Room Number 304 Encounter
If you haven’t read the first part of room number 304, please read before continuing
Sameera was honking at the doorstep, she left several messages on my cell but I did not go through any of them. Yeah, we were trying to make use of the best possible use of remaining hours of the weekend to drink life from the lees. I wanted to be a Paranormal investigator ever since my adolescence, but alas! Today I am nothing but a journalist. Her mother was out of town, she went to visit a distant relative of ours and we screamed in unison, “SISTERS BEFORE MISTERS.”
It took about an hour to travel from Koromangala to Grant Road but it was worth waiting for the most awaited joint venture. Sharman was waiting for us he reached there on time. We went inside and helped ourselves feel at home, time flied and it was dark outside, at about eight at night, Sameera, her brother Sharman and I decided to carry forward our most awaited ghost hunting, the room at the topmost floor now used as the laundry had a basement which also served the twin purpose of an emergency exit. There was complete absence of sound as if the devil waited with baited breath as we approached towards an impending disaster.
Ghost Hunting Starts
I had a cross on my hand, a flashlight was the need of the hour but cell phones have taken over. My little heart could barely muster the courage to take up the role of a pioneer, Sharman laughed to his heart’s content at my fallacy and I forced him to go down the basement to explore what lied shrouded in dust. He agreed to my proposal, followed by Sameera, Sameera had a flashlight; it fell from her hand while descending the ladders that led to the basement. No sooner did we step inside the basement than our worst fears came true, someone shut the opening that led to this secret passage, what followed next gave me a chill down my spine.
Sharman gave a shrill cry and I misplaced the sacred cross, I just prayed to witness the next sunshine. I could feel something getting hold of my feet neither could I speak nor could I move in fear, I felt beads of sweat trickling down my temples, and I was losing consciousness but you are not even allowed to faint when you are on a ghost hunting with a bunch of crazy people. Sameera stamped my feet, it was dark in there, she freaked out “something ran over my foot”, and she kept jumping. Sharman tried to calm her down by accounting it to be a phenomenon of optical illusion and we heard a mouse squealing, it must have been that tiny creature that scampered across her foot trying to protect its kingdom from invaders, us.
Persuading the inevitable
It smelt smug, and I could feel cobwebs around myself, being the tallest in the group does not bring in the best of all benefits. In addition, there is one scary boy just a few yours younger who fears that he would be hunted down by spiders, and his brave sister who was as scared as the tiny mice. We were not left with a choice and we had to move forward. For the very first time in my life, I maintained a proper line marching ahead of my comrades.
We had just motioned forward by a step or two without any idea of where we would end up or in which direction were we moving. Unanimously we decided to ascend the ladder Sameera would take the lead, and we would follow, we were feeling claustrophobic and our nerves were trembling with fear for it was just darkness visible in the basement. I took a pledge in the name of the lord never try to unveil the unknown and let it be wrapped in mysteries.
Wait, there is more in store, my little sister Sameera sensed someone inhaling next to her. She felt his breath on her shoulder and rest assured it was a ghost for Sharman was taller than Sameera. This did not let me breathe in peace. Sharman said someone tried to choke his throat, and all we knew was if we do not run for our life people may attend our funeral very soon. There was dearth of space and I found it difficult to move but by a stroke of good luck I found the ladder, although my morale did not permit me to climb myself to safety but who cares I could only save them if I went back alive.
The Encounter
Sharman was right behind me and Sameera followed him, I quickly ascended the ladder and banged my head against the secret door that led to the basement. I did not feel the pain I had to run for my life, I banged the door and I thanked my stars that it opened up, even before I could get on top of it, Sameera complained that someone was pulling her legs. I quickened up my pace and helped Sharman, Sharman also managed to save her somehow, but while pulling her up I also felt a driving force that tried to keep her down.
After ascending the ladders, we were breathing heavily, someone noticed us; and even before we could sense anything complete darkness engulfed the room and we all screamed at the top of our voice, we were so occupied with ourselves that we forgot to close the secret door. Something was pulling my legs towards the basement, I tried to hit that with my hand and I could hear Sameera scream at the top of her voice but I kept hitting that thing hard and finally managed to get rid of its hold and closed the door.
After the Encounter
I felt Sameera’s palm on mine and I had a few scratches from her long nails. Complete silence engulfed for a while and I could hear someone panting, “Are you alright?” exclaimed Sameera, to which I said yes. “Sharman are you alright?” exclaimed Sameera all over again but nobody replied, we tried to reach out for him in the dark but there was no reply from him.
Sameera burst out into tears and I had no other way but to console her as we had lost trace of her brother. My head hurt but I collected myself up to reach out to the switchboard and switched on the lights. Sameera was devastated and so was I, we left the room and went to the manager to ask for help and inform him about our great loss.