Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: THE GHOST

[November 13th - 6:00 AM - The "Last" Morning]

WhatsApp Group: "We The Chaos 🤪"

Zain: Guys uthoo! Aaj marne wala din hai! 🎉

Myra: Bro wtf subah subah dark humor

Aarav: BC neend se uthate hi death reminder

Kavya: Waise technically we've died 5 times already

Kavya: Toh experience toh hai 💀

Rehan: My shadow is still doing its own thing

Rehan: Abhi abhi usne mujhe middle finger dikhaya

Zain: HAHAHA self-hate next level

Myra: Guys serious question

Myra: Agar hum mar gaye toh mera Instagram kaun sambhalega?

Aarav: Babe your priorities 😭

Kavya: BABE???? 👀

Kavya: Kal confession hua aaj babe!

Kavya: Fast work Aarav!

Zain: Meanwhile mera gaming account ka kya?

Zain: Battle pass abhi liya tha BC

[Breakfast - 7:00 AM]

Mrs. Sharma ne aloo paratha banaya tha. Last meal vibes strong thi.

"Aunty," Aarav paratha khaate hue bola, "aapne 48 saal se yehi khana khilaya hai sabko before they die?"

"Carbs are comfort food beta," Mrs. Sharma sadly smiled. "Energy bhi chahiye tonight ke liye."

"Aunty aap bhi toh trap hain," Myra sympathetic thi. "Can't you leave?"

"Jab tak curse nahi tutega, main yaheen hun. Aging but not dying. Imagine 48 years same Netflix shows dekhna."

"F in the chat for aunty," Zain genuinely felt bad.

"Waise," Rehan curious tha, "1975 mein kya exactly hua tha? Full story?"

Mr. Sharma appeared suddenly (usko teleportation skills the kya?). "You want to know? Fine. Sunlo. You five came here confident. Just like now. Third night, you tried the ritual. But Ravi" - he looked at Rehan - "got scared. Tried to back out. The mansion needed five souls. When one hesitates, all fail. You died one by one. Ravi last because he became guardian out of guilt."

"Toh iss baar?" Kavya asked.

"Iss baar you're joking about death. Either you're braver or stupider."

"Both!" Zain proudly declared. "Gen-Z hai hum! Depression ko meme bana dete hain!"

Suddenly, Rehan ka paratha blood mein convert ho gaya.

"BC!" Rehan jumped back. "Not again!"

"Language!" Mrs. Sharma scolded, then noticed the blood. "Oh. It's starting early."

"KYA starting early?!" Myra panicked.

Walls pe writing appear hone laga. Blood mein:

"TICK TOCK TICK TOCK. BLOOD MOON WAITS FOR NO ONE."

"Ye toh rhyming bhi kar raha hai," Aarav tried to lighten mood. "Shayar bhoot hai kya?"

"YOUR JOKES WON'T SAVE YOU" New writing appeared.

"Oh shit, ye sun bhi sakta hai!" Kavya shocked.

"I CAN READ YOUR TEXTS TOO"

Everyone immediately checked phones.

Zain: Bro ye toh privacy invasion hai

Myra: Bhoot bhi stalker

Writing on wall: "I'M NOT A BHOOT. I'M THE MANSION'S CONSCIOUSNESS."

"Alexa ka bhayanak version," Zain commented.

"I HEARD THAT"

"Bhai tu Google Home hai kya?" Rehan frustrated. "Always listening?"

"GOOGLE HOME CAN'T KILL YOU"

"Fair point," everyone agreed.

[10:00 AM - Preparation Time]

"Okay strategize karte hain," Aarav camera setup karte hue bola. "Horror movies ke rules apply karte hain."

"Rule 1: Don't split up," Kavya listed.

"Rule 2: Virgin survives," Zain added, then paused. "Wait, iss hisaab se toh..."

"ZAIN!" Myra threw a cushion.

"Kya? Facts bol raha hun!"

"Rule 3: Black person dies first," Rehan said. "But we're all brown toh equal opportunity death?"

"Dark humor championship chal rahi hai kya?" Mrs. Sharma appeared with chai.

"Aunty, coping mechanism," Myra explained.

"Waise aunty," Zain chai sip karte hue poocha, "aapke time pe kya hua tha? You survived kaise?"

"Main room mein locked thi. Aarti ne mujhe bahar nikalne nahi diya. Said I wasn't part of this. Jab main subah door toda, all five were dead. Arranged in pentagram. But peaceful expressions."

"Peaceful?" Aarav surprised.

"Like they accepted their fate. Ya phir..."

"Ya phir?" Everyone leaned in.

"They knew they'd return."

Wall pe new message:

"CLEVER GIRL. BUT THIS TIME NO RETURN TICKET."

"Bro ye Jurassic Park reference maar raha hai?" Zain impressed tha. "Cultured bhoot!"

"I HAVE WIFI. I WATCH NETFLIX."

