Page 1: The Perfect Weekend
The mist in Shimla has always made the town look like something out of a forgotten fairy tale—a little magical, a little eerie. Ridgeview Cottage sits at the edge of a secluded pine forest, its weathered wood and aged stone walls blending into the landscape like it’s been here forever. The perfect place to get away from the chaos of college life—but there’s something about this place, something that feels off.
Five college friends—Jenna, Emily, Tyler, Nathan, and Chris—decide to spend a long weekend here, away from exams, deadlines, and everything else. They all need a break, but none of them realize just how badly the past is about to catch up to them.
Characters:
- Jenna – The responsible one. She holds everything together when chaos threatens to break out. Strong but secretly burdened with the weight of her family’s expectations.
- Tyler – The reckless one. Always looking for excitement, often at the cost of those around him. Pranks and jokes are his way of handling stress.
- Emily – Quiet and reserved. A girl with a dark past, one she hasn’t fully shared with her friends. The weight of her secrets often keeps her isolated.
- Nathan – Loyal, kind, and always protective of his friends, especially Jenna, with whom he’s secretly in love. He often plays the peacemaker in the group.
- Chris – The free spirit. He’s spontaneous, impulsive, and loves the thrill of the unknown. He’s the one who suggests crazy ideas, like using a Ouija board to spice things up.
The friends arrive at Ridgeview Cottage late in the afternoon, their car winding up the narrow roads, cutting through the pine trees. The air smells like rain, and the sky hangs heavy with clouds. The cottage is perfect—rustic, cozy, but there’s a coldness to it, a stillness that doesn’t feel entirely welcoming.
Tyler (grinning, hopping out of the car):
“Alright, guys, time to break out the party favors!”
Jenna (rolling her eyes):
“Oh no. Please tell me you didn’t bring one of your stupid pranks again.”
Chris (laughing, lugging the bags up the steps):
“Come on, let’s just enjoy the weekend. No drama, no pranks. For once.”
But the moment they step inside, the creaky floorboards and the shadows in the corners seem to whisper a warning. There’s an oppressive silence about the place, like it’s been waiting for something. For someone.
Scene 2: Emily’s Hesitation
They set up for the night in the living room by the fire. Jenna and Nathan settle on the couch, chatting easily. Chris is fiddling with his camera, taking random photos of the fire. Tyler is looking around for something to get the fun going. Emily, however, sits in the corner, as far from the group as possible, curled up with a book.
Tyler notices this, always the one to push people’s buttons. He leans over the back of the couch, looking at Emily with that mischievous grin of his.
Tyler (teasing):
“Come on, Em. Quit hiding. We’re all here to relax, not sulk in the corner.”
Emily (without looking up):
“I’m fine. Just… tired.”
Jenna (noticing the tension, tries to lighten the mood):
“Come on, Em. Join us. It’s your weekend too. No more studying.”
But Emily’s face tightens. She looks like she’s about to say something, but then, just as quickly, she turns away. There’s a story behind her hesitation—one she’s never told anyone.
Page 2: The Ouija Board
Later that evening, after dinner, Tyler suddenly comes into the living room holding an old, dusty Ouija board.
Tyler (grinning, eyes alight with excitement):
“Alright, let’s get the real fun started. I found this at a flea market in Shimla. Who’s up for a little ghost-hunting?”
Chris (laughing):
“You’re out of your mind, man. But sure, why not? What could go wrong?”
Jenna (reluctantly):
“I don’t know, Tyler. I mean… Ouija boards? That’s pushing it a bit.”
Nathan (playfully):
“Come on, it’s just for fun. Let’s see what happens.”
Emily (looking up, her voice a low whisper):
“Don’t do it. Please.”
But Tyler ignores her, already setting the board up on the coffee table. Chris and Nathan eagerly sit around it, and even Jenna—though uneasy—reluctantly joins in.
Tyler (mocking Emily):
“What’s wrong, Em? Afraid of a little fun? You don’t believe in this stuff anyway.”
Emily (her voice barely audible, shaking her head):
“You don’t understand. It’s not about believing. It’s about what you might stir up.”
But the rest of the group laughs it off. Tyler places his fingers on the planchette, and they all do the same.
Tyler (mockingly, to the board):
“Alright, who’s out there? What do you want?”
The planchette moves, slowly at first, like it’s testing the waters. Everyone gasps, half-excited, half-nervous.
Chris (laughing nervously):
“Alright, this is crazy. It’s like someone’s really moving it.”
