David called Mr. Marcus and requested to raise the height of the compound wall.
He said, " Sir, I have two grown up daughters, and the wall is not very high. No doubt you have provided good and strong iron gate, but the height of the wall is very low, any body can scale it easily, so we feel unsafe. If you would kindly increase the height, we shall be highly grateful to you .
Mr.Marcus felt that Mr.David's plea was justified, therefore, he sent some workers and got the height of the wall increased and also put concertina wire on the wall.
Claire's exam was over. So, she was now preparing for facing the interviews. Hence, most of the days she was at home.
Once the family was invited to attend a marriage ceremony. It was necessary to attend the programme because the family was very close to them.
Even Mr.David did not open the shop that day evening. They started at 7pm, every body left the house and came on the main road ,Claire closed the house, locked the gate and met them. They hired a taxi and reached the place.
They returned from there at 10pm.They opened the gate and entered the room, but, were surprised to see that all the lights and fans were on. When Claire went to the kitchen , she was astonished to find that the gas stove was on but nothing was on it.
That means that for whole 3 hours the gas was burning. Mr.David was shouting at Claire and Mrs.David for their carelessness which could have put the house on fire.
Both were silent, because they realized that it was indeed a waste of gas and a great mistake for danger .But Claire was very sure that she had checked it well before closing the door.
Every thing was ok , She thought , " How come all these things were on!?? "
It was a great puzzle for her.
She went to bed and was discussing with her sister Hannah about it . She said," I think some thing is wrong in our house. Father shouted at me, I did not mind, but I am sure I was not at fault, the gas could not be on, I personally checked it when I was coming out and second when our mother does not cook any thing, she doesn't turn the knob on,
never ".
Hannah said, " I am also thinking Claire, we have to be very alert ". They fell asleep and the days were passing as usual.
Claire got an interview letter from a Co. and it was just after 2 days. She was at home and reading some magazine with an article on ' How to face an interview '. No body was at home. Hannah went to her college and her mother went to her friend's house.
She felt that she would not be able to come back before evening and ,therefore, she had told Claire to have lunch with Hannah when she returned from her college. She, generally, returns at 2.30pm.
Claire prepared a cup of coffee and was sipping it because she had a light headache. She bolted the main gate from inside and also the front door. Actually, her mother strictly told her not to keep them open.
She suddenly saw that the same girl was standing just behind her. She got frightened, she stood up and asked her," How did you come in ?? ". But she was standing silently. Claire was apparently very irritated and asked," I am asking you how did you get into the house, you must reply."
" You come and sneak into the room stealthily and then, vanish... Are you playing with us, is this a prank!!?? " She bluntly told her not to come any more.
When she was not answering in any way, she started pestering her. "You have to tell me how did you enter enter like a ghost."
The moment Claire mentioned the word ghost, the girl walked towards the wall and Claire was horrified to see that slowly her legs, hands and the body vanished into the wall, as if the wall had consumed her. But, only her head was visible.
This sight was so terrifying that Claire instantly fell on the floor unconscious. How long she was in that state she could not say, but when she got up, she heard that Hannah was knocking at the gate violently. With great difficulty, she opened the door.