By Ishita D Patel
She knocked on the door but no one answered. “Melinda”, she cried as sweat ran down the temples of her forehead. She became more worried thinking where her sister could be at this point of time. She looked upon her shoulders at a wall clock hanging on the side precisely noting that the clock struck exactly 1 in the night. She called for Melinda again and this time she heard a voice go, “Yes sister, come on in”. Rachel grasped a sigh of relief as she entered Melinda’s room. She cried in the arms of her sister, hugging her and thanking God for keeping her safe.
Exactly a few days before this, on a fine Sunday night, the Smiths came from their very lovely family dinner that they had been following as a tradition since Rachel was born. Also, it was Rachel’s 20th birthday so they threw her a party. It was almost 11 in the night when they returned and Mrs. Smith, Maggie, as Jacob, Mr. Smith called his wife lovingly, on opening the door of their beautiful countryside home in Nashville that they recently shifted as new owners, was stunned to see the horrors in their drawing room. Mr. Smith mustering up courage entered the room and the broken piece of mirror cracked has he step foot on it. “Don’t leave me, be by my side right now, walk behind me Melinda”, said Mr. Smith in one single breathe in an agitated voice. He was as scared as his wife and the kids but he stood strong. The broken mirror lay shattered on the floor, reflecting fragmented images of the room—a distorted reality that felt both familiar and terrifying, being one of Maggie’s favorite pieces of furniture. “My mirror”, cried Maggie, the sweet 15 year old girl who practiced her dance routines in front of that very same huge mirror. The heavy drapes, once a rich crimson, now hung in mere pieces, the chandelier, once sparkling with crystals, most part of it lay on the floor now. Rachel was scared as well but she knew if she weakened, Melinda would feel scared too. Rachel holding her hands, said, “Mel, stay with me, there is nothing to be worried about, it is going to be fine”. Mr. Smith instantly called the police and thanks to the fast service in their town, the police came in a matter of a few minutes. The police investigated the place and found no human intervention. Mr. Shawles, one of the officers, came towards Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and said, “Sir, Ma’am, there is nothing to worry about since there are no signs of anyone breaking into the property. Also, every corner of the house has been checked and no one is hiding anywhere in the house, I am speaking of a person who might have broken into your house, but the mystery still stands as there is no sign of anyone breaking into your house. Nevertheless, our officer, Ms. Sarah Patel shall spend the night here ensuring everyone’s safety”. Ms. Patel greeted Mrs. Smith with a hand shake, asking her to calm down and not panic. Mr. Smith led the family inside as soon as the police officers left. Mrs. Smith was still not convinced and kept nudging her husband, whispering in his ears that she finds something eerie about the place.
“I don’t want you to be alone tonight, I’ll sleep in your room”, said Rachel as she firmly held Melinda’s hand. Mr. Smith commanded the girls to lock their room from inside and also latch the windows properly if not done, so as to avoid any outsider penetrating into their room. The girls went into their room and did what they were told to. Mrs. Smith was about to clean the drawing room full of broken pieces but seeing her disturbed state of mind, Ms. Patel volunteered to do the task. Jacob saw Maggie shivering and took her upstairs calmly into their master bedroom, while the officer started cleaning up the drawing room.
It was almost thirty minutes past two in the night. It was calm around but no one could close their eyes that night. It felt as if something terrible would happen. The Smiths could here the swooshing sound of air through their tightly bolted windows. Suddenly, Melinda felt a parching thirst and grasping her bottle, she quickly realized it was empty. “Sister, come with me to the kitchen, my bottle is empty”, said Melinda while poking her finger into Rachel’s shoulder. Rachel opposed Melinda’s decision of leaving the room in the first place but after countless requests she gave in and both of them were off to the kitchen. The moment they stepped out of their room, a cold breeze blew Rachel’s hair onto her face leaving her irritated. She was also taken aback as there was no way a breeze could creep in since everything was locked by the police officers themselves. On their way from the room to the kitchen, comes a long hallway which baths in a faint, inadequate light. Melinda removed the torch from her pocket and switched it on. In another one of her pockets, was a knife that she was carrying just in case they would have to protect themselves. Rachel had taken karate classes since she was a kid and she was quite confident about it. Rachel could see the drawing room from the hallway but couldn't see Ms. Patel anywhere. She didn’t give this any thought because she felt that she might have dozed off on the sofa or maybe was in the bathroom freshening up. As soon as they stepped foot into the kitchen, the floor felt icy cold. Even during winters when it would snow, the floor was never that cold. Melinda filled her bottle as fast as she could keeping an eye around her as if being ready for anything that might come. Rachel and Melinda rushed into their room and locked it again. The Smiths heard some noises, basically humming or little squeaks once in a while coming from the drawing room all throughout the night but they did not dare to come out, assuring themselves that it might be the breeze or Ms. Patel lounging or passing time in the hall.
