We managed to sneak Rohan back to his room without anybody noticing us. Most of my colleagues were down at the bonfire. The mood was a bit somber but a lot of the people were having a good time. People are generally resilient. They have the ability to move past a lot, or just plain ignore it. Looking at my co-workers laughing and drinking right now, I wonder, do they even give a damn about what’s happening down at the village. I look around for Mr. Bisht and see him standing next to a couple of his men. He was good naturedly refusing drinks offered to him and egging some of my colleagues to go try the buffet. He must have sensed me staring at him because he suddenly looked right at me. He gave me a nod and started to move towards me. I waved a hand at him, silently asking him to come a secluded corner.

He sharply gestured his men to stay away and beckoned me closer to the hotel gate. His men stopped by the Neem tree near the gate and languished, lightly holding their Lathi sticks but observing me with a careful intensity. These Gurkha employees were usually cheery and hardworking, but ever since last night they had become taciturn and refused to engage in any small talk with us guests. They still did everything we asked them but there was a distance now. I saw one of them put a hand on a Khukhri knife he was carrying, and nodded towards Mr. Bisht.

“You have misplaced your friend.” He observed. “He’s.. resting right now.”

“Hmm. He must be stronger than I gave him credit for, to rest.. so calmly after what he did. He is responsible for a lot of suffering in my village. Or maybe he just doesn’t care about his actions.”

He took out a cigarette pack, Wills Navy Cut, and offered me a smoke. I nodded gratefully, accepting one and started checking my pockets for a lighter or matchbox. Mr. Bisht nodded at one of his men, and the man strode forwards with a lit matchstick. He helped light my cigarette, and then lit one for Mr. Bisht.

“He’s not a bad man. But he sometimes doesn’t think.” Something was nagging me as I saw Mr. Bisht light up his cigarette. “Mr. Bisht, I seem to have forgotten, but who is Lord Agni?”

Mr. Bisht gave a wry smile, “God of fire. Don’t tell me me smoking reminded you of him?”

I shrugged sheepishly.

He seemed to be lost in thought, smoking slowly as he looked down to where the village was. He seemed to be a relic of the old times, a loyal, traditional man, a dying breed. I was suddenly filled with a reckless urge.

“Mr. Bisht, do you believe in magic?” He snorted, “There is no such thing as magic nowadays. I think we have lost the knowledge and ability to do any magic in this age, even if it existed once.” He slowly turned towards me, “ I do, however, know that there are some rules to follow when you live so far away from your modern cities. When there are a lot of people in a place, the supernatural find it hard to exist. Only the most powerful can manifest their mischief. But out here, in secluded areas, especially untamed, uncut forests which rarely know the presence of man, you can experience things which can’t be explained.”

My throat was dry. I managed to ask, “What rules?”

He looked left and right, as if to see if there was anybody listening. His men also looked wary. “It is considered foolish to speak of such things at night, but since the sun hasn’t set let me share some of the ancient wisdom of our hills. First, never travel alone after midnight on mountain roads after midnight. Specially in the forest. If you come across any old shrine near a tree or idol, never desecrate or disturb it. Don’t even step near it, but always pray for protection from a little distance. Never speak to any women you hear calling your name. Never turn back when you hear your name. Even when you feel somebody whispering it next to your ear. In fact stay away from women at night in any hill area.” He suddenly guffawed loudly, his men joined in. The coarse laughter broke the fearful atmosphere, dispelling the tension. I chuckled nervously, but Mr. Bisht was not done speaking.

He gestured to the men with the matchbox, “Bhuvan Singh has run into one of those female spirits. She chased the poor fella for miles before he ran into a temple for shelter. He spent the night on consecrated ground. At least that’s what he claims.”

Bhuvan Singh shook his head seriously, “No Sahib. It wasn’t just any ghost. It was a Kichkandi. It was a women back from my neighboring village.” Mr. Bisht waved his hand, as if dismissing the whole matter. “All of this ghost talk is enough for this night. I had a call from a Police Inspector earlier. They have managed to half clear the blocked road and will be here by tomorrow afternoon.” He looked at me intensely, “I imagine that they will be interested to speak with Mr. Rohan, if he wakes up from his.. rest.”