"WHAT?!" Rehan grabbed laptop. "Tu mera Netflix account use kar raha hai?! That's why recommendations weird thi!"

"YOU WATCHED KISSING BOOTH. JUDGE KAUN KAR RAHA HAI?"

"Exposed!" Everyone laughed while Rehan blushed.

[12:00 Noon - The Calm Before...]

Pool side pe sab gathered the. Trying to act normal but har koi edge pe tha.

"Sach batao," Myra started, "darr lag raha hai?"

"Bhai, phat ke flower ho rakhi hai," Zain admitted. "But kya karein? Wapas jaake kya bolenge? Ki humari past life ne humko trap kar liya?"

"Police complaint file karein?" Aarav joked. "Dear officer, mansion ne humko murder karne ka plan hai. Also, we're reincarnated. Please help."

"Asylum bhej denge," Kavya laughed.

Rehan was staring at pool. "Guys... pool mein reflections check karo."

Sab ne dekha. Instead of their faces, their past life deaths were reflecting. Graphic. Bloody. Real.

"NOPE!" Myra looked away. "Nope nope nope!"

"That's disturbing," Aarav camera uthaya. "But great content?"

"AARAV!" Sab chillaye.

"Sorry! Creator mind!"

Wall pe message: "DOCUMENTING YOUR OWN DEATH. MODERN PROBLEMS."

"Bhai tu sarcasm bhi seekh gaya?" Zain asked the wall.

"48 YEARS MEIN BORE HO GAYA. ENTERTAINMENT CHAHIYE."

"Netflix, sarcasm, aur murder," Kavya listed. "Perfect combo."

[3:00 PM - Things Get Weird(er)]

Myra ke cards automatically shuffle hone lage. Constantly. Same card baar baar aa raha tha - Death.

"Subtle nahi hai bilkul ye," Myra frustrated.

Kavya ka voice recorder random voices record kar raha tha:

"Marrr jayengeeee" (dramatic voice)

"Sab marrr jayengeeee" (more dramatic)

"Coffee kaun banayega phir?" (random thought)

"BC ye ghosts bhi coffee addict hain?" Kavya confused.

Zain ke game mein NPCs ne union bana li thi. Refuse kar rahe the commands follow karne se. Screen pe message: "NPC RIGHTS MATTER"

"Yaar ye toh revolution ho gaya game mein!"

Rehan ke crypto mein new coin listed: "DEATHCOIN - Invest your life, get eternal returns!"

"Marketing toh acchi hai," Rehan admitted.

Aarav ke camera mein future dikhra tha. 6 hours ahead. Sab preparations kar rahe the. But ek problem thi - video mein 6 log the, not 5.

"Sixth person kaun hai?" Aarav zoom kiya.

Figure unclear thi. Tall. Dark. Waiting.

[6:00 PM - The Confession Session]

"Okay," Kavya suggested, "since we might die, confessions karte hain? Secrets?"

"Truth or dare last night edition?" Zain excited.

"Theek hai," Myra started. "Main college mein Aarav ke notes copy karti thi. Sorry not sorry."

"WHAT?! Tere marks mere se zyada aate the!" Aarav shocked.

"Presentation matters," Myra winked.

"Meri turn," Kavya said. "Maine Rehan ka crypto wallet hack karne ki try ki thi. Failed miserably."

"TU?!" Rehan betrayed felt. "Wait, toh woh March mein jo weird login attempt... tu thi?!"

"Sorry! Curious thi!"

"Main confess karta hun," Zain dramatic pause, "maine sabke phones mein rickroll links bheje the jo virus warnings lag rahe the."

"BHENCHOD WOH TU THA?!" Everyone threw pillows.

"Rehan?" Aarav prompted.

"I..." Rehan hesitated. "I actually like Kissing Booth."

"Bigger secret!" Kavya demanded.

"Fine! Natasha ne mujhe nahi, maine usse break up kiya tha. But ego hurt hua toh opposite story sabi."

"BRO!" Everyone shocked.

"Aarav teri turn," Myra poked.

"Umm... 2 million subscribers mein 50k bought hain."

"AARAV!" Myra hit him.

"Initial boost ke liye! Baaki genuine hain!"

Wall pe message: "YOUR SECRETS ARE BORING. WANT REAL TEA?"

"Haan bol," Zain interested.

"MRS. SHARMA AND MR. SHARMA HAD AFFAIR IN 1975."

"WHAT?!" Everyone turned to kitchen where both were visible.

"JUST KIDDING. BUT YOUR FACES 😂"

"BC mansion bhi prank kar raha hai!" Aarav couldn't believe.

"LAST NIGHT HAI. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE FUN."

[9:00 PM - The Last Supper]

Mrs. Sharma ne feast banaya tha. Everything anyone asked.

"Pizza?" Zain hopeful.

"Oven mein hai."

"Biryani?" Rehan asked.

"Counter pe."

