CHAPTER 5- TIME FOR THE HUNT

Early in the morning, a young man dressed as if he belonged to a wealthy family, watching people work in his fields.That's when, "NO!!!"Came the sound of a woman screaming from the woods.

"What was that?" The young guy asked.

"A woman has probably been attacked by a wild animal, 𝘚𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘣 (My lord)"One of the laborers said.

"Girdhar take some of your people and go to the forest, maybe someone needs help"

"𝘑𝘪 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘣 (Yes My Lord)"Saying this, some people started going towards the forest from there.After some time, they returned, followed by some villagers and a corpse.

"What happened?" The young guy asked.

No one said anything, then the same man who was sent to the jungle said softly that, "Thakur saheb some Englishmen came to the jungle and they... "He looked at the corpse, The young man also looked at the corpse, whose clothing was severely torn and gushing with blood, and he realised what had happened to it.

"Who's she?"He asked.

"𝘙𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘳 𝘬𝘪 𝘭𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘪 ' 𝘉𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪 ' 𝘩𝘶𝘻𝘶𝘳(Rasodhar's wife 'Bholi' my Lord) One of the laborer said.

He was looking at those lifeless eyes that were staring at him.Thakur Jyotiraditya still shudders in terror when he thinks about those eyes, which were both stunning and terrifying.

"𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘶 𝘫𝘪(Father) what were you thinking, what's bothering you?"Ravish asked his father.

"Do you really think that writer will be able to save us from that dreadful death"The old man said.

"Maybe.. "

"Maybe is not the word I want to hear from you"

"He's our chance to put an end to this strange and unbelievable thing"

"I don't want to lose people on my side"

"He is a brave man and very intelligent too"

"But if he also turns out to be like the others"

"He knows what he's here to do"The chat between the father and son is only interrupted when Mr. Roy enters the room.

"I must go to the woods now"Mr. Roy said.

"Are you prepared?" The old man asked him.

"I don't even say a word without preparation"Hearing these words of Mr Roy, the old man looked at his son with a slight smile.

"So how many men do you need" The old man asked him.

"Thank you but I believe in working alone"

"This could be the last night of your life, Mr. Roy"

"Will spend like that, so can anyone tell me the way to reach there"

"Ravish will drop you at a short distance from there"

"Thanks"

Ravish and Mr Roy are coming out of the mansion, that's when Mr Roy's eyes fall on the upper floor, where the lady was watching him go, who starts stealing her eyes on seeing Mr Roy's attention.Then, "Mala, did you meet mr roy"The young guy told her.

'Mala sweet name' Mr Roy thinks in his mind and before that lady can say anything, he says that "We are getting late"

"Ohh.. yes I apologize, we should leave" The young guy said.They both come out of the mansion. The night has now completely taken hold of the sky.

"We should expect a lot of excitement on our nighttime carriage journey"Mr. Roy said while analysing the sky.

"I'm sorry to make your trip a little less exciting, but I don't want this night to be my last"There was fear in Ravish's voice.

"So how do we set out on our journey?"

"We're gonna do with that"He pointed to the Mercedes Benz SS.

"Nice car"Mr Roy said while examining his journey going on in this dark night. Apart from the noise of the car and the shouting of the foxes, no other sound could be heard.

"This is the first one in this city.People got scared to see it in the dark"Ravish said keeping an eye on the road in front of him. As they got closer to the woodland, the fog began to steadily thicken as well.After coming a short distance,"We reached"Ravish stopped the car and said.

"Thanks"Saying this Mr Roy got down from the car.

"I would like to give you only one advice,don't fall into the hands of illusion"Ravish re-started the vehicle's engine and uttered.

"I will try"Mr. Roy said with a smile.

"May God protect you"Ravish said and left from there.

The night was quite dark and the cold and fog were making it worse.

"Huh.. let's go" Mr. Roy sighed and steps into the depths of the forest. The forest was as quiet as a graveyard. There was no other sound except the sound of dry leaves creaking on the ground. As Mr. Roy moved on, the fog grew denser.Now he feel strange, he felt like someone was watching him. Mr. Roy understood that anything may occur at any time.Nonetheless, he continued on without stopping.Now, there is the sound of someone's footsteps.His nose caught a scent that was excellent, it was as if someone had mixed lotus leaves with rose juice.Mr Roy understands that it has begun. In the mist, he notices a person's shadow in front of him.He stopped there.She was around him.He feel someone's breath on his neck. He hastily turns to check behind him, but only the fog is there.His breath briefly pauses as he turns around.Standing in front of him was a stunning woman wearing a red sari and appearing rather alluring.In her beauty, one could lose themselves.Mr Roy tried to keep his senses.Mr Roy's eyes turn to her steps which are reversed.Mr. Roy was attempting to avoid approaching her, but his steps were not under control.She was slowly coming closer to him. He tried to pull himself back with all his might due to which he fell on the ground.She stopped, without blinking, her stunning eyes were fixed on Rudra.Slowly, she began to transform; before long, her face was covered in wounds, her garments were covered in blood, and her eyes were filled with intense anguish.Mr Roy got a little nervous but he didn't let it show on his face. She turned and started to leave but only then, "Stop" Mr. Roy whispered.

Her steps stopped.She looked into the eyes of Mr Roy who had now risen from the ground.He slowly move closer to her. Suddenly she grabbed his neck.Her hands were cold.

"I know,you..don't w..want to hurt me" Mr. Roy's voice was trembling.

She left him slowly.

"What was happened to you" Mr. Roy said softly.

She lightly grips Mr. Roy's right hand as he begins to look into her soul.Mr Roy sees all the pain and suffering that the lady had to endure. Mr. Roy feels the tears flowing from his eyes on his cheeks. She left his hand softly. The moonlight gave her face a sad appearance.Mr Roy takes a long deep breath.

She starts leaving from there, Mr Roy was watching her go. In the forest's dense undergrowth, she eventually became lost.Mr Roy dusted off his clothes and started leaving with a new story with him from the woods...