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“We might have trouble coming to us tonight. Vaishali might try and get to Rohan in his room.” I gestured towards the party going on behind us. “After what she did to her family, I’m kind of worried what shit she’ll pull here.” “I have more than ten men patrolling inside the boundary of the hotel right now, all armed. Don’t worry, as long as you are in my hotel not even the Prime Minister can lay a finger on you.” With that macho dialogue, Mr. Bisht walked away.

Bhuvan Singh and the other Gurkha, Ram Singh (he told me) stayed near me as I pondered my next steps. So far, I knew that Vaishali was coming tonight. I knew that Lord Agni was the god of fire. I knew that I should be wary of female ghosts. But what I didn’t know was how to assure my safety. Luckily, I had a source of local folklore right next to me.

~

“Is he still out of it?” I asked Nitin as I approached Rohan’s room. He had dragged a small couch over from the hallway and was now lounging over it. Naina was down somewhere, doing something. I hadn’t really spoken to her except asking her to keep others away from us. I told her to make up some crap about Rohan tripping and falling down the stairs.

“He is still out cold.” He slapped his face with both hands, trying to stay awake. “It’s around 2 am right now. I’m kind of worried he hasn’t woken up. You really hurt him.”

I nodded, “I didn’t mean too, but I guess I have a pretty hard head.” Nitin chuckled, “Nothing we can do about that brother.” Nitin was right though. I had hit Rohan pretty hard, even though I hadn’t realized at the time. I had Bhuvan Singh get a few things for me while I tried to understand what the scroll had done to me. It had increased my strength by at least thrice. I had tried and do pushups earlier and I had gotten to a 100 before Bhuvan Singh came and found me. I could only do thirty before at a time. My body felt more solid in a way which was hard to define. I felt ready for tonight.

“Nitin, there will be some trouble here. I need to know if you will help me.” He shrugged, then gave me a look.

“Fair enough.” I grinned and extened a hand towards him. He laughed and caught it, then tried to pull me down. I easily jerked him up to his feet. It was time to check on Rohan.

I opened the lock outside and stepped in to see Vaishali sitting near Rohan’s head, stroking his hair. She glanced up when we entered, and gave a wide smile when she saw me. As she kept looking at me, her smile kept growing wider and sharper while her face lost all it’s colour, making it deathly white. Her eyes took on a milky tint as she looked at us. She was still caressing Rohan’s head. Rohan was awake under her but he was deathly still, his eyes were darting to and fro.

“I was coming to see you, dear Vijay.Why don’t you come here?” She stated, her voice sounding like many different voices but still feminine. It had a deep alluring quality which I could feel across the room. It made me want to go to her and lie down at her feet, like a loyal dog. I could feel Nitin behind me stepping into the room.

I reached behind me with my hand and stopped him.

NO.

Manobal (Will)- 1.4>>1.9

I could feel her geas losing power over me as I stepped forward. Vaishali, the kichkandi, smiled even wider. Her teeth were very white, and very sharp. She looked hungry.

I could hear Nitin praying behind me. I tuned him out as I remembered what Bhuvan had told me earlier. Khichkandis prey on travelling men, Vijay Saab, but they also return to torment men who had caused their death or pain when they were alive. They can only be destroyed when their bodies are given last rites and destroyed. Spirits can be repelled by substances and herbs which purify the atmosphere. That’s why our ancestors did Havans and Poojas.

But the million dollar question was how do I scare away this spirit who is also puppeting a body? When you think about it simply, it’s really not complicated. First you deal with the body.

I slipped a hand in my jeans pocket, and grabbed out a handful of sea-salt. I then threw it in it’s grinning face. It stopped smiling really quickly when the purifying salt went down it’s throat and it’s skin started bubbling. It let out a wail that shattered the glass windows, and brought all of us down on our knees. It clutched it’s throat and took a step towards Rohan. I threw another handful of salt on it. I felt another melodic chime from my scroll and resisted the urge to check it.

“I’m going to fucking deep smudge you from existence, you rotting bitch.” I roared at her.

It dashed over to the window and looked back at me hatefully. If looks could kill, I would be dead and buried. I grabbed hold of a lighter and grabbed a bottle of Axe spray from the nearby dresser. I sparked the lighter and spread flame all over the Kichkandi. It gave a tremendous screech and suddenly black smoke rose out of it and flew out the window, leaving the corpse of a young woman burned to death right in the middle of the room.