In the darkness

Untitled Episode

                                       IN THE DARKNESS

                                     Most people get fear of the darkness

                                                           CHAPTER 1

      In the darkroom, Richa was sleeping. She was habitual to take rest in the full darkness. She always had a nightmare when she used to get sleep in deep darkness. On this night also, she had a nightmare and when she woke up, she ran away towards her parent’s room. She knocked on the door usually at midnight when she got afraid.

Jenny(Richa’s mother), “who is there?”

Richa Screamed, “mummy can you open the door, please!”

‘O My God, again you’d dreamed” Jenny said in her mouth, always disturbing our sleep, peace, and routine.

Richa didn’t bother to hear her mother and turned towards her father ‘John’.

      ‘Dad’ ‘dad’ ‘dad’

John tried to ease her by saying, hey my daughter don’t’ worry, I am with you as always. Come and sleep with us.

Jenny again tried to say something to her as she would at least turn on one light so as would not be scared when you are sleeping.

Richa cut her words by saying, ‘Mummy please can you stop this. After this, they all were on one bed and got sleep. 

The next morning, Richa woke up and saw herself in her parents’ room. She rubbed her eyes and said to his father, “How I am being here?” 

John as usual smiled at her question, said Good morning! Let’s go for breakfast, Your mummy is there to wait for both of us. Richa surprised mummy… wait? Ok dad let's go

On the table, Good morning mummy, Jenny greeted angrily, Morning! Have a seat and take breakfast. Mummy had not taken rest properly so her mood was completely off.

Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. Who came too early, asked mummy? 

“I think Nick is there and I have to go with him to the university”, said Richa.

She addressed her dad by saying she’d be late today because she has planned to have dinner with her friends. Dad had not any object and allowed her to spend time with her friends as she would be getting fresh.

Dad turned towards jenny and angrily used harsh words for her; you are my daughter’s stepmother although you are always mistreated to her. What had you done last night with her, you would welcome her in the room in this condition when you saw her in a scared position. You had not cared for her….

Jenny cut his words and says, “I am completely exhausted from you and your daughter. You both need a psychiatrist”.

Dad, “You are a thankless lady, I did a lot for you in my life but you never say thanks to me for once”. Then he left for the office and shut the main door with bash.

Richa sat in the car with Nick where already two of their friend sat in the back seat of the car. One of them was Messi and the other was Tolly. Richa always feels comfortable in the company of these three. And they all are aware the Richa’s fear and her nightmare.

Messi, Hey Richa, after university, we had to plan to hang out and have dinner as well. They all shouted yay, yay, yay. That’s a fantastic idea! Is it so Richa? Tolley asked to her

Yes, Of course, I feel too comfortable with you people. By The way, today I want to get freshen up and take breathe in the outside environment. At Least I have to get relief from going back to my own home which is full of dreadful for me. I feel that there is something wrong at my home; I feel someone notices me all the time, but no one was there then what was it? That is my illusion? IS it true?

Three of her friends just listened to her and said nothing to her and tried to divert her attention. Hey, we reached the main door of the university, and we were too busy talking as we had not come to know the traveling distance. 

They got the entire lecture and were free from spreading the darkness. Finally, they all went to the best cuisine for dinner. They did the order and started talking to each other about exams days would become soon then they all were be prepared fully and would decide to plan combine studies. WaiterThe waiter presented the delicious dinner and they all had full fledge and after having the dinner they were decided to have ice cream but Richa was to go to the washroom. She excused with her friends and went to the washroom which was easily visible at the right corner of the table but to take eight to ten steps.

When Richa locked the washroom inside, suddenly the light was gone and she feels that someone hold his hand with a grip and don’t leave her hand, she screamed too loudly, please help me, please help me. She called her friend's name too, Nick, Tolley, Messi please come and help me. Her three friends who were waiting for the ice cream heard Richa’s crying voice; they ran towards the washroom portion and suddenly stopped her screams. They unlock the door by asking the authority to break or to unlock it with another safety key so they all found her consciousness in the washroom. Nick had escorted her to the car and they went to the hospital where her blood pressure was checked which was too high and medical staff gave her medical assistance.

The Doctor briefed them that she is sick and our medical staff is recommended to you to check her by a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, the nurse came outside and said to them the patient is consciousness now. You people meet her and after two hours she would be discharged. Some medicine was prescribed to her by the doctor then they left for the room where she was admitted.

