July 1995

A year later, around the same time as Payal and Vishwas's death, it was time to put the plan in motion. He had challenged the court's decision. He had appealed to the high court. He had made life miserable for all those involved. 

Mahendra stood under the Mango tree, him and Payal had played under as kids. "It's time." He glanced up to the heavens and sighed. "Its time I pay you back for all the Rakhi's you tied me over all these years. Its time I fulfil every oath I took as your brother."

___

At the girls hostel at SJS Medical college, life had resumed back to normal. Naseem was back without raising any suspicion but so were Raima and Vikram and Freddie and Akshay. They hadn't been bullying anyone recently. But they were lying low, everyone knew. They would soon strike again and go back to their former bullying ways.

However the snobbish attitude still remained.

"Warden Ma'am, I have a water leak in the roof of my room," Raima stood at the warden's desk and ranted. "Get it sorted please."

"The rains are heavy. We won't be able to fix it in this season. I'll send you a bucket. Keep it where it leaks."

"What?" Raima rolled her eyes at the warden. "Do you know who my dad is?"

"Hey, don't give me that attitude, alright?" The warden warned her with a glare. "Get lost now...go get your rich dad to come sort the roof for you. Stop wasting my time."

Raima grimaced to herself, she wanted to get the warden sacked. But her father wasn't in the city at the moment and right now she had to find a solution.

"Is there any other room I can move into?"

The warden ignored her at first.

"Ma'am...Okay, I am sorry for what I said. Please help me now." And I'll sort you later b****, Raima thought twisting her mouth.

"You can move in with Naaz."

"Yuk, what?" Raima scrunched her face. "I cannot share my room with anyone, alright? At least, not with that slime ball."

The warden glanced at her with hate.

"Have you seen the amount of oil she wears in her hair...and her fashion sense....Yuk!" Raima felt sick just at the thought of sharing her room with anyone let along Naaz.

The warden pondered over all the entries in her register.

"Hmm....in that case there is only option." She glanced up at Raima again from behind her glasses. "But I don't know if you would want to take it ."

"What option?"

"Payal Bhatnagar, her room is available."

Raima bit into her lip and deliberated on the Warden's words. Payal's room, a shiver ran down her spine. But that was the only option now.

"I'll take it."

"Are you sure? Naseem was saying she has seen Payal's....."

"I'll take it. Have it cleaned for me. I want to move in an hour."

The warden nodded. Tears pricked her eyes as soon as Raima left. Payal's sweet smiling face flashed before her eyes but she quickly blinked her tears and called the peon to get the room cleaned.

__

It was eleven at night. Raima turned off the lights and slipped into her covers. It was a humid night, she decided to leave the balcony door open. The room still gave her shudders but she didn't believe in spirits and ghosts. Payal hadn't been able to lift a finger upon her while she was alive, how exactly could she hurt her now that she was dead? She chuckled to herself and closed her eyes.

Turning to her side, she clung tight to her sheet and slipped into deep sleep even before she realised.

Hum tum ek kamare main band ho, A distant hum filtered into the room. Raima woke up in a jolt. She wasn't sure what time it was. But she had been in deep sleep she knew. 

Hum tum ek kamare main band ho, the song played again. Sweat beaded on her forehand and shivers ran down her spine. But the song hummed again and again and she sat up straight. Goosebumps pricked all over her body and she frantically searched for the lights.

But there was a power cut, she realised as soon as she pressed the buttons. Her throat was parched, she needed a drink and perhaps some fresh air.

Getting out of her bed, she helped helped herself to a glass of water on her table and slowly ambled towards the open balcony. Rain kept pounding against the balcony wall. But she got closer to the edge and frowned. The street lights were on, she noticed along with a few lights twinkling from the other rooms.

There was a power cut just in her room, how? Her heart gripped in her chest. Just then she heard a hum and turned around. Something fluttered in the dark in her room. A chill crept down her spine.

"Wh...who is it?" she stuttered and peeked into the room. It was a dark cloudy night. The rain was heavy outside. Her room was so dark it was impossible to see anything. She narrowed her eyes to focus her vision. 