The sun rose as usual but it was not at all like the other mornings for the Smiths. For them it was a sign from God that they are safe now. They all gathered in the hall waiting for Ms. Patel. In the meantime, Maggie hugged the girls and kissed them repeatedly on their cheeks and forehead, thanking God for keeping them safe throughout the night, until Rachel said, “Mom! Stop, we are safe, lets search for Ms. Patel first, she is no where to be found”, after a short pause. Mr. Smith searched the whole house but Sarah was nowhere to be found. The main door of their house was locked from inside which meant that no one left the house during the night. The police came by 9 in the morning for checking up on the Smiths and for ensuring that they were kept safe. “Morning”, said Mr. Shawles with a smile and ordered his men to check the house again if they find anything suspicious. Mr. Shawles inquired of the girls, Mr. and Mrs. Smith of everything they might have witnessed and any sounds they heard throughout the night. He advised them to stay someplace safe until the matter rests and Ms. Patel is found. Mr. Smith wasn’t ready to shift anywhere else on such a short notice since a lot of jewellery, cash and other precious materials were lying in the safe in their bedroom. Mr. Smith conveyed to the police officials that, as a diamond merchant, he was acutely aware that certain individuals might seek to exploit the circumstances to their advantage. Reluctantly, the Smiths decided to stay home and not somewhere else.
A few days had passed, and all Rachel was thinking about was how to protect her family. Nothing really happened in those few days, just some eerie noises while they were asleep at night but they gradually got used to it. They heard no news about Ms. Patel from the police ever since the incident occurred. Mr. Smith and Rachel also met a priest and asked for help. The Father advised them to keep holy objects in every room in their house so as to protect themselves from any negative spirits that might be present. The priest gave Rachel a list of holy pieces to buy and the place that they must be kept for utmost divine energy. He also blessed them saying, “God’s grace envelops you, a bastion of strength and solace”. Rachel went to the market with her dad, found all the items as listed by the priest and bought it home keeping it at the advised places in the house.
That very night, Melinda was walking down the hallway to Rachel’s room for some advice she needed with regards to the Halloween celebrations at her school the next week. Being a part of the event management committee, she decided to start with brainstorming certain ideas with her sister. Suddenly as she was walking, out of the corner of her eye, a fleeting shadow darted, stirring the stillness. She directly went running to her sister. “Sister, I was walking down the hallway towards your room. Then suddenly, I saw something move in the drawing room, since I was alone, I did not dare to check what it was but I want to see it. Will you please come with me? Also, mom and dad are sleeping I don’t want to disturb them”, she exclaimed pulling Rachel’s hand out of the room. Rachel wasn’t given any time to think and by the time Melinda completed her sentence, they were already in the hallway. They switched on the light and searched every nook and corner. They couldn’t find a single evidence of anyone being there a few moments back. This time no one felt scared, in fact eager to solve the case so that they could go back to their normal life they had before this chaos entered their lives. Rachel noticed something strange. The stone that she kept in the morning on the wooden table near the door had moved. She knew that it was neither Melinda nor their parents who could have touched it since Rachel had already warned everyone not to touch those pieces. She stood there looking outside the window on what could have happened. She heard a voice say, “Leave”. She looked back and her sister was busy searching around the room. She instantly knew that something is not right and whatever it is, is present in that very room. She didn’t tell anything to her sister because she knew that if she did that then whoever that is present in the room might get alert.
