"Didn't she do anything to Edith ?"
"No ."
"Did you see her in dream ?"
"No ."
"What happened after that ?"
"I woke up ."
"Did you see that woman doing anything to your hand ?"
"What to my hand ?"
"Maybe like poking her nails or scratching ?"
"No ."
"Is there anything else you think I should know ?"
I didn't want to tell him about that so I remained silent .
"Tell me dear , if something you saw or happened , it could help us catch the person who did that to Edith !"
He noticed I knew something and I was hiding . I slowly whispered in his ear to not tell mom . Then I preferred Edith over mom . I thought it was mom who did that .
"In the middle of night at 12 , I went to check my dad . He was asleep ."
"Why ? Did you hear something ?"
"No . My dad checks on me before sleeping . That night he didn't . So I went to check on him ."
"Ok . What happened after that ?"
"After I came to know that dad is asleep , I came back to my room ."
"Hmm . Was it before you watched the movie or after ?"
"Before ."
"Ok ."
"Then I saw mom came to room asking me . She started kissing on my hand though she never does that . She always kisses on my forehead . She also brushed my hair and rubbed my back . I don't know why I felt strange ."
"Why did you feel strange ? What do you mean by that ?"
"I don't know . I just didn't feel the same . Mom
, whenever she does that , she is gentle . However that night , she wasn't at all ! She even massaged me pressing me so hard ..."
"Was Edith awake ?"
"No she was asleep . Mom even said that she shouldn't have done that ."
"Done what ?"
"Sleep early . We had plans at night but she slept . Maybe that's why she said that ."
"You didn't ask her why she told that ?"
"No because I thought what I said ."
"Ok . What happened next ?"
"She said she was thirsty and wanted me to accompany her downstairs in the kitchen . I agreed as she has nyctophobia ."
"Did you go ?"
"I went but not to kitchen ."
"What do you mean by that ?"
"She gently took my hand , at first but started holding it tightly , as if I would escape from her ! She was so hard that the place where she held , blood didn't reach there . She was preventing circulation of blood by being so hard . She even started pulling me . Mom never does that . She pressed my hand so hard that I felt like her nails dig into my flesh creating wounds ."
I thought he would ask to show me my hand but he didn't .
"What happened after that ?"
"I pulled my hand , releasing myself from her grip and noticed that they had started bleeding . I became angry and I pushed her .
She tried to grab me by my neck but I ran back to room and locked the door ."
"Did she follow you ?"
"Yes . In fact she stood there all the time ."
"How do you know that ?"
"She at first knocked but I ignored . I started watching horror movie . Once I completed it I thought of checking on her . But I realised presence of her at the other side of door . I didn't open the door and went to sleep ."
"If you didn't open , how did you know she was still there ?"
"I saw her feet ."
"Was that her feet ?"
"I think so ."
"So you slept not opening the door , did you ?"
"Yes . Then I saw the dream and I woke up ."
"When you woke , was the door open or closed ?"
"It was open ."
"What about Edith ?"
"She was sleeping . I even tried waking her up but she didn't wake . Now she'll never wake ( I started crying )"
The officer consoled me . He even gave me a big chocolate bar . When I finally got hold of myself he asked
"Did you notice the blood ?"
"No ."
"The bite marks on neck ?"
"No ."
"The scar on hands ?"
"No ."
"It's ok . You may go now ."
I ran to my parents . But their interrogation was still going on . So I thought I would check on aunt . I heard her complain to police officer in her sobbing voice "The history is repeating itself ! We shouldn't have come into their words ! I LOST EDITH ! MY DEAR EDDY ! SHE GOT SNATCHED FROM ME ! IT IS ALL THEIR FAULT ! It's all their fault ! Huh we tried so hard to sell this ! After this who would buy it ?" She continued crying vehemently . I didn't get her ! Who was she trying to blame ? What was she about to sell ? Edith ? No she's her mother ! Then what ? And by the way where was uncle ? I recalled that uncle was missing all the time . I ran to the officer and told him that . Saying no
doubt , he chuckled . Strange . By this time , I saw mom coming towards me . She looked at aunt and this was the most final hasta la vista . The final looks which they gave each other stood strong evidence . Then we boarded the plane and I slept . Days passed . Weeks passed . Years passed . After 5 years I got a memory from Google sharing photos of Edith . Now my life was completely different . I lived in university rooms, in other words a hostel , away from my parents . That night I browsed the gallery and found millions of her photos . When we were young we used to write letters to each other . I found that too . One of the letters told about her grandfather's death . She explained with a diagram . His neck was bitten off and had wounds on hands . This is the way she died ! I looked in Google regarding this . The newspaper article was shown . He died the same way his grandfather died who inherited from his grandfather . He also died the same way his grandfather died who inherited from his grandfather . What was this ? A generational curse ? When I checked the papers I realised
that Edith was their heir . In their culture , property of person is given to their grandchildren . The heirs who inherited that house died in the same way . Wasn't Edith early ? That night I went to sleep thinking about it . I couldn't resist myself from finding the truth . Before sleeping I held her photo close to my heart . Those faded words were playing in the back of my head . The words said by my aunt . When I barely slept , in the morning I found out my aunt's location from Google . The article about Edith had that . I went to visit her . It was a long 3 hour flight . It was mentioned that she immediately moved away from that place . Her husband too had died . Despite being eager to meet her , I prepared myself for the rejection I might get in future . Her house was hard to find . Everyone barely knew her . Her name wasn't heard anywhere . I asked the first person I encountered , showing her photo , "Do you know Ariana Finx ?" This question was asked by almost every citizen of that town . Yet every time I got the same reply . I
had my flight booked for 3 days . The time I had was like a drop in the ocean . When I came to know that this wouldn't work ! I contacted the police officer who interrogated me . It was easy to find his number .
