The car hummed steadily along the winding road, weaving through patches of mist and thick trees.
The sun had dipped low, casting long shadows as the group approached the outskirts of Ayenpuram village.
Inside the vehicle, Rudra was at the wheel, with Ravi beside him,
While Tarun and Rohit sat in the back, occasionally glancing at the scenery outside—
The changing landscape gives off a strange mix of calm and eeriness.
Just then, on the side of the road, they noticed a woman in a white saree, standing with her back to them, holding a bouquet of red roses. She was deep in conversation with a man riding a black Royal Enfield.
His helmet hung from the handlebars, revealing a clean-shaven, square-jawed face.
He seemed to be offering her a ride, gesturing toward the direction he was headed.
But the woman shook her head politely, refusing.
She clutched the bouquet tighter and smiled with a quiet firmness.
As Rudra's car drove past, both the man and woman paused and looked up, their eyes following the vehicle.
"____"
"____"
"Did you see that?"
Ravi asked suddenly, looking into the side mirror.
"See what?"
Rudra replied, not taking his eyes off the road.
"That lady… and the biker. The way they both looked at us."
"Probably just locals,"
Rohit said, brushing it off.
"We're the strangers here."
Behind them, the man put his helmet on and said something to the woman, who chuckled softly in response.
Chuckle~
They stood there for a moment longer, watching the car disappear into the distance.
Then they returned to their conversation, their expressions unreadable, their words lost to the sound of the engine's fading echo and the gentle rustle of wind through the tall grass.
As they moved deeper along the narrow forest road, the fog began to thicken.
A chill wind brushed past, causing dry leaves to skitter across the gravel.
Rudra's eyes narrowed when he spotted something to his left—
A broken rusty iron gate barely hanging on rusted hinges.
"____"
Weeds had overtaken the entrance, and beyond that, the faint outlines of moss-covered tombstones emerged like crooked teeth from the earth.
He hit the brakes.
Screech.
The sudden halt jolted everyone in the car.
"Bro, what happened?"
Ravi asked, rubbing his chest where the seatbelt had jerked him back.
Rudra nodded toward the dark expanse of land.
Nod~
"That cemetery. Look at it—it's ancient. Probably dates back to the British era. Jack... or Jackson... might be buried there. We should check."
Everyone turned to look.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The gate had collapsed years ago.
The once-ornate ironwork lay in a twisted heap on the ground, overtaken by wild vines.
Faint sunlight filtered through gnarled trees, casting eerie shadows on the tombstones.
An owl hooted nearby—
Long, slow, and haunting.
Hooot~ Hoot~
"Bro… this place is giving 'Conjuring' trailer vibes…"
Tarun muttered.
"Rudra, are you sure?"
Rohit asked.
"I mean… that place is shouting go back in every horror movie language."
Ravi gulped, adjusted his shirt collar, and put on a brave face—
Though his eyes said otherwise.
Gulp~
He pointed toward the gate dramatically and declared,
"This is not a cemetery… this is a pre-booked ghost housing board. No maintenance. No tenants leave. Only enter."
Everyone burst into laughter despite the cold tension in the air.
Rudra smirked but remained focused.
Smirk~
"Laugh all you want. But if we're gonna find answers about Jack, we can't skip anything. Let's check it out. Just a quick look."
Ravi turned to the others and whispered dramatically,
"If I die here, tell Amirtha Ma(Mother) I was innocent and didn't drink that night. Okay?"
Then, clutching his phone like a holy relic, he followed Rudra and the others toward the cemetery gate.
As they stepped through the broken entrance, the air turned colder.
The dead were silent.
After combing through the cemetery, Rudra, Ravi, Rohit, and Tarun found nothing helpful—
No tombstone with the name "Jack," no markings, no crypts with inscriptions pointing toward the spirit they were investigating.
Just moss-covered stones with British names, dates faded and eroded by time.
Ravi, stretching his back with a dramatic sigh, quipped,
"This place needs one Swiggy delivery… of holy water and JCB. Can't even read names properly."
Rohit chuckled, brushing off dirt from his jeans.
Chuckle~
"Let's bounce, bro. This place smells like wet socks and broken dreams."
As they turned and began walking back toward the car, the familiar...
thump-thump-thump
Of a Royal Enfield engine echoed down the narrow forest path.
The deep rumble got louder, and the group instinctively turned.
Through the mist emerged the same man and woman they had passed on the road earlier.
The woman tapped the man's shoulder.
"Stop here."
The bike came to a halt just a few feet from Rudra and the others.
The woman got off and stared directly at them—
Eyes scanning across until they landed on Ravi.
Her brows furrowed.
Frown~
"Mani...? What are you doing here?"
She asked, stepping closer.
Everyone turned to Ravi, who blinked in confusion.
"Me? No, no—you're mistaking me for someone else, madam," Ravi said, waving his hands. "I'm not Mani. I'm Ravi. Full name Rajat Ravi. Never been here before. Swear on filter coffee."
But she didn't look convinced.
Her gaze lingered, analysing his face with growing confusion—
Maybe even concern.
After a tense pause, she backed off with a slight nod.
