Chapter 3 [END]
The fourth day transpired without any fear or unsettling occurrences. On the fifth day, which happened to be Christmas, preparations for the festive occasion commenced. Oscar took the initiative to collect funds for a Christmas tree. Accompanied by Gowni, he ventured outside to acquire the tree. After decorating it, they brought it back to the house, only to discover that the house had already been adorned by the time of their return. Kunal affixed the words "MERRY CHRISTMAS" onto the door of the haunted room. However, shortly after Kunal moved away, the paper fell down and disintegrated into ash.
Oscar and Gowni were the sole witnesses to this peculiar event, as no one else seemed to have noticed it. Their belief in the existence of a ghost within the room grew stronger, and they became increasingly convinced of the imminent danger posed by their continued stay. They took solace in the fact that the following day would mark their return to the safety of their own homes, freeing them from the clutches of this malevolent entity. As night fell, everyone retired to sleep.
In the dead of night, Harvinder and Kunal awakened, and Kunal ventured to retrieve the key. Oscar awoke, catching Kunal in the act, causing Kunal to feign sleep. When Kunal attempted to lift the key, he found himself unable to do so. However, upon touching the thread connecting the key, he regained the ability to pick it up. Kunal woke Kenvia, Sunvia, Virshai, and Benchu, and together they devised a plan to explore the contents of the haunted room. They emerged from their rooms and removed the threads from their wrists, with the exception of Virshai.
Kunal and Sunvia fastened a chain around their hands, binding them together in a manner that could only be undone with the key. Harvinder and Kenvia followed suit, but Virshai and Benchu opted not to secure themselves with the chain. With their preparations complete, they entered the room after unlocking it. Oscar awoke once more, startled by a distressing dream, only to find the room vacant. He roused Gowni and the teachers, alerting them to the situation.
To their astonishment, the door closed on its own accord, leaving the five students who had removed their threads hypnotized and drawn into the door. Virshai began pounding on the door, prompting Oscar to open it. However, as the door swung open, Virshai's thread fell to the ground, and an unseen force yanked her into the door. Thinking quickly, Oscar placed a statue of Lord Hanuman in front of the door to prevent it from closing. The group emerged, accompanied by a cameraman from the media who initiated a live television broadcast of the unfolding events.
With Oscar and Gowni tightly holding hands, they opened the inner door, causing the door itself and the adjacent wall to vanish. In their place stood a dense forest, teeming with untamed and living trees. The group found themselves under attack by the sentient flora. Astonishingly, when one of the plant-like entities made contact with Oscar's locket, it disintegrated into ash. The locket, a mystical artifact bestowed upon Oscar by a saint for his act of kindness, possessed extraordinary powers. Emboldened by this discovery, Oscar wielded the locket, systematically transforming each menacing plant into a pile of ashes. While Oscar and Gowni surveyed the scene, they heard a horrifying voice emanating from the well. However, upon turning their heads, they found no one there. As they redirected their attention toward their teachers, a ghastly visage manifested before them, causing both of them to collapse in terror. The apparition disappeared as they fell, leaving them bewildered and scanning their surroundings in vain. After regaining their composure, they witnessed a tree emerging from the depths of the well, upon which Harvinder and Kenvia, as well as Kunal and Sunvia, were suspended by ropes, still alive.
To their horror, on the third branch of the tree, the lifeless bodies of Virshai and Benchu hung lifelessly. Suddenly, the malevolent ghost seized Oscar from behind, lifting him into the air. Overwhelmed by fear, Oscar hurled the locket towards the specter. Astonishingly, the ghost was drawn into the locket, causing the plant, the well, and the remnants of the menacing flora to vanish entirely.
Oscar's bravery and quick thinking garnered immense praise from all present. His name resounded in news channels across the land, as the sole hero of the harrowing ordeal. The group eventually returned home, where they recounted their harrowing tale to their families and loved ones. Oscar's parents felt an overwhelming sense of pride in their son's courage and resilience.
[END]