The planchette moves again, this time faster, and begins spelling out letters:
“J”
“A”
“R”
“E”
“D.”
Jenna (stunned):
“Wait… Jared? Who’s Jared?”
Emily (in a sharp, panicked voice):
“No! Stop! You don’t know what you’re doing. Please!”
But it’s too late. The Ouija board seems to have awakened something, and the air in the room becomes thick—stifling, cold. The fire flickers, and suddenly, the room feels dark—unnaturally so.
Tyler (grinning, but now with a hint of unease):
“Alright, alright. Who’s Jared? Is someone trying to talk to us?”
The planchette spins wildly.
Emily (her voice trembling):
“You don’t understand. That name… it’s connected to me. To my brother.”
The group falls silent. Emily, who has been so reserved, finally opens up about something none of them knew.
Emily (looking down, almost whispering):
“Jared was my brother. He disappeared five years ago. No one knows what happened to him. But I do. I… I never told you, but… I think it has to do with this place.”
Page 3: The Story of Jared
The room is silent for a long time as Emily begins to speak.
Emily:
“Jared and I grew up here, in Shimla. But it wasn’t like the vacation spots you all know. The town’s full of secrets. My brother… he started seeing things—things that weren’t there. He said he was being followed, that someone was watching him.”
She pauses, struggling with the memory.
Emily (voice breaking):
“It was Vikram. A friend of ours. He was in love with me, and Jared knew it. Jared tried to protect me… but Vikram…”
(pauses, choking on the memory)
“Vikram didn’t like being rejected. He didn’t like anyone standing in the way of what he thought was his. And so, he did something. He made Jared disappear. I don’t know if he killed him, or if he… sent him somewhere, but Jared was never the same. He was afraid, and he tried to tell me, but he… he disappeared.”
The group listens in stunned silence.
Jenna (whispering):
“Vikram? But… Vikram was always nice. He was your friend!”
Emily (shaking her head):
“He was never my friend. He was obsessed with me. And when Jared wouldn’t leave me alone, when he started questioning Vikram about his feelings… Vikram… he snapped.”
The storm outside intensifies, and the tension in the room feels unbearable. Emily’s past is now exposed, and with it, the full weight of what’s happening begins to sink in.
Page 4: The Killer’s Return
As night falls, and the storm rages on, things take a darker turn.
Tyler (laughing nervously, trying to break the tension):
“Alright, alright. Let’s just take a breath here, okay? No ghosts. No curses. This is just—”
Suddenly, there’s a loud knock at the door.
Everyone freezes. Nathan looks toward the door, his face pale.
Nathan:
“Who… who could that be?”
The door bursts open, and standing in the threshold is Vikram—looking wild, his eyes burning with madness.
Vikram (smiling eerily, voice low and dangerous):
“I see you’ve been talking about me, Emily. You never could run away from the past, could you?”
The group recoils. But Emily… she knows. She knows this is the moment.
Vikram (eyes locked on Emily):
“I’ve been waiting for this. All these years. You thought you could escape me. But I will make you remember what you did.”
Emily (shaking, but resolute):
“No, Vikram. I didn’t do anything. You did this. You killed him.”
And with that, the storm outside rages on, and the fight for survival begins. The past has returned for its revenge.
End of Part 1.
Part 2
The Darkness Unleashed
Page 5: Vikram’s Madness
The storm outside intensifies as Vikram steps further into the cottage. His eyes are wide with a dangerous frenzy, his breath ragged, and in his hand, he holds a knife, glistening in the flickering light of the fireplace.
Emily gasps, her heart hammering against her ribs. Nathan stands up first, stepping between Vikram and the others, his voice trembling.
Nathan (voice shaky):
“Vikram, what the hell are you doing? You don’t have to do this. Just—just put the knife down.”
But Vikram only grins wider, his gaze fixed on Emily, as if the others don’t even exist to him. The room feels smaller with every passing second, the walls closing in, the shadows growing longer.
Vikram (softly, almost whispering):
“You never understood, Emily. You never saw the truth.”
Emily backs away, her hands trembling. Jenna moves closer to Nathan, trying to stay calm, trying to make sense of the madness unfolding before them.
Jenna (frantically):
“Vikram, stop! This isn’t you. What are you doing? You were our friend!”
Vikram (his voice rising, his anger spilling out):
“Friend? I was never your friend. I was a puppet, a fool! And Jared… Jared took everything from me. He took you from me, Emily.”
Emily (horrified, tears falling):
“You… you’re the reason Jared disappeared, aren’t you?”
