The Unknown Girl

A few months ago, I went to Behrampore at my uncle’s flat for odd semester holidays. It was the time of Christmas and the month of December so the cold was at its peak. I was very excited to go there as we haven't got time to meet with my uncle and his wife for nearly a year. They used to stay there in a rented flat, but recently they bought a flat in a new colony where flats were being sold and were a little cheap. Not many people live there as some parts of it were still under construction and very few flats were sold. We reached their new home by asking the people about the location. Finally, we reached there and everyone was very happy to see each other after a long year. We took a bath and then had some food as the long journey was very tiresome and we were all very hungry.

That day we took rest and gossiped for hours. We came to know that it was a new colony and the land agent is trying to colonize the place. It would not be long when it will be full of people. That day we had our dinner and went to sleep, dreams took over our heavying tired eyes. I had a nightmare that night maybe because of all the journey and new place to sleep. In my dreams, everyone was crying and there was death everywhere. Someone was continuously following me like a snake and trying to kill me. It was the most horrifying dream of my life, and at night around 3 o’clock I woke up. Astonishingly, in the winter season when people need a blanket to sleep, I was bathing in my own sweat, sweat drops were running down my forehead and I was having difficulties to breathe. I had some water and then again went to sleep, but I was unable to get a good night's sleep for the rest of the sleeping hours.

The next day I woke up, had my breakfast with everyone, and told everyone about the dream and everyone was a little worried and my mother gave me some holy water to drink and sprinkled some on me. That day we decided to stay at home and take rest. I was bored and not feeling like staying within the four walls, so I went out to roam around and see the building. It was quite a big place, though it does not seem so and in that my big apartment, my uncle’s flat was the third one on the first floor. The structure of the building was also good as the stair goes up from the middle and on the left and right there were seven flats, so on each floor, there were fourteen flats and it was indeed a big place. I went from one end of the floor and then to another, I went down the stairs to the ground floor and looked every corner and saw that it was not only big but also a very beautiful place. On my way back to my uncle's flat near the stairs on the first floor, I heard some noise coming from the second floor and thought that maybe some new people have arrived today. I thought of going to the second floor and see but as I took few steps and went up a stair or two, I heard my uncle came out of his flat to go to the market and when he saw me going up, he asked me, “Where are you going? There is nothing up there till now. It is empty.”

I replied, “I heard some noise coming from up there so I was going to check who was it.”

He said, “Ok, you will check later, now let’s go, I am going to market, you come along with me, then you can see around the place and know more about this place.”

I went with my uncle to the market, I looked around few places and came to know about few good shops, restaurants, and food stalls as I am a food lover and also helping my uncle to take some vegetables, some meat, and some fish. Then we returned and everyone was busy with cooking, my father and uncle were busy talking and I was not able to think of anything to do, so I went out and headed towards the second floor. First, I went towards one end of the second floor then to the other but I didn’t saw anyone, so I was about to go down the stairs when I heard a girl calling out. I looked back and saw that she was calling me, I was surprised as when I looked around, I was unable to see anyone, then from where did, she appear. I was a little scared and astonished, I went up to her. She started introducing herself and said that she was feeling very bored and also said that she wants to do friendship with me. I was still in shock and without hearing what she said, I asked her, “I just looked around the place but I did not saw you anywhere, then from where and how did you come here, this is the only way to come up here and go down.” She laughed and said that she stays in the last flat of the left row and asked that was I knocking on every flat to check if anyone was there. I said no and thought maybe that was why I did not see her as she was inside the flat and I was just roaming around and by doing that I can never know if anyone was inside any flat or not.

Soon we started talking and we became good friends, we had a long conversation but the whole time we were standing near the stares and she had not invited me to her flat. I did not think about that fact and that thought had never stuck my mind then. From what I came to know about her made me more shocked, she said that she lives in the very building and on the second floor, but according to everyone, no one lives there. I was a little confused and left for that day, promising to again meet her the next day. I came back to my uncle’s flat but did not say anything about the incident to anyone and the fact that she leaves on the second floor was in my mind all the time. During dinner, I brought up the topic and asked if anyone stays on the second floor last flat, but my uncle said that no one lives. I was again in deep thinking when my mother shook me and asked me what’s the matter and why I was asking if anyone stays there. I said nothing but they were persistent so I said that I heard someone was there today. Uncle said maybe the housing agent came to show the flat to someone and that is when I heard someone’s voice or maybe it was just me misheard things. I was still not convinced as I talked with the girl and she said that she lives there and I had to know why was she lying. I thought of speaking with her the next day about it. After dinner, I went to sleep, and, in my dreams, I saw the same girl I met that day. It was a very confusing but very lovely dream.