Inside Mihir's locked office, the walls seemed to darken, the air growing thick and oppressive. He stood shirtless before the mirror, beads of sweat trailing down his face as the witch mark on the back of his neck pulsed an angry crimson, glowing like an open wound from hell.
His nails had grown unnaturally long, curling like talons, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He gripped the edge of the desk, trying to steady himself.
Suddenly -
a voice slithered into the room, thick and echoing, as if carried by shadows themselves.
> "You can't fight it, my son..."
The mirror rippled like water, and a woman emerged from the reflection - not physically, but her form danced like smoke, swirling into focus.
Mohana.
Draped in a black and crimson sari that shimmered like liquid night, her hair floated around her like serpents, her eyes glowing an eerie gold.
> "My blood runs in your veins, Mihir," she cooed, voice both enchanting and terrifying.
"I am the hunger in your bones, the storm in your soul, the scream buried in your silence."
Mihir stumbled back, his eyes wide in horror. The witch mark seared hotter, and his knees buckled.
> "You are mine. My darkness... my creation. You can wear all the masks you like, Mihir Kashyap, but when the moon bleeds... you will come home to me."
Her laughter echoed - high-pitched, cruel, eternal - filling every corner of the room like smoke in the lungs.
The pain intensified, his back arching in agony. The witch mark flared again-
-until his hand, scrabbling for balance, landed on something cool and metallic.
His fingers curled instinctively around it.
It was a single earring - Maira's, unnoticed when it had fallen earlier that morning while she organized the desk.
The pain began to fade.
The glow at the back of his neck dimmed. His heartbeat slowed. His claws retracted.
Mohana's voice faltered.
The mirror snapped back to normal.
Mihir blinked rapidly, panting. Confused.
He looked down at the earring in his palm - small, silver, simple - but it radiated a faint warmth, a pulse unlike anything he'd felt before.
He frowned.
> What the hell is this?
Still breathless, he clutched the earring, sensing it was somehow linked to what had just happened. Somehow... this little thing had cut through Mohana's hold.
He sat there in silence, drenched in sweat - and for the first time in a long while, he wasn't afraid of the darkness. He was curious about the light that had just fought it.
College - Later That Afternoon
The lecture had just ended, but Teju's thoughts weren't on academics. As students filtered out of the classroom chatting and laughing, she made her way toward the staff corridor, her steps quick and purposeful.
She found Sahir near the department office, flipping through some files. His posture was upright, as always, his presence calm and commanding.
"Sir?" Teju called gently.
Sahir looked up, his eyes immediately softening when they met hers. "Teju. Everything okay?"
She nodded, but there was concern etched into her face. "Actually, I wanted to ask for your help. I was wondering... if I could speak with the girl who-" she paused, searching for the right words, "-who tried to jump."
Understanding flickered in Sahir's eyes. He closed the file and stepped a little closer, his voice low but firm. "Her name is Tara Mehta. She's a first-year student. She's in the counseling room right now under observation."
Teju's heart ached at the name, now real and personal.
"I'd like to see her," she said softly. "If that's okay. Just to... talk. Maybe I can help her open up."
Sahir studied her for a moment, then gave a single nod. "I'll authorize the visit. But keep it gentle, Teju. She's still in a fragile state."
Teju smiled faintly. "Of course, sir. Thank you."
Sahir watched her walk away, admiring once again the quiet strength she carried in her every step.
---
Counseling Room - Afternoon
Teju stepped into the quiet room, the door clicking softly behind her. Tara Mehta sat alone on a bench, her posture rigid, eyes fixated on the floor. The shadows of the blinds striped her face, giving her a ghostly stillness.
Teju approached gently.
"Hi... I'm Teju," she said softly. "May I sit?"
Tara blinked and gave a small nod, almost like it hurt to move.
Teju sat beside her, leaving space. "I just wanted to check on you. After... earlier."
Tara's hands were trembling. Her lips parted, but it took a few seconds before any sound came.
"I wasn't myself," she said in a hollow voice.
Teju turned toward her, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Tara looked up, her eyes filled with fear. "I don't remember how I got up there. One minute I was walking back from class... the next, I was standing on the rooftop, looking down. It was like..." - she paused, visibly shaken - "like I was watching from inside my own body, but someone else was moving me."
Teju stared at her, uncertain what to say. "That sounds terrifying," she said gently. "But you're safe now, Tara. Maybe it was a panic attack, or... stress? I know college can feel like a lot sometimes."
Tara shook her head, gripping her wrist tightly. "No. This wasn't stress. This was something else. I know what I felt. Something was wrong with me. Like I was... being controlled."
Teju tried to keep her expression composed, but doubt flickered in her eyes.
Controlled?
She gave a small, nervous laugh to ease the tension. "I'm sure the doctors will help figure out what happened. Maybe it was something psychological... trauma maybe?"
Tara didn't respond. She just looked down again, visibly disturbed.
Teju placed a comforting hand over Tara's. Unseen to both of them, the faint glow beneath the skin of Teju's palm shimmered briefly - the star-shaped birthmark reacting to Tara's energy - but Teju remained unaware.
