijah's Girlfriends.
Priya: (chuckles) Yeah, as if they are all aliens.
Valerie joins them with food and drinks. She brings a big white board with her and starts scribbling on it with a marker.
Priya: So, how do we start?
Valerie: I saw one friend using a Board. But it's not like the Board was chanted or something. We could make the board ourselves.
Reyn: But, you are sure that it's safe.
Priya: No, actually it's not safe. As soon as we start, a monster will come out and eat you and it would be much safer and cooler world without you.
Reyn: PRIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (screams)
Valerie: Stop it Priii. Don't be mean. Reyn, I have seen Stefan's friends doing it when I was in his Dorm.
(Priya rolls her eyes on hearing Valerie's past B.F Stefan's name. He was such a dedicated perfect boyfriend material, almost changed himself into mini-Elijah for Valerie's sake. But then Valerie broke off with him saying he has changed a lot since she met him.)
Reyn: So, what happened when you guys called the spirit?
Valerie: To be honest we were not exactly on dorm but on a railway yard. I mean we went to his dorm. But, then someone suggested, we go to grave-yard to call the spirits. Since, it was all spooky and many girls freaked out, including me, so we agreed to a less spooky place, Railway tracks which are closed-off.
But, after we reached there Rebecca confessed that she suggested this site because this was well known accident site and known for being haunted.
Reyn: And you guys still went ahead?
Priya: Wow, I never knew Stefan was so much fun.
(Reyn rolls her eyes)
Valerie: Well then they drew the Board on a sheet and placed a coin. The coin started moving and everyone went crazy asking questions. Some people started making fun of the ghost/spirit which was invited and it went berserk and started making threats.
Reyn: Oh my God!
Valerie: Yeah, so we all left without even closing the board. Since the ghost was practically naming his targets, one after the other, making a hit-list.
(Priya signals Valerie to stop talking)
Reyn: I think its bad idea to call spirits or whatever it is.
Valerie: Elijah agrees. He says don't do it.
(Priya rolls her eyes hearing Elijah's name)
Priya: And since when did Elijah get invited to all girls slumber party?
Valerie: No, he is not invited, of course. I shared with him our plans when you two girls were busy bickering with each other. I thought I will ask him his opinion.
Priya: I am leaving.
Reyn: Pri, stop with your black-mailing. We all know you are not going anywhere. It's just your way to make sure; we do what you want to do.
(Priya smiles)
Priya: And that's why you are the smartest among all of us.
Reyn: And that's why you always get things done your way. Alright, have it your way. I am tired of arguing with you.
Valerie: I really don't think you girls ever get tired of arguing with each other. See, I am done with the Board while you girls were busy arguing. Let's do it before Reyn changes her mind.
Priya: So what do we do next? How do we call spirits?
Valerie: See, I have written A to Z and 0 to 9 and Yes/No. Now in the mid-circle we can place a coin and call on your mom's name loudly and clearly. Instruct her and direct her to come here and communicate with us. We all three have to do it together and then when the coin starts moving. We will know that she is there.
Priya: Sounds too simple.
Reyn: Sounds too creepy.
Priya: Sounds so much fun.
Reyn: You sound like a crazy little version of your boy-friend Seth.
Priya: Stop being Jealous Reyn.
Reyn: Stop being Joker Priya.
Valerie brings a coin and looks at them and pleads. Will you gals ever stop it?
Priya: We were having fun with each other
Reyn: No, she was alone having fun at my cost.
Priya: Ouch, Hurt your little mean feelings. Did I?
Valerie screams now. We are getting late! Its 12 a.m.
All three joins together and places finger on coin. Valerie starts chanting Mrs Sunita Patil, Priya's mom where ever you are. Please come here and talk to us.
Priya interjects and says her name is spelled Sumitra Patil.
Valerie: Oh, I am sorry. I am not very fluent with Indian names.
Priya: It's ok.
They all start chanting same words again.
"Mrs Sumitra Patil wherever you are. Please come here. Priya's mom wherever you are please come here to communicate with us."
The coin starts moving and everyone stares at Priya.
Priya: (smirks) I am not doing it… (Starts laughing wildly)
Reyn: Please Priya!
Priya: Ok, am sorry. I just thought she is here. I don't think I will get to talk to her. Stop fooling me, Valerie.
Suddenly, the coin starts moving.
Only Valerie's hand was there on the coin. And everyone stares at her.
Valerie: It's moving on its own.
Priya: Really. You are Honest? Please don't joke about this Valerie.
Reyn: I am sure Valerie won't joke about such stuff.
Valerie: You people should join me; we are not supposed to leave the coin.