Vikram’s expression twists with rage. He steps forward, the knife held loosely at his side but with a menacing intent. The others back up, forming a loose circle around Emily.
Vikram (snapping):
“He took you away from me! He kept you to himself! And you… you chose him over me. Don’t you see? He had to die. And when he did… when he disappeared, I thought I could be free. But you never let me be free, Emily. You came back. You came back, and now you’ve brought all of them with you. All of you… you don’t know how much I’ve sacrificed for this.”
The silence is heavy, suffocating. Chris moves toward the door, eyes darting toward the window, as though hoping for an escape. But the door is locked. The house is a trap.
Chris (nervously):
“We need to get out of here. Now. We have to call the cops!”
Vikram (laughing bitterly, eyes wild):
“It’s too late for that. You think anyone’s coming for you? This place is isolated. The storm is a wall. No one is coming. And you—you will never leave. Not until I get what I deserve.”
The tension in the room is unbearable. The atmosphere is thick with fear. As Vikram steps closer to Emily, Tylersuddenly lunges forward, grabbing Vikram’s arm, trying to wrest the knife away.
Tyler (gritting his teeth):
“Get off her, you psycho!”
But Vikram is stronger than Tyler anticipated. In a swift movement, he shoves Tyler back, sending him crashing into a table. The force of the impact knocks the wind out of him, but he doesn’t stop. Chris rushes forward too, but Vikramspins, slashing at the air with the knife, narrowly missing.
Chris (panting):
“Damn it, get back! We need to—”
Jenna (interrupting, her voice trembling but firm):
“Vikram, listen to me! We know what happened to Jared. He’s gone, but you’re still stuck in this nightmare! You don’t have to do this. Let us help you!”
Vikram stops, his eyes narrowing on Jenna. The knife lowers slightly. There’s a flicker of hesitation in his eyes—a fleeting moment of doubt—but it quickly passes, replaced by a cold resolve.
Vikram (almost to himself):
“Help me? You can’t help me. None of you can.”
Page 6: The Final Reveal
The room grows colder. The wind howls outside, rattling the windows. Emily feels as though she’s trapped in a nightmare she can’t escape. She knows Vikram is a broken man, but it doesn’t make him any less dangerous.
Emily (sobbing, pleading):
“Please, Vikram. You don’t understand. You never understood. Jared never wanted to hurt you. He loved you—just not the way you wanted him to. You had to let him go.”
For a brief moment, Vikram seems to pause, his grip on the knife loosening. Tyler, still dazed from the earlier shove, pushes himself off the ground and moves towards the others, trying to come up with a plan.
Tyler (whispering to the group):
“We need to distract him. Get the knife away from him. We can’t let him—”
Suddenly, a sharp, crackling noise cuts through the silence. It’s coming from the old radio in the corner of the room. At first, no one knows what it is. Then, a voice. A familiar voice.
Jared’s voice (distorted):
“Emily… Emily, help me… I’m still here…”
The group freezes. Emily’s face pales as she stares at the radio, her eyes wide with horror. Jenna looks between Emily and Vikram, her confusion growing.
Emily (barely able to speak):
“Jared…? Jared, is that you?”
Vikram (hissing):
“Shut up! You never listened to me! You never believed me!”
Emily (her voice trembling, reaching for Vikram’s arm):
“Vikram, please… I know you think I forgot about you, but I never did. I thought… I thought Jared would be the answer. I thought we could fix things…”
Suddenly, the room grows even darker, the shadows seeming to stretch longer. The voice from the radio becomes more distorted, almost demonic.
Jared’s voice (distorted and twisted):
“She chose him, Vikram… she chose him… now you will pay.”
Vikram (eyes wide, voice cracking with desperation):
“No… No, I’m the one who was wronged. I’m the one who deserves to be loved!”
And then, in a moment of horrifying clarity, it all clicks into place. The voice isn’t just Jared’s. It’s something else—something ancient, something that has been watching from the shadows. Jared never left. In some twisted way, Jaredand Vikram are now both trapped in this cycle—the curse that binds them, and anyone who dares step into Ridgeview Cottage.
Page 7: The Trap Tightens
The room falls silent as the voice fades into static. But the horror isn’t over. The air grows thicker, the pressure in the room suffocating. Everyone feels it. Emily knows this is it.
Emily (eyes wide, whispering to herself):
“This house… this place… it’s where it all started. Where everything broke. And now it’s come to claim us.”
End of Part 2.
Readavorous (Dastan-e-Kitaab) 