Terror in the Dark ~Zenana Tales 5~

 

It felt cold in the corridor, much colder than it felt just 2 minutes ago. I knew I wasn't making this up in my head, because I could see and feel the goosebumps on my forearm. I quickly shut my books and took them inside to the room. Right next to the door, Krupa was fast asleep. I looked straight across and saw that Yamuna was too. There was no noise from the other side of the room either. Roshna, Sheena and Kiran were cozily tucked in, probably asleep since 10pm. The hands on my little alarm pointed to around 10 minutes to midnight. 

I put the books down on the table, and walked back to the door. It was a tall and heavy wooden swing-out double door. On the inside, there were two tower bolt latches per door, one on the top and the other on the bottom, an old type wooden sliding latch in the middle, and an iron cross bar that was meant to be placed horizontally from one end of the door frame to the other. 

I wanted to shut the door and put all the latches and locks possible before I went to bed, but....I also wanted to use the toilet. The need was mounting, but the thought of walking all the way, to the back of the building, along the dark and narrow passage on the side facing the downward slope of the hill, sent shivers down my spine. There was no other way, I had to go! I tried to wake Krupa up, but she was so deep into her sleep that nothing could wake her up, not even an earthquake. Finally, I decided to go. I mustered all my courage and quickly walked out the door, and along the eerily quiet and dark passage, silently praying for courage. The toilets, though at the back end of the building, weren't that far away, but on that night it seemed that I took more steps than ever to reach my destination.

After what it seemed like ages, I reached the toilets area. It was dark, there was only a small faint bulb that shone it's light down. I quickly walked to the toilets which were a row of cemented cubicles facing another row of shower cubicles (cemented, as well). The small passage in between these two rows had another bulb shining down. For some reason I ran into the second or the third toilet. I still don't know why I avoided the first, and for the entire time, my eyes were scanning all around. I don't know what I was looking for, or rather hoping I don't see, but my eyes went all over the top of the top-less cubicle, and into the small passage through the space below the door. I had a feeling something would pounce on me. 

Coming out of the toilet, I looked straight ahead for a brief second just to make sure I was alone and safe. If you remember me mentioning it, this grid of toilet and shower cubicles sat on one side of the inner 'courtyard' sort of space at the back end of the Blandford building. To one side there were the big block of rooms, beyond which was my room, and to the other side was a row of 2 or 3 rooms, which lined the back end of Blandford. Straight ahead was quite an open and empty space. I was still scared as I quickly scanned the area which was mostly covered on top with roof tiles, and partly with asbestos sheets towards one end. There was no noise, just pin-drop silence everywhere. All the inmates were asleep, there was no light escaping from beneath anybody's rooms. I could clearly hear the sound of the old creaky fan in one of the rooms. The air was cold and it urged me to get back to my room, as even though just for few seconds, standing there made me shiver with fear. I quickly made the turn and walked so fast through that narrow, dark and unexplainably scary passage. 

Thump, Thump. Thump!!  Thud, Thud, Thud!! I could hear both my footsteps and my heartbeat equally loud. In fear, I started imaging weird things too. An old woman wearing a black hooded cloak was standing there outside the mesh wire 'wall', on the slope going down to the main road. She was reaching out with her wrinkled hand and long nails as if to touch me. It was not just her, somebody was walking behind me few steps away. I picked up pace and almost ran to my room, saying my prayers out loud, from the extreme terror I was in. I did not turn back. 

I literally ran into the room. My hands were trembling. I pulled in the large doors shut and quickly locked it up by placing the heavy, iron crossbar over the wall studs on either side. I didn't turn the lights on, but the window above my bed was open and the moonlight that faintly crept in illuminated my table and our beds in a soft shade of pale grey. I jumped into bed and pulled the cover over my head while tightly sealing the loose ends of the sheet under my body all around. I knew the the old creepy lady and whoever was following me were mere figments of my imagination, but I was  terrified to the core. How I wished somebody would wake up and leave a light on. I couldn't dare move an inch. It took me a while, but I eventually fell asleep, completely unaware of the big mistake I had just committed.

Blandford. The independent looking structure was the room I stayed in. the thin corridor and the wire mesh lining can be seen here.

another view of my room in Blandford. New Building on the right and steps going down the hill to another block (Adamsons) in between.