Meher pointed toward the faint light ahead.
“Outside.” Areeba looked toward the exit.
“But you just said I have to go back.” Meher nodded.
“Yes.
You have to return to the locked room.” “Why?” “Because that’s where the binding began.” Areeba’s heart sank.
“And how do I break it?” Meher looked at her with tears in her eyes.
“By remembering what happened that night.” Areeba stared at her.
“What if I remember everything?” Meher whispered, “Then the Shadow will remember you too.” Suddenly, a loud sound echoed from behind them.
Dharram!
Areeba turned around.
The tunnel was completely dark.
Meher pulled her hand.
“Don’t look back.” Areeba asked, “What was that?” Meher’s voice trembled.
“He has found the tunnel.” The faint light ahead began to flicker.
Meher tightened her grip on Areeba’s hand.
“We have to reach the exit before he gets here.” The words on the page slowly became visible: “If you want to save Meher, find Rashid before midnight.” Areeba’s heart skipped a beat.
“Rashid…” Meher’s face turned pale.
Areeba looked at her.
“Where is he?” Meher remained silent for a moment.
Then she whispered: “He never left this mansion.” Areeba stared at her in disbelief.
“But the photograph…” Meher shook her head.
“That photograph was taken twenty years ago.” “Then where is Rashid now?” Meher looked toward the dark basement corridor.
“He is closer than you think.” Suddenly, a faint sound came from upstairs.
Tap…
tap…
tap…
Areeba and Meher looked at each other.
The sound slowly became louder.
Tap…
tap…
tap…
Then a man’s voice echoed through the mansion: “Zohra…” Meher’s eyes widened.
“Rashid.” “And this time…” Areeba looked up toward the dark staircase.
The voice came again.
“Areeba…” But this time, it sounded exactly like her grandmother.
Areeba’s eyes filled with tears.
“Nani…?” Meher immediately grabbed her hand.
“Don’t answer!” The voice came again, softer this time.
“Beta…
come upstairs.” Areeba closed her eyes.
She knew it wasn’t her grandmother.
Yet the voice sounded so real.
Meher whispered, “He’s trying to make you remember.” Areeba opened her eyes.
“Then let him.” Meher stared at her.
“What?” Areeba tightened her grip around the key.
“If the truth is hidden in that room…
I’m going to find it.” They slowly climbed the stairs.
With every step, the air became colder.
When they reached the corridor, the locked room stood before them.
The door was slightly open.
Areeba stopped.
“I locked it.” Meher whispered, “You didn’t.” Areeba looked at her.
“Then who opened it?” From inside the room came a quiet voice: “Come in, Areeba…” The voice was unmistakable.
It was Rashid.
Meher looked toward the darkness.
Her voice trembled.
“Rashid.” Areeba’s heart sank.
“But how?” Meher slowly shook her head.
“I don’t know.” Areeba looked at the empty staircase.
“Then where is the real Dadi?” Meher closed her eyes for a moment.
“We have to find her before Rashid does something to her.” Suddenly, a faint sound came from the locked room.
Creak…
The door slowly opened by itself.
Areeba tightened her grip on the key.
“Meher…” Meher looked at the doorway.
“Don’t go inside.” “But Dadi could be in there.” Meher grabbed her hand.
“Areeba, wait.” From inside the room came a familiar voice.
“Help me…” Areeba froze.
It was Dadi Zohra’s voice.
“Please, Areeba…” Areeba took one step toward the door.
Meher whispered, “Don’t listen.” But Areeba looked at her with tears in her eyes.
“That’s Dadi.” Meher shook her head.
“No…” The voice came again.
“Areeba…
I’m here.” Meher’s face turned pale.
“That’s not Dadi.” Areeba stared into the darkness.
“Then who is it?” Meher did not answer.
She just looked toward the stairs.
“Areeba, we have to get out of here.
“Both started moving upward.
With every step, the silence of the mansion was getting deeper and deeper.
Suddenly, Areeba heard the sound of someone walking behind her.
Tap…
tap…
tap…
She stopped and looked back.
There was no one.Meher said: “Don’t look back.
“Areeba asked: “Who is it?
“Meher said softly:” Whoever it is…
they want you to look at them.
“Areeba clenched her key in her fist.
As soon as both reached the end of the stairs, the same closed room was right in front of them.
But this time…
The door was already open.
Areeba stopped.
“This door was closed.
“Meher said softly: “Not anymore.”