Saturday, July 15, 2006

The Secret of Dhanolty

I woke up.

I was sweating profusely as if I was running very hard. My feet were dirty and my legs were scratched. I was bleeding in places.

I look to my left and the bed is empty.
“Where the hell is she?”
I go to the next room to check up on my friends. There is no one in there.
“Where the hell is anyone?”
There was something odd about the entire setting and I couldn’t place my finger on it. As I was walking down the stairs, it hit me. The Silence. The silence was so loud that it was unbearable. I ran down the stairs to the reception desk. There was no one there. I look out and see my car parked at the entrance. All the doors were open. The engine was still warm. No keys were to be found.

There was no one in sight. It was full moon and the entire road and the pine trees were bathed in moonlight.
There was a faint light deep in the trees. I could hear some vague voices coming from that direction. I was drawn involuntarily to that light. When I got close enough, what I saw took my breath away. There were more than 30 people standing in a circle. They were covered from head to toe in black robes. Their faces were covered with masks. In the center was a huge fire. Something was being lowered from the top onto the fire. It was she. She was being lowered into the fire. Shocked, I moved backwards and stepped on a twig. The noise was loud enough and they looked at me. I started to run. I was barefoot and running was very tough. I stepped on some acorns and my feet started bleeding. The bushes scratched against my legs. They were gaining on me. And then I heard the shriek. It was totally out of this world. I never heard anything like that before. And then came the smell of burning flesh. The thought of saving her never crossed my mind. I was still running. I saw a small cottage to my left and I ran into it and bolted the door. I was gasping. I sat in the corner, waiting for the inevitable.

Thump! Thump! Thump!
They were knocking at the door. Slowly. Very slowly. They weren’t in a hurry at all.
Thump! Thump! Thump!

It stopped as abruptly as it began. I waited for some time and then went to open the door. I open the door and see my car parked there. The doors were open and the engine was still warm. There were no keys. There is no one in sight. I turn towards the cottage and there was no cottage. Instead, I am standing in front of my hotel. Voices are filling up the air. I think I am going crazy. Sunshine! Blinding light and I can’t see anything. “Somebody save me. Please. Nooooooooooooooooooo ooo.”

Silence.
I woke up sweating profusely. It was just a dream. Thank God!
I look at my feet and they are bleeding. I don’t understand it. I look to my left and she isn’t there. I check up on my friends and they aren’t in the room either. I go down to the reception desk. It is empty. I look out and see my car parked at the entrance.

All the doors are open.

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