“Dadi, is everything finished now?” Dadi Zohra smiled slightly and said: “Yes child.
Now nothing will happen.” Areeba looked at the mansion one last time.
She felt as if someone was standing in the upper window.
She rubbed her eyes and looked again.
The window was empty.
Areeba said softly: “Goodbye, Meher.” A light gust of wind came.
The hair of the red doll moved slightly.
A smile came onto Areeba’s face.
She knew.
Meher was gone.
But her memory would always remain with her.
Areeba and Dadi Zohra went far away from the mansion.
And left behind was that old mansion, which had hidden a secret inside itself for twenty years.
Now its door had closed forever.
Returning home, first of all, Areeba placed that old diary in front of her.
Dadi Zohra was sitting quietly next to her.
For some time, neither of them said anything.
Then Areeba opened the last page of the diary.
The sentence that was written before had now disappeared.
In its place, only one small word was left: “Free.” Areeba closed the diary.
“Dadi, do you think Meher has really gone?” Dadi Zohra said while looking outside the window: “Some people leave our lives, but their love and their memories never leave.” Areeba smiled slightly and kept the red doll near her.
That night, for the first time, she closed her eyes without any fear.
Far from the mansion…
the shadow was finished.
Meher had become free.
And the twenty-year-old secret…
finally was buried.
But in the morning when Areeba’s eyes opened, a small paper was lying on her room’s window.
She picked up the paper.
On it, only this much was written: “Areeba, the story is not finished.” Areeba kept looking at that paper for a few moments.
Then she looked outside the window.
In the distant sky, clouds were gathering.
And in her heart, for the first time, a question arose: “If the Shadow was finished, then who sent this message?” Areeba looked at the paper for some time.
The old fear began to arise in her heart again.
But this time, Dadi Zohra placed her hand on her shoulder.
“Child, not every unknown thing is terrifying.” Areeba gave the paper to Dadi.
Dadi Zohra read it and a slight smile came onto her face.
“This is Meher’s message.” Tears came to Areeba’s eyes.
“Meher’s?” “She is not scaring you.
She only wants to tell you this, that her story will remain as a memory in your life.” Areeba pressed the paper against her chest.
She closed her eyes and said softly: “Thank you, Meher.” A light gust of cold wind came inside through the window.
The paper kept near the red doll moved slightly in the wind.
And then everything became silent.
After that day, Areeba never opened the door of Andheri Haveli.
But she definitely wrote its story in her diary.
So that the truth which was hidden in the darkness for twenty years, should never imprison anyone inside itself again.
Areeba closed the diary.
Looked toward Dadi Zohra.
Both smiled.
Outside, the sun had fully risen.
And for the first time, there was light over Andheri Haveli too.
Areeba closed the diary and kept it in the wardrobe.
She looked outside the window one last time.
Far away, that same old mansion was visible.
But now there was no mist around it.
There was no shadow.
No voice.
No fear.
Dadi Zohra said softly: “Now forget that mansion.” Areeba replied smiling: “I cannot forget, Dadi.” “Why?” “Because that mansion taught me one thing.” Dadi Zohra asked: “What?” Areeba said while keeping the red doll near her: “Every darkness does not stay forever.” Tears came to Dadi Zohra’s eyes.
Both sat silently for some time.
Then Areeba kept the doll in the wardrobe.
After that day, she never looked back.
Months passed.
The mansion remained deserted.
And Areeba’s life became normal again.
But sometimes in the complete silence of the night, she heard a faint sound of anklets.
Chan chan.
Areeba would open her eyes.
The room would be empty.
Then she would smile and say softly: “Meher…
I haven’t forgotten you.” And a light gust of wind would pass by touching her face.
As if someone was saying from afar: “Main bhi nahi.” Areeba closed the window and turned off the room’s light.
That night, for the first time, she felt that the burden which was hidden inside her since childhood had lifted from her heart.
Meher’s memory was still with her, but now there was no fear in that memory.
Only a strange peace.
In the morning, Dadi Zohra called out to Areeba: “Areeba, breakfast is ready.” Areeba replied smiling: “Yes Dadi, I am coming.” When she passed near the wardrobe, suddenly her gaze fell on the red doll.
The doll was kept exactly as she had kept it at night.
But near it, a small white flower was lying.
Areeba picked up the flower.
She understood immediately.
This was Meher’s final message.
Areeba kept the flower inside the diary and closed the diary.
Then she went downstairs.
Sitting and eating breakfast with Dadi Zohra, both did not even mention the old mansion.
As if both knew that some stories end…
That day, Areeba started a new page of her life.
And Andheri Haveli…
remained just an old story.
A story, that Areeba could never forget.
Areeba kept the diary inside the wardrobe.
She had thought that now no new secret would ever enter her life.
But a few weeks later, one evening, Dadi Zohra gave her an old envelope.
“Your maternal grandmother left this with me for you.” In surprise, Areeba opened the envelope.
Inside was just a small piece of paper.
On it was written: “If Areeba ever learns the secret of Andheri Haveli, then definitely tell her that the one who saved her life that night was not just Rashid.” Areeba’s eyes froze on the paper.