Something moved again and she shrieked.

"Who...Who.." She stepped closer. And there she saw... a figure in a white gown. Payal Bhatnagar.

Blood drained from Raima's body and she trembled in fear. But her gaze remained glued upon the glowy white phantom before her.

Payal's skin was pale and white, her hair a tumbled mess and her lips blood red. But her eyes....her blood red eyes sent Raima screaming for help.

"Help," she leaned over the balcony and screamed. "Help." But her screams were drowned in the howling wind and the thundering rain.

"Hum tum Ek Kamare main band ho." The radio blared out loud of its own accord. Raima glanced towards the spectre and screamed again. The song made sense, she was trapped, trapped in a room with Payal's ghost. There was nowhere to run now, she was standing on the other side of the room, away from the door.

"Nahi, Payal...please don't hurt me," Raima wailed. "Please...please. Please leave me alone."

But the apparition with blood red eyes glared at her without once blinking.

"No...no, don't please. I am sorry...I am sorry. I will confess to my crimes. I will tell them I was responsible for everything...please..please let me go."

Suddenly there was a loud thunder and lightning. Raima screamed. There was a shrill scream from inside the room at the same time and the apparition in her flowy white gown charged towards her in full speed.

The song continued to play.

Raima screamed again and leaned back over the edge of the balcony. Her legs slipped on the wet puddle of water on the floor. She screamed again. But she slipped and lost her balance. She fell backwards from over the edge of the balcony.

A blood-curdling scream tore her throat as she fell down the building. But her gaze remained stuck upon the spectre that stopped at the edge and smiled at her with evil.

"Hum tum ek kamare main band ho...." That was that last thing Raima heard, as her head hit the ground in a thud and a crack. 

________

8th July, 1995

Vikram Sanyal shivered in his skin as soon as Raima's horrified face flashed on the television screen. She had thrown herself from the balcony just like Payal had. But why and how? And was it a mere coincidence she had moved the previous day to Payal's room? He felt a chill in his blood but he had others things to worry about at the moment. He had just come back from a well deserved holiday in the mediterranean, but had learnt Payal's brother had made an appeal to the High court. The nightmare wasn't over yet.

Add to that Freddie wanted them to confess for their crimes and come clean. He had been threatening to go to the police for quite some time now. And now he had a call from the drug dealers asking for payment. 

Nightmare, his life had turned into a nightmare

"Vicky bhai, do something." Akshay sniffed some of the white powder in front of him. "Please get us out of this mess. On one side Rana and his men have threatened to chop us to pieces and throw us to their dogs and on the other hand this Freddie bhai wants us to go to the police"

"We didn't kill them both, lets just say we bullied them and get away with this," Freddie tried to explain himself.

"Just shut up, alright?" Vikram glared at him. "This is a matter of the political career of my father."

Freddie sighed heavily. He just wanted a closure to everything. "I had warned you not to do it."

"Stop it...its done now. We never thought they would kill themselves. Its not our fault...now stop feeling guilty."

"Bhai, just keep mum for a few more days," Akshay pleaded. "I am sure once elections are over, Sanyal uncle will sort that Mahendra Bhatnagar once and for all."

Freddie pursed his lips and looked away.

"Teek hai, you both go underground for now and stay safe from Rana's men. I'll get dad to transfer some money in my account and get this sorted."

Vikram took his camera and his bagpack and got up to his feet.

"Par bhai, where are we meant to go?"

"My father owns a farmhouse on the fringes of Chandrapur forest reserve. Stay there for a few days. I'll come get you."

Freddie and Akshay too gathered their stuff and followed him out the club. It was a little after sunset. The farmhouse was about an hour's drive from where they were. Probably if they hit the road they could make it before dark.

"Our servant Ramu is there...talk to him, say my name. He'll sort you out." 

Vicky got into his car and drove towards the city. He first had to make a phone call to his father and organise for the funds. But he also had to keep himself safe from the goons. Just then as he turned onto the main road, his gaze froze upon a shadow on the other side of the street. There was a man glaring at him without once blinking his eyes. Vikram felt a chill down his spine as he stared at the shadow. He had seen him before. Was it? But how? But the rains were heavy and his vision was blurred. Just then the truck behind him honked forcing him out of his trance.

