House Number 24
#housenumber24episode4
#Housenumber24episode4
Links for earlier episode: #housenumber24episode1, #Housenumber24episode1, #housenumber24episode2
#Housenumber24episode2, #housenumber24episode3
#Housenumber24episode3
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Author: Rhituparna Chakraborty
#Disclaimer: This is an original work of fiction with no relation to any person/organism living or dead. Every episode, every character is a work of imagination. Any resemblance to any person, organism, place, character or situation is purely coincidental. There is no intention to hurt or rebuke anyone or any profession through this work. This story/episode cannot be copied, published or reproduced without the permission of the author RhituparnaChakraborty.
Rahul and Preeti followed whatever Dr. Ramya said. They kept Geeta away from the screen. After Geeta came from school, Preeti would make Geeta take a nap and then once she wakesup, she would give Geeta some snacks to eat and would take her to the park to play. After Preeti and Geeta came from the park, Preeti would help Geeta with homework. And after sometime Rahul would arrive from work. They would have dinner and ensure Geeta is off to bed by 9:30 p.m. Rahul and Preeti hoped Geeta would stop hallucinating if they followed this routine regularly.
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Some days went by and Geeta did not talk anything about the old people in the room. Also, Preeti latched the door of the guestbedroom. In school too Geeta was doing well.
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It was a holiday for Geeta today. Preeti woke up late. Sarju would usually come early if it was a regular working day. But since Geeta had holiday that day, Preeti wanted to get some sleep. Rahul could go to work a little late today because last night he had worked late.
Geeta was still fast asleep. Preeti made quick breakfast for Rahul and packed his lunch box. Rahul left for work at around 9:30 a.m. Preeti looked at the house. There were cobwebs. Not that she had not cleaned the house in a while, just that, these cobwebs would appear from nowhere. She waited for Sarju to come. Once Sarju came, she and Sarju would both clean the house.
Geeta woke up and came to the dining room. Preeti went to Geeta, brushed her head and said, ‘Shall I make pancakes for you or would you like to have bread, butter and milk?’ Geeta yawned and said, ‘Bread and peanut butter.’ Preeti smiled and said, ‘Getting it right away.’
Just then the door bell rang. It was Sarju. Preeti told Sarju, ‘We will have to clean the house today. First have some tea.’ Sarju said, ‘Didi, why we? I will do it. You relax.’ Preeti laughed and said, ‘How will you clean the entire house alone? Let’s have tea first and then we will clean it together.’
Preeti went to the kitchen, made peanut butter sandwiches for both Geeta and Sarju. She then served a sandwich to Geeta along with a glass of milk and served one sandwich to Sarju along with a cup of tea. Preeti told Sarju, ‘Sit comfortably at the dining table Sarju.’ Sarju said, ‘No no didi. Can I sit in the kitchen and eat? I feel shy eating in front of others.’ Preeti laughed and said, ‘Alright. Pull one dining table chair to the kitchen. There is no table there. You can put your food on the slab adjacent to the gas stove.’ Sarju nodded and went to the kitchen.
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Sarju looked around the kitchen and said, ‘Didi, there are sticky oil droplets on the walls here. And look at those top shelves. They are all black. Shall I clean these?’ Preeti said, ‘Well, it will take a lot of time. Why don’t we pick one room a day. Because, if we clean the kitchen today, we won’t be able to clean the rest of the rooms. Also, I am yet to make lunch. Let us clean the living room first and then on Sunday, we can clean the kitchen.’ Sarju said, ‘Okay Didi.’
Preeti told Geeta to go the bedroom, while Sarju and Preeti began cleaning the living room and dining room. Sarju cleaned the cobwebs and wiped the window panes, while Preeti dusted the vases, sofa, cushions and the glass show pieces.
In some time the dining room and the living room were sparkling clean. Sarju said, ‘Didi, we have enough time. We can clean the other rooms too today.’ Preeti said, ‘Yes. Okay.’
Preeti then went to the master bedroom and told Geeta to come out and sit in the living room. Preeti planned to clean the master bedroom. Meanwhile Sarju opened the guest bedroom, took the broom and went inside. Geeta sat at the dining table and kept on looking at the guest bedroom. Sarju came out to fetch the ladder to clean the fan of the guest bedroom, when Geeta asked, ‘Aunty, why did you not talk to the old people there?’ Sarju looked at Geeta confused and said, ‘Old people?’ Geeta nodded. Just then Preeti came out of the master bedroom. When she saw Sarju had opened the door of the guest bedroom, Preeti gasped. Preeti told Sarju, ‘Sarju, we can leave this room. We don’t have to clean it.’ Geeta looked at her mom and said, ‘Mom, the room is dirty. The old people do not clean it. You also don’t talk to them. Sarju aunty also did not talk to them. Why?’ Sarju listened to Geeta surprised and said, ‘There is no one in the room.’ Preeti’s fear came back. Geeta was hallucinating again. Preeti told Sarju, ‘You….you can go now. Leave this room. We can clean the master bedroom tomorrow.’ Sarju said, ‘But didi, look at the condition of that room. It is filled with cobwebs and dust. Let me clean it.’ Preeti said, ‘But Sarju….listen…’. Sarju smiled and said, ‘ It’s okay didi. You relax. I will quickly clean the fan, walls and sweep and mop the floor. You relax with Geeta. Sarju took the ladder inside and took a bucket of water and added some cleaning liquid there. Sarju dipped the mopping cloth in the bucket, wrung the cloth, climbed up the ladder and cleaned the fan. Preeti did not enter the room. She looked at Sarju from the dining room. Sarju then cleaned the cobwebs with a broom and then took the wet mopping cloth and cleaned room properly. Sarju wiped the window panes as well. The room looked clean and fresh.