"____"
Nod~
"Sorry… you just look exactly like someone I used to know. A relative from this region."
She left walking past them.
Ravi scratched his head as they watched the bike rumble away.
The man—
Riding now with a slightly nervous grip—
Felt a strange shiver crawl down his spine.
He looked into the rearview mirror…
A shape moved in the trees.
Just for a moment.
Watching.
He hit the throttle and sped away without looking back.
Meanwhile, Rudra silently glanced at Ravi, whose expression had changed.
"You sure you don't know her?"
he asked quietly.
Ravi shrugged,
but his eyes… carried a flicker of doubt.
"Bro, if I had a duplicate, he better not be living in haunted places like this. I already got enough ghosts in my life—don't need identity crisis too."
Everyone chuckled uneasily, but none of them could shake off the eerie feeling that something just shifted… and this mystery ran far deeper than they expected.
As Rudra and the others entered the borders of Ayenpuram,
The village welcomed them with quiet, earthy roads lined with houses, cows lounging lazily, and small tea stalls bustling with elderly men and chatter.
They pulled over near a roadside tea shop under a tin roof.
The scent of boiled ginger, cardamom, and fresh cow milk drifted in the air.
A couple of villagers paused mid-sip, eyeing the unfamiliar car and strangers inside with quiet curiosity.
As Rudra stepped out, stretching a bit,
An elderly man wearing a lungi and a checked towel around his neck slowly walked up to them.
His face was lined with age and experience, but his eyes were sharp.
"Who are you boys? New to the village?"
He asked, squinting at Rudra and the rest.
Rudra offered a polite nod.
Nod~
"Yes, we're new. We're researchers, actually. Investigating… ghosts."
He paused, then added with a half-smile,
"We're looking for any haunted places around here. You know… ghost houses?"
The moment the word ghosts left his mouth, the tea shop fell silent.
"____"
"____"
"____"
All heads turned toward them.
Even the Tea shop owner stopped pouring halfway, letting hot tea overflow onto the saucer unnoticed.
The gentle murmur of the village life seemed to pause.
"Ghosts...?"
The elder echoed, tone laced with disbelief—
And something else. Fear?
He looked toward Ravi and his expression changed.
His eyes narrowed.
"You again, Mani? Coming back dressed up like this? What's your game now?"
He barked, pointing a wrinkled finger.
Ravi raised his hands in panic.
"I swear, I'm not Mani! I'm Ravi! People keep calling me that—maybe I've got a village twin or something!"
The old man scowled for a moment, then turned his attention back to Rudra.
"____"
His gaze softened a little.
"You're really investigating spirits?"
"Yes. You've heard of someone named Jack or Jackson?"
Rudra asked cautiously.
The name Jackson had an immediate effect.
Several villagers stiffened.
Someone dropped a glass.
A dog near the shop let out a low whine.
The elder's brows drew down like thunderclouds.
He stepped closer and said in a low, serious tone:
"If you're serious about Jackson… then you should visit the village head. His name is Nandan."
He pointed down the road.
"Go straight, take the left after the temple, then right near the banyan tree with the trident. His house has blue windows and a red tiled roof. You'll find him there."
Rudra and the others exchanged glances—
Mildly stunned.
Finally they have found a clue.
"Thank you,"
Rudra said, bowing slightly in respect before getting into the car.
As they drove off toward the village head's house, Ravi muttered,
"This Mani guy is starting to freak me out… What if he's my long-lost twin? Or ghost version?"
Tarun gave him a light jab on the shoulder.
"You sure you're not sleepwalking through haunted villages in your free time?"
As Rudra's car rolled to a stop in front of a large, traditional house with sloped red-tiled roofs and blue window frames,
They took in the sight with awe.
This was the home of Nandan, the village head and panchayat president.
The house looked well-maintained, with tulsi plants in front, yellow turmeric lines near the doorway, and a string of mango leaves tied across the entrance—
Typical of a home where rituals were regularly performed.
But just as they were getting out of the car, something stopped them cold.
Standing near the entrance, with a metal bucket in one hand and a towel slung over his shoulder, was a man who looked exactly like Ravi.
Same curly hair.
Same round face.
Same body type.
Even his confused expression mirrored Ravi's own.
The man dropped his bucket with a clang.
CLANG.
"____"
"____"
He stared at Ravi.
Ravi stared back.
"Yov... Who the hell are you da?"
The man said, walking up, pointing at Ravi like he'd seen a ghost in daylight.
Ravi stumbled back half a step.
"I could ask you the same thing! Why do you look like me?! Who are you?!"
"I'm Mani! I work here!"
The man shot back, confused and slightly offended.
"I'm Ravi! I work with nobody! I just came here for research!"
Ravi snapped, flustered, glancing at Rudra and the others who looked just as dumbfounded.
The two were practically mirror images, bickering and gesturing like old rivals.
Rohit whispered to Rudra,
"So this is the Mani…"
Rudra nodded slowly, still processing.
Nod~
Before things could escalate further, the front door creaked open.
Out stepped Nandan, tall and authoritative in his crisp white veshti,
Followed by the man Rudra had seen earlier riding the Royal Enfield.