"Hello who is this ?"
"Hi , I don't think you know me but are you Mr Whinsky ?"
"Yes that's me ! Who are you ?"
"Do you know about that Dannyville case ?"
"Umm yes , but who are you ?"
"Do you remember the little girl you interrogated , to whom you gave a chocolate bar ?"
"Maybe , yes !"
"That's me !"
"What ! Really ?"
"Yeah , I heard you're living in the town of xxxxxx , can we meet ?"
"Why ? I retired from police years ago !"
"I know about it . That was your last case wasn't it ?"
"Yes , but why do you wanna meet me ?"
"We can we have a chat in person , where should we meet ?"
"Do you want to come over ?"
"Yes ."
He started explaining me the location . By asking the residents , I was finally able to find him ! He looked so different in 5 years ! I didn't
recognise him at first . His face looked pale with wrinkles and bruises all over . Astonishingly , that man grew old in 5 years ! I remember his golden hair but now they were completely white ! He ushered me into a small yet cozy room .
"Mr Whinsky , you look so old ! What tragedy had befallen on you ?"
"Not to mention , the Dannyville case !"
"What ! That is why I'm here too !"
"You came here all the way for that ! Leave !"
"Why ? I wanna know about it ! In fact I want you to take me to Ariana Finx . I heard her husband died !"
"She wouldn't be happy to see you ..."
"I know . But I think she blamed us for a reason unknown to both of us ..."
"No . Only you . I know about it ."
"Then why not hear it from you ? I need not disappoint my aunt who unjustly blames me for that !"
"I may not be the right person to share . And to tell you , she is not being unjust !"
"What do you mean by that ? We knew not a little of that house !"
"Neither them . That still holds a mystery to us . Why don't we have a chat with her ? She is right here down the lane ."
I agreed . I didn't know why that man was strongly supporting my aunt . Why was he even there with her ? I had to control my questions as I knew they weren't the happiest people to see me there . I silently followed him as he led me to a very narrow lane and finally to a small room . Hardly a bit of sunlight reached there . I
saw my aunt who looked faded and fragile . I couldn't understand the condition of it . To my surprise she welcomed me . Made me sit . It was night time and she offered me a place to sleep . I couldn't understand her ! Mr Whinsky too looked suspesiously at her . She asked him to leave as she was angry at him . She was being gentle to me . He left . She offered me some of her food . The shepherd's pie looked stale . I pretended to eat but as soon as she got distracted , I spat out . She thought I ate . I didn't wanna upset her as the following day I was about to ask her something that would upset her the most . I couldn't sleep on the couch . It was uncomfortable . But I couldn't complain either . I simply closed my eyes waiting for the night to end . Suddenly I realised a dark shadowy figure moving towards me . I was about to take action until it got pushed . The lights turned on . I got up to see my aunt with a huge axe on the floor pushed by Mr Whinsky . I panicked and gasped . She started crying . I bent down to console her but she refused me .
"I'm sorry for you , but I'm not responsible !"