Beneath it, another sentence was written: “Meher had not given her life…
she had imprisoned her life to save your life.” Tears came to Areeba’s eyes.
Now she understood why Meher had not let go of her hand until the very end that night.
She was not just her friend.
She was her protector.
Areeba kept the paper inside the diary.
A light gust of wind came inside from the window.
From somewhere far away, a final sound of anklets was heard.
Chan.
Closing her eyes, Areeba smiled and said: “Goodbye, Meher.” This time no answer came.
And perhaps, this very thing was the proof that Meher had finally found peace.
Areeba kept the paper inside the diary.
In her heart, there was now a new question.
If Meher had imprisoned her life to save her life, then was there any other secret to her sacrifice too?
Areeba looked toward Dadi Zohra.
“Dadi, why didn’t you tell me this thing before?” Dadi Zohra took a deep breath.
“Because your maternal grandmother had forbidden me.” “From what?” “She had said that until you yourself are ready to know the truth, nothing should be told to you about Meher’s sacrifice.” Areeba opened the diary.
“Now I want to know everything.” Dadi Zohra remained silent for some time.
Then she said: “Then you will also have to know the last thing about that night.” Areeba asked in surprise: “The last thing?” Dadi Zohra nodded.
“Before Rashid disappeared, he had given a letter to your maternal grandmother.” “Where is the letter?” Dadi Zohra pointed toward the wardrobe.
“In the exact same place where your maternal grandmother hid all her old secrets.” Areeba slowly went near the wardrobe.
She opened the wardrobe.
Inside, beneath old clothes, a small wooden chest was kept.
The chest was locked.
Areeba took out the key clenched in her fist.
The same key….
which she had found from the locked room of Andheri Haveli.
She inserted the key into the lock.
Click.
The chest opened.
Inside lay an old envelope.
On the envelope, only one name was written: Areeba.
With trembling hands, Areeba picked up the envelope.
As soon as she opened it, an old photograph fell out onto the ground.
In the photograph stood Areeba’s maternal grandmother, Rashid, Dadi Zohra, and Meher.
But seeing the photograph, Areeba’s breath caught.
In the corner of the photograph…
Areeba herself was also standing.
While at that time, Areeba’s age was only seven years.
Areeba looked closely at the photograph.
Behind it, a date was written: 17 October 2006.
Meaning, it was a photograph from the day before that night began.
Holding the photograph in her hand, Areeba stood completely silent.
In her mind, only one question was revolving: “How was I here?” When Dadi Zohra saw the photograph, her expression changed.
“Areeba.” “Yes?” “Your maternal grandmother never showed this photograph to me.” Areeba turned the photograph over.
Behind it, something else was written: “Tell Areeba the truth before the night of October 17.” With surprise, Areeba looked toward Dadi.
“But I don’t remember anything at all.” Dadi Zohra said softly: “Because your memories of that night were erased.” Areeba’s heart pounded violently.
“By whom?” Before answering, Dadi Zohra closed the window.
“By Rashid.” Areeba asked in surprise: “Why did Rashid erase my memories?” Dadi Zohra’s voice cracked.
“So that you would forget what you had seen that night.” Areeba looked at the photograph.
“What had I seen?” Dadi Zohra remained silent for some time.
Then she said: “You had seen the Shadow in human form for the first time.” Areeba’s eyes widened.
“What did its face look like?” Dadi Zohra said softly: “Exactly like your own face.” The photograph almost fell from Areeba’s hand.
“Meaning?” Looking into her eyes, Dadi Zohra said: “The Shadow was not your enemy.” In a trembling voice, Areeba asked: “Then who was it?” Dadi Zohra answered softly: “The Shadow was your own fear.” Areeba could not understand anything.
Dadi Zohra said: “Whatever you saw that night, it was a combined reflection of reality and your fear.” Areeba looked at the photograph again.
Now she was understanding why Meher was trying to save her again and again.
But one question still remained.
If the Shadow was only her fear, then why did Meher remain imprisoned in the mansion for so many years?
Areeba looked toward Dadi Zohra.
“Meher had to remain imprisoned because of me?” Dadi Zohra nodded slowly.
“But why?” Dadi took the photograph in her hand.
“That night you got very scared.
Your fear was so deep that the Shadow of the mansion attached itself to you.” Areeba asked softly: “Then what did Meher do?” “She took your fear into herself.” Tears came to Areeba’s eyes.
“Is that why she couldn’t come out of the mansion?” Dadi said: “Until you face your fear, Meher could not be free.” Areeba remained silent for some time.
Then she asked: “So whatever happened in the mansion…
was that to make me face my fear?” Dadi said: “Exactly.” Areeba closed her eyes.
Now she began to understand everything.
The locked room.
The mirror.
Rashid.
Meher.
And that shadow.
All were parts of the same story.
Areeba picked up the diar y.
“Now I want to free Meher.” Dadi Zohra looked toward her.
“For that, you will have to do one last thing.” “What?” Dadi placed the old photograph in Areeba’s hand.
“Go to Andheri Haveli tomorrow morning.” Areeba’s heart stopped for a moment.
“Alone?” Dadi said: “This time, yes.”