Hey Nick, Tolley, and Messi where you were all? I asked for help but you people had not come to my help.

CHAPTER 2

They all were looking at her because she had not felt well and repeated her question frequently to them then they all were trying to ease her, Richa doesn’t worry now we all are here. Relax, relax

But Richa was full of tears in her eyes and repeated the same, Where were you all?

Nick touched her shoulder and said, Richa, are you feeling well?

Had we gone to your home to drop you?

What were you planning to go home back? She had not been able to say something, just looked at all of them with tears in her eyes. Please, Guys, help me out; tell me who was in the washroom when you people had been come me out?

Her friends told her that no one was there; you were alone and that is only your allusion and nothing else, why don’t you understand it?

You'd be sick day by day if you think so all the time.

Meanwhile, the nurse came inside the room and asked them to clear the bills as the discharge slip is ready. She would be discharged in the next ten minutes. When two hours passed, no one of us knows about it.

Might be possible, we all were worried and talking to each other. We had not calculated the time.

Nick went outside to clear the bills. After 15 minutes, he came back to the hospital room where Richa was, he found her in the standing position to go to her home back. Richa can I provide my shoulder to you for a walk, Nick asked her, replied no I am ok.

Firstly, Nick dropped Messi and Tolley at their homes, and when he was about to drop her off at her home. Nick already told her father about her condition so he would be mentally prepared to handle her.

Finally, they reached the home and did the doorbell, Dad opened the door quickly, he saw his daughter who is looking very thin and tiring. Hey, Richa, My baby are you fine?

She hardly replied, yes dad, don’t worry.

Dad invited Nick too to enter the home and have a cup of coffee with them. Nick nodded his head and went inside where Jenny was already in bad mood due to this trauma which is the daily routine matter.

Nick says, hello aunty… she hardly said hello1

John served the coffee to Nick and Richa who sat on the sofa in the living room; jenny went to her room because she had not liked Nick as well. After an hour, Jenny came out to think that Nick was gone back but still Nick was there. When Nick saw jenny, he quickly stood, left his seat, and asked uncle about to back to his home. John thought to stop Nick at this night with them because Richa felt comfortable in his company.

Jenny in a loud voice, what? Why did he have to stay with them, he would have to go back?

But John had not paid heed to her words and insisted to Nick to stay there.

Jenny angrily stepped back towards her room by babbling, what bullshit is going on in this home?

Nick finally nodded his head to stay there in their home just because of Richa. He cares about Richa a lot due to his best friend with her.

On One side, Dad could not sleep all night due to his daughter; he worried that how his daughter would live a normal life. When she would come back to life? On the other side, Nick thought all night what would be the major cause of her condition, does her mother become the cause of this trauma or something else? Were her dreams? Was she is lonely to get fear from darkness?

Finally, the whole night passed by thinking the same thing. He spent the whole night sitting near the window side. The beam of sunlight came to the home then Jenny woke up and rubbed her eyes saw John in sad condition greeted, Good morning!

John who was in deep thoughts answer his wife’s greeting, Good morning!

“I am going to get freshen up then we will have breakfast”, Said jenny to John.

John left his seat and came downstairs to see his daughter; he came to her room and found her in the washroom. He called by her name, Richa “R u there?

“Yes, Dad I just be back,” Said Richa

She came outside from the washroom, Hey dad, too early you are here. Anyhow, Good morning!

Dad was looking too fresh by seeing her daughter in a fresh mood, Says Good morning to her. Let’s have breakfast together, asked dad to Richa.

“Of course dad” Richa replied.

Meanwhile, someone knocked on the door, Richa asked, “who is there”?

“This is me, Richa, Said Nick.

Dad opened the door quickly and asked him to come inside. Nick was also excited to see Richa which was looking too fresh. That’s nice Richa, abruptly slipped from his mouth.

“I am happy to see you in this smiling face, Thank God, You are looking fine and fresh” John directly said to her.

Then they all were moving towards the table where already jenny waited for them to join her. John by seeing her being confused and said to John, Can I leave sir please, I am getting late. He could not complete his sentence, Jenny offered for breakfast to him, stood, and dragged the chair for her.

‘O my dear’ have a seat. Nick was completely shocked over her reaction and compares her behavior with the last night’s harsh tone but he sat on the chair and had breakfast with them.

After breakfast, he wanted to go back but today Richa was not ready to go to university. Her parents were agreeing with her decision. She might be taking a rest at home today.

