Soft rays of sunlight filtered in through the metro windows, painting golden streaks across the floor—but to Ayaan, the air inside felt strangely heavy. His fingers tapped restlessly against his phone case, while his mind wandered back to the strange moments from the interview… and the haunting stories of Sanjay Van.
Roshit glanced around briefly, then leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice, "Dude… is it true? Their office is actually in Sanjay Van?"
It sounded more like he was asking himself than Ayaan.
"I mean, people don't even go there after dark…"
He glanced sideways at Ayaan, almost hoping he'd laugh and say it was all a joke.
Ayaan let out a faint chuckle, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah… honestly, even I still feel weird thinking about it."
Varun, ever the mood-lifter, clasped his hands together like a movie hero and declared with mock drama, "Just think of it as an adventure!"
He paused theatrically, eyes wide, as if building up to a twist—
"And if we do run into a ghost… we'll scare the hell out of it! After that, no ghost will ever dare mess with us again!"
Ayaan and Roshit exchanged a glance—then, as if an invisible thread of tension had snapped, both burst out laughing.
"Why would a ghost show up during the day? You're saying such weird things," Roshit said, a hitch in his voice, though his face was still bright with laughter.
Ayaan took a deep breath, holding it for a second before letting it out slowly. The fear that had clung to him like cobwebs finally began to loosen… fading bit by bit.
The sun's rays filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow over the lush jungle landscape. The air carried the light scent of earth, and the area buzzed with life—families strolling, children laughing, and the occasional sharp call of a peacock echoing through the trees.
Varun was already snapping pictures, capturing peacocks and deer as they wandered freely.
Meanwhile, Roshit's attention was elsewhere. His eyes scanned the surroundings, and the moment he spotted a group of girls, a confident smirk spread across his face.
'There's the opportunity—and tradition must be followed,' he thought, fixing his hair and flicking his collar. With a stylish pose, he confidently walked toward them.
The girls were chatting when a confident voice cut through the air.
"Hi, excuse me! Do you know if there's an office here… deep inside the jungle?"
They looked at each other, then at Roshit, surprised.
"My friend got a job here," Roshit said with a sly smile. "We're here to celebrate his first day."
One of the girls, a bit dusky, suppressed a laugh. "An office? In the jungle? Bro, did you come for an interview or a jungle safari?"
Another girl, wearing glasses and slightly chubby, joined in with a playful smile. "I think your friend's totally tricked you. You'll find humans and animals here, not offices!"
Roshit gave a slightly awkward laugh but quickly tried again. "Oh really? Well, no worries. By the way… if it's okay, can I join you all for a walk?"
The girl with glasses raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Why? Weren't you looking for your friend's office? Find that first, then come back and meet us."
The girls burst into laughter.
Roshit froze for a second. His confidence took a hit. With a fake smile, he said, "Oh… yeah, maybe it's somewhere else. Anyway, enjoy yourselves—my friend's calling me."
He turned and walked away quickly, as if the ground had vanished beneath him.
Ayaan and Varun had been watching the entire scene from a distance. They exchanged glances and burst into loud laughter, trying to cover their mouths.
Ayaan waved, "Bro, looks like they don't know anything about the office. Just come back!"
Roshit returned silently. But the moment he heard them laughing again, his face dropped even more. He placed a hand on his head. "Bro… I'm done for."
Ayaan grinned. "If you don't want more embarrassment, let's go find that office. Otherwise, I swear, those girls might chase you out of here."
Varun laughed harder, and Roshit just sighed in defeat.
The sun had softened, and a light breeze stirred the tree leaves, but the faces of Ayaan, Roshit, and Varun were marked by a mix of exhaustion and confusion.
After searching every corner of the park and still finding no trace of the office, they plopped down on a bench. No one spoke. Only the sounds of opening water bottles and heavy breaths broke the silence.
"Ufff…" Roshit exhaled, taking a long gulp. He turned to Ayaan and said, "I'm seriously starting to believe that interviewer tricked you." He gestured to the empty surroundings. "We've searched everywhere, and nobody here even knows about the office!"
Varun, already deep in thought, capped his bottle. "Why don't you just call the interviewer, Ayaan? Ask him directly."
Ayaan hesitated, then said quietly, "Actually… he didn't give me a number."
Both Roshit and Varun turned to him at once. "WHAT?!" Roshit nearly jumped. "Then how did you even get the location?"
"From an email," Ayaan replied softly.
A silence fell between them.
Varun gave him a look. "Bro… you should've gotten his number during the interview."
Ayaan fidgeted with his bottle, nervous. "I forgot. Sorry."
Roshit threw up his hands in disbelief. "Ufff! Now I'm really thinking this whole thing is fake!"
"I'm saying the same thing, Roshit!" Varun agreed.
Ayaan didn't respond. Their words echoed in his head, his thoughts moving in slow motion. Something felt off… like a puzzle with one missing piece.
"So what now? Should we just head back?" he asked, his voice low and disappointed.
Varun checked his watch. "Yeah, no point staying. It's almost 5—the park will close soon."
Ayaan let out a breath, then gave a faint, tired smile. "I really think someone's just messing with me."
But then… something tugged at his mind.
'That's strange…' Ayaan lightly tapped the bench. 'That email felt legit. The interview too..'.
His eyes narrowed, confusion deepening. Something wasn't adding up.
Just as they were about to stand and leave, a voice called out behind them.
"Hey guys, so you're the ones who've been wandering around waiting for me?"
A light smile. A playful tone. Familiar somehow.
All three turned toward the voice.
An older man stood there—wearing dark glasses and holding a grocery bag filled with vegetables. An odd sense of familiarity washed over them.
Roshit leaned toward Varun and whispered, "Who is this?"
Varun replied quietly, "No idea."
Ayaan squinted, trying to place the face. Then it hit him—'a samosa..'.
"Wait! Uncle… you're the one I met during the interview, right?"
The man adjusted his glasses with a grin. "Yes, son! You've got a sharp memory!"
"Ayaan, you know him?" Varun asked, surprised.
The uncle folded his hands with a playful smile. "I was told you three would be coming, so I came to pick you up. Sorry I'm late—I took a nap."
Roshit and Varun stared at Ayaan in disbelief. "So… he actually works here?"
"Yep!" the man said proudly. "I'm the watchman and security guard. I know this whole park inside-out. Come on—let me take you to the office."