I said . She was not in a mood to see me . She put her head on ground . I looked at Mr Whinsky . Her wailing sounds increased . Mr Whinsky was looking mysteriously at her . I couldn't understand any of them . Suddenly she stopped wailing and straightened her position . Mr Whinsky took few gradual steps towards her . He suddenly came in my way pushing me aside as I saw aunt picking the axe . Whack ! She smashed his body into 2 ! I covered my mouth to not let out a scream . But she started laughing . I was about to run but she sat down looking at me in despair . Suddenly she started choking . I tried to help her but it was too late . After choking about 2 to 3 times , she passed away . I opened her mouth to see flaked particles of blade . She had been chewing that thing ! There were cuts all over her mouth . It was as swollen as a balloon . Some of her wounds had turned blue . Others were still bleeding despite being old . Her tongue was completely cut ! I was amazed to realise how she talked so normally ! And also how did she manage to hide it
externally ? Why would she do that ? Was she a victim of nervous breakdown ? She lost her everything , so did she turn psycho ? What about The thing I came for ? Excluding them none knew ! I got up and started searching in room . This was until I found a book under the couch . This had a paper . A letter written to me !
"Dear niece , I knew you would come one day in search of truth . If I had died by then , lucky for you ! I want you to let my body be in the state it would be . Don't bother burying me . Leave me in the same room . Think it is as a favour . I wanted to share this with you but , somewhere deep down in my heart I felt angry . That night my Eddy saved you ! We know nothing else than that ! You were the one who felt asleep early ! That was the problem ! That house wasn't a place to sleep ! The whole night uncle didn't go missing , it was your dad ! He went out of the house as one of his colleagues had called him . This excuse was used by us to stay awake all night . Your dad never checks on
you . Edith's father used to do . That night he somehow fell asleep but for a while . As soon as he slept , that lady came to the room . But she was disturbed by Edith who you thought were you . Edith was angry at you . Edith was the one who made plans . Edith was the one who watched horror movie . Edith was the one who dreamt . Edith was the one who tried to wake YOU up ! Eddy saw the lady and the lady recognised heir . When Edith went back to room , all that happened with her . Her mom , I , never kissed her hand . Edith thought her as me . She had disguised herself that way ! I was the one having nyctophobia . Edith was the one who went with her to kitchen . Edith was the one who got attacked . Edith was the one who got wounds on hands . Edith was the one who closed the door . Edith was the one who felt someone's presence in room . Edith was the one who saw dream . What you saw in dream was her reality . You didn't wake after your dream , you woke after she saw her dream . Though you were the one asleep , she kills only sleeping heirs ! But
little did I know , she killed the heirs ! Do you know now why Edith made plans ? You were the one who were nonchalant all the way long ! Do you know why she wanted to take you down , probably Edith down ? That house had a basement where I LOST my husband . We were investigating that with Mr Whinsky . This is all we came to know . Anyone who goes to basement , their beloved thing gets filched . He lost his youth . I LOST my husband . My husband lost his life . Now you know why you didn't have that wounds ? Because it was not you ! It was Edith . She had wounds . She saved you . You were not the one trying to wake her up ! She was the one trying to wake you up ! Do you why you saw it as it happened to you ? Because it was going to happen to you ! The person sleeping in that house ! Edith didn't let it happen to you ! That's why I blamed you ! That is the reason if you come here whilst me being alive , you'll surely undergo the attempt of me trying to kill you . And I will hide this under the couch , where I shall let you rest if you come . I've been living here Since my husband died . Since that day
I've been eating flaked blades to kill myself ! Easy way to die right ?"
I sat down in complete confusion not realising what had happened just now and that night ! I saw the date on letter was 22 September . She wrote this on 22 September 2 years from now . I went out of the room with that book in my hand and letter , straight to my hotel room . I checked the date the first death took place . 22 September . The next , 22 September . Edith too had died on 22 September . That day too was 22 September . It means they died in the trap of same curse , or whatever loop it was . Mr Whinsky too was part of it . I checked the book . It had drawings , done by Ariana Finx . Horrible drawings of a lady . The lady I saw I thought in my dream . Was she really sure that she lost her husband in basement ? Edith used to share me stories of her mother bragging her intelligence every now and then ... Did she loose her intelligence and turned psycho ? I get so many questions in my mind when I think about this .
Did Edith really sleep that night ? Did I really watch a movie that night ? I remember the name of movie and every single scene ! How come it wasn't me ? Did my father really check on me without fail before sleeping ? Did he ever do that ? Did my mom ever kiss me only on forehead ? Did she never kiss my hand ? My parents sent me to hostel inspite of me being their only child . If a father who checks on her daughter so possessively was mine , why did he send me to hostel ? Did I really undergo over protectiveness ? Does my mom really have nyctophobia ? I don't remember dad checking on me the day after , or mom telling about her nyctophobia ! Then why did I feel that way That Night ? Why did I think that way That Night ? I always doubt my reality when I think of this incident . The incident that took place That Night ! Till today , I am never really able to come to conclusion regarding the events that occurred That Night .