Nick says, Goodbye to all and left her home.

A mummy who sat near to the next chair with Richa talked to her by giving the medicine. My dear take your medicine after breakfast and get some more rest and after having lunch we would go together for shopping. What do you say?

CHAPTER 3

Richa was thinking about what to say to mummy and then she said to her that ok after getting after we will go together shopping. After finishing her breakfast she took medicine and then turned towards her room for taking a rest more.

When she went to her room, she could not get sleep, her eyes were opened and she was just in deep thoughts about herself and then her room door was knocked. She opened the door without asking, too, Tolley and Messi, she seemed happy to see both of them. Please come inside to my room. They entered the room and inquired about her condition. She elaborated to them that she is feeling very good than before.

Richa suddenly weeps bitterly in front of them. Her friends worried about her and asked the matter. She told to them she had not worried about her dreams only but the memories of her childhood too. She said them after the death of her mother, her stepmother had not left a single chance to hurt her and was too afraid of her. She hated me from the start. Even in my childhood, children need their parents, especially the mothers which are closed to their daughters. But you know she always used to shut me in the darkroom where I had to stay there for about hours. When dad would around to come, mummy took me out from the darkroom in bad condition, sometimes in an unconscious state, sometimes in weeping condition, and sometimes when I could be completely silent.

Mummy behaved normally in front of dad but I could be silent, not to speak a single word because she threatened me not to share anything with dad. And I was scared from the darkroom not to say anything to dad and always hide the real story. My fear multiplied with the passing days. There were no limitations or marginalization to keep me in the darkroom but always in the dad’s absence. The time passed speedily. Things were the same routinely. I took it in the routine matter. It became one of the major reasons to be afraid of the darkness.

One day, dad came earlier according to his routine. He had not found me at the home but he found mummy to watch the tv in the living room. He inquired about me with her. She worried to reveal about me. She had not known where I was. She told to dad. But dad guessed from her tone that something is fishy. She was hiding something, he learned from her tone and her face turned confused. The room in she mostly shut me in the basement and the door of the basement was opened from the upstairs portion so dad guesses I m here. He called me by my name, Richa, Richa, Where are you?

Come out, the mummy was with dad called me too, Richa, Richa… Dad was outside the room and just opened it, there was full of darkness. He turned on the lights and found me in an unconscious state. He had held me in his arms and took me to his room. He had called the doctor. A doctor came soon and examined Richa. He had the brief to dad that her blood pressure is too down but I gave her an injection, she would get well soon.

Dad saw off the doctor at the room door and didn’t take a risk to leave her daughter with jenny.

He just starred at jenny and asked her to leave him alone with his daughter. He was completely enraged over her behavior but he did not come to know that years had passed by her doing such so. Mummy was trying to say something to dad but dad was not willing to even a single word from her mouth. He repeatedly used his words again ‘Leave’ ‘Leave’

Jenny came out of the room and started thinking when Richa came to her senses as she revealed the truth in front of his father.

After an hour, Richa just opened her eyes to see her dad who was sitting on the chair beside her. Richa, my daughter, what were you doing in that dark room. She was about to say something but could not… Dad again asked her to tell him the truth.

Richa just said, years had passed now that mummy did so. What? Dad screamed too loudly.

I could not believe that you didn’t tell her father, why?

Dad the same is repeated from the last three years and my fear multiplied day by day. Even I had no stamina to share this thing with you. Dad’s face turned red over her behavior.

Dad embraced me in his arms and I felt tears on his face. I wiped his tears and tried to ease him. On the contrary, he used sympathy words for me and gave me medicines.

I asked dad to leave me in my room, I wanted to take a rest in my room. Dad did so.

I came to my room, lay down on the bed, and got deep slumber.

At the midnight, my eyes opened and I again started to look into the matter, I told to dad everything, could I do right or wrong. Yet, she was thinking like that, she heard the loud voice of his dad who was screaming at mummy. I hardly got up from the bed and came towards my parents' room. Dad was crying continuously and I got afraid what would happen now?

She stepped back towards her room and wept bitterly. It was all because of me. I would have to keep this thing confidential. Now, mummy would react too harshly with me. She would award me strict punishment. When she again got sleep, she did not know.

Her eyes opened with the sunlight rays which are coming from the window side. She hardly left her bed and turned towards the washroom, meanwhile, her door was knocked.

“Who is there”? She asked.

 Richa This is me, your mummy.