Chapter 4

Binita did not know what to do. She turned around and found the old man missing. It was like he vanished into thin air. Binita stood still in her place. She was looking for an exit from the room. There were no doors to exit the room, just walls all around. A few moments later, she calmed down. Suddenly, within a blink of an eye, the old man appeared again, right in front of her. Before Binita could react, he pierced his sharp rotten fingernails on either side of her neck. Binita stood defenseless. Then, with his thumb, fingernails penetrated her trachea, which choked her. Binita helplessly bled. She then felt dizzy from excessive bleeding. Her vision became blurry and then she collapsed. She thought this was the end of her life.

"Everything that you witnessed yesterday was just your imagination. You were hallucinating." Said Dr. Kumar to Binita and her mother, who were seated on the chair facing Dr. Kumar with a deck in-between them.

"What you saw never existed."

"Why did this happen to her doctor? She has no health issues" asked Binita's mom.

"There can be many reasons. It could have been stress or lack of sleep. Binita, do you get enough sleep?" Asked Dr. Kumar.

"Yes doctor." Replied Binita

"Hmm… I see. It could be drugs, perhaps. Did you take any medic ens or drugs?"

"No doctor. " She replied.

"I see. It has to be it." He said.

"What is the reason, doctor?" Asked Binita's mom

Dr. Kumar dug inside the drawers of his desk and pulled out a newspaper which was crumbled, as if it were read by many. He then pulled out a sheet of paper off the newspaper, "look at this" he said as he handed the paper. Binita's mom looked at the article which red ′EX -Tremé Energy- A Poison That Killed Many'

"Isn't this the drink you take?" Binita's mom asked Binita.

"It was found that this energy drink contained excessive drugs." Said Dr. Kumar and continued," they generally contain high caffeine. But this drink contained crymethamphetamineamine, which acts as a slow poison. When one consumes it, a common side effect is hallucination. I'll give you some medicines. Take it regularly for a month and you will be fine."

Everything was just a hallucination. The feeling of déjà vu, her friends meeting for a reunion. Binita checked her call log. Chaya never called her or texted her. From then on, Binita never took energy drinks. But in those series of experiences, one thing was very abnormal.

Unlike the house, the monster or the pile of dead rats, the old man felt very real. She asked Dr. Kumar, her parents and her friends. All said the same, just a hallucination. No one had a satisfactory answer. Was it really just a hallucination, or was it the spirit of an old man? -it remained a mystery.

THE END

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