### **Chapter 7: Echoes of the Past**
Raghav and Aarav made their way back through the old building, the tension in the air palpable. The classroom's chilling encounter with the spirit of the missing student lingered in their minds, a haunting reminder of the unfinished business that tied the boy to this world. As they stepped back into the main hallway, they were met by the rest of the group, who were gathered in a small circle, their faces lit with the flickering light of their flashlights.
"Did you guys find anything?" Priya asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Raghav and Aarav exchanged glances, silently agreeing that it was time to share their experience. "Yeah, we… we saw something," Aarav began, his voice steadying as he spoke. "There was a spirit in the classroom. A boy. He… he asked for help."
The group fell silent, absorbing the weight of Aarav's words. Raghav could see the mixture of excitement and fear flickering in their eyes.
"Are you serious?" one of the other students exclaimed, disbelief creeping into her voice. "What did he say?"
"He said to find the truth," Raghav replied, his heart pounding as he recalled the boy's desperate plea. "He must be connected to the disappearance from 1997."
"Wait, you think it's really him?" Priya asked, her voice a mix of awe and apprehension.
"I think it is," Raghav said, feeling a surge of determination. "We have to figure out what happened to him, how he vanished."
"Maybe there are records or something in the library?" another student suggested, looking around at the group. "We could search for any information about the school or that student."
"Great idea!" Aarav replied, a spark of excitement igniting in his eyes. "Let's check it out."
They hurried down the dimly lit hallway, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Raghav felt the weight of their mission pressing on him, the urgency to uncover the truth driving him forward. The library was located on the ground floor, and as they entered, the musty smell of old books enveloped them.
The room was filled with rows of dusty shelves, the faint glow of their flashlights illuminating titles long forgotten. Raghav's heart raced as they began to search for anything related to the school's history, particularly the incident involving the missing student.
"Over here!" Priya called, her voice echoing through the stacks. Raghav and Aarav rushed to her side, where she had found an old yearbook from 1997.
"This has to have some information!" she said, flipping through the pages with eager hands.
Raghav leaned in, scanning the familiar faces captured in the photographs. There were smiling students, teachers, and candid moments that brought back a wave of nostalgia—though he had no real connection to them.
"There!" Aarav pointed at a group photo, his finger hovering over a boy with tousled hair and a wide smile. "That has to be him!"
Raghav peered closer, recognition flashing through him. "That's the boy from the classroom. What was his name?" He flipped to the front of the yearbook, where the names were listed. "Nikhil Desai. He went missing during a school event, but it doesn't say much more than that."
As they pored over the yearbook, Raghav felt a growing sense of urgency. "We need to find out more about what happened during that event. There has to be some kind of record or news article about it."
"Let's check the old newspapers," Priya suggested. "They might have archives in the library."
Raghav nodded, eager to uncover more about the mystery. They split up, searching for any newspapers that might provide insight into the incident.
Minutes passed, and Raghav finally stumbled upon a dusty box labeled *Local News*. He pulled out several yellowed articles, flipping through them until one headline caught his eye: *"Schoolboy Disappears During Annual Day Celebration"*.
His heart raced as he read the article, the words feeling heavy with significance. It detailed the event—a school celebration filled with performances and festivities. Nikhil had been participating in a play, but after his performance, he vanished without a trace. The search for him had lasted days, but ultimately, he was never found.
"Guys!" Raghav called out, waving the article to get their attention. Aarav and Priya rushed over, eyes wide with anticipation. "Look at this!"
They crowded around him, reading the article with furrowed brows. "It says the teachers noticed he was missing after the play," Priya murmured. "But no one saw where he went. They searched everywhere, but there were no leads."
"This doesn't make any sense," Aarav said, frustration creeping into his voice. "He couldn't just disappear without a trace."
As they discussed the implications, Raghav felt an intense desire to understand the connection between the past and the present. "There has to be something more to this," he said, a thought forming in his mind. "If Nikhil is still here, tied to this place, then maybe we can communicate with him again. Maybe he can tell us what happened."
"What do you mean?" Priya asked, curiosity piqued.
"We could try to reach out to him. Use a method to help him convey what he couldn't say before," Raghav suggested, recalling stories of seances and other methods of contacting spirits.
Aarav's eyes widened. "That's risky! What if something goes wrong?"
"We have to try," Raghav insisted, his determination growing stronger. "If he's stuck here, he deserves to be freed. We can't leave without helping him."
Reluctantly, the group agreed to give it a shot. They gathered their flashlights, yearbooks, and newspaper clippings, then headed back to the old classroom where they had first encountered Nikhil's spirit.
As they entered the room, the air felt charged with energy. Raghav felt the weight of their mission settle over him as they formed a circle around the old desks, creating a space for their experiment.
"Let's focus on Nikhil and what we know about him," Raghav said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We need to call out to him and invite him to communicate with us."
Priya held up her flashlight. "I'll keep this on in case we need light."
"Okay, let's begin," Aarav said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Raghav closed his eyes, feeling the energy in the room shift. "Nikhil, if you can hear us, please respond. We want to help you find peace. Please, tell us what happened to you."
For a moment, silence enveloped them. The air felt thick and heavy, as if they were waiting for something to break the stillness.
Then, suddenly, the temperature dropped, a cold breeze swirling around them, and the flashlight flickered ominously. Raghav's heart raced as he opened his eyes, watching in awe as a faint glow began to materialize in the corner of the room.
Nikhil's figure slowly took shape, the same wide-eyed expression of desperation etched on his face. Raghav felt a mixture of fear and excitement as the spirit hovered before them, his mouth moving silently, begging for help.
"What do you want to tell us?" Raghav asked, his voice trembling.
The spirit pointed toward the window, and Raghav followed his gaze, his heart pounding.
"Look!" Priya gasped.
Outside, shadows danced in the moonlight, moving in and out of view. Raghav felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized the shadows seemed to take form—figures emerging from the darkness, watching them intently.
"Nikhil!" Aarav shouted, his voice rising with panic. "What do we need to do?"
Nikhil's form flickered, desperation written across his features. He pointed again, this time more urgently, and Raghav understood that the answer lay beyond the school, hidden in the depths of the night.
"Follow us!" Raghav called to the others, his determination renewed. "We need to find out what he's trying to show us!"
They rushed out of the classroom, the weight of their mission heavier than ever. The shadows outside seemed to swirl around them, and Raghav felt the spirit's presence guiding them forward. Whatever awaited them beyond the walls of *Govind International High School* would uncover the truth about Nikhil Desai and perhaps set him free from the chains of the past.
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