Preeti did not say anything. Sarju then kept the ladder and bucket in their proper places, washed her hands and was about to leave, when Geeta asked her again, ‘Aunty, why did you not talk to the old people in the living room?’ Sarju looked at Geeta and then looked at Preeti, and asked in a puzzled tone, ‘Old people?’ Preeti changed the topic and changed, ‘Uh…huh….well, Geeta watches a lot of these cartoon shows and in one of the shows there are these old people and she keeps on talking about them.’ Sarju smiled and said, ‘Yes didi. My niece also watches cartoons a lot. My sister tells her not to watch much, but my niece does not listen. Anyway, I will leave now. I will come tomorrow and clean the master bedroom.’ Preeti said, ‘Okay! I will pay you for this extra work. I will add the money in your salary this month.’ Sarju replied, ‘Okay Didi.’ Sarju then quickly went back to the guest bedroom, picked up the bag of trash she had collected while cleaning the room, and told Preeti, ‘I will throw it in the garbage area outside.’
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After Sarju left, Preeti closed the guest bedroom door and asked Geeta petrified, ‘You talked about the old people again Geeta. Did you see them again?’ Geeta said, ‘Yes. They live there. Why do you keep the door of that room closed Mom?’
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Preeti called Rahul immediately and told everything that happened. Rahul said, ‘We will need to take Geeta to Dr. Ramya again.’ Preeti said, ‘I am worried Rahul.’ Rahul said, ‘Let us not panic Preeti. We need to know what’s going on with Geeta.’
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In the evening, Rahul and Preeti took Geeta to Dr. Ramya. Preeti told everything to Dr. Ramya and asked, ‘Is our daughter okay?’ Dr. Ramya patted Preeti’s shoulder and said, ‘Absolutely. She is fine. We will find out what’s troubling her.’ Saying that Dr. Ramya sat beside Geeta and asked her all about her school, the places she had been to, her friends etc. Geeta answered everything. Dr. Ramya then gave Geeta a diary and said, ‘Sweetheart, can you do something for me?’ Geeta nodded, ‘Yes.’ Dr. Ramya then said, ‘Whenever and wherever you see the old people, can you please write down when and where. For example, you saw the old people today. And today is 10 Feb 2022. And you saw them in the guest bedroom. So you write:
- 10/2/2022…. Guest Bedroom.
If you see them again, in the same place, you add to the list:
- 10/2/2022….Guest Bedroom
- 11/2/2022….Guest Bedroom
Now, you may even see these people in your dream or in your school or in the park. So then you can write something like:
- 10/2/2022….Guest Bedroom
- 11/2/2022….Guest Bedroom
- 12/2/2022….Dream
Did you understand what I said Geeta?’
Geeta nodded and said, ‘Yes.’
Dr. Ramya then said, ‘If you don’t feel like writing, you can tell your experience to your mom. She can write it for you.’ Geeta said, ‘Okay!’
Dr. Ramya then told Preeti, ‘Keep on checking with Geeta about these old people. Also, please maintain and update this diary. I may need to come and take a look at your guest bedroom as well.’ Preeti replied, ‘Sure doctor.’
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After dinner, Preeti asked Geeta, ‘Do you still see the old people Geeta?’ Geeta replied yawning, ‘No mom! They live in the guest bedroom. If you close the guest bedroom door, I don’t see them.’
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Next morning after Rahul and Geeta left for office and school, Preeti walked up to the gate of her house hoping to see Sunita. Sunita’s husband her kids just left for office and school. Seeing Preeti, Sunita asked, ‘How are you? Were you guys able to connect with a counsellor?’ Preeti said, ‘Yes. Thank you so much!’ Sunita replied, ‘Happy to help.’ Preeti then asked, ‘Ummm…since you guys have been living here, have you heard or felt anything weird here?’ Sunita replied, ‘I did not understand.’ Preeti said, ‘Please don’t judge me for this. But, do you think there are some negative vibes here?’ Sunita said, ‘Aah….well….I really don’t know. But, Mrs. Suhasini had told once, sometimes, she does feel some weird vibes. But then, she too is unable to explain.’ Preeti said, ‘Can we meet Mrs. Suhasini? I mean if you don’t mind, will you also join me if I go to meet her?’ Sunita replied, ‘Sure.’
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It was almost 11:00 a.m. Sarju had not come to work as yet. Preeti dialed Sarju’s number. It was switched off.
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To be continued…………..
