RAKTANCHAL DIARIES : HAUNTED CARNIVAL
"Wake up... Come on, bro! Did you not hear it?" his little brother whispered.
It was a chilly October night, and Ayush's all-time favorite day - Saturday, a holiday. But babysitting Ayan, he admitted was the toughest job.
Ayush looked up at him, peering into the dimly lit bedroom.
"What do you want? Why are you disturbing me?" he muttered.
"The carnival... the carnival is here."
Ayush glanced up at the alarm clock and pulled up his sheets.
"It's midnight, Ayan. Go, sleep now."
Suddenly, The rambling noise of multiple trucks crossed the street.
He jumped down from the bed and rushed toward the windowpane. Ayush opened the blue curtains instantly. He peered down at the road, but the trucks were gone.
Ayan, his brother rushed out of the room and climbed down the staircase.
"Ayan? Ayan! Wait! Where are you going?"
Ayan didn't stop, but opened the door and raced outside in the dark. He followed after him, as he traversed the dark alleyway and into the vacant street.
"Ayan! Wait! Mom will kill us if she knew we were out here at this hour," Ayush wailed.
Ayan jogged behind the truck, which didn't halt either.
He passed into the dark alleyway and noticed a little kid around 10 standing facing against his back.
"Hey, did you see a little boy, he is my brother Ayan. He is going behind the truck, the carnival, I mean."
The boy swung around, and he had a disguise on, an expressionless yellow mask, opaque holes for the eyes, and a pale smile. The mask was battered.
He raised his hand directly, implying to go from the back.
"Thank you," Ayush said.
"By the way, what are you doing here–"
The boy was gone. The wind howled, and the trees swung heavily against the walls of the houses. Clouds gathered, and the moonlight disappeared in the darkness.
Ayush presided over the gloomy street and stopped near the forest.
"Caution: Do not cross. Raktapreet forest, Raktanchal is currently restricted and should not be trespassed."
Ayan sprinted across the street, and he caught a glimpse of him.
"Ayan! Wait!"
Ayan halted in front of the desolate patch of land, two trucks were stationed there and a van. Ayush caught hold of his wrist.
"What were you thinking?" he growled.
Ayan shrugged his hand free and climbed inside the van into the dark. He turned the doorknob and entered. Ayush strode toward him to catch him before the door closed. He grabbed the four and swung it open. A lady in her 80s sat near the wooden desk. She wore a glittering purple gown and a silver necklace that glimmered in the dusky mini-room. Her white bushy hair was tied down into a bun. She grinned at both of them and bounced up from her seat. She started chanting a mysterious incantation and cockroaches around the room started filling the floor, and the walls one by one.
Ayan screamed, and hurried out of the van. Ayush followed him and slammed the door shut before anything worse could happen.
We ran as fast as we could, crossing the dark alleyway and the dimly lit street.
"Come on. We have to go home now. Mom and Dad are coming home tomorrow morning, remember?"
Ayan nodded morosely. "By the way, did you see that kid with the mask?"
"Who? I don't know," he murmured.
"Ok, come let's go home. I'm tired. My legs... hurt so much."
Ayush jolted up from my bed. A bad dream, perhaps? Nevermind. He pulled his sheets down and turned to find his brother, Ayan sleeping next to him. He smiled. He slowly crept outside the bedroom and walked down the spiral staircase. "You are awake?" a voice called out. "Mom?"
He ran towards his mother and hugged her tightly. She brushed his hair. "Honey, are you okay?"
"Bad dream?" Dad called out. He placed the bags aside on the table beside the kitchen floor.
"Where is Ayan? Is he still sleeping?"
"Yeah."
"So, wake him up and get dressed. I'm preparing breakfast. Come down, and tell Ayan to brush his teeth properly this time," his mom said.
Ayush nodded, and entered the bathroom. Looking up at the glass, he tried to focus on the events of the dream he had. A scary woman, a weird boy, and his stubborn little brother. He washed his face and wiped it with a pink towel.
Ayush was startled. Ayan was standing right behind him. He had a gloomy look on his face.
"What happened? Are you still sleepy? Come on, wash your face, brush your teeth and do it... as mom told you."
His brother nodded and stood in front of the kitchen sink.
At the breakfast table, Ayush ate his juicy veggie sandwich and dipped the remains in the mayonnaise cup. He took a bite and savored it slowly.
"Wow, Mom, it's really good. Where is Dad?"
"He's cleaning up the car. It's a little bit stained. You already know how much he loves the car. He is still cleaning it up. Where is Ayan?"
"He is in the bathroom."
Ayan walked across the dining hall and pulled out a chair.
He sat down with a gloomy smile on his face. "Bro, you did not tell mom, right?" he whispered.
"About what?"
"The carnival... the weird old lady."
The carnival was real. The lady, and the boy... everything was real.
A black sheet of paper crept inside the edge of the door. It lay on the carpet for a while.
Aryan eyes were glued to the pamphlet, and he grabbed it off the ground. His insides froze.
"What is it, bro?" Ayan asked.
"The ca-carnival... the carnival is here. It's the invitation card for the–"
Ayan looked up at me with utter bewilderment.