She slipped off her slippers, eager to connect with the cool surface of the floor beneath her feet, attuning herself to any subtle imperfections that might pose as a hidden danger. She advised Melinda to stay in that very same room in front of her eyes. Rachel was looking around the drawing room all over again, this time she surveyed the drawing room with a discerning gaze, her attention drawn to the most minute details, as if each subtle nuance held a secret waiting to be uncovered. She checked under the carpet, every nook and corner but found nothing. Her thoughts turned to the wooden cabinet, a repository of winter blankets and jackets. As she swung the door open, she sifted through the garments draped over the hangers, her fingers brushing the fabric with a sense of purpose. It was then that she felt a latch nestled at the bottom of the cabinet, its cool metal promising a hidden mystery. She did not lift the latch but she wanted to. She knew that if she did that in the middle of the night, it could pose a threat. She quickly closed the door of the cabinet, got a lock from her bedroom and locked the door. “Mel, lets sleep, there is nothing to be found, you must have hallucinated because of the fear”, said Rachel pulling her sister into their room. Melinda was stunned to see her sister not believe in her and looked away angrily. Rachel locked the door of their room and told Melinda everything she saw. She explained her of their plan that they would be executing the very next morning. With only three hours remaining until the sun broke the horizon, a palpable excitement filled the silence of the night.
The long-anticipated morning finally dawned, and the girls hurried to their parents' room, hearts racing with a mix of excitement and trepidation. With fervent voices, they recounted their discoveries, laying bare the strange occurrences that had unfolded, and outlined their determined plan to unveil the truth that lay shrouded in mystery. The parents, after a moment of thoughtful consideration, nodded in agreement, their expressions a blend of support and concern for the venture their daughters were about to undertake. The Smiths searched their home for anything that might serve as a weapon or a means of protection. They gathered torches and kitchen knives, slipping them into their pockets alongside other sharp implements, while clutching a singular, essential item in their hands—an unwavering symbol of their resolve to safeguard their family. Rachel led them to the wooden cabinet, unlocked it and tried lifting the latch on the bottom. It was a tight fit, and she strained with all her might to pull it open. As the creaking door finally yielded, a dim staircase revealed itself, spiraling down into the unknown. Within a few minutes, they found themselves on the other side of the fence situated in their backyard. They were startled for a few seconds to have entered the garden of the neighbouring bungalow. They made way out of the long grass grown around brushing their shoulders. Mrs. Smith remarked, “The man who resides here, Mr. Macdurdle, is a notably reserved individual. I once brought him some cupcakes as a friendly gesture, but he turned me away. On the rare occasions when we’ve crossed paths on the road, he wouldn’t even offer a smile”. Mr. Smith thought of confronting the man and asking him if he knew anything about this. The Smiths knocked on his door located in the garden. Mr. Macdurdle was flabbergasted to see them in their backyard. Mr. Smith explained to him how they ended up on his side of the backyard and only after having been convinced did Mr. Macdurdle let them in. The hall was well lit with warm tones of light, two sofas and a chair aligned perfectly with the geometry of the room, a centre table on which was kept a vase with beautiful fresh flowers. It was a scene that belied the presence of the quiet old man, a figure seemingly disinterested in the bustle of the neighborhood. Who could have envisioned that such warmth and pristine order could reside within the heart of one so withdrawn?
Mr. Macdurdle brought them tea along side some butter cookies while they discussed about the events unfolding since a few nights. He had literally no idea of the secret door that opened in his backyard. He sighed, “My wife died a few years back, after which I shifted to this property, living alone all by myself. Just a gardener that comes here once every week to maintain the garden. I don’t step foot there and maybe that is why I never came to know about the secret passage”. He then picked up his phone and called his gardener, Max, a young boy of around the age of 18. Not to anyone’s surprise, he didn’t pick up the phone. The Smiths immediately sensed that this young boy was intricately entwined in the unfolding events. They urged Mr. Macdurdle to keep this information strictly to himself, instructing him not to share a word of it with Max.