Reyn and Priya immediately place fingers on coin.
Reyn: And when were you supposed to tell us this rule? After we removed our fingers?
Valerie: Am sorry. I almost forgot.
Reyn: (rolls her eyes) you and your forgetfulness.
They both look at Priya anxiously. Who is feeling rather emotional and has been staring silently at coin.
Valerie: Who is it? Please reply to me. Is there anyone? Please answer Yes or No.
The coin immediately moves rapidly towards Yes. And everyone stares at the coin.
Reyn: What are we supposed to ask now to make sure it's her mom?
Valerie: Please tell me what's your name?
Coin again moves this time towards S…U…M…I…T…R…A…P…A…T…I…L
Priya smiles and there are tears in her eyes. Everyone looks at Priya and tries to console her.
Valerie warns," Don't remove your finger again"
Reyn: Talk to your mom Priya.
Priya: Mom, I am sorry.
Coin moves rapidly now. I…L…O…V…E…Y…O…U…D…O…N…T…C…R…Y
Priya: I love you too, Mom. I miss you. I wish I was not rude to you. I wish I listened to you and studied hard and made you feel proud of me.
Coin moves again very rapidly
Z…O…Z…O…Z…O…Z…O
Priya: I am confused now. What is mom trying to tell?
Reyn: Maybe, We can start asking different question. She must not be in a mood to talk.
Priya: Ok, go ahead. I am happy; at least I got to say I love you to my mom, one last time. Who will ask first? Valerie you go ahead first.
Valerie: Who is my Soul-mate?
Coin moves rapidly….Z…O…Z…O…Z…O…Z…O
Valerie: This is weird. I don't think I dated anyone by name ZOZO..
Reyn: Will I be Grade 1 officer?
Coin moves again towards NO.
Reyn face falls flat and she makes a crying face.
Then, she gathers courage and asks again.
Reyn: What should I do in life then?
Coin starts moving again. G…O…
D…I…E…
K…I…L…L…
Y…O…U…R…S…E…L…F
Everyone Panics. It's pin-drop silence.
Then Priya gathers courage and asks.
"Where was I born?" tell me. If you are really my mom you can't be so mean to Reyn.
Coin starts moving…D…U…B…A…I
Answer was right. Priya was born and brought up in Dubai. Since childhood they all grew up in Dubai.
Priya: Then, How can you say this to Reyn, Mom?
Coin starts moving….I…
W…A…S…
K…I…D…D…I…N…G
Everyone is confused and but relaxed now.
Valerie: Is Ataa the one who will be forever for me?
Coin starts moving… NO
Priya and Reyn look at each other and smile.
Priya: Is Elijah the one for Val?
The coin again moves to NO.
Everyone looks more confused and Valerie sighs and says I told you he is just my best-friend.
The coin starts moving without asking…
Z…O…Z…O…
L…O…V…E…S…
Y…O…U…
F…O…R…E…V…E…R…
Z…O…Z…O….
L…O…V…E…S…
V…A…L…E…R…I…E…
Z…O…Z…O…
V…A…L…E…R…I…E
Valerie: The coin is repeating same things in loop. How to stop it?
Reyn: I am scared.
Priya: There is nothing to get scared. Am sure, it's my Mom.
Reyn: (gives a warning look towards Priya) Ok, but let's end this here.
Priya: I didn't even get to talk anything.
Valerie: I agree with Reyn. We should all stop now.
Coin moves rapidly again.
R…E…Y…N…A…L…D…A…
G…O…
D…I…E…
K…I…L…L…
Y…O…U…R…S…E…L…F….
R…E…Y…N
Reyn: Someone stop it, please.
Priya: You should not have said to stop. Now she is angry. You go in other room and let me talk to her.
Coin moves again…Y….E…S…
R…E…Y…N…A…L…D…A…
S…H…O….U…L…D…
D…I…E…
Valerie: NO. Please, Reyn. Don't leave. You can't leave the coin. If you leave now, without, sending her back. She will haunt me forever.
(Priya makes a face but keeps silent)
Priya: Ok let's send her back. I don't want to cause you any trouble. I would rather call her at my place then yours.
Valerie: Ok, repeat after me all together.
Mrs Sumitra Patil please go back to your world from where you came from. We are sorry to trouble you. But please go back.
Everyone follows Valerie and starts chanting.
Valerie: Are you there?
Coin moves again to NO
Valerie looks at others shocked. Everyone exchanges looks. They are all tired and want to just crash. But, the spirit of Priya's mom is not leaving.
Valerie: Priya, can you ask your mom to leave?