"Momos?" Kavya excited.

"Steamer ready."

"How are you making everything?!" Myra amazed.

"Mansion provides what the doomed desire," Mr. Sharma cryptically bola.

"Doomed ka mahaul mat banao yaar," Aarav said.

During dinner, lights started flickering systematically. Like morse code.

"Kya signal de raha hai?" Kavya tried decoding.

Rehan phone pe morse code app download kiya. "It's saying... 'TWO HOURS LEFT. CHOOSE YOUR CHAMPION.'"

"Champion?" Myra confused.

Wall: "ONE MUST ENTER THE SEALED ROOM FIRST. OTHERS FOLLOW. CHOOSE WISELY."

"Rock paper scissors?" Zain suggested.

"ZAIN! Serious situation hai!" Kavya scolded.

"Toh kaise choose karein?"

"Volunteer?" Aarav looked around.

Sab looked down.

"Theek hai," Rehan stood up. "Main jaaunga. I'm already turning into guardian anyway."

"No!" Kavya suddenly emotional. "We go together or not at all!"

"Aww, care karti hai meri?" Rehan teased.

"Shut up! Friend hun teri!"

"Sure, 'friend'," Zain air quotes.

[10:30 PM - Final Hour]

Sab third floor pe gathered. Secret room ka wall visible tha but solid.

"1 hour 17 minutes," Myra countdown kar rahi thi.

"Weapons?" Aarav asked.

"Iron rods from garden," Zain showed.

"Salt packets from kitchen," Kavya added. "Horror movies mein kaam aata hai."

"Holy water?" Myra hopeful.

"Bisleri hai," Rehan showed bottle. "But maine 'Om Namah Shivaya' bola hai iske upar."

"That's not how it works!" Myra laughed despite tension.

"Desperate times!"

Wall pe final message appeared:

"READY PLAYERS?"

"Ready Player One reference?" Zain appreciated. "Respect."

"IF YOU SURVIVE, LEAVE A GOOD REVIEW."

"5 stars if we live, 1 star if we die?" Aarav negotiated.

"FAIR. COUNTDOWN BEGINS..."

[10:45 PM]

"Guys," Myra emotional, "whatever happens, this week was..."

"Mat bol," Kavya stopped her. "We're walking out. All five."

"Group hug?" Aarav suggested.

Sab embraced. Tight. Real. Scared but together.

Rehan's shadow suddenly moved independently, pointing at wall. Cracks appearing. Light seeping through.

"It's starting," Mrs. Sharma appeared. "Remember - the mansion feeds on fear. Don't give it satisfaction."

"Any last advice?" Zain asked.

"Yes," Mr. Sharma materialized. "The sixth person in Aarav's camera video... that's your salvation or doom."

"Who is it?" Aarav desperate.

"You'll know when the blood moon is complete."

[11:40 PM]

Wall translucent hone laga. Inside, a room visible. Ancient. Dark. Center mein ek pedestal. Uspe something glowing.

"7 minutes," Rehan announced.

"Remember the plan," Aarav reminded. "Rehan enters first, we follow in pairs."

"Aarav-Myra, Kavya-Zain," Rehan listed.

"What about you?" Kavya concerned.

"I'll be fine. Shadow buddy hai na," Rehan tried joking but voice cracked.

[11:45 PM]

"2 minutes!" Myra panicking.

Phones started glitching. Showing same time: 11:47 PM.

"Ab ya kabhi nahi," Aarav held Myra's hand.

"Every lifetime," she whispered.

"Every lifetime," all five repeated together.

[11:46 PM]

Wall completely transparent. Room clearly visible. And in the center...

"Is that..." Zain squinted.

"A phone?" Kavya confused.

"BC itne drama ke baad phone?!" Rehan couldn't believe.

Ancient artifact was literally an old Nokia 3310.

"Indestructible phone for immortal curse," Aarav realized. "Makes sense!"

30 seconds.

"On three," Rehan stepped forward.

"One..." Everyone tensed.

"Two..." Hearts racing.

"Three..."

Rehan walked through the wall.

And disappeared.

Not entered the room. DISAPPEARED.

"REHAN?!" Kavya screamed.

Wall turned solid. Blood moon complete.

But instead of staying for 13 minutes, it started closing.

"NO NO NO!" Aarav banged on wall.

Suddenly, Rehan's voice from behind: "Guys?"

They turned. Rehan standing there. But different. Eyes glowing. Shadow merged with him.

"I remember everything. All cycles. All deaths. And I know how to break this."

"How?!" Everyone desperate.

Rehan smiled. But it wasn't comforting.

"We don't break the curse. We become it."

Lightning. Thunder. Lights out.

In the darkness, six pairs of eyes glowed.

The sixth person had arrived.

And it was someone none of them expected.

[To Be Continued...]

Next Chapter: The final revelation. The sixth person's identity. And a choice that will redefine what it means to break free.