That night unfolded in stillness. Yet, they remained poised, steeling themselves to confront whatever shadows that might dare to emerge. The next day went by, same old way, no sight of anyone except the four in the house. But that night, they started hearing certain noises from the hall. Melinda had meticulously positioned a camera in the drawing room, its lens carefully calibrated to capture every nook and cranny of the space. The door of the wooden cabinet opened stealthily, a figure emerged covered in all black, top to toe. Rachel was with Maggie hiding behind the long curtains in the corner of the drawing room, while Melinda was with Jacob hiding behind the sofa, almost camouflaging with the quilt covering major part of the sofa. In the enveloping darkness, it was nearly impossible for anyone to discern the presence of the four, their figures blending seamlessly into the shadows where no light dared to intrude. As soon as the boy walked a few steps in, Rachel ran to switch on the lights, thereby catching the boy red-handed. He was startled to have seen all the four pounce on him at once. He tried to escape but Melinda had already locked the wooden cabinet and hid the keys in her pocket. The police had arrived in the meantime and arresting that boy was pretty easy. Rachel had thought that it would be a group of people that they would have to deal with. The young boy was left with no option but to plead guilty. “I have known this place since I was ten, accompanying my mother as she worked as a cook in various bungalows throughout the neighborhood, including this one and the residence where Mr. Macdurdle currently lives. My mother passed away last year, and my father is a drunkard, neglecting our family's responsibilities. With her gone, we lost our only source of income and our home. I remembered this secret passage and took a job as a gardener at Mr. Macdurdle's, allowing my family to stay here until the Smiths arrived as the new owners. Once they moved in, we were forced back to the streets. That's when I devised this plan to scare the Smiths away”, Max confessed, his voice trembling with emotion, tears brimming in his eyes. Rachel and Melinda felt sorry for this young guy and requested their father to not let Max go to prison since he did all this only to protect his family. The police asked him about the day when he first executed his plan, the day of Rachel’s birthday. They inquired about Ms. Patel’s whereabouts, and Max, his voice a mixture of shame and desperation, explained, "I did tear down some curtains, smash the mirror, and shatter the chandelier in the drawing room that night, but I swear I did nothing to Ms. Patel. I saw the police arrive and knew I had to lay low, terrified of being caught. From a distance, I noticed a police officer settling in for the night with the Smiths, so I slipped away after half an hour and only returned to Mr. Macdurdle’s house the following evening”. At Mr. Smith's insistence, the police refrained from arresting the boy but only on the condition that Max would serve three months of community service. Mr. Smith promised to assist Max's family financially and to help his father secure employment. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Max's heart swelled with happiness at the chance of a new beginning.
Life gradually settled back into its familiar rhythm. The Smiths no longer feared intrusions into their lives, while Max’s financial situation improved significantly. In an unexpected turn, Mr. Macdurdle and Mr. Smith forged a friendship, even embarking on morning walks together. Yet, amidst this newfound peace, Rachel and Melinda remained haunted by lingering questions: the mystery of Ms. Patel’s whereabouts, the chilling memory of the cold kitchen floor that night, and the unsettling word "leave" that Rachel had heard echoing in the darkness. They knew that none of it had been orchestrated by Max. Months slipped by, each one devoid of anything to stir fear or unease. The days unfolded peacefully, allowing the Smiths to breathe easy. Rachel was standing in the drawing room one night, dimly lit, almost 12 in the night. She was looking outside of the window at the peace that the night offered. Suddenly she saw a woman standing in a police uniform fully blood stained. Rachel panicked and before she could shout and call her dad, the woman dissolved into the swirling fog beneath the flickering streetlight, leaving Rachel trembling in disbelief. She went straight to Melinda’s room and spent the night sleeping there, not wanting to be alone at all. The next morning she shared every bit of her sight with her dad who then conveyed the message to the police officials.
Deep down, Rachel sensed that something was amiss, a disquiet that settled in her heart like a heavy stone. Each night, the vision of the blood-stained woman haunted her dreams, as if crying for help. Months passed by, years passed by, the dreams faded into mere memories of the past.
Just when she thought she was finally free, a cold breeze swept through the room, and the chilling whisper echoed once more, “I never left.”
By Ishita D Patel
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