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Someone knocked at the bathroom door. I opened the door and saw smiling Ruhi.

 

Ruhi: Chilla kyun rahi hain?

Me: Misha kaha hain?

Ruhi: Kabir aaya hain. Ussi se baat kar rahi hain.

Me: Nal main garam paani nahi aa raha hai.

Ruhi: Pata hain. Kabir bhi yahi bol raha tha. Woh manager se baat kia. Ussne bola ki raat ke waqt garam paani nahi milega. Din main hi garam paani aata hain.

 

I gave a sad look and asked, “Toh aab?”

Ruhi laughed and replied in a sugary voice, “abhi toh tujhe thande paani se hi nahana padega, Piya.”

 

I was bit worried, because of my illness. Until now, I don’t have fever. But if I take bath with cold water, I was sure that fever will catch me soon.

 

Still, I took the risk because I’ve to clean myself. I closed the door again and decided to take bath with cold water.

 

While taking bath, I was sneezing continuously. I heard Misha and Kabir’s voice. Lastly, I heard Ruhi’s voice. But I couldn’t understand what they were talking. As the faucet water didn’t allowed me to hear anything as the dripping sound of water was continuously disturbing my ears.

 

After taking bath, I wiped my wet hair and wet body with towel. I changed my attire in bathroom and walked out of the bathroom. I was continuously shivering and sneezing. The coldness made my nose swollen, even though I couldn’t see but I could feel due to the pain in my nose.

 

I sneezed and looked towards the room. I couldn’t see Misha, Ruhi, Kabir or even Angad in my room.

 

“Misha” I inhaled and called out her name. She was not even in balcony.

 

The light in the room started flickering again. I was getting scared. I gulped my throat and called out, “Ruhi”

 

“Kabir”

“Angad”

 

The whole room was empty. The fear rose in my body. I couldn’t understand what to do. I was sweating, even though the atmosphere was cold and I was already shivering, sneezing, coughing and last but not the least I felt numbness in my legs, I could hardly move my legs from the tiles. The flooring was cold enough to stay there for longer time.

 

The flickering of lights suddenly stopped again in a few seconds. I looked up at the ceiling. The room had enough ventilation, due to which candlelight has started flickering.

 

Before, I could move my body, the room all of sudden turned darker. The electricity was gone. I think generator too lost its power.

 

The room was so quite that I could not hear anything else, except the sound of air that waved towards my face and my hair.

 

My wet hair suddenly dried quickly, as if some power was forcing air to dry my hair. But that was just my thinking, I don’t know how my hair dried quickly. Because, when I touched my straightened hair, it wasn’t wet anymore.

 

I breathe out immediately and shivered.

 

In fear, again, I called out Misha’s name and at that moment, I heard chorus laughing.

 

“Kau-kaun hain?” I stuttered.

 

The door slowly started opening and again I could hear chorus laughing.

 

I focused on the door and forced my body to move from bedside. Slowly, I walked towards the door that was opening and the cracked noise of door was hearable.

 

As the door opened widely, I immediately closed my eyes and lips narrowed.

 

“Piya?” I heard a familiar voice.

 

I opened my eyes immediately and looked straight towards the door, from where that voice was coming. The lighting effect I could feel in the room too, when a flash of light on the Misha’s face suddenly became visible.

 

That’s when tube lights suddenly shined the room.

 

“Kya baat hain Piya? Tu daari kyun? Yeh main hoon, Misha.” Misha teased.

 

I again breathe out and calmed myself pretending that I wasn’t scared. But, sweats on my face were making me restless.

 

I sneezed and replied softly, “daari nahi main. Bas samajh nahi aaya ki kaun aaya hain.” I lied easily.

 

“Ghabra mat, bhoot nahi aayega kamre main.” Misha laughed. Ruhi joined her but giving a forceful laugh. As if, she is scared but pretending to laugh.