You did the same thing that night!” Areeba closed her eyes.
Suddenly, an old voice echoed through her mind.
Meher’s voice: “Areeba, don’t touch it!” But little Areeba had touched the mirror.
A dark shadow appeared inside the mirror.
And then…
a terrifying scream.
Areeba opened her eyes.
Her face was covered in tears.
“I remember now…” Dadi Zohra looked at her.
“What?” Areeba spoke in a trembling voice: “Meher was trying to stop me.” “Then?” Areeba looked at the diary.
“I didn’t listen to her.” Suddenly, an old photograph slipped out from the middle of the diary and fell to the floor.
Areeba picked it up.
The photograph showed little Areeba and Meher standing together.
But this time…
there was a third figure standing behind them.
Areeba brought the photograph closer.
The face of the person couldn’t be seen.
Only one hand was visible.
And in that hand…
was the same old red doll that Areeba remembered.
Areeba turned the photograph over.
There was only one date written on the back: 18 October 2006 And beneath it: “The next day, only Areeba was found alive.” Areeba held the photograph tightly.
“Only I was found alive the next day…” Her voice trembled.
“Then what happened to Meher?” Dadi Zohra remained silent for a few moments.
Then she slowly said, “Meher disappeared.” Areeba stared at her.
“Disappeared?” “Yes.
We searched the entire mansion for her.
Every room, every corner…
but Meher was nowhere to be found.” “Then you told me she died.” Dadi Zohra lowered her eyes.
“We simply assumed that she was dead.” Areeba looked at the diary.
“My grandmother hid this from me too?” “Yes.” “Why?” Tears filled Dadi Zohra’s eyes.
“Because your grandmother was afraid that if you remembered Meher…
she would come looking for you too.” Areeba slowly asked, “Who?” Dadi Zohra didn’t answer.
Suddenly, the sound of anklets came from outside the room.
Ching…
ching…
ching…
Both Areeba and Dadi Zohra fell silent.
The sound slowly moved closer to the door.
Ching…
ching…
ching…
Then it stopped directly outside.
Areeba whispered, “Meher…” Dadi Zohra immediately grabbed her hand.
“Don’t say her name.” A little girl’s soft laughter came from outside.
Then a voice said: “Areeba…” Tears filled Areeba’s eyes.
“Meher?” Dadi Zohra quickly covered Areeba’s mouth with her hand.
But the voice came again from outside.
“This time, I didn’t come to take you…” There was silence for a few seconds.
Then the voice became even softer.
“I came to save you.” Areeba looked at Dadi Zohra.
Dadi Zohra’s face had gone completely pale.
“That isn’t Meher…” Areeba asked in confusion, “Then who is it?” Dadi Zohra slowly whispered: “The Shadow.” Suddenly, all the windows in the room slammed shut at once.
BANG!
Areeba screamed.
The diary slipped from her hands.
As soon as the diary hit the floor, it opened by itself.
A new page began to turn, even though there was no wind.
Then, slowly, words began to appear on the page.
Areeba pointed her flashlight at it.
There was only one sentence: “Areeba, if you are reading this, understand this…
Meher is still alive.” Areeba’s breath caught.
She looked at Dadi Zohra.
“Meher…
is alive?” Dadi Zohra didn’t answer.
And at that very moment…
a long, painful scream echoed from beneath the mansion.
Areeba and Dadi Zohra both turned toward the door.
Dadi Zohra whispered with trembling lips, “That voice…” Areeba asked, “Whose is it?” Tears began streaming down Dadi Zohra’s face.
“Meher’s.” Areeba stood completely silent for a few moments.
A strange fear settled deep inside her heart.
If Meher was alive…
then where had she been for the past twenty years?
And if she wasn’t alive…
then how could her scream be coming from beneath the mansion?
Areeba slowly picked up the diary.
“I’m going downstairs.” Dadi Zohra immediately grabbed her hand.
“No.” “What if Meher is down there?” “That’s exactly what I’m saying.
Whatever is down there doesn’t necessarily have to be Meher.” Areeba looked at Dadi Zohra.
“But it was her voice.” Dadi Zohra slowly said, “The Shadow can change its voice.” Suddenly, another sound came from beneath the mansion.
This time, the voice was very faint.
“Areeba…” Areeba’s heart began pounding.
Then the voice came again: “Please…” Areeba pulled her hand free from Dadi Zohra’s grip.
“That’s Meher.” Dadi Zohra tried to stop her.
“But, Areeba…” Areeba stepped toward the door.
“I can’t leave her here alone.” The two of them left the room.
The corridor was darker than before.
Areeba turned on her phone’s flashlight.
The stairs led down toward the basement.
With every step, the temperature seemed to drop.
When they reached the bottom, Areeba stopped.
The basement door was half open.
A faint light was coming from inside.
Dadi Zohra whispered, “That’s impossible…” Areeba asked, “What?” “There was no light in the basement.” Areeba slowly pushed the door open.
Inside, an old lantern was burning.
And sitting in front of that lantern…
was a girl.
Her hair was scattered across her face.
Areeba took one step forward.
“Meher?” The girl slowly raised her head.
Tears filled Areeba’s eyes.
It was Meher.
The exact same face.
The same eyes.
The same smile.
But instead of smiling, Meher said only one thing: “Areeba…
you shouldn’t have come here.” Areeba began moving toward her.
“I came to take you with me.” Meher immediately raised her hand, stopping her.
“No.” “Why?” Fear filled Meher’s eyes.
“Because if you come any closer to me…” She stopped.
Areeba asked, “Then what?” Meher slowly looked toward the dark corner of the basement.
“Then it will come closer to you too.” Areeba followed her gaze.
There was nothing in the corner.
Only darkness.
Then suddenly…
two eyes opened inside that darkness.
Dadi Zohra whispered in terror: “Ya Allah…”