The only thing written in the center of the cover was a single name: Zohra Areeba stared at the diary.
Dadi Zohra.
The same name Hamza had told her belonged to the caretaker of the mansion.
Areeba opened the diary.
The first few pages were blank.
Then, on one page, she saw a date: 17 October 2006 Areeba’s heart began pounding.
She read the first line on the page.
“Today, Areeba was brought to the mansion.” The diary nearly slipped from Areeba’s hands.
“Me…?” She quickly read the next sentence.
“We have been told that the child must not remember anything.” Areeba’s vision suddenly went dark.
“What is all this…?” She turned to the next page.
But the page was half torn.
Only a few words were visible: “If she comes back…” The rest of the page had been ripped away.
Areeba closed the diary.
At that very moment, someone spoke from behind her in a very low voice: “You were never supposed to find this diary.” Areeba slowly turned around.
At the end of the corridor…
an old woman was standing there.
She was holding an old lantern in her hand.
And there was such fear in her eyes…
as if she was not happy to see Areeba at all.
With a trembling voice, Areeba asked, “Are you…
Dadi Zohra?” The old woman didn’t answer.
She only looked at the diary.
Then she looked directly into Areeba’s eyes and said: “You shouldn’t have come here.” Areeba asked, “Why?” Dadi Zohra lowered the lantern.
Her face had become even paler.
“Because…” She was about to say something when the sound of anklets suddenly came from upstairs.
Ching…
ching…
ching…
The moment Dadi Zohra heard it, her expression changed.
She grabbed Areeba’s hand tightly and whispered, “Come with me.
Quickly.” Areeba asked in confusion, “Where?” Dadi Zohra looked toward the staircase.
Then, in a very low voice, she said, “She knows you’ve come back.” Dadi Zohra tightened her grip on Areeba’s hand.
“Come.” There was such fear in her voice that Areeba didn’t ask any more questions.
The two of them hurried down the corridor toward the stairs.
Areeba kept looking back again and again.
She felt as though someone was following them.
But the corridor was empty.
There was only the sound of the anklets…
Ching…
ching…
ching…
Sometimes it came from far away.
And sometimes…
it sounded frighteningly close.
When they reached the staircase, Dadi Zohra suddenly stopped.
“Wait.” Areeba looked at her.
“What happened?” Dadi Zohra stared toward the top of the stairs.
There was no one there.
But a few seconds later…
a small shadow appeared on the wall of the staircase.
Areeba immediately pointed her flashlight toward it.
The shadow disappeared.
Dadi Zohra grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.
“Go downstairs.
Now.” The two of them quickly made their way down.