"I'm really glad you're okay," Teju said sincerely. "And if you ever need to talk or just want company, I'm here."
Tara finally glanced at her with grateful, teary eyes. "Thank you. I don't know why, but... I feel a little better with you here."
Teju smiled softly. "Then I'll take that as a good start."
Outside, the wind stirred the trees, and somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed.
College Hallway - Moments Later
Teju stepped out of the counseling room, the door closing gently behind her. She stood in the quiet corridor for a moment, her brows furrowed in thought.
Tara wasn't herself? Being controlled?
The words echoed in Teju's mind, unsettling her.
She began walking toward the staircase, her bag slung loosely over her shoulder. The breeze from the open corridor brushed her hair back, but her mind remained elsewhere.
"Maybe she's on something," Teju muttered to herself under her breath, glancing back toward the door. "Drugs... hallucinations? Could explain the memory gaps."
She bit her lip, unsure. "But she didn't seem high. She looked... scared."
Teju reached the staircase landing and paused, placing her hand on the railing.
Why did it feel like more than fear? Like she was describing something... deeper?
She shook her head quickly. "No. I'm overthinking. It's probably stress or a breakdown. Happens with students under pressure all the time."
Still, a sliver of doubt nestled in the back of her mind, especially when she recalled how Tara had suddenly snapped out of the trance the moment Teju touched her. That part lingered.
Teju sighed and descended the stairs, whispering to herself, "I just hope she's really okay..."
Unseen to her, the faint shimmer on her palm flickered once again as she passed under the sunbeam filtering through the window. But Teju, still convinced everything had a logical explanation, remained blissfully unaware...
DDS Studio - Outside Mihir's Cabin
The door to Mihir's cabin swung open. He stepped out, fully dressed in a casual yet sharp black jacket and designer shades perched on his head. As he checked his phone, his brows furrowed-three missed calls from Urvi.
Just then, Maira approached, tablet in hand.
"Sir, your flight's in two hours. Should I call the driver?" she asked efficiently.
Mihir's gaze shifted to her-sharp, assessing.
Something about her face held his attention for a second longer than usual. One earring was missing.
His hand instinctively touched his pocket.
The same earring. The one he'd unknowingly touched during that strange, searing pain in his office.
The pain had stopped the moment his fingers grazed the cold metal. Coincidence?
No. It was too specific.
"Get the driver," Mihir said abruptly, his voice unreadable. "We're leaving."
He turned away without waiting for her response.
As he walked down the hallway, Mihir dialed Urvi.
Her voice came through, high-pitched and agitated. "Finally! Mihir, that girl-your new assistant-had the nerve to stop me from entering your cabin! She humiliated me in front of staff. ME!"
Mihir's eyes flicked back briefly to where Maira now stood, calmly briefing the driver on the exit schedule-completely unaware of the conversation.
His jaw tightened.
"Don't worry, Urvi," he said, voice dropping a shade darker. "We'll teach her a lesson."
Urvi smirked on the other end. "Atta boy. I'll see you at the airport?"
"Yeah. Just be there," Mihir said before hanging up.
As he continued walking, he stuffed his hands in his pockets-his fingers brushing once again against Maira's earring.
And somewhere deep inside... something stirred again.
College Campus - Near the Staff Block
The afternoon sun filtered through the swaying trees as Teju walked up to Sahir, who stood near the staff block, glancing at something on his clipboard. The breeze tousled his hair as he looked up at her.
"Did you get to speak with Tara?" he asked, his tone calm but curious.
Teju nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, sir. She said something strange... she doesn't remember anything. According to her, it's like she wasn't in control of her own body. It sounded... bizarre. Like something out of a movie."
Sahir's eyes narrowed just slightly, but he kept his expression unreadable. Hypnosis? Possession? The signs matched what he had feared-but he couldn't let Teju get dragged into that world. Not yet.
"Could be stress, or shock," he replied neutrally, though his mind ticked with deeper suspicions. Or someone controlling her...
Teju sighed. "Maybe... Or maybe she's on drugs. I mean, memory blackouts? Tranced state? I don't know. But something doesn't feel right."
She looked down for a moment, troubled. Then she stepped back to excuse herself, "I should get going-"
Her heel caught on a raised tile. "Oh!" she gasped, stumbling backward-
But before she could fall, Sahir stepped forward and caught her by the waist, steadying her effortlessly.
Their eyes met. The world seemed to still.
Teju blinked up at him, her breath catching. A small smile curved her lips, both surprised and grateful.
"It's strange," she murmured. "Every time I'm in trouble, you're always the one who ends up saving me."
Sahir's grip lingered for just a second longer before he helped her straighten. "Maybe it's destiny," he said softly, before quickly adding in a teasing tone, "Or maybe you just need better shoes."
Teju laughed, the tension easing between them.
But as she walked away, Sahir's eyes followed her-more thoughtful than amused now.
Tara wasn't acting. Something dark had touched her. And now Teju... is closer to it than she knows.