The Turn Of The Night

Chapter 12

Rough tree barks, icy cold winds, smell of wildflowers, pine, fallen branches, kiss of fallen leaves, knobby roots underneath, tickle of hanging moss, spider web strands on skin, soft…

The appealing scenery of the enchanted place intoxicated Darsh. He felt he was straight away transported to his best fantasies, the place , the woods , the stream ...he always wished to go.

' Aarush, bud, this is real?' Darsh asked. 'Yes bro… it's amazing isn't it?' Aarush replied. Although he had previously seen the beauty of the place but he too was amazed.

Both the boys walked towards the clear stream, their feet making a shallow impression on the moss. The crystal water reflected their face. They could even see to the depths of the stream … it was hardly a metre deep. Twisted trunks occasionally curved into the water which were clunged by creepers and weeds. The smell of wildflowers drifted from the weeds.

'Lets rest.. ' Aarush said as he sat near the edge of the stream with his feet dangling in the waters. 'Absolutely' Darsh replied as he set his backpack apart and flopped down on the earth, the moss cushioning his fall. He plucked out some flowers from a nearby plant and breathed in its heavenly aroma.

'Hey Aarush, let's fill the bottles … we don't feel thirsty but we must need water right.' Darsh asked as he took his bottle out of the backpack. Aarush nodded and copied his movements.Both folded their jeans to knee level and cautiously got down in the stream. The water was icy cold, but strangely gave them warmth.

Darsh took out a handful of water and splashed on Aarush's face. Aarush giggled and sploshed water back on Darsh. In a moment both of them were engaged in a water fight in the middle of the realm of dead wetting each other with the icy cold water…forgetting everything about their current state.

'Nahhh bro, my shirts soaking damn.' Aarush grieved. 'Yeah dude same here...it was damn fun' Darsh replied as he stacked the filled bottles in his backpack.

Both of them were now sitting across the stream bed. 'I can't walk anymore like this Darsh.. what about staying here for a bit hah?.' Aarush said. 'Yup I was thinking the same thing..' Darsh replied. 'Hmm' Aarush said as he sprawled himself on the soft moss.

'So… there are some rules here isn't it ?' Darsh asked dreamily. 'Rules?' replied Aarush. 'Yeah like you don't feel thirsty, you don't feel hungry, you don't feel pain...there's not a moving living thing around here and there's this sweet wind always blowing here and the beautiful and elegant atmosphere...so much alike but so much different.' Darsh sighed. 'Yeah, feeling no pain and hunger … i think that's the way things are here...but it's not that we don't feel anything right? We do feel emotions, we do feel cold when we dipped in the water, the wind strikes a cool gust across our face… we do feel .' Aarush replied. 'Yeah….' Darsh's voice trailed off.

*************

The place was enamoured with bright light...white, calm, peaceful, not a single soul in sight...not even Darsh.

The setting changed though, it became dark, horrid, terrifying, black. Aarush stood still in the place where he had been. A orb of bright light came across and devoured the dark silence. Mists spread around choking Aarush which slowly took the shape of a young girl...someone Aarush knew ...Canisa…

'Aarush..' she spoke. Her tone shrivelled but clearly audible. Aarush, this time, was no longer gripped by fear. 'You brought us here, what is this place…. If what you said was true then where the heck are other spirits… Did you abandon us? Or are we dead? Are we the spirits of ourselves?' he yelled.

'Calm down dear boy, I can understand. But what I said was true.' Canisa replied. 'Then where are the ghosts? Where were you? Why can't we feel a thing? Why was Darsh so far away from me hah? Reply!!' Aarush continued.

'Aarush you must remember , the link is fading...which means my power too is not what was before. As a matter of fact I had already used a lot of my energy going to your realm. When I sent you both, my power was already fading… hence you were separated ...but you did find each other didn't you?' She spoke.

'Thanks to you...that.' Aarush said grudgingly. 'What do you mean?' Canisa asked. 'You showed me the way, the bright orb of light?' Aarush replied. 'Orb of light? No, I don't have the power to summon an aura, it wasn't me… my power is being sapped out.' Canisa said. 'What do you mean it wasn't you, who was it then?' asked Aarush. ' I do not boy, help comes scarce, accept whatever comes your way….and by the end...you will face your worst fears, your worst nightmare...be prepared.' Canisa warned.

'So is it true then? All this?' Aarush wandered. 'Yes boy, it is, the link, indeed is being broken and that is the cause you do not see any spirits around. They are in a slumber. However their energies are still intact..at least as of now. But be aware, there are some strong spirits, those who cling to this place, those who still have feelings… they roam still now and if their phlegm touched your body, you will become one of us…'

'But….' Aarush's voice trailed off…

***********

Aarush jolted back and sat up with his spine straight. He was sweating profusely. He looked around...it was still dark...Darsh wasn't anywhere around him… not again..he thought.

'Darsh!!!' Aarush yelled..

Silence met him. Moments passed. Leaves crunched and Darsh emerged through a bush.

'Where the heck were you..idiot?' shouted Aarush. Darsh did not reply. Aarush looked closely at his face...his face was scrunched and fear hovered over his eyes.

'What?' asked Aarush. 'Voices don't you hear?' Darsh asked.

Aarush looked back and voices reached his ears...strange voices...of someone grieving in pain, crying , telling .. he couldn't hear it...he would collapse. He turned towards his best friend.

'Darsh, run!!!' Aarush whispered weakly as he picked up his backpack from the earth and both the boys raced along the bed of the stream...the voices still hearable.