Nobody slept after the mirror incident.
Not really.
Some lay down.
Some closed their eyes.
But sleep never came.
The words on the mirror had changed everything.
SHE IS MINE.
Not a dream.
Not a misunderstanding.
Everyone had seen it.
---
By sunrise, the entire group had gathered inside the largest room in the hotel.
The atmosphere was tense.
Even Aryan was quiet.
Which was disturbing in its own way.
---
"So..." Dipanshu finally spoke.
"Anybody got a logical explanation?"
"No."
"Cool."
"That's the opposite of cool."
Nobody laughed.
Shristi sat on the edge of the bed, arms folded tightly around herself.
The necklace rested on the table.
Nobody wanted to touch it.
Especially her.
---
Wick stood near the balcony, phone pressed against his ear.
This wasn't his first call.
Or his fifth.
Most people either didn't answer...
Or thought he was joking.
---
Finally—
Someone picked up.
The conversation lasted nearly fifteen minutes.
Nobody interrupted.
Nobody moved.
Everyone waited.
When Wick finally ended the call, the room remained silent.
"Well?" Deep asked.
Wick exhaled slowly.
"He believes us."
That immediately got everyone's attention.
"That's good, right?" Kritika asked.
"Depends."
Nobody liked that answer.
"And who is the person who believes us?" Dipanshu asked.
"A tantric. And before any of you start imagining some internet horror movie version of one... he's different."
Wick sat down and rubbed his forehead.
"The bad news is he's out of town."
A collective groan filled the room.
"Of course he is."
"Naturally the way this trip has been throughout."
"Why would anything be easy?"
Aryan looked offended.
"I would like everyone to know I have done nothing wrong."
"You exist."
"That's hurtful."
This time a few weak smiles appeared.
Only for a moment.
Then Wick continued.
"He said he can get here in three days."
The room fell silent again.
Three days.
For the first time, the number felt real.
Not forever.
Not impossible.
Just...
Three days.
"What do we do until then?" Varsha asked quietly.
Wick's expression hardened.
"He gave instructions."
Everyone listened.
"First."
He looked directly at Shristi.
"You are not alone. Ever. Even if you go to the bathroom, somebody goes with you."
Shristi opened her mouth.
"No."
But Wick stared.
She closed it.
"Second."
Wick continued.
"Nobody answers if they hear someone calling their name at night."
"What?" Ayesha asked.
"You heard me."
Nobody argued.
"Third."
"No going near the sea after sunset."
---
"Fourth."
"The necklace stays off."
Shristi glanced at the pendant.
Her stomach twisted.
---
"Fifth."
"If anyone starts acting strange..."
His gaze briefly moved toward Sonal.
"...call everyone immediately."
Nobody noticed Sonal looking away.
---
"And from my experience I've added some rules from my end". Said wick.
---
"No one goes anywhere alone."
---
"No leaving the hotel after dark if possible."
---
"Phones stay charged."
---
"Pairs at all times."
---
"And if something happens..."
His eyes moved across the room.
"...you tell me immediately."
---
The seriousness in his voice left no room for debate.
Deep nodded first.
Then Dipanshu.
Then everyone else.
For the first time since arriving...
They had a plan.
Three days.
They just had to survive three days.
Slowly they began discussing sleeping arrangements.
Who would stay where.
Who would take shifts.
Who would watch Shristi.
For a few moments, the room became noise.
Shristi stayed quiet.
Three days.
It didn't sound like much.
Yet somehow it felt impossibly long.
Wick noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
He walked over and sat beside her.
"Hey."
She didn't look up.
"Three days."
She said quietly.
"Yeah."
"What if it gets worse before then?"
The question wasn't dramatic.
Just honest.
Wick leaned back slightly.
Thinking.
Then he nudged her shoulder.
"Then it's going to have a very bad three days."
For a second she stared at him.
Then rolled her eyes.
"That's your plan?"
"Currently? Yes."
"That's a terrible plan."
"It's gotten me this far tho."
That finally earned a small laugh.
Wick smiled.
Mission accomplished.
---
Then his expression softened.
"We'll get through it, Angel."
And she believed him.
---
The rest of the day felt surprisingly normal.
Almost suspiciously normal.
The group stayed together.
Went sightseeing.
Ate lunch.
Visited small shops.
Took photos.
Tried very hard to pretend they weren't being haunted.
---
Aryan even attempted to restart everyone's mood.
---
"Who wants ice cream?"
---
"We are literally cursed."
---
"So that's a maybe?"
---
Even Shristi laughed.
A little.
---
Wick noticed.
And for a brief moment...
The worry in his chest eased.
---
Only briefly.
---
Because later that evening...
He caught Shristi staring at the ocean again.
---
Not moving.
Not blinking.
---
Just watching.
---
And far beyond the waves...
For a split second—
He thought he saw someone watching her back.
---
Then it was gone.
---
That night...
The rules began.
And something listening in the dark...
Began learning them too.
To be continued…