The Unseen Echoes of Banaras
1301 Words
The following morning, Harsh woke up, pulled himself together, and left for the University. Meanwhile, Natasha—a dedicated medical student pursuing her Master of Surgery (M.S.) degree at a nearby medical institute—had fully recovered from her horrific injuries and headed off to her college.
The moment Harsh stepped onto the university campus, his close friend Chandni met him with her usual cheerful energy, teasing him instantly: "Well, well, if it isn't Harsh baby! Where did you vanish yesterday, sir? Did you forget us commoners? And where is the rest of the gang?"
Harsh offered a faint smile and was about to reply, "I fell sick yesterday..." when their other three friends—Varun, Veer, and Divya—arrived. The group walked inside the campus together. Each of them pursued different specializations: Chandni was researching Sociology, Varun and Harsh were pursuing Ph.D. degrees in Ancient History & Archaeology, Veer focused on Physical Geography, while Divya researched Ancient Indian Culture.
Just one kilometer away from Harsh's university stood the medical college where Natasha was pursuing her surgical specialization.
Harsh went straight to the university's ancient Central Library to work on his Ph.D. thesis. Rummaging through dusty shelves, he discovered an ancient leather-bound manuscript. As he opened the fragile pages, he noticed a torn leaf inside. Written in archaic Sanskrit script was a chilling line:
"When the First Host awakens... the gates of darkness shall open."
The moment Harsh read the line, a sharp, excruciating migraine violently struck his brain—AHHH!
A brief, 2-second flashback of the rain-drenched accident night flashed behind his eyelids. For the first time in six years, he distinctly heard his little sister's blood-curdling scream! His soul trembled with grief. But before he could process the horror, the memory vanished, leaving his mind completely blank. Shaken, Harsh closed the book, left it on the table, and hurried out of the library.
Outside, his friends greeted him with news. Varun and Veer announced that the university campus would remain closed for a week due to structural maintenance and renovation. Varun added that he had coordinated with a local travel operator to book a 1-week group trip to the holy city of Banaras (Varanasi).
Harsh, who lived alone in a flat in Padrauna, a town in the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh, initially hesitated but agreed after his friends insisted. They planned to catch the 6:00 AM interstate bus the following morning.
That very night... Natasha was resting in her bedroom.
Suddenly, the ambient room temperature plummeted violently—it became so cold that her breath misted in the air. The wall mirror fogged up completely, and as if guided by an unseen finger, words began to etch themselves onto the glass surface:
THANK YOU
Natasha spun around in shock—the room was empty. Moments later, the mirror cleared. Natasha pondered in confusion: Who would write 'Thank You' to me? Was it that hooded savior... MAHAKAAL? But he saved my life, why would he thank me?
Though strange, the word 'Thank You' dispelled her lingering fear. She realized that the mysterious entity was not a demonic force, but a guardian protecting her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a call from her medical classmate, Nisha. Nisha sounded urgent: "Natasha! Tomorrow morning we have to travel to Banaras for a 1-week medical project at the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre. We need to present our surgical research!"
Natasha asked: "So suddenly?"
Nisha replied: "Yes, our HOD arranged a bulk travel package with a local tour operator so that multiple student groups from different colleges in the city can travel together. Presenting our thesis there is mandatory for our final credits." Both agreed, exchanged goodnights, and hung up.
The next morning at 6:00 AM, everyone boarded the luxury passenger bus bound for Banaras. Coincidentally, because Varun and the Medical College HOD had booked their travel through the exact same tour operator, Harsh and his university group boarded the same vehicle as Natasha and her medical colleagues (Nisha and Seema).
As the bus pulled onto the highway, Harsh’s eyes caught Natasha sitting a few rows ahead. A faint phantom spark resonated in his subconscious: I’ve seen her somewhere... Ah, back at Aniket Hospital! However, lacking clear memories, Harsh dismissed the thought and rejoined his friends' conversation.
That same morning, Police Sub-Inspector Amar Tiwari revisited the forest perimeter. Digging through the soil near scorched boulders, he unearthed a copper tube containing an ancient map. Examining the script, Amar realized it contained archaic Sanskrit inscriptions, indicating it was roughly 100 to 200 years old.
Amar unrolled the map to find an ancient Shiva Temple marked deep inside the uncharted woods where no roads existed. He cross-referenced official government land records—no such temple was ever registered in state history!
Puzzled, Amar muttered: "If this temple never officially existed... who drew this 100-to-200-year-old map?"
Keeping the discovery secret, Amar brought the map home and dialed an untraceable number: "I found an old map in the woods. How long until you arrive to analyze the forensic parchment?"
A female voice replied over the line: "It will take me at least one week to arrive, Inspector."
Amar instructed her sternly: "Do not let anyone else see this map... and make sure no copies or notes are leaked."
The girl agreed, and Amar hung up before heading to the police station.
Simultaneously... inside the subterranean chamber beneath the city, the Secret Cult gathered around the stone altar.
The Cult Leader proclaimed in a thunderous tone: "We must locate the ancient temple before the First Host reclaims his buried memories!"
A hooded cultist voiced concern: "And what if the police reach the ruins before us?"
The Leader grinned maliciously:
"Then... kill all the witnesses."
Night - Banaras.
Thanks to the shared tour operator, all student groups arrived at the same spacious hotel near the sacred Ghats in Varanasi.
The room allocations were arranged side-by-side:
Middle Room: Occupied by Harsh, Varun, and Veer.
Right Room: Occupied by Chandni and Divya.
Left Room (Adjacent to Harsh's room): Occupied by Natasha, Nisha, and Seema.
Exhausted from travel, everyone quickly fell asleep.
At midnight, Harsh was drawn into another vivid nightmare. He stood once again before the ruined ancient Shiva temple. But this time... standing before the central Shivling was a 10-foot-tall shadowed figure. His face was swallowed by absolute darkness.
The towering shadow spoke in a deep, booming voice that vibrated through Harsh's soul:
"You are too late, Harsh... they have already found the temple."
GASPPP!
Harsh bolted upright in bed, gasping for air, drenched in cold sweat! His friends slept soundly beside him.
As Harsh swung his legs over the edge of the mattress, his eyes landed on the white wall adjacent to his bed. His blood ran ice-cold!
Etched clearly across the white wall were fresh, muddy human footprints, leading directly from the window right up to the side of his bed!
Who wrote 'THANK YOU' to Natasha?
Was it Mahakaal's sleeping consciousness acknowledging her trust, or is he preparing her for an impending threat?
When will Natasha and Harsh face each other? With their hotel rooms situated right next door to each other, their confrontation is now only a matter of time!
Why did the 10-foot shadow figure say "You are too late, Harsh... they have already found the temple"? Has the Cult breached the ancient sanctuary before Harsh or Inspector Amar could reach it?
What is happening in Harsh's life? Whose muddy footprints were etched near his bed?
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD