"Vayshali." Aarush groaned in his sleep. "There is someone at the door."

Rolling over on his back, he pulled the pillow over his head. Vayshali didn't respond to him. The air in the room felt stiff and suffocating. Soon, all three boys were sitting cross-legged on the bed. With eyes half-closed and stifled yawns, they did something close to a glare at Vayshali's direction.

Pillows were chucked at the three of them for this.

Before any complaint could be voiced, Vayshali put her index finger on her lips. That silenced all the accusations. Confusion drawled upon their faces as they looked up at her wide eyes. With one hand on the mouth and the other on the bed, her mind searched through the various possibilities to give a hint to her stupid brothers.

An idea crept into her head.

Picking up the phone, she opened it. With much wrinkling of her brows, she struggled to express the thoughts coursing through her mind.

There, she had done it.

'There is a stranger outside. So, shut up and do as I say. First, you all need to keep quiet. I'll figure out the rest.'

Aarush took the phone from her hands. His eyes squinted at the text for a while. Confusion turned to horror, and his mouth was pulled open in shock. Seeing such a strange expression on his face, Reyan took it. The same process was repeated and now the phone was in Pranav's hands. They all took a deep breath and looked at me with anticipation.

Except for Pranav.

Pranav, unlike the other two boys, shrugged and gave her the bird. The knocking halted and started again. This time from the downstairs. He looked at all of them. "Why are you even listening to Vayshali?"

There, it had been done again. Disgusted she was by this ill-mentality of people in her family.

"She has clearly lost it. I'm just going to go and check it myself," he said.

Others were given no time to protest. He had already plopped down from the bed and opened the silver saakad of the door beside him.

They all ran after him. It was of no avail, not even a little. He had already skipped down the stairs. Clenched fists cluched the doorframe as they peeked down the stairs, hoping Pranav would appear again.

A part of Vayshali hoped to see his head pop up from down the staircase, grinning at her and saying that it was nothing. But another part of her, the more realistic one knew.

It understood the aftermath before it happened.

Everyone knew the aftermath of such impulsive behavior, a behavior that was bound to get you in trouble. Such things were pleasurable. The rush of the adrenaline, the fast beating of the heart, and the bubbling curiosity had always been a fatal combination. Horror movies were solid proof of that.

With the speed of the knocking flew her thoughts. But then, only the thoughts remained. A sight of relief left her mouth as she heard his voice.

"There is nothing here, guys. You are worry-"

Silence.

520 words