Sharmishtha ran down the stairs and made her way to the north wing where everyone else was sitting. She didn't need to look back. Right now, safety was more important, she had hidden camera trails to tell her later what she felt. She was panting heavily, her anxiety was growing. After she felt assured that she was far away from the stairs and nobody was following her, she slowed down a bit. She was still gasping for breath. She tried taking long breaths but the cold made her chest feel heavy. The pain was prickling her. She was now cautiously walking towards the north wing when she suddenly heard footsteps coming her way. 'Dammit!' She gulped and hid behind the corner. She couldn't possibly take another way back. That would be too long and she would have to cross the stairs once again. She didn't have her torch with her. She had dropped it somewhere while running. The footsteps were getting closer. Suddenly, someone tapped Sharmishtha from behind, she was about to scream when someone covered her mouth strongly and whispered into her ears, "It's me."
"Arjun?" Sharmishtha whispered back as she was gasping for breath after Arjun had released her. "What are you doing here?"
"I went to have a look at our preparations. But, then I saw you run towards the south wing. So I followed but I couldn't keep up so I was returning then I saw you sneaking behind this corner. What's wrong? Did you find something fishy?"
"Wait a minute...what south wing? I was upstairs then I heard footsteps while coming down so I ran and was returning to the north wing where everyone else was when I heard footsteps..."
Sharmishtha's eyes widened. "Darn it! Footsteps! Someone was coming my way."
"But I don't hear anything. You sure you are alright?"
Sharmishtha looked down. "Actually I was coming down to take some medicines. I don't feel well. I have been stressed lately."
Arjun patted her back lightly. "Let's get to everyone else. I am not sure what you heard or saw but I definitely saw someone running towards the south wing. If it wasn't you then surely we are in trouble."
Arjun then guided Sharmishtha towards the north wing as only he had a torch. There was some noise in the distance like someone had been walking down the stairs. A creaky noise of a door opening. The atmosphere was turning into a horror episode from some movie. Arjun was clinging on to Sharmishtha as if she was the most valuable possession at the moment. Sharmishtha was having trouble walking, surely that run took a toll and the freezing weather was just adding trouble to her miseries. Still holding onto Arjun arm, Sharmishtha was walking carefully. She wasn't sure what she felt was true or not but Arjun's words made her shiver. Something wasn't sitting right. 'This couldn't actually be horror house, right?' she thought.
Suddenly, they heard a loud scream of a boy. "Rohan!" they exclaimed as they ran into the room. Rohan was on the floor. His face had turned pale and sweaty. He was pointing at the lake with his mouth open. The presence of fear was visible on his face. Roy had turned to him. "You alright boy?" he asked gently.
"There was someone...someone hanging by that tree. I swear I saw it!" exclaimed Rohan.
"You must have dreamed. Look again there isn't anything. You have already been sleepy. Come on have some water. I told you not to discuss these stories now." He then turned to Arjun and Sharmishtha. "Don't worry he and Ajay had been discussing the rumours around the mansion. It must have been the effect of that."
Ajay nodded in agreement. Arjun and Sharmishtha exchanged looks. 'They all couldn't possibly be dreaming or hallucinating. Something was surely happening around the house.'
"They need to leave," whispered Sharmishtha as she clenched Arjun's shirt. He nodded.
"Um...Roy, I think you three should leave. It's past midnight. The sun will rise soon so I think me and Sharmishtha can take it from here. You guys are clearly exhausted. Rohan looks a bit sick. I think it would be best if Ajay dropped both of you back at the hotel. We would come walking down in some time as well. I think we have spent enough time," stated Arjun gently as he casually poured some coffee for everyone. "Here take this while I pack up some stuff."
Three of them drank it while Ajay denied the coffee saying he had already had some so he would skip. Arjun took two sips as he put out the fire. It wasn't safe to leave it as it was. He then wrapped up some camera wires from the wall and noticed a little thing. It seemed like someone had tried to take it down before him. The ceiling had some scratch marks as if someone had tried to take it out. He didn't say anything and waited for Ajay, Roy and Rohan to leave so that he could discuss it with Sharmishtha.
Roy looked at his watch. "3 am. Alright, we are off. You guys should come soon as well. It would be bad to wait till morning since you might encounter tourists."
Sharmishtha nodded lazily. She was very exhausted. Her back was hurting. After the coffee, she felt even more sleepy. Apparently, the coffee wasn't working. Arjun was busy checking the wires. It was obvious someone had tampered with them. He turned around to inform Sharmishtha about it when he found that the room was empty. 'Damn it! Where did she go?'
Arjun called her up. There was no answer. Arjun ran out of the room screaming her name. Suddenly, Arjun slipped on the floor and fell down. To his surprise, he discovered that the floor was covered with blood. It was coming from the direction of the staircase. Arjun anxiously ran towards it. 'No no. Please no. Please be alright. Damn it why did we agree to this? God save her!'
There was blood all over the staircase, Arjun ran up with the worst anticipations in mind. His heart was pounding with horrific thoughts. He looked around the roof. Covered in blood, Sharmishtha was standing on the concrete safety fence, ready to jump. "Noooooooo," a loud scream filled the air. Arjun ran to catch her but she had already jumped.