Chapter 1: The Old Diary
It was 11:00 PM in the hills of Shimla. Outside, torrential rain was pouring down, and the wind, crashing against the windows, produced a sound akin to someone weeping.
Aryan pulled his car up in front of 'Villa 404.' It was an old British-era bungalow standing solitarily amidst dense deodar forests. Aryan had come here, far from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, to write his new book. He sought peace, but he had no idea that he was about to find much more than just 'peace' here.
The caretaker, Ramu Kaka, opened the door holding a lantern.
"Sahib, you? So late at night? The roads are terrible," Kaka said with a trembling voice.
Aryan took off his drenched coat and smiled, "The road was bad, that's exactly why I'm late. Please give me the keys; I'll rest in the upstairs room."
Ramu Kaka handed over the keys, but there was a strange fear etched on his face. He spoke in a hushed tone, "Sahib, the upstairs room... no one goes there. Please, sleep in the hall downstairs."
Aryan was a writer; curiosity always outweighed fear for him. He ignored Kaka's warning and climbed the stairs.
The room was freezing. A thick layer of dust covered everything. Aryan set down his suitcase and opened the drawer of an old wooden table nearby. Inside lay a diary. It had a leather cover with the words 'My Last Mistake' embossed in golden letters.
Aryan opened the diary. The pages had yellowed with age. He flipped to a random page. The date was—December 31, 1995.
It read:
"He came again today. He said if I didn't open the door, he would break it down. I know who he is. He is not human... I feel cold in the room now; perhaps he is standing right behind me..."
Aryan jerked his head around to look behind him. The room was empty. Only the curtains were fluttering at the window.
He reassured himself, "It's just an old story." But just then, his gaze fell upon the last page of the diary. Today's date was written there—December 31, 2025.
The ink was completely fresh, as if someone had just written it:
"Welcome, Aryan... I was waiting for you."
Lightning cracked, and the power in the entire house went out. In the pitch darkness, Aryan heard the sound of heavy breathing right next to his ear.
What happened next?