"Don't worry, we are not going, okay?" Ayush admitted.
Mom paced inside the kitchen, placed the tray, and sat beside Ayan.
"Why? What happened? Why are you not going?" Mom asked.
Ayan didn't respond. Dad opened the main door and entered the room. He took the pamphlet from Ayan.
"Why are you not going? It would be so much fun. When I was your age I used to have fun with my friends and went for a night out. Kids these days are glued to their phones every day."
"You are going. Take Ayan with you Ayush and have fun. He doesn't go out too much," Mom said.
A message popped up in Ayush's phone, and he took it out of his pocket.
Payal? She has invited him to come to the Shamsher Carnival tonight.
He pocketed the phone and glanced up toward his parents.
"Fine, we are going, mom. Ayan coming?"
Ayan didn't look up, he was busy fidgeting with the sandwich and extracting the veggies from the plate.
"Ok," Ayan said lightly.
"Now finish the breakfast and Ayan stop removing the vegetables from the sandwich. You have to eat everything up," said Mom.
After breakfast, Ayush went out with his buddy, Rohan for his freelancing work. Ayan sat in the bed, as if it was his holiday too, drawing caricatures of his favorite cartoon - Bob & Mary, the duo of cat, and dog. Ayan couldn't help but remember the scene, the old lady chanting an incantation, and the cockroaches filling the van's interior. He threw the pencil aside and descended downstairs.
"Where are you going?" his mom said.
"Nothing. Just walking in the park," Ayan replied.
"Okay, just be careful and come soon."
Ayan ran past the street, the sun glimmered in the cloudless sky. Ayan ran past the Toy Shop, and read the signboard : Caution: Do not cross. Raktapreet forest, Raktanchal is currently restricted and should not be trespassed.
Ayan frowned, and passed the sidewalk, toward the green barren land, now filled with different kinds of stalls, and colorful rides, ad the board read: Welcome to Shamsher Carnival.
"Hey? Where are you going?" the watchman said.
"No, I'm just passing by... When is the Carnival opening up?"
"It's after 6 pm kid. Go home now. Don't let me catch you again, or else I'll call your parents," the watchman hissed.
Ayan nodded, and turn away from the entrance gate.
Ayush came home in the evening as the sun faded from the sky. Stars sparkled in the night. Ayudh looked for his brother. Ayan was as usual sitting on the bed, drawing Bob & Mary again.
"How was your day?" Ayan asked.
"Frustrating but okay. What did you do?"
"Nothing just drawing–" Ayan replied.
"Wait... It's 6:30 already?"
Ayush hurriedly changed his clothes and suited up in a brown jacket.
"Come on, we have to go. Payal would be there any minute."
"So, you guys are going on a date?" Ayan said.
"No! I mean her friends are coming too. And you are coming with me."
Ayan nodded and descended downstairs to change his clothes.
They reached the main metallic entrance gate which stood open, the glittering sign board read: Welcome to Shamsher Carnival.
Ayan held Ayush's hand tightly and glared at him.
"Don't go wandering like last night, okay?"
Ayan nodded in agreement.
They entered the arena, walking past the red carpet beneath their feet. A stone pathway guided them to a bridge and a small stream of blue water underneath it. On the left were two stalls, moreover, tents which were blue and red colored. The shopowners were talking to each other, muttering something, and glaring at their faces with their dreary expressions.
Crossing a tree patch, Ayan noticed the grand Ferris wheel decorated with blue, yellow, and orange flickering led lights. Next to the side stood the ticket booth and banners stocked up on the front, and sidewalls.
"Two tickets," said Ayan.
"One ticket, uncle," Ayush said.
"Why?" Ayan bawled.
"Because you are not coming with me inside. You will stay at the kid's corner right there."
"Oh, come on! I want to go inside the mirror ride. I saw it on Youtube yesterday."
"Ok fine. But Bunty's coming with you," Ayush ordered.
Ayan saluted. "okay, captain." Both of them giggled for a moment. The old lady from that night was seated beside the ticket booth in her purple-clothed camp, grinning at them.
On the right, Mr. Jagganth's Toy shop's stall was placed in a brown-colored tent.
Ayush grabbed the tickets and waited until Bunty turned up at the ticket booth.
"Yo! I'm here, Ayu, baby," Bunty quipped.
"Thank you," Ayush replied.
"Don't forget about our deal. The party."
"Yes, bro. I know. Come on I have to go Payal would be there any moment."
Bunty grasped Ayan's hand and they hiked past him traversing the tree patch.
Payal welcomed him with a tight hug and then he grinned back at her.
"Hi, baby. Am I late? How do I look?" she said softly.
"No. You're perfect... I mean you're perfectly on time. And you look good."
"Come on, let's go. I want to introduce you to my friends."
She grabbed his wrist and then ambled away in a bleary space.
Ayush was warmly greeted by Payal's friends, and they settled to go on the roller coaster ride which was complex and enormous next to the Ferris wheel. Ayush and Payal with her friends went inside the ride and sat on their seats.
"I don't want to ride this one!" Ayan whined.
"Look, it's safe here. We will go to the mirror house right later," said Bunty.
