Imagine this.. You are asked to visit a distant relative. You are on your way to visit them. You enter the gate of their building and suddenly you get chills down spine. You don't know why you feel this way, but every instinct screams at you to turn back. Ignoring the signs, you enter anyway and close the gate behind you. You continue to walk towards building but each step is heavy - as if you are wearing steel boots. Every step feels like an invitation into something sinister. Your gut has sensed the danger, but your feet cannot stop to march forward. The building looks dark even in the bright sunlight. It is surrounded by dark clouds even in the summer months. The air is thick. It smells wet and mushy. You know you should not go further but you have lost the control over your limbs. Your brain tells you "retreat" but legs say "can't". You wonder, is it the bad weather or paranormal forces pulling strings?
You might think nightmares like this only exist in horror fiction. But for my friend Rajiv (pseudonym used for protecting the identity of the individual) this was reality straight out of a horror story book. This is Rajiv's experience.
Raised in the heart of the city, Rajiv lived a comfortable life with his parents. He was a happy-go-lucky guy with a laid-back attitude. Most of his family had already left this mortal plane, his circle of relatives was incredibly small. He believed he knew every single member of his family, until the day he came face-to-face with a mysterious, distant relative he never knew existed.
Carrying the food and medicine for the patient, Rajiv embarked his errand. A storm of questions played on loop: Who was this invisible relative? How did no relatives ever mentioned her? How could his parents have celebrated decades of ceremonies and family festivals without ever inviting her? He was burning with curiosity, even though he knew better than to interrogate a sickly old woman. With every passing minute, his eagerness grew. But all that anticipation instantly evaporated the moment he stood before the gate of her residence.
The structure looked like a relic of the British Era, boasting grand arches, massive pillars, a wide lobby, and towering ceilings. It stood the test of time and it showed. The paint had faded - maybe it was painted decades ago and never touched up again. The building was appearing ash grey that matched the hovering clouds. It was unsettling to see grey sky in the middle of a sunny summer afternoon. Rajiv opened the rusted gate of the building and stepped inside. His heart started beating faster. His throat got tighter. He felt a strange sense of anxiety after entering the premises. The atmosphere around the tower was growing darker. There was no sound other than his beating heart. He marched ahead despite every inch in his body was asking his to return. He wanted to turn back but he could not do so - he felt his limbs were under someone else's control. An unknown force was pulling him towards the building but he wanted to get away. He continued to strut ahead. He climbed the wooden staircase that made squeaky noise. The whole building appeared abandoned, there was no sign of life. All doors were locked with a thick layer of dust on the bolts. He climbed to the third floor to find a door ajar. He knew it was his aunt's home.
He gently knocked on the door before entering. There was no answer. He softly said, "anybody home?" He met a dead silence in response. Finally he decided to raise his voice "Aunty, I am Rajiv. I have brought food and medicine," praying for a reply. A labored voice replied, "come inside". Rajiv entered the house. In a stark contrast to the dusty building, the house was squeaky clean. There were antique wooden tables, chairs, and a polished copper jug. He was looking for his aunt, he wanted to give her the care package and leave from that dreaded place as soon as possible. He peered through the window to see his aunt in the kitchen. She was little more than skin and bones, her spine severely hunched, her wispy hair pinned back into a tight, tiny bun. She was making tea. Rajiv said, "aunty, please sit down. Let me make the tea," while entering the kitchen. As he spoke, she turned around. Rajiv saw his mysterious aunt's face. It was wrinkled with age spots, tiny eyes, crooked chin and nose. She was smiling. She looked exactly like how he had imagined the witch in the Hansel & Gretel story. It wasn't just her appearance; it was the deeply malicious vibe she radiated. Rajiv's heart was still beating faster. His instincts telling him to leave this place.
The tea was ready. Steaming hot, she poured it into an ancient mug and handed it to him. She smiled and said, "Here son. I have prepared a herbal tea for us. You have come to my home for the first time. How could I let my guest do the work? My Nani will beat me with a stick in the afterlife for such poor hospitality. Here, sit down and enjoy". Rajiv felt helpless. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to run, but her aggressive hospitality pinned him to the spot. Helplessly, he took a sip. Nevertheless the tea was delicious. Seizing the moment, Rajiv quickly handed over the tiffin and the medicines. He muttered a polite goodbye and bolted out the door. The next thing he realised the was sitting in the back of a moving taxi. He looked around to see where they were headed. He saw the familiar structures. He was already entering his own neighbourhood. To his absolute horror, he had absolutely no memory of leaving her apartment, walking down those creaking stairs, exiting the haunted building, or hailing a cab. The entire journey was a total blackout.
He reached home and he ran to his dad's room. His dad was sitting in his armchair, quietly reading the newspaper. Rajiv narrated him the events of his visit - the suffocating atmosphere, the loss of bodily control, the missing time, and the eerie old woman. Now he expected answers from his dad. His dad kept the newspaper aside, his face turned serious. He told Rajiv about this mysterious relative, "She was different right from her childhood. She would always be quiet, she would not play with me or other cousins. She would sit alone watching us with her tiny eyes. Unfortunate events would occur near her. Her younger brother fell from the balcony and died. Few years later, her mother slipped down the stairs hitting her head and died due to haemorrhage. Eventually, she was married off to a wealthy young man and moved into that very building. But the curse followed her. She gave birth to a healthy son, but he did shortly after his birth. Her husband met with a terrible accident while commuting to work. It wasn't just her family, either—strange, fatal accidents plagued anyone who lived near her. Wherever she would go, there would be destruction and death. Eventually this pattern became impossible to ignore. One by one, the family stopped inviting her to ceremonies. Everyone deliberately disconnected with her. She remained a ghost from the past until today".
Rajiv's whole body trembled. The realization hit him like a physical blow: he had just walked willingly into a death trap. What if she wanted him to be her next victim? What did she mix in that herbal tea? If he had not left her home at the right moment, would he have made it out alive? Each question became more troublesome that the previous one. But now Rajiv knew that it was better if he had not known this mystery aunt. He had set out that morning eager to solve a family mystery. But now, staring at his father’s grim face, Rajiv realized some secrets were meant to stay buried.
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