Priya: Mom, please leave us now. We need to sleep. I am sorry, to cause you trouble all these years. Even now, I am causing you pain. Please leave now.
Coin starts moving again.
I…
L…O…V…E…
Y…O…U…
I…
M…I…S…S…
Y…O…U
Priya: Yes mom, I love you too. (She is teary-eyed and almost choked up) Please Mrs. Sumitra patil, return to your world.
Everyone joins her and starts chanting again.
After a while, they leave the coin all together.
Reyn: You said, "We should not leave the coin."
Valerie: We should leave the coin after asking the spirit to leave us.
Priya: Let's check, if she is gone.
Valerie: Wait for a while.
Reyn: I am sleepy. It's almost 1.30 a.m.
Valerie: Let's check if the spirit has left us.
They all place fingers on coin and coin starts moving even without asking questions.
Reyn: I guess; she was getting bored of not talking.
The coin starts moving without asking again.
K...I…L…L…
Y…O…U…
R…E…Y…N…A…L…D…A
Reyn: Why is she after my life? For god's sake!
Priya: (looks apologetically at Reyn) Mom please; don't scare Reyn.
Coin moves…I…T…S…
Z…O…Z…O…
I…
C…A…N…T…
T…A…L…K…
H…E…
C…A…M…E….
W…I…T…H…
M…E…
Valerie: Who is ZOZO?
Coin moves…C…A…N…T…
T…A…L…K…
H…E…
I…S…
B…L…O…C…K…I…N…G…
M…E
H…U….R…R..Y…
P…R…A…Y…
C…L…O…S…E…
P…O….R….T….A….L…
F…I…R…S…T…
P…R…A…Y….
H…U….R…R…Y…
D…E….M….O….N…
Z…O….Z….O
Reyn: (starts crying) we are going to die.
Priya: Cool down. Will you?
Ting-tong!!! Ting-tong!!!!
They all look at each other. Who must have been visiting at this Hour?
They all are super scared now. Even, Priya!!
Priya: Let's move together.
Valerie: Ask the spirit to leave first. Or else, he will haunt me forever.
Priya: Anyway, We tried it, it's not working?
They all look panicked. While the doorbell keeps ringing. All of a sudden Valerie's phone rings too. They all look at Valerie.
Valerie: (Looks at phone) It's Elijah. (She answers)
Elijah: Hi. Why are you not replying the door? I have been ringing it since past 5 mins. I thought something happened to you girls. Did you really go ahead with your Game of Planchette?
Valerie: Sorry, We got scared; that who is here at this hour? I will be there. Just wait for few mins.
Elijah: Ok. But open it sooner. It's cold outside.
Valerie: Sure.
Reyn: Let's hurry and send the spirit away. Elijah will find out.
Valerie: Let him help us out.
Priya: I guess, he already thinks we have done it, that's why he is here, anyway. Cool that's our Mr. Dependable to our rescue; He-He.
Reyn: I wonder, how can you manage to laugh at such situation? We are dealing with a Demon for god's sake!
Valerie: Girls someone is waiting for us to answer the door.
Coin starts moving rapidly again.
D…O…N…T…
O…P…E…N…
T…H…E…
D…O…O…R…
I…
W…I…L…L…
K…I…L…L…
H…I…M...
Valerie: Let's do it quickly girls. Don't panic, please. Put pressure on coin and try to move it to goodbye and leave the coin together after we request it to leave us.
All three of them start in chorus.
"Please go away in your world. Don't ever come back. Leave us now immediately….!"
(Windows open and doors start banging. There is a heart wrenching scream of a dog crying and all of a sudden lights go out)
Valerie: We did it, I think.
Reyn: We can't see if it's still there. Please everyone start the mobile phone torch.
Priya: Don't panic and let's just hold hands and walk together towards front door.
Everyone stares at Priya for asking to hold hands.
Priya: What? Am not afraid; of course, I am saying this for your sake.
Reyn: It's ok to admit that you are scared.
Priya: Let's answer the door first. Can we?
They all rush outside and open the door.
Elijah quickly enters and looks at everyone and sighs in relief.
Elijah: Everything fine. Why are the lights outs? Have you 'all gone crazy?
Priya: Elijah chill. Everything is fine. It's just that we were having a nice little chat with my mom when all of a sudden a crazy-head ZOZO decided to hijack our conversation.
Elijah: What did you say ZOZO! He almost screams ZOZO.
(And the doors start banging again and dogs are howling in background)
Reyn: Priya, You think everything is fine now?
Priya remains silent.
Valerie: I think we are in trouble.
Elijah: Right, at last you agree to the obvious fact. You have no idea who ZOZO is!
