The 4th Of July

It was festive time. There was a lot of excitement in the air. The sound of crackers could be heard all around. Shashi was enjoying it every bit. But all of a sudden, a scream reached her ears. Shashi turned round to investigate the source, but discovered nothing to concern her. She was about to consider the sudden screaming as a day dream, when another ear piercing scream deafened her. Her instincts told her to turn around and run away, but somehow she didn’t feel like running away. She stood frozen in her place, debating over mind and temptations. Suddenly, she was able to hear a melodious lullaby, her instincts grew more powerful, but lullaby seemed to lure her towards itself. Her limbs were frozen in spot, but hypnotic lullaby was hard to resist, she decided to follow it and check out the matter herself.

She started towards the melody, with each step her instincts instructed more powerfully to turn around and run away, but she was determined to discover. As she advanced in her path, night around her seemed to darken ominously. She ignored this fact and continued.

Soon, the lamplights behind her were nothing but a faded glow. Her lane got narrower and narrower, it was leading to a some path amidst the dark forest, lullaby was getting louder and louder as she went deeper inside the forest. After another fifteen minutes or so, her path had negligible visibility, trees on either side of road were hovering above her emitting perilous shadows across her path. Shashi turned her mobile torch on and continued towards the strangely melodious lullaby, which was growing clearer. She continued for another five minutes, now she was able to make out words of the lullaby, it sounded like a lady was summoning someone, her pace quickened. But, she stopped dead in her tracks as she made out her name in lullaby, it was as though the voice was calling out to Shashi particularly, welcoming her into Hell… the devil’s residence.

She was frozen in her way, but voice seemed to be moving towards her, for the first time in last half an hour, Shashi looked around to investigate her surroundings, she was astonished to found herself into a forest cemetery, ancient tombs were all around her, covered in thick layers of leaves and dirt. Lullaby was more precise; Shashi could make out her name more often now. The sweet voice was advancing towards her. She was frozen but managed to tear her eyes from her horrific surroundings, she was about to turn around and run for her life, when a deadly drum beat started around her.

DUM-DUM-DEE-DUM….DUM-DUM-DEE-DUM

Shashi was more frightened than a rat being chased by a cat. Still, she looked around to see the source, she nearly fainted to see an ancient tomb opening, drum sound got louder and lullaby turned from melodious to ominous, Shashi was too scared to faint she stood frozen, cold sweat broke out at the back of her neck and hands, her legs were shaking with fear, her heart was beating against her chest threatening to burst out any moment.

She saw a white figure of woman rising out from tomb, the woman’s face was covered under a white veil, her blood red lips shone out from under her veil, she had a terrifying smile plastered upon her chalk white face, her white gown was flowing around her, to Shashi’s surprise she was singing the sweet hypnotic melody. Woman turned around to face her, Shashi lost her senses, the woman was most terrifying thing Shashi had ever seen or imagined, she was singing more loudly, drum sound was now at an ear deafening pitch. The scary lady was trying to lure Shashi towards her, but Shashi’s lack of response seemed to annoy her as her voice got harsher and deadly with time. Shashi was stuck at her place, she knew she was only seconds away from her death, it was only till the time the lady lost her patience and started towards Shashi on her foot that Shashi had the precious gift of life. She had almost fallen on her knees, when her cell phone rang, unlike horror movies she had watched, signal was still available in this horrifying cemetery, she looked at the name on screen, her friends must be searching for her it was almost midnight, and she was correct. She was relieved to find Daisy’s name on screen, Shashi took the call, Daisy was in panic and exhaled a sigh of relief when Shashi responded in receiver, her voice dry and shaky with fear. Daisy enquired about Shashi’s whereabouts, somehow Daisy was not able to hear lullaby or drum beat, Shashi could not find words, but somehow she managed to answer, something in Daisy’s voice told her to turn around and head away as fast as she can, she assumed it was not until midnight that the lady would step out, Shashi had ten minutes to runaway.

Shashi told Daisy she was on her way, and without a second thought cutting out the call, she started running out of the forest. Her body was still cold, but her will to live was stronger, ignoring the drum, lullaby and lady she headed as fast as she could out of cemetery. She could have beaten a cheetah in those ten minutes, she was out of the forest in mere five to seven minutes, she looked down to check the time in her cell phone, it was still 3 minutes to midnight, but she was too scared to stop at the edge of forest, she continued running until she was safely amidst the ecstatic festive atmosphere, her friends Daisy and Penelope were waiting at the entrance of festive ground, both of their face white with worry, Penelope breathed out a sigh of relief at the sight of Shashi. Daisy was suspicious about Shashi’s sudden disappearance and reappearance as in she had been scared out of her skin, they asked about the briefly lost network and her absence, but Shashi gathering herself together told them she had lost her way, not entirely convinced they drove Shashi home and asked her to take care, somehow they knew that it won’t be right thing to press on the details. Shashi was still deeply shaken, her heart was still accelerating at top pace and she had still not regained her color, but the run had warmed up her body, she carried herself into the secure warmth of her house and breathed a sigh of relief at the sense of eternal security of her home.

She closed her eyes and slumped tiredly on her bedside couch, she knew whatever had happened was not just a dream, it was real and perilous, she shook out the scary thoughts and changed into her night outfit, pouring down a mug of hot cocoa she got into her bed and sank into a deep slumber.

Memory of that night of 4th of July always left Shashi numb and shuddering and kept on haunting her for rest of the life, she never dared to visit a cemetery again in future….