Glancing behind, he put his foot to the pedal again and drove off. Perhaps it was just his imagination. 

__

On their way to the farmhouse, Freddie and Akshay stopped to collect dinner from a local restaurant. Akshay went down to use the bathroom but when he returned he found Freddie shake his hands with a police officer. Akshay narrowed his gaze and studied his friend with intent. Freddie was filthy rich. But he was also their weakest link. Vikram had always been worried about Freddie spilling the beans to the cops regarding the Payal murder case. And right now they were carrying drugs with them. Was he informing the police about their gang and their crimes? 

But he watched the police officer, pat Freddie on his back. "Okay...In an hour't time," the policeman said and left.

"Hi, all good?" Akshay finally crept closer to Freddie as he paid for the food at the counter.

"Yeah, all good."

Akshay furrowed his brows. His friend failed to mention the inspector to him. Why?

The rest of the drive to the farmhouse was a quiet one. Akshay glanced at his friend every two minutes. What was his friend hiding from him? He kept glancing behind, certain they were being followed. He could see a pair of headlights at a distance behind them. The vehicle had been following them ever since they left the restaurant. Either it was a police jeep or it was the goons seeking their money.

But soon the farmhouse came into view and they drove into the safe secluded estate.

"Ramu," Akshay banged on the door once they parked their vehicle and made it to the main door.

"Ramu, open the door."

Shivers ran down Akshay's spine and the torrential rainfall wasn't helping the situation.

The door finally opened and a middle-aged man stood on the other side.

"Ramu, we are Vicky's friend, we need to spend a night here."

The man held the door open and nodded at them.

"Bring us chai. We have collected dinner but make some fresh rotis."

"Jee." Ramu showed them to their room. Although it was a large farmhouse with tens of bedrooms, Akshay insisted he wanted to share a room with Freddie. He felt unsafe, he said. But he wanted to keep a close watch on his friend.

Once Freddie decided to go freshen up, Akshay quickly check his bag. There wasn't anything suspicious in the first glance. 

But something thick and pointy knocked against his fingers when he checked again. 

Carefully peeling a inner hidden flap, he gasped. It was a fully loaded revolver, hidden inside. He removed it with shaky hands, it was just like the one his father had. But why was Freddie carrying a gun, he asked himself? Was it for self defence or did he plan on hurting him?

He quickly hid the gun under his pillow, just in case, and went back to shuffling through the bag. But then he found an envelope.

Glancing towards the bathroom door with furtive eyes, he peeled open the envelope and gasped. It was a legal document stating Freddie had agreed to testify against Vikram and Akshay in exchange for a milder punishment.

The words danced and spun in front of Akshay's eyes. So this was Freddie's plan, he realised. He had been very quiet lately. He had even suggested they come clean and confess to their crimes. But he hadn't expected he would join hands with the police and testify against them.

Rage coursed through Akshay's veins and he grabbed the gun. He wouldn't go to prison. He was the Principal's son. 

Freddie stepped out of the bathroom clad in a towel but gasped in horror to find Akshay holding a gun up to him while waving a document in another hand.

"You bloody cheat, you double crosser." Akshay growled. 

"What?" Freddie glanced between the gun and the letter in confusion.

"I know what your plan is. You want to testify against us, you want to get us caught, don't you?"

"What are you talking about? And put that gun down. Where did you find it?"

"In your bag...you b******. You spoke to that Inspector...I know you game. You cannot run from me."

"That Inspector was asking for directions....I have never seen him...."

"Shut up," Akshay yelled at the top of his voice. Just at that moment a music played on the radio outside their room.

"Hum Tum Ek kamare main band ho..."

Akshay glared at Freddie. It was that same song. That song had scarred him too. It sent shivers every time he heard it.

"Listen Akshay, calm down," Freddie took a step closer.

"Don't move or I'll shoot."

"No..don't. You have got it all wrong...yes I want us to confess but.."