Around the man's neck hung a garland of lemons and green chilies,
As though he had just returned from some protective ritual or drishti( negativity ) removal.
Nandan raised an eyebrow at the scene unfolding on his porch.
"Mani, enough of your shouting. Let them in,"
He said calmly, his voice deep and firm.
Mani instantly stepped back and gestured toward the doorway, though his eyes never left Ravi.
"Inside,"
he said, still eyeing Ravi like he might start copying his voice too.
Ravi muttered,
"I don't like this place anymore…"
"Too late to turn back,"
Rudra whispered as they stepped inside.
The other man with the garland gave them a small nod, then followed silently behind.
Nod~
Inside the house, the scent of incense, sandalwood, and camphor was strong.
Sacred ash was smeared across the doorframes.
Inside the house...
The village head, Nandan, noticed the rising tension between Ravi and Mani.
He squinted, tilted his head, and rubbed his chin like a detective from an old movie.
Something wasn't adding up.
The resemblance was too uncanny —
Same hair, same build, same confused expression.
"So... where are you from, son?"
Nandan asked Ravi, narrowing his eyes as if he was about to solve a murder mystery.
"Uh… I grew up in Mumbai,"
Ravi replied cautiously.
"In an orphanage. Don't know much about my parents. I'm an orphan."
"____"
Nandan's eyes widened as if someone slapped a filter of realization over his face.
Sigh~
"Then it's true…"
He muttered.
"Eh? What's true?"
Ravi blinked, looking between Nandan and Mani, who was still staring at him like he'd seen a mirror with a built-in echo.
Nandan stood up dramatically, placing his hand on Mani's shoulder.
"Years ago, my loyal servant—bless his soul—went to Mumbai with his pregnant wife for some personal work. But they never came back. I raised their elder son here—this fellow, Mani."
He pointed at Mani, who looked like he just saw his life flash before his eyes.
Ravi looked back and forth between the two of them, completely lost.
"Wait… wait… are you saying I'm his long-lost brother?"
Ravi and Mani locked eyes.
"Bro?"
Ravi said, voice rising an octave.
"Bro??"
Mani echoed, equally confused.
Rudra, who was watching all this, clapped his hands to get their attention.
"Guys, guys... before you both start calling each other 'Anna'(Big bro) and 'Thambi'(Younger bro) and start bonding over Rasna(local juice), let's do a DNA test first."
Ravi scratched his head with dark face.
"That's... fair. Because if he's my brother, I want to know whether I inherited this round face from my mom or dad."
Mani folded his arms.
"Hey, round face is hereditary, okay? We carry legacy!"
"Yeah, legacy my ass,"
Ravi muttered.
Both glared at each other.
"____"
"____"
Rudra sighed and muttered under his breath,
Sigh~
After the emotional drama (and slight identity crisis) settled down, Rudra finally cleared his throat and got to the point.
"Nandan sir, actually… we're here to investigate about a ghost. Jackson's ghost."
The moment Rudra said the name Jackson, Nandan's expression changed. His eyes went wide like someone just dropped a dosa on the floor butter-side down.
"Ayyo! Jackson ghost-aa?" Nandan exclaimed, clutching his chest.
He quickly pointed to the man who had earlier brought the woman on the Royal Enfield — now standing silently in a corner sipping tea like it was none of his business.
"That fellow right there is also here for the same reason! He's a police officer who came to investigate the Jackson ghost case."
The man placed his tea glass down and walked over with a friendly smile.
"Satya here. Police inspector,"
He said casually, as if he just introduced himself as the new biology teacher.
"I'm kind of… official here. Came on a little detour assignment."
His vibe was laid-back, the kind who probably plays carrom with suspects before arresting them.
"Seems like Jackson is becoming a celebrity ghost,"
Ravi whispered to Rudra.
Ignoring him, Nandan nodded solemnly and turned toward a small photo frame on the wall.
It was an old black-and-white picture of a stern-looking man —
Clearly Nandan's late father.
After offering a quick prayer and murmuring something under his breath,
Nandan walked over with a handful of red threads.
"Before you all run off chasing ghosts, let me tie these sacred threads on your wrists,"
He said.
"For protection. Already tied one to Satya when he arrived."
"Er… ghostproof, is it?"
Ravi asked, holding out his hand cautiously.
"Better than garlic,"
Nandan muttered seriously as he tied a thread on each of their wrists.
After the sacred-thread tying ceremony, he called out,
"Mani! Take them to the guest house."
Mani, still side-eyeing Ravi like he was looking at his long-lost reflection, gave a half-nod and muttered,
"This way, ghostbusters."
As they followed Mani out, Satya walked along and casually said,
"By the way… I hope none of you scream like girls if something floats tonight."
Ravi pointed at Rudra.
"No promises. He once screamed at a pigeon."
"IT FLEW INTO MY FACE!"
"Still counts,"
Ravi grinned.
And so, with threads on their wrists and suspicion in their eyes, the team followed Mani to the guest house—
Completely unaware of the haunted welcome waiting for them.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N): I misuploaded. Since I have already uploaded a chapter on Thursday. So today's upload will be one chapter.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?