Chapter 3: Something's Not Right

They had reached Vasupur. Shiva was now back to his hometown. Even though twenty years had passed but all the memories came flashing before Shiva as he saw the place.

This place was the one that he loved yet he wanted to forget about it. The place held so many beautiful memories but that one incident had turned those happy memories into a saddening ones.

The family got off the car but something was not right, there was a tension in the air and the faces of the villagers loomed with stress. As they were taking out their luggage, the Sarpanch (The head of the village) walked in.

" Hey Girish, long time no see," said the Sarpanch.

Although he was smiling but he could not hide his grimace under the smile.

Mr Gokhale, The Sarpanch a.k.a the head of the village was an old man with a thick, white mustache, black eyes, and a very few black hairs running among white ones.

" Yes Gokhale Kaka , Geeta's engagement came up too quick," said Girish.

" I know I know," the Sarpanch said stretching out his fake smile with a snigger.

Vandana and Shruti headed towards the house of Ramkrushna Uncle as Shiva and Mohan took out their luggage. Girish signed them to take the luggage to the house.

" Is everything alright here?,"

" Yes, absolutely, everything is ok," the Sarpanch said trying to mantain his fake smile.

" I know you are hiding something Kaka, something is not right here,"

" Why would I hide something from you, my son,"

" Then why is everyone so tensed here?,"

The Sarpanch lets out a sigh, his fake smile had disappeared by now and his face wore a concerned look, " I thought I shall tell you this once you get comfortable here but I guess I have to tell you now."

" What's the matter?, "

" The doors of Vasusthala Temple have been opened," the Sarpanch told.

" No freaking way!," said the shocked Girish.

" We don't know who opened it but we are surely doomed,"

" How is everyone safe then?, I mean you know what happened twenty years ago, right?,"

" It may not be as terrible as it was twenty years ago but it has shaken us to our roots,"

" What happened?,"

" It has been a week since the doors were opened. It was opened at night and the next day Raghu was found hanging from the Banyan tree near the Temple and there were several stabs on his stomach and back and the same night one of the police constable went missing. Everyone is so terrified now," the Sarpanch told.

" Oh my god!,"

" But it is safe during the day as the spirit hunts only at the night time," the Sarpanch told.

" What do we do now?,"

" The same thing that we did twenty years ago, but we have to wait for the right time,"

" I hope that the things would not get worse,"

" Alert your wife and kids about it and tell them not to go out at night,"

" Yes I will,"

" Times are hard now, the spirit is angry, we shall face the protector's wrath,"

Mr. Gokhale patted Girish on his back and Girish made his way to the house.

The house was located at the innermost part of the village. The streets leading to the house were narrow and not so well-built so Girish had to park the car in the local parking shed.

" The doors of Vasusthala Temple have been opened."

" Don't go out at night."

" The spirit is angry, we shall face the protector's wrath."

Words of the Sarpanch echoed in his head as he walked towards the house till he finally reached the resident.

Girish stopped at the gate.

He let out a brief sigh and shook his head clearing his thoughts.

As he stepped inside the gate, he was welcomed by the fragrance of the flowers planted in the garden. The house had a pretty big garden and a variety of plants in it.

Girish took out his shoes and washed his feet before entering the house.

The whole family was there, gathered in the hall.

" Hey!, Ramkrushna!,"

Everybody looked at the door, it was Girish spreading his hands wide in the air.

" Girish!," Ramkrushna hugged him.

Ramkrushna was a man with an average height and a round face with a mustache accompanied by a beard and black eyes.

The two men met as if the two best friends have met after a long time.

" How are you Girish!,"

" I am good, tell me about you,"

"Ask her, my wellbeing depends upon her, " Ramkrushna said referring to wife Anjali as he let out a laugh.

" Oops!, my bad!," said Girish and both the men laughed heartily.

" You have quite a variety of plants in your garden," Girish complemented Anjali.

" Glad that you noticed," Anjali smiled.

" Geeta!, where is Abhishek?,"

Abhishek was Geeta's fiancee and was working in Pune.

" He's in Pune, he shall be arriving the village in 3-4 days, he's got some work to finish," said Geeta.

Girish sat on the sofa," I see,"

" Namaste Uncle "

Girish looked at the boy, he was Varad, the younger son of Ramkrushna. The boy had an average height and a triangular face with brown eyes while his short, black hairs stood straight.

" Hey Varad!, last time I saw you when you were just a baby,"

Varad simply exchanged a smile.

" Ah Yes!, this is the first time you guys are meeting, right?," Ramkrushna said to Shiva and Mohan.

" Of course you are!," said Ramkrushna before the both of the boys could speak anything." Varad, meet them, he's Mohan and he is Shiva."

Varad was born twenty years ago when Shiva left the Village. This was the first time that they were meeting since Shiva never came back.

" This is the first time that we are meeting but I've heard a lot of things about you," Shiva spoke.

" Same here, Dad always used to tell me about you," said Varad.

" Glad to know that,"

" And also I've heard many things about your genius in solving mysteries, is that true ?,"

Shiva gave out a fake smile and struggled to maintain it. He always beleived that it was just is luck or his gut feeling that led to the solution.

" Yeah, I'll tell you about that when we'll sit around the bonfire at night,"

As the words fell on Ramkrushna's ear, he stoop up immediately.

" Well, you may find this strange but...," Ramkrushna spoke.

" What happened Uncle?," asked Mohan.

Girish looked at Ramkrushna and he knew what he was trying to say.

" Going out in the night is prohibited in the village," Girish completed.

" Girish, how do you know?,"

" The Sarpanch told me everything,"

" I see, I was planning to tell you once you get comfortable here,"

" What are you talking about?," asks a worried Vandana.

Girish looked at Ramkrushna and he signed him to tell.

******

Girish's family was shocked by latest revelation made by him.

" Spirit?, what Spirit are you talking about?,"

" Yeah, and what is this Vasusthala temple?,"

" I know there are a lot of questions whirling in your mind, I'll try to answer all those," said Girish.

KNOCK KNOCK

Just then they heard a knock on their maindoor. Ramkrushna and Girish were standing right in front of the door covering it completely and as Ramkrushna turned to see who it was, his face brightened up.

" Or maybe...," said Ramkrushna as he shifted his gaze from the door to Shiva," he would!"

Shiva leaned forward to get a clear view and as he saw who it was, a wave of nostalgia hit him and his face lit up with a smile.