The house felt like a tomb when we finally arrived back at Ratika's place. The usual vibrancy and warmth were replaced with a suffocating sadness that clung to every corner, like a dense fog that refused to dissipate. The walls seemed to weep with the weight of our collective sorrow, and the furniture looked worn and defeated under the oppressive silence.
Priya and I moved through the house quietly, setting up the necessary rituals for Ratika's mother's passing. Anu, now confined to the necklace, whispered guidance from within, her voice a soft echo of comfort in my mind. I could feel the coldness of her presence, a stark reminder of the unearthly turn our lives had taken. Despite the heaviness in the air, there was an underlying current of gratitude and peace knowing that she was still with me, if only in this spectral form.
