Chapter 23

Had originally been posted on IF.in. I'm starting from the start for the people whom have not read my story and have added some changes for the interest of the reader.

Episode 22

The ghost continues to look dead hard at Priya.

Priya: (trying to yelling. Walking backwards towards the stairs) An - An - Anu

Priya gets a hold of the stairway railing. The ghost tills his head.

Priya: (screaming) ANURAG! (Priya runs down the stairs)

Everyone jumps out of the couch and runs towards the stairs. Priya comes running down scared and unable to talk.

Anurag: (holding onto Priya's arms) Priya! What happen!

Priya: (looking and pointing upstairs) the -, ah -, -st.

Mitesh runs upstairs.

Anurag: (shaking Priya) Priya say something, what the hell happen upstairs.

Priya: (stilling pointing and looking upstairs. Unable to talk) the -, ah -, -st.

Mitesh: (coming down) no ones upstairs. Everything's in place.

Anurag: (holding on to Priya's face) Look at me! Priya! Look at me! (Priya turns to look at Anurag) what happen upstairs!

Priya: (catching her breath) there… there was a ghost… upstairs. There was a ghost. (Tears begin to come out of Priya's eyes)

Anurag lets go of Priya in disbelief. Priya walks to the couch and sits, still scared stiff.

Anurag: Priya… how could they be a ghost. I telling you there is no ghost.

Priya: (combing back her hair with her hands) I'm telling you there is a ghost. I saw it.

Manisha: (to Arjun) did u do anything?

Arjun: I was down here with you how could I do something like that (joking to Priya) you don't want to be the boy who cried wolf.

Priya: (mad) Arjun! Shut up. I saw what I saw. I saw a ghost upstairs.

Pritem: maybe it was your imagination maybe because of all the stories.

Priya: Pritem I saw it with my own two eyes. It was a pale… (Unable to find words) it looked like a corpse.

Manisha: maybe she right maybe there is a ghost.

Anurag: (mad) there is no ghost.

Manisha: (pointing to her) but look at her, Anurag. She is scared out of her mind. (Anurag turns to look at Priya, who is laying her head on Mitesh shoulder) maybe even if it wasn't a ghost. She did see something.

Anurag: fine! Let's all go up and check.

Everyone goes to their room to check; as well as the corner room and Sunil's room.

Anurag: Priya there's nothing up here.

Priya: (walking into her room) I don't care, I'm not staying here.

Mitesh: (holding Priya's arm) come on there's only three days till we have to go home.

Manisha: yeah Priya please, look I promise nothing will happen.

Priya: (feeling kind of reveled) fine. But I'm not lying there was something and if I see it again, I'm leaving.

Manisha: (holding on to Priya) fine, let's go, I'm hungry.

Priya and Manisha go to the kitchen and begin to cook. Everyone sits (going to the right is Priya, Manisha, and Anurag. In front of Priya going to the right is Arjun, Mitesh, and Pritem) and they begin to eat. The phone rings

Anurag: (still eating) can someone get that?

Priya: I'll get it. I'm done eating.

Priya gets up and walks over to the phone.

Priya: (picking up the phone) Hello!

Sunil: Anurag?

Priya: wait hold on.

Sunil: this is Priya right.

Priya: yeah

Sunil: nice to hear from you. Priya can you tell Anurag (talking to his secretary) look over there in those files. (Priya get confused) Sorry can you tell Anurag too bring the financial file on the phone.

Priya: ok hold on

Sunil: that's not it.

Priya: Excuse me.

Sunil: sorry I was talking to my secretary.

Priya: oh (Priya puts the phone on the side and walks to Anurag)

Anurag: who was it?

Priya: it's your brother. He wants you to bring the financial files to the phone.

Anurag grabs a napkin; he cleans his hands and runs upstairs. He walks into his room and looks through his draw. He takes out a file and runs down to the phone.

Anurag: (on the phone) yeah got it right here.

Sunil: look for the receipt number 352-11-31M

Anurag: (looking through the receipt) 352-11-31M hmm (pauses) got it.

Sunil: ok tell me how many boxes were sent to the warehouse.

Anurag: (looking through the list) boxes, boxes, 35 boxes.

Sunil: Great that's all I needed (talking to his secretary) you can stop looking.

Anurag: yo you're not coming home this week.

Sunil: no I have a lot of work; I'm staying in a hotel near bye the office. I might come before you guys leave.

Anurag: Alright. But tell me one thing what happen to all of your pictures.

Sunil: oh you know Nandini, she in the graphic business, she took all my pictures and hers and now she making a big collage to post it on her wall.

Anurag: she also took the once with me in it,

Sunil: you know I look good in every picture.

Anurag: Don't play yourself.

Sunil: Hey! She going to edited you out and will add just me to the collage. Ok I have to give the box number to Mr. Khan. Bye

Anurag: Bye

Anurag cuts the phone and walks to the dining table.

Anurag: (talking to Arjun) what? You saw a ghost too!

Arjun: (day- dreaming) what? Me! No!

Anurag: cause you looked shocked.

Arjun: Oh (picking up his plate and walking to the kitchen) what do you want to do now?

Pritem: what about a movie?

Mitesh: which one.

Arjun: (sitting back down) No chick flick. I'm sick off seeing them.

Priya: yeah me too.

Mitesh: what's the date?

Everyone: don't know.

Manisha: Why you asking?

Mitesh: first time Arjun and Priya agree on something (Arjun and Priya make a face at Mitesh). Wow! There also think alike.

Priya picks up her leg to kick Mitesh.

Arjun: (knowing she's going to miss) Nooooooooooooooooooooo

Priya misses and hits Arjun. Arjun fall onto the ground and holds his leg.

Arjun: (mad) I getting bruise on my leg.

Priya: (mad) sorry my legs don't coordinate correctly when you're around.

Arjun: (mad. Getting up) neither does your mind.

Priya is about to kick Arjun

Anurag: hold that leg, little missy. You guys can fight later.

Manisha: yeah, let's go watch a movie.

Everyone gets up and puts their plates in the kitchen. They walk to the living room and begin to watch a movie.