"Fine, but I want popcorn and cotton candy too."
"I'll get those. Sit right there, don't go anywhere."
Bunty jogged across the lawn, crossing the tree patch, and stood last in the line full of people waiting for their turn.
A man clothed as a clown halted in front of Ayan. He had a white patch of makeup on his face, and a fake red smile smudged on his lips. He sported a red and white patterned robe and had a curly purplish-blue wig instead of his hair.
The clown gripped Ayan's wrist. "Do you want candy?"
"No, Bunty has gone to get it."
"Oh, I have chocolate too. Come with me," the clown said.
"I'm not allowed to go with strangers," Ayan replied.
"Are we strangers? Oh sorry. My name is Raju. And what's your name, kid?"
"I'm Ayan."
"Come with me. I have loads of chocolate and we also have your favorite Bob & Mary. They have particularly come to meet you."
"Really?" Ayan hollered.
"Yes, my boy."
Ayan agreed and strode alongside the clown.
After attaining a safe distance, the clown rubbed a handkerchief forcefully over Ayan's face and clutched his hair brutally. Ayan fell unconscious and tumbled on the lawn. The clown shoved the boy into the black garbage bag and walked away from the crowd on a foggy lawn brimmed with overtowering trees.
Ayush & Payal giggled out loud as the ride stopped, and the group of kids came out when it finally descended.
Ayush's phone rang and he drew it out. The girls proceeded backward ready to check out the further rides.
"Hello?"
"Ayush... Ayan... Ayan is gone. I told him to sit near the merry-go-round. But, he is gone. You have to come here right now."
"I'm coming," Ayush murmured. "I have to go Payal. My brother. I have to find him."
Before Payal could say something, he paraded ahead toward the merry-go-round ride, traversing the tree patch.
After a few minutes, Ayush found Bunty sitting beside the merry-go-round.
"Go home. I'm going to find him."
"I'm coming with you. He was my responsibility. I lost him."
"No, go home. I will call you when I find him," Ayush murmured.
"He was talking about going to the mirror house. He would hundred percent be there."
Ayush nodded, and Bunty started pacing away from him. He stomped away, while Ayush scurried in the opposite direction toward the Mirror house which stood a few meters away from them.
Ayush swung open the silver metallic entrance door and dashed inside the hall.
The old watchman sporting a brown uniform gripped his neck and rubbed the white handkerchief on his face. Ayush fell lifelessly and was tugged into a black bag.
Ayush was tied down with metallic chains to a chair, next to Ayan who lay unconscious.
"Ayan? What happened? Are you okay?"
They were stuck in a dimly lit empty room. The walls were yellow and smudged with different types of mystical symbols which represented Hinduism and Buddhism simultaneously.
The old fortune-telling lady drove up in front of them.
"What were you two doing in my house last night?" she hissed.
"We were... we are sorry. Please let us go. We will not do this again," Ayush pleaded.
"Okay, let them go."
The old lady clapped, and two clowns wearing red and blue shirts unchained them.
"Now, go before I change my mind," she growled.
Ayan hid behind Ayush after waking up.
"Run before they kill you," one of the clowns said.
"Who?" Ayush asked.
"Me. Jagannath and my old friend Raju!" The old woman said.
Jagannath and Raju came into the room.
"I assume you know Raju, right, Ayan?" the old lady said.
Raju chuckled and ran behind Ayan, who wailed, and dashed forward toward the entrance gate.
"Run! Don't stop. Get out of here, Ayan. Meet me at the end of the alleyway," Ayush yelled.
Raju, the clown caught hold of Ayan successfully with his superspeed and chopped his head off instantly with his axe. Ayan's severed head toppled down on the green lawn and the fresh blood from the edge of the wound splashed out.
"No! N-No! Ayan..." Aryan yelled.
Ayush ran toward Raju, the clown when something grabbed his wrist, a hot broiling whip of Mr. Jagganath.
Ayush's hand burned, the pointed prickling nails on the black whip inflicted torrential pain on his entire body. Why can't he free himself? What are those people? Are they ghosts or worse demons?
Ayush's vision fazed, and he fell on the lawn with a loud thud.
"Huh?" Ayush awoke from his sleep with a jolt. He was in his bedroom and the birds chirped outside his window. He unlocked the door and stood near the doorstep. His mother was hurriedly packing her bottle, tiffin, and purse inside the bag.
"We are going, honey," his mother said.
"Mom, where is Ayan?"
"Ayan? Who is Ayan?" she replied.
"What? Ayan, my brother! Your son, Ayan... what happened?"
His mother said goodbye and left the house, and Ayush heard the engine start and drove away.
He turned back and searched for his photo album. He scanned each photograph, but Ayan was missing from them.
A notification popped up on Ayush's phone, and he read it out. It was Payal's message, she was inviting him to the Carnival on Sunday. He checked the time and date and threw his phone away. "How is this possible? How can it be Saturday? We went to the Carnival on Sunday. What? What is going on?"
He grabbed his head and knelt on his knees. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he bowed down on the floor. He raised his head and stretched his arms.
"Noooooo!" the voice echoed in the hallway.
Comments
Post a Comment