ONE RAINY NIGHT

It was raining cats and dogs. I was still halfway from my home city. The business meeting took much longer than expected. I always had a problem driving after sunset. Somehow, my eyesight failed after the sun went down and the rain that day made it worse. Thankfully, the highway was empty except for a car or two every few minutes.

Generally, I refrained from driving in the dark but that night I had no choice. Raindrops clashed hard against the windscreen as milestones flashed by the windows. I just wanted to reach my home as soon as possible. My heart was aching for a glass of scotch. As I drowned further in my thoughts, I thought I saw a silhouette on the side of the road.

As I slowed down, the figure became clearer. It was a man, holding a large umbrella over his head, his other arm extended asking for a lift. I was apprehensive at first, the stranger could be a thief or a kidnapper or a murderer but then my charitable side took over. I stopped the car and rolled down my window. The man leaned on the door, the umbrella covering his head and his back.

“I am extremely sorry for the inconvenience. My car broke down and I can’t get a mechanic in this weather. It would be very kind of you if you could drop me at my home. It’s not far from here.” He said in a gravelly voice.

“Yes, of course. It’s raining like hell. Please get inside.”

I took a good look at him as he walked towards the passenger side of my car. He was tall, must have been more than six feet in height, wearing a two piece suit. As he got inside, I could see he was completely drenched.

“Hello, I am Suresh. Thank you for giving the lift. I was standing there for half an hour and not one car stopped”, he said extending his hand.

“Can’t really blame them can we? Too many unscrupulous elements around. I am Abhishek by the way.” I said shaking his hand. His hand was colder than expected.

The rain suddenly increased in intensity as he sat in the passenger seat. I started the car and drove off. The rain increased continuously till a point that I couldn’t see the road anymore. The stranger beside me was visibly worried.

“Would you be able to drive to your home in this weather?” He asked.

“I have to, I have an important meeting tomorrow morning.”

“Safety is foremost isn’t it? Why don’t you spend the night at my place and leave early morning directly for your meeting?”

“No no, I can’t do that.” I said, “I won’t like to burden you.”

“Come on, it’s no burden. I live alone, I’d prefer the company. You seem to be a nice guy.”

I contemplated. It was raining heavily and I could feel the tires of my car skidding from time to time. It was better to stay the night and start as soon as the rain stopped.

“Alright, I think it’s better to heed your advice. Let’s reach your place as soon as possible.”

The following journey was uneventful. Trees on the sides of the road passed on like a blur. The downpour drowned the sound of the car engine. Around twenty minutes later, Suresh asked me to take a right onto a smaller road. A large signboard read Nagar Haveli, hundred metres ahead.

I asked,”Whose mansion is that? The name sounds very old.”

“It’s my ancestral home. We have been staying there for generations. My parents would have been glad to see you but unfortunately they are on an Europe tour.”

“That’s absolutely fine. It’s more than enough that you have invited me in this weather.”

A big mansion rose over the horizon as I drove ahead. It was more of a palace than a mansion. Golden domes rose into the sky, reminiscent of an era of kings and queens. The rest of the palace was adorned in white oozing a massive status symbol. I wondered how can a man stay alone in this huge place.

As we reached the gate, Suresh excused himself and got out of the car. He went to the left side of the gate and punched in the security code. The gates opened and I crossed the gates and stopped for Suresh. He walked in and got into the car. The gates closed after him. I drove slowly through the cobblestone path into a well lit porch. The whole place was well maintained. Topiaries were on both sides of the path with adjacent gardens. Everything was neat and orderly. I envied Suresh’s life.

Suresh asked me to park the car in the porch itself as he wasn’t expecting any visitors for the evening. I got out of the car and walked towards the massive front door. The craftsmanship on the door spoke volumes about the rich heritage. I couldn’t help but get amazed at every bit of design on the walls. I followed Suresh through the main door and entered into their large drawing room. I was stupefied. It was a massive monumental room with a white couch and claret armchairs matching the walls. A large mahogany table stood between the couch and the chairs whose other end faced a fireplace. Dark charcoal marble floors complimented the design of the room. Large portraits of Suresh’s ancestors hung on the walls. At the other end of the room a large staircase led to the first floor. Just below the staircase was the liquor cabinet on one side and on the other a showcase adorned with showpieces and various trophies.

Suresh beckoned me towards the couch.

“I’ll be back after putting on something dry. Please have a seat” and he climbed up the stairs.

I walked towards one of the chairs and sat down. I was busy checking emails on my phone when Suresh came down, dressed in pajamas and a night gown.

“Would you like some scotch?”

I was delighted to hear those words,”yes, I’d love some”

He took out two glasses from the liquor cabinet and a half filled glass bottle. He put down the glasses on the table and poured the drink till both the glasses were half full. He sat down, with his glass in his hand. I took my glass and said cheers.

“I never expected this night to turn out this way”, I said.

“Me neither but I am glad to have the company. Staying alone in this big house is quite boring.”

“Yes, I can understand.”

“So, where do you work?”

“I own a small marketing company. We handle publicity and marketing for various consumer goods.”

“Wow, that’s great. What were you doing here tonight?”

“I was attending a meeting with a new client. I didn’t expect it to take so long. To make matters worse it started raining.”

“I can see. At least you didn’t have to risk your life. How are you enjoying your drink?”

“It’s amazing. How old is it?”

“I think around twenty years. Dad bought it last year.”

We had finished our first drink by then. Suresh poured another drink.

I was intrigued about the past of Suresh’s home. So, I asked him about it.

“This house is about hundred years old. My great grandfather was very young when he started building this house. It was finally finished when my grandfather was a teenager.”

“Your house seems to have a rich heritage. Was your great grandfather a Zamindar or something?”

