CHAPTER 41: LOADS OF ACTION

Advika covered her mouth with a mask and held Zarna's hand, who was hugging her from the side.

"Ma- Maya, do-n't," stammered Advika. Maya advanced towards three women lying on the floor before

them.

The girls' clothes were covered in blood, but it wasn't theirs. Advika and Zarna dropped to their knees,

their body shivering with fear.

"It's her," whispered Maya as she the face. "It's the woman we came-" she stopped mid-sentence,

"hang-on, she died years ago, how is the body so-"

"AAAAA!!!" screamed the girls as one of those dead bodies opened its eyes and grabbed Maya's neck.

The other two disappeared.

The woman's appearance began to deface. The bright and sober face turned into an obnoxious,

unpleasant one. Maya produced a small vial from her pocket and uncorked it. She threw the liquid on

the woman's face. Advika and Zarna rushed towards her as she fell into their arms.

"Just black magic," murmured Maya as she got to her feet. "They were no spirits, just illusion."

"Is it possible to do something like this just with black magic?" asked Zarna, wiping her tears. "Yes,"

answered Maya. "I've helped solve many-"

"Advika!" cried Zarna as she lay flat on her back on the wooden floor.

Zarna kept Advika's head on her lap and looked at Maya. "Panic attack."

"Zarna, can you-"

"I don't think so," said Zarna and pursed her lips. "I can influence water, not summon, or create."

"Advika!" said Maya as she rubbed her foot and palms.

The girls swivelled as they heard something being pulled against the floor. Zarna froze- her heart

pulsating violently. She looked at Advika and shook her. "Advika, please get up!"

The girls glanced at each other as the noise become clearer every passing second. It felt like someone

was dragging a steel hammer. But why? And who?

"Okay," whispered Maya. "Don't panic. You look after Advika I'll-"

"No, we're staying together, no separating," declared Zarna.

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"Okay," said Ray. "So? What do we do now?"

He got off the car and stared at the barren land in front of them. Tej closed his eyes and pictured

Advika. He swivelled and kept his hand on Ray's shoulders. "I remember," he began. "Advika had once

mentioned this technique called. . . I don't remember, but she said you could find anything with it by

your heart and intuition."

"Great. How does that work?" asked Ray, his breath uneven.

"So you picture the object, in our case person, and try to connect to them, through some energy they

emit," Tej tried explaining. "Then you ask like yes or no questions."

"Okay, so, picture the girls and.... but if the heart is involved... just picture Advika, the technique might

work better," said Ray and got into the driver's seat.

~~~~~

The sound of something being dragged ceased to exist. Zarna pointed in the direction of the door as

the doorknob rotated. Maya got to her feet and took a step towards the door.

"Maya," mouthed Zarna and held her leg. "AAAA!" Maya squealed. "You silly girl," she said. "Don't

catch my led like that, not in this setting at least."

The door opened, revealing a silhouette carrying a steel rod. The person advanced towards the girls

and lifted the rod in the air, ready to attack.

"Nooooo!" screamed Zarna.

"You!?" exclaimed Maya and the person carrying the rod.

"What are you. . . How are you here? This is all. . .," blabbered Zarna, with Advika's head resting on her

lap.

~~~~

"Stop!" said Tej and opened his eyes. "That's Maya's car, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Let's get going," said Ray and got off the car. Tej followed. They marched towards the small

hut. "But the door's locked," said Ray as he tried turning the doorknob.

"Advika! Maya! Zarna!" called the boys and banged their fists on the door. "Should we try to break in?"

asked Ray. "That's your department, go ahead," said Tej.

~~~~

Rishi followed Daksh into the darkness, leaving behind the moonlit street that led them to this gloomy

passage. "I knew it," said Rishi. "The moonlight was a trap. We're dead if we don't-"

"AAAHHH!" they swivelled as they heard a scream. "Was that- no, no, that wasn't. . ." said Daksh.

"Yes, it wasn't Ru, but some other girl," concluded Rishi. "More likely a lady. We shouldn't knock on that

door."

They stood in a long, narrow passage comprising several doors, which could lead them to a place or

room they knew nothing about.

Rishi looked around himself, scanning all the doors. The only source of light was the dim bulb

suspended from the ceiling. "Which door would have Ru chosen?" he wondered. "And why?"

"Rutuja! Rutuja!" called Daksh, going from one door to another. "Ru! Can you hear us? Where are

you?" cried Rishi.

Daksh closed his eyes and felt his heartbeat. "Rutuja," he whispered.

~~~~

"Does not work," said Rishi as he handed the hairpin back to Tej. "By the way," he said as he got to his

feet. "This is Advika's, right?"

Tej nodded his head and rushed towards the only window at the backside of the hut. Without a second

thought, he placed both his hands on the thatched, closed window and closed his eyes.

Ray glanced at Tej, confused. He then looked at Maya's car and rushed towards it.

Tej felt the straws that were knit together to build the window. He visualized the heat from his body flow

to his palms and then to the material the window was made up of.

Ray broke the glass of the car and opened the door. He picked up the black bag, water bottles, and

other things he felt would prove helpful in the quest that lay ahead.

The window caught fire. Tej stepped back, panting, his hands on his knees. "Brooo!" exclaimed Ray.

"That was cool. No, actually hot."

Tej swivelled and saw Ray carrying a huge black bag on his back, water bottles, and two purses in his

hand. "What-" he glanced at Maya's car. "You broke the glass!?"

"Yes, well, what option did I have," Ray defended. "We might need these things inside."

Tej peeped inside the hut through the window. "Bro, let's just go inside," said Ray.

~~~~~