The Shadow

PART 1...

I woke up early that morning. The day was going to be busy and I had to reach the place before the sun came overhead. In the secluded backwoods of Goa, my mother’s desires had fixed upon some hundred years old huge catholic mansion. It was one heavenly place to crave for, as reflected in the pictures and I quite applauded my mother’s palate. But it was far away from where I lived. My mother had asked me to stay there for a week before she could come and finalize the deal. I drove past the canopied road, deeper and deeper into the heart of the woods. The place was seemingly beautiful, a treat for the eyes as they say. After a few miles, the trees were no more there, and the sun dazzled bright in my eyes. Keeping my eyes on the road became too difficult , and just then, right in front of my car, I saw a human figure which appeared as if a halo of sun rays was emanating from behind it. The car drove towards it as an alarming pace, and I frantically pressed the horns. The figure fumbled for space onto its side, but found no way to move on the narrow road. I hurriedly turned the steering wheel to my left, and the figure tried to dodge the car. With a thrash and a jerk, my car hit a tree and stopped.

“The person!”, I shouted in my head.

I got out to see a dusky thin girl, 11-12 years old, standing on the other side of the road. Her face showed no emotion of fear. It was all stoned.

“Are you alright?”, I shouted out to her.

She gave me a cold glance.

“Hey you!”, I repeated.

The girl turned around and started walking away, while I kept yelling to her from behind.

“Strange!”, I sighed and drove off.

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I parked my car in front of the mansion. On the stone outside its humungous iron gate read the year of its construction and the name of the owner.

“Sir George Barrow

1907”

I pushed open the gate, and it screeched creepily. The front lawn was devoid of any vegetation. A few dried woods , and wild unkempt grass was all it had. Near the threshold, I saw a terribly old woman, probably 70 years old, talking to a beautiful blonde lady. The discussion was a heated one, I could figure out with their gestures. When they saw me, they silenced. The lady walked off, while the old woman smiled at me.

“Nandita.”, I introduced myself.

“Your mother had told me about your visit. Come.”, she welcomed me with utmost warmth.

Near the couch stood the same girl whom I had met on my way. She gazed fixedly at me. I felt uncomfortable.

“She is my granddaughter Kaaya.”, the old lady gestured Kaaya to come to me. The girl did not budge.

“We actually met an hour ago. She came right in front of my car. Thankfully, nothing happened.”, I spoke with embarrassment.

“Are you alright my child?”, the old lady asked Kaaya, her wrinkly face all tensed up after hearing about the accident. Kaaya nodded.

“She can’t speak?”, I turned towards the woman.

“She just speaks less.”, she explained with a tinge of sarcasm.

TO BE CONTINUED...