The Turn Of The Night

Chapter 6

Aarush and Darsh were walking down the streets to their house. School had just ended and still now Aanya and Ishyaa had not spoken to them. Both Aarush and Darsh had gloomy thoughts on how to go on with their plan of sneaking out of their house at night and go to the graveyard and that too without the two girls.

'Umm Darsh, never say this … but we need them bud , we are hopeless without those two..' Aarush accepted. 'Yeah….' sniffed Darsh. 'So have you given any thoughts on how we sneak out at night.' he asked. 'Well yeah … everyone goes to bed at 11 O'clock and normally I can hear my grandpa snoring by midnight. So if luck favours I guess I will be out of my house by 1 O'clock.' Aarush contemplated. 'I am lucky there you know… I got my rooms on the ground floor so when everyone's asleep' I can jump through the window and scale the wall and Booyah I am out!!' exclaimed Darsh. 'Okay so we meet at the Avenue by 1:30… once I am outside i am going to text you ..same goes for you…' Aarush said. 'Okay ...hey bring some food ..I am gonna bring some chips and munchies...kays? asked Darsh. 'Do you realize that we are going to find a ghost which if seen, according to you grandpa's diary, signifies a ghost exodus, huh? And we aren't going there for a party ?'Aarush exclaimed 'But yeah good idea… i am gonna bring something awesome..'he continued. Both of them grinned as they parted ways at a dissection of the street.

Aarush went for a nap after finishing his lunch and taking a bath as fast as he could with staying up a whole night in view. He woke up at 6 O' clock in the evening. 'Slept through snacks again, I suppose, nothing makes your grandpa more angry.' said gran with a crossed look. 'Ooohh , what a nice scent is coming from the tea gran, and woaaahhh egg sandwich with butter and pickle along with chocolate chips… you are the best gran ever…' Aarush said pleasantly as his eyes fell upon the tray his gran carried. 'Thanks sweetheart… now go wash your face and finish it up ..' his gran replied with a smile and went back to her work.

Aarush ate a quarter of everything and packed most of the food items in cans and the tea in the thermos. He also packed two cans of mango juice. It was clearly evident that the boys were indeed hopeless without the girls accompanying them…..

After the dinner Aarush went back to his room and intently listened to the sounds as he lay on his bed. Firstly his grandpa locked the doors and bolted the windows, then blew out the lights and finally went to bed. The clock struck midnight soon enough. And some time later he could hear his grandpa snoring.

Now was the most difficult part. Aarush slung his backpack on his shoulder and walked tiptoed down the stairs. He then proceeded towards the cupboard where the keys were usually kept. Once or twice he could hear his grandpa cough from his room upstairs but he remained asleep. Every tiny sound he produced made his whole body shiver. Finally he came upon the keys. He then went to the backdoor and opened the door to the garden as silently as he could and put on his shoes and stepped into his garden. The moon shone brightly and there was not a single trace of clouds. The aroma of the hibiscus and roses drifted in the garden and intoxicated him. Far away from the forest he could hear the howls of wolves and dogs while the night birds screeched. Cautiously he made his way through the bushes to the part of the wall where the height was comparatively lower. With one jump and a thrust he was able to scale up the wall and jumped down on the other side of his house. Aarush had successfully sneaked out. He was delighted and took out his phone to check the time. It was 1:22 a.m . Only eight minutes were left to the proposed time when he and Darsh would meet. Aarush quickly texted about his escapade to Darsh and sprinted with light steps towards the Aurangzeb Avenue. Except for him, there was not another soul on the streets and the bright street lights gave an eerie feeling. Unnerved, Aarush raced down the alleys and corners and made it to the Avenue just in time.

Darsh waved Aarush as he saw his friend dashing towards him. He had already arrived ten minutes earlier. 'Okay where's the cop?' he taunted Aarush. 'Stop your silly jokes,' heaved Aarush, 'You brought your freaking bicycle too' he said as he stared in wonder at Darsh's bicycle. 'Yeah a tiny thought crept into me … a bicycle is a faster means of transport when being chased by ghosts..' he laughed. 'How the heck did you manage it huh?' Aarush sighed. ' I threw it down the fences by my house. Thank god it's still okay…' Darsh replied blankly. ' Whatever… five minutes passed already… lets go ..gotta reach home before four' Aarush said as he jumped on the carrier of Darsh's cycle. ' Hey buddy see that you don't crunch my bag there I got chips and coke you know…'Darsh spoke as he started pedaling towards the graveyard. 'Ghosts and spirit...beware… here we come.' he joked.

The spooky silence combined with misty fogs created terrifying scenery. One could only hear the 'tsk tsk' sound of pedaling as the two boys rode down the street taking a sharp turn.

'Okay here we are..' Aarush said as the boys reached the graveyard. 'Those girls would have freaked out surely' he continued as they got down from the cycle. The large banyan tree with its many roots created a shadow, enough to give chills to a grown man. The two kids were frightened by the appearance of the night but did not let it out.

'Here we go…' Darsh said as he pushed open the fenced gate to the graveyard. It opened with a creepy 'crreeeaakkk' as an icy gust of wind blew upon their face….