The door bell rang. Akshay shivered and glared at Freddie in shock. It had been an hour. 

"Who is it? Is it the police?"

Akshay pressed his finger on the trigger.

"Akashay stop." Freddie pounced towards the door seeing how paranoid Akshay looked. He wanted to run. But Akshay pressed the trigger. There was one loud gun shot. 

Turning around in horror, Freddie slumped to the floor. A bullet had passed through his back and out of his chest, right where his heart was. 

Akshay shrieked again in horror. But the door opened just then. Ramu stood outside in horror. He shut the door and locked it from the outside.

"Let out...let me out." Akshay yelled and pounded on the door. But it was bolted shut. Ten minutes later he heard police sirens. He glanced at Freddie's body again. 

The song continued to play somewhere in the distance.

___

Vicky sped down the slippery road. He glanced back through his rear mirror every two minutes, certain a jeep was following him. It had to be Rana and his men. He couldn't afford to take the main road just in case they caught up with him. As soon as he got to the crossroads he decided to turn left onto the side road and merge later into the main highway five miles down the road.

Once he took a sharp turn to his left, he drove in full speed and swerved again sharp to his right. The tyres screeched but he turned to his left. He had to get to the farmhouse before nightfall. His father had been unreachable but the farmhouse was secluded. No one would ever trace them to the farmhouse, he knew.

But just then there was a tree lying across the road. He screeched his vehicle to a halt. The rain had picked now. It was not longer a light drizzle but a heavy downpour. Wiping his sweat he glanced around and decided to make the right turn he had missed earlier. He had never been down that route but perhaps it would lead him towards the highway.

He turned around and the took the right. Thankfully he had lost his tail much to his relief. 

But ten minutes later, he realised he had hit the jungle road and was driving deeper and deeper into the thick forest. D*****, he muttered under his breath and drove in full speed while glancing into his rear view mirror every five seconds. It was darker here, shrouded under the canopy of lush green evergreens. The road was muddy and slippery. The rain had gotten worse. His visibility had considerably reduced.

It was hot and humid despite the rains and sweat poured down his forehead while his heart pounded in his chest. Where had he got himself? If only he had served around the tree, he thought.

He didn't know much longer till he reached civilisation again. But he had to get out of this eerie inky void soon. 

Putting his foot to the pedal, he sped down the road. He wiped his face again and suddenly out in the dark night, around the bend, a grey boulder came onto his view out of the blue.

He stomped on his brakes, forcing the vehicle to screech to a halt. But the mud road was soft and slippery and the wheels skidded in the wet gooey slurry and rammed right into the boulder with a loud crash.

The force of the crash, sent him jolting out of his seat and right through the wind screen shattering it to pieces all around him. He howled in pain as his head crashed into the glass. The vehicle shuddered to a halt. He whined and whimpered. But the rain splattered all over him like sharp needles.

He could taste blood in his mouth and could barely move his body.

But forcing himself to find his balance, he slowly crept out of the front of the vehicle and slipped down the bonnet. He head felt dizzy and disorientated at first but he leaned against the bonnet for sometime while the rain rained all over him mercilessly.

Wiping his face, he glanced towards the bonnet to see how bad the damage was. The bonnet was crushed along with the engine. He could smell fumes and the engine rattled and shuddered. There was no hope now. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by an eerie jungle infested with wild animals of every kind.

It was a tiger reserve, he remembered suddenly with a shudder. Shivers ran down his spine sending chills to his heart. Where had he trapped himself? he thought in fear. It was eerily quiet with nothing but the sound of his own thumping heart and the raging rain breaking the perfect quiet.

Suddenly her heard a roar and he shrieked and glanced around in fear. He had to run, he knew. There was no way he could hide in his car now that it was ruined with the wind screen fully damaged leaving a gaping hole into the vehicle.

Gathering himself, he searched around to see which way to take. A dim flickering glow of light appeared at the distance. His heart leapt in joy. It could be the forest guard patrolling booth, he thought to himself and made a run. But he howled again as soon as the pain in his thigh clutched at him. 

A thick shard of glass had slicked through his thigh. He yelped. Blood spluttered down