“Yes he was and unlike most zamindars of that time he was kind hearted. Though there was one incident because of which he was murdered in the end.”

“What? He was murdered? By whom? And why?”

“Even though he was kind-hearted, he had a bad temper”, he said slowly,”one day, he had gone to a nearby village to collect taxes. There, he found out that one of the villagers was stealing grains from others and was selling them on the black market. He lost it completely. He ordered that man to be brought in front of him and had him beaten to death.”

“Okay, that’s gruesome. What happened after that?”

“The incident didn’t sit well with the accomplices of the dead thief. They were hardcore criminals. One night, my great grandfather was alone in the mansion. Everyone else had gone to a fair in the largest village in this area, the city you had your meeting today. Seeing the opportunity, those people attacked the mansion. They robbed as much as they could and murdered my great grandfather when he tried to resist them. When everybody came back, nobody could find his dead body. Blood was everywhere, strewn about objects told the whole story. His body hasn’t been found till date.”

“That’s horrific. How did your family deal with it after that?”

“My grandfather was old enough by that time. He held the helm of the affairs. In time he also tracked down the assailants’ whereabouts but they were already dead. Rumours said that all of them died under mysterious circumstances.”

“Wow!! It sounds like some ghost story. Was your great grandfather somehow connected to it?”, I asked jokingly.

Suresh’s face was serious now,”we don’t joke about these things here. We have felt an unknown presence from time to time. I am not comfortable talking about it.”

“I am extremely sorry. But you are telling me that the mansion is haunted?”

“Kind of. We don’t poke at it. Certain incidents happen but we don’t prod. I think it’s late enough. Let’s have our dinner and go to sleep.”

“Yes of course.” Saying that we finished our drinks and went to the dining hall. Needless to say it was another marvel to look at. The dining table had a marble top with ten chairs around it, each made of mahogany. Food was already kept on the table. The cook had left long ago. We served the food in our plates and heated on the microwave oven. Suresh was silent whole of the time. I decided to let him be. We had our dinner with minimal conversation.

After dinner, we went upstairs which housed all the bedrooms and a few other rooms. The bedrooms were adjacent to each other along a carpeted passage. Suresh showed me to the guest bedroom which was at the end of the passage. Facing the room was a study. Suresh’s room was two doors down along the same passage. The guest room was lavish with a four poster king-size bed at the center. The whole floor was covered with a thick carpet. The bed was accompanied by two side tables with table lamps on top of them. Just beside the door was an almirah and on the other side an attached bathroom. A large french window faced the door covered with handmade curtains. I was too tired to move anymore.

Before leaving for the night Suresh said something that sent a chill down my spine,”Whatever happens, don’t get out of your room in the night. You might hear weird sounds or something similar, just stay in your room. Don’t ask why.”

“Okay. It’s eerie but okay.”

I went to my bed, took off my shirt and trousers and went off to sleep. It was still raining hard outside. It must have been around 3AM that I heard loud raps on the bedroom door. It took me a moment to regain my senses. The knocking continued. While saying, “I am coming” in a loud voice, I got down from my bed. I switched on the bed lamp and walked upto the door still groggy. The knocking continued. I assumed it must be Suresh in some kind of emergency. I opened the door and there was nobody. Something cold brushed past my face and suddenly I was freezing. I closed the door in a hurry and sat down on the floor. I was trembling with cold and fear. Suddenly, the door started banging loudly. I crawled back to the foot of the bed. I could feel hairs on my neck standing up. A cold sweat broke across my face. The banging stopped all of a sudden. I was hoping for Suresh to come my rescue but he was nowhere to be seen. I decided to go to his room. I had completely forgotten what he had said before going to sleep.

I stepped out of my room, slowly. I looked at both sides of the door. A strange darkness shrouded the passage. I switched on the flashlight of my cellphone and tiptoed to Suresh’s room. His door was wide open. I was taken aback. He was supposed to be in his room. I went inside, his bed was empty, blanket strewn aside as if he had just left his bed. I checked his washroom which again was empty. Branches of a tree were banging against his bedroom window creating a ghostly atmosphere. I strode out of the room and went downstairs. The sight shocked me, the main door was ajar. The whole house was covered in the same darkness. I went outside. Rain stormed like mad accompanied by lightning every now and then. I stood in the porch for a while trying to find Suresh but he was nowhere to be seen. I was worried if something happened to him. I went to my car and opened its trunk. I took out the tire iron, closed the trunk and went beyond the porch towards the main gate. Another lightning cracked followed by thunder, everything was illuminated for a fraction of second. I saw a dark figure near the gate. It must be Suresh. I ran ahead but by the time I reached the gate, the figure was gone. Another lightning, I saw the figure walk towards the garden. I ran behind it. Another lightning, the figure disappeared but I saw Suresh, in his nightgown, completely drenched standing with a shovel in his hand near a freshly dug ditch.

“Suresh, what are you doing here in the rain?”

“Abhishek, do you know who my great grandfather really was? He was a blood thirsty monster. He killed people for fun. The kind-hearted nature was just a facade. He even killed his son’s wife, my own grandmother when she was pregnant for the second time.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Yes, that’s my great grandfather and guess what, his blood runs in my veins. You shouldn’t have given me the lift.” And he stepped forward to strike me with the shovel. I couldn’t step back in time and the shovel passed through me. I smiled at him. All blood was drained from his face. He stepped back in shock. I was still smiling at him. He stuttered,”Wha..what the hell are you?”

“You don’t need to know anymore” and I hit his head with my tire iron. His skull cracked with a loud sound and he fell in the ditch he dug up. Rain had slowed down by then. It was time for sunrise and that meant my time was almost up.