Chapter 4: ZOZO
Elijah: Reyn, can you take Valerie at your place, tonight?
Reyn: Of course. But don't we have to deal with ZOZO before?
Elijah: I will deal with it.
Valerie: No, We made the mess. We all will do it together.
Elijah: For a change, will you please listen to me at least once.
Valerie: I don't want you to go in there alone.
Elijah: Let's get your house keys. We will lock the door and do what needs to done in morning. Now is not the time. Anyway, don't worry about me. I will take help and won't do it all alone.
He mutters, I can't handle ZOZO all alone anyway.
Elijah takes Valerie's hand and they both rush inside to get Keys.
Reyn holds Priya's hand and Priya unhooks it and then hold Reyn's hand again after contemplating, that its better this way and Reyn smiles in relief.
Priya: So, You have finally gone crazy. You are smiling right now when it looks like we are in trouble.
Reyn: And who you think is responsible for this?
Priya: Of course Mr. ZOZO. He plans to kill you and Elijah. I guess he doesn't hate me or Valerie that much.
Reyn: Such a relief, Isn't it? You never see your faults? Who you think is responsible for bringing ZOZO here?
Priya: Chill. Everything will be alright. Since Elijah is here.
Reyn: I really hope so.
Elijah and Valerie returns and locks the door.
Priya: Ok Valerie, Lets go home.
Reyn: She is joining me.
Priya: Yeah, because you need someone tonight.
Valerie: We all need it, anyway; Good-night. Bye Pri.
Priya: Bye Val, Bye Reyn, Bye Elijah.
Reyn: Bye, Drive well.
Elijah: Bye, Call back once you reach.
Priya leaves in her car. Once she reaches home; she unlocks her home quietly, making sure not to wake up her dad and siblings. She had told them she will be spending night at Valerie's. They will wonder why she came early. And she didn't have straight answers at this hour. She crashes as soon as she hits the bed. Finally, all that alcohol, she had early on, was showing its affect, after all that adrenaline rush; she had from ZOZO stuff. Hopefully it's the End of ZOZO. Now she can sleep peacefully.
She doesn't mind facing ZOZO again, if it gets to spend few more minutes with her mom; was her final thought before she fell asleep.
Valerie and Reyn reached Reyn's place. And immediately went to sleep. Valerie was glad Reyn's parents were asleep and she didn't have to deal with them at this hour.
Next morning, she called Elijah as soon as she woke up and asked him about his whereabouts. He said he was still asleep and deal with ZOZO later. Then, she checked on Priya and she was indulging herself in shopping as if nothing went wrong and everything is fine. She was glad. But, Reyn was behaving weird and distant. I think, she needs time alone or should I ask her if everything is fine.
Valerie: Hey, Are you ok?
Reyn: (Gives a half smile) Yeah am fine. Just bit freaked out. Please don't go to your place. You can wear my clothes and stay here as long as you want. But don't go there.
Valerie: Reyn, its fine. Everything is gonna be ok. Relax. I am anyway going there with Elijah. I called up Ataa but he seems busy. He doesn't even bother to respond to my calls these days.
Reyn: Ataa will call you back; I think, if he is not responding then he must be really busy.
Valerie: Its weekend. What's keeping him busy? I can feel it Reyn. Something is not right between us. He is not the same person, I knew he was. He doesn't really hold the same place he had in his heart for me.
Reyn: Maybe, it's for good then. Forget about him. He is not so great after all. Elijah is best option for you.
Valerie: I wish, I was so logical and calculative like you, but it's my heart and I am falling apart. I had feelings for Ataa.
Reyn: Maybe, He is just giving back what he got from you. You remember how you ignored him and went on a trip with Elijah 2 weeks ago.
Valerie: I didn't mean to ignore his calls. But I was attending function. Elijah was honored and it was his moment. He needed me by his side.
Reyn: Here is the brunch for today.
Valerie: Omu-rice. Oh, how could you remember in such a situation?
Reyn: Actually, Elijah reminded me; that since you are here. You would love to have Omu-rice. So I was about to ask my mom to make Omu-rice for us. But she already made it when she found you are here. She knows how much you love Omu-rice since we were kids.
Valerie: Can we have Korean Soju too? I love Soju with Omu-rice.
Reyn: Sure. Wait, I will bring two shot glasses and Soju too.
Reyn comes back with soju and two shot glasses.
Valerie: I feel lucky now. (And smiles)
Valerie was sleeping; when she heard a voice in her mind. It seemed very urgent and hushed-hushed tone "Come outside quickly, am waiting outside. I am waiting in parking. I have got lots of gold coin with me.