"They were just like the three of you... inseparable best friends," the old woman's voice crackled like dry leaves. "But today, they are worlds apart."
Her eyes grew dark as she continued the tale of Albeli. "Albeli is no longer human; she is a restless spirit now." The old woman mimicked twisting a doll's neck, her voice dropping to a terrifying whisper. "Albeli said... I promised I would return. I told you to wait for me. We were supposed to play with our dolls together."
Suddenly, the old woman let out a blood-curdling scream, "BUT YOU DIDN'T WAIT! Now, I will never let either of you go!" She burst into a haunting, jagged laughter.
Under the massive, ancient Banyan tree in the heart of Khapuriya village, three eight-year-old girls—Sanjhi, Riya, and Arya—shook with terror. They clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces.
"Scared, aren't you?" the old woman chuckled, her eyes gleaming with a strange mischief. "You better be careful. Some promises, once broken, can never be mended."
Khapuriya was a quiet village perched high on a mountain, and these three girls were the soul of it.
Sanjhi was the daughter of the wealthiest family in the village, known for their kindness. Yet, a shadow hung over them. Years ago, her elder brother had been kidnapped in the busy streets of Delhi, a wound that never truly healed.
Arya came from a humble home. Her father worked in the nearby city while her mother spent her days at the sewing machine, stitching dreams into cloth to support the family.
And then there was Riya. She lived with her grandfather, the village healer (Vaidya), and her little brother. Their life was simple, fueled by the small earnings from her grandfather's medicines.
That night, the silence of the mountains was broken for Riya.
In her sleep, she heard strange, distorted whispers. Suddenly, she wasn't in her bed anymore. She was standing at a dark, misty crossroads. Three paths stretched out into the void. She stood on one, and far ahead on the other two paths were two figures.
"Who... who's there?" Riya stammered, her heart hammering against her ribs.
The two girls turned around slowly. Riya's breath hitched. It was Sanjhi and Arya. Their eyes were red, overflowing with silent tears.
"Sanjhi! Arya! Where are you going?" Riya cried out, reaching into the darkness. "I'm right here! Don't leave me alone!"
She collapsed to her knees, sobbing. But her friends didn't answer.
"We promised!" Riya wailed. "We promised we'd always stay together! We were going to have the wedding for our dolls... please, don't go! Don't leave me!"
But they kept walking, drifting further away into the mist. Riya tried to run after them, but her feet felt like they were made of stone, frozen to the ground.
Just as they vanished, a sharp voice pierced the darkness: "Riya... Riya!"
Whose voice was it? Was it a warning from the past or a grim shadow of the future?
Will their bond shatter like Shards of Glass, or will it be held together by a Silken Thread?