"You have bewitched me, and body and soul, and I love, I love and I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on". -- Pride and Prejudice
SHLOK'S POV
"Shlok, I still could not understand why are you having dinner this early" my Nani asked me. As I asked her to cook supper early today because I wanted to find Mallika that's why I asked her that.
"Nani I want to eat early today so I can sleep early," I answered her. She does not know what is going on in my mind and I do not want to tell her either so I lied to her. From the corner of my eye, I see my grandfather watching both of us amusingly, but did not say anything.
After having supper, I told my grandparents that I am going to sleep now and wished them good night.
After some time I decided to come down and check just to make sure that my name was not around. Then I tiptoed into the hall and opened one of the drawers in search of a torch. As soon as I found it I rushed towards the door, opened it and got out of the house and closed it slowly without making any noise.
I made my way towards the railway platform. I was confused between going to the Jungle or not near the platform so I decided to go to the railway platform first and will see the situation and then I will act according to it. As I walked more I observed that there were few people on the road going back to their homes I guessed. It was around 11 pm. I took a turn and now I could see the platform at a few meter distance.
I decided to wait and watch so I sat on one of the benches when I reached there.
There was no train, only a few shops were there and people were closing them.
I waited but nothing seemed suspicious to me. So I waited for another hour and I was getting bored and anxious at that same time. That's it I can't stay here anymore now I said to myself and decided to leave the place because I was in no mood to go to the Jungle from the start. Luck was not on my side this time.
On my way home, I thought that maybe she will not come to the platform because it was a crowdy place. I decided to increase my pace as there was nobody on the road and it was a little bit breezy, causing me to shiver.
When I reached home, I tiptoed into my room and lay on my bed thinking that maybe I should drop the idea of hunting Mallika down because it was like shooting an arrow in the dark but then again I wanted to. There was something inside me, screaming at me to go and find her. So I decided to change my plan instead of going to places in search of her I will first ask people what she looks like and any information about her and where and when she comes. I decided to take the help of my childhood friend Dhruv. With these thoughts running through my mind I started to drift into sleep. My sleep was disturbed by the sound of dogs barking outside. As much I as love dogs, it sometimes irritates me when they disturb my sleep. The barking continued I got up from the bed and peeked out of the window of my room to see why they were barking. They were barking in a particular direction, I bent to look clearly and then I noticed someone wearing a black gown or something like that. My mind ticked and I shouted ''hey Who's there?'' at the person who was wearing that black dress because it seemed to me that the person was trying to throw stones at the dogs and I took the torch from the table in my room and ran outside when I reached where the dogs were barking but when I reached there I found no one, there was no one. But a movement caught my eye, it felt like someone was trying to run. I heard the sound of some clink that comes from anklets. Without thinking, I ran towards that person but there was nobody. All the windows and doors of the houses on that street were closed, nobody was out. I saw the watch and it was showing 1:30 am. I decided to go back but when I turned I felt something hit me on the back of my head. I turned around instantly but I saw nothing and then I felt some liquid flowing down my neck I touched it with my fingers and brought them close to my neck to smell and man it stank and from the smell, I could tell it was an egg.
But who the hell threw an egg at me? I couldn't shout because the alleyway was narrow and congested and people could hear me.
I was thinking about what to do next but didn't expect what will happen next. The egg hit me again but this time on my face and man this time I was furious, I walked on the road and heard a laughing sound, it was not creepy more like a giggle. It made me shiver ran down my spine. But I still walked towards the sound and I noticed the familiar figure was standing on the road and she was just standing there with her back to me. I was not sure whether I should approach her or not, for the first time I was nervous and who won't be when a person is standing in the middle of the road with a black dress and the head was also covered? I took some cautious steps towards that person and once I reached that person, I wanted to say hello but couldn't, instead of saying hello it came more like a squeak. The person didn't turn around not I decided to speak again and this time I was able to say "hey! who's this? and what are you doing in the middle of the road at this time but again got a response? I decided to get a little bolder, I decided to put my hand on her shoulder but I was afraid, afraid of the person who was in front of me. He'll I did not even know whether the person was a female or a male! But from the looks and body posture, the person looked like her. But before I could do anything she turned around abruptly taking me off guard and blowing some ash or sand on my face and my eyes started to sting. I was unable to see anything for a few seconds. When I removed it from my eyes, I noticed that she has left.
I mentally cringed at the thought because for the first time in my life I was scared and I was a total mess because of the eggs and dust. I needed a bath man, I thought to myself.
Now it would be stupid of me to go behind her I thought and decided to head back home.
But then I felt a hand on my shoulder and I Instantly shut my eyes and this time I screamed without caring about the world. I was a shit-scared man.
"Shlok! What the hell? it's me Dhruv." I heard the voice and opened my eyes. Dhruv was standing in front of me with weird expressions on his face.
Without thinking I punched him "Owww, What the fu@k Shlok, why are you punching me?" he shouted at me while making a painful face. "And who the hell scares a person like this?" I shouted back. He waited for a second and then guffawed "you were scared.. aww. Do I look that scary,?" he asked while making fun of me. I just gave him a middle finger and asked him "what are you doing here and at this time?". In return, he retorted " I could ask the same question from you". For a second neither of us spoke and then he started sniffing around me like a dog and asked "why do you smell funny?". I sighed and decided to lie and told him "I couldn't sleep so decided to go on a run . It might be the sweat" while shrugging.
I cut the conversation short and said "I am sleepy now I am going back home and I want to talk to you about some urgent work. When are you free tomorrow" I asked. "I will get free in the evening. We can meet during the evening aarti at Assi Ghat" he said.
We both agreed and went back to our respective ways.
After reaching my room I took a deep breath and took a shower and finally hit the bed. I was tired, really tired.
When I closed my eyes I started memorizing today's events from running into that market girl to this weird girl.
Life can be very crazy and unexpected sometimes I thought. And with this thought sleep engulfed me.
Hey there, I just updated the next chapter. Hope you guys will like it.
I tried to make it funny as well as Lil bit scary but man I suck at scaring things.
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