CHAPTER 1: THE 11:11 MESSAGE It was 11:11 PM when six women received the same WhatsApp message. “One of you is going to die tonight. One of you already knows why.” There was no name, no number and no profile picture. Ananya Sharma, a 29-year-old journalist, was the first to receive it. She was sitting on her bedroom floor, surrounded by photographs, newspaper cuttings and handwritten notes. For three years, she had been investigating the disappearance of a woman named Maya. Maya had disappeared without a trace. Her case had been closed after an unidentified body was supposedly found near the outskirts of Hyderabad. But Ananya had never believed the police report. She opened the message again. A second message arrived. It was a photograph of six women sitting around a dining table. Five faces were clearly visible. The sixth woman had her back to the camera. Underneath the photograph were four words. “She’s sitting among you.” Ananya felt a chill run down her spine. She zoomed into the photograph. The woman on the far left was Meera, a doctor she had interviewed months earlier. Next to her was Sana, a fashion designer. The third woman was Rhea, Ananya’s closest friend. The fourth was Kavya, a schoolteacher. The fifth was a woman Ananya didn’t recognise. But the sixth chair was empty. Ananya looked at the timestamp. The photograph had been taken three years ago. On the same night Maya disappeared. Her phone rang. It was Rhea. “Anu, are you awake?” “Yes. Listen, did you receive anything strange tonight?” There was silence. Then Rhea whispered, “Don’t open your door.” Ananya stood up. “What?” “I said don’t open your door.” Three knocks came from outside. Ananya stopped breathing. “Rhea, who’s outside?” “I don’t know. But Ananya, listen carefully. If someone asks you about Maya, tell them you don’t remember anything.” The call disconnected. Another message appeared. “LOOK THROUGH THE PEEPHOLE.” Ananya slowly approached the door. She looked outside. Nobody was there. But something had been placed on her doormat. A small black envelope. Inside it was a photograph of Ananya as a little girl, standing beside a woman she had never seen before. On the back, someone had written: “Your mother lied about your birth.” CHAPTER 2: THE WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED The next morning, Ananya went to meet Rhea. Rhea lived in a beautiful apartment in Banjara Hills. She had been Ananya’s friend for almost eight years. When Ananya entered, Rhea was standing near the window, staring at the street. “You look terrible,” Rhea said. “So do you.” Ananya placed the photograph on the table. “Who is this woman?” Rhea looked at it. Her expression changed immediately. “Where did you get this?” “Someone left it outside my house.” Rhea picked up the photograph with trembling fingers. “Ananya, you need to stop investigating Maya.” “Why? What happened three years ago?” “Some things are better left buried.” “People don’t just disappear, Rhea.” Rhea suddenly became angry. “And people don’t always deserve to be found!” Ananya stared at her. For the first time, she felt that her best friend was hiding something much bigger than a simple secret. Before she could ask another question, Rhea’s phone rang. She answered it. “Hello?” A man’s voice came through the speaker. “She’s with you?” Rhea looked at Ananya. “Yes.” “Good. Don’t let her leave.” The call ended. Ananya stepped backwards. “Who was that?” Rhea didn’t answer. Instead, she opened a drawer and pulled out a small silver key. “Take this. Go to the old railway station. Locker number 117.” “What is inside?” “Something Maya left for you.” “Why didn’t you tell me before?” Rhea’s eyes filled with tears. “Because I was afraid you’d remember.” Ananya took the key. “Remember what?” Rhea looked directly into her eyes. “That you were there when she died.” CHAPTER 3: LOCKER NUMBER 117 The old railway station was almost empty. Ananya reached locker number 117 at 4:30 PM. The key fitted perfectly. Inside was a small wooden box, a cassette recorder and a handwritten letter. The letter contained only one sentence: “To the girl who survived the first experiment.” Ananya’s hands started shaking. Experiment? She opened the wooden box. Inside were six photographs, six medical reports and a hospital bracelet. The bracelet carried a name. BABY GIRL – UNKNOWN MOTHER – 1997. Ananya was born in 1997. She looked at the photographs. They showed six young women standing outside a building called the AASHRAYA WOMEN’S FOUNDATION. Behind the photographs was an old newspaper clipping. “Private women’s rehabilitation centre under investigation following disappearance of several residents.” The article mentioned a director named Dr. Vikram Malhotra. Ananya recognised the name. He was a respected philanthropist, a successful businessman and the founder of several women’s shelters. His face was everywhere. Television interviews. Charity events. Newspaper advertisements. He was also the man who had funded the investigation into Maya’s disappearance. Ananya switched on the cassette recorder. A woman’s voice filled the empty station. TO BE CONTINUED………………..