Episode 4: Shadows Return – The Visitor and the Haunted Journal

A Lingering Unease

Aarav’s brief sense of calm shattered just three nights after the puja. He lay in bed, staring at the shifting shadows on his bedroom wall. A chilling sense of unease crept over him, growing stronger with each passing moment.

The rational part of his mind urged him to dismiss it: It’s just your imagination, a lingering effect of fear. But the heaviness in the air felt far too real, as if the shadows themselves were alive, watching.

The Midnight Knocks

At exactly 2:37 a.m., a faint knock echoed through the apartment. Aarav jolted upright, his heart hammering in his chest. He froze, straining to hear as the knock came again—louder, more deliberate.

Swallowing his fear, Aarav reached for his phone and turned on the flashlight. The beam of light cut through the oppressive darkness as he cautiously approached the door. Peeking through the peephole, he saw… nothing.

A chill ran down his spine. His hand hovered over the lock, unsure whether to open the door. Then, another knock reverberated through the apartment.

This time, it wasn’t coming from the door.

It was behind him.

A Ghostly Encounter

Aarav spun around, his flashlight trembling in his hand. The living room appeared empty, but the air was thick with an unseen presence. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the dim light—and then he saw it.

Near the balcony door stood a faint, ghostly figure. Its translucent form shimmered, its features obscured but its presence was undeniable.

“Who… who are you?” Aarav whispered, his voice shaking.

The figure didn’t respond. Instead, it raised an arm, pointing toward the bookshelf on the far wall. Aarav’s gaze followed the gesture, landing on an old, dust-covered journal nestled between two novels.

His breath hitched as recognition dawned. The journal had belonged to his grandfather, a man known for his stories of supernatural encounters and paranormal experiences. Aarav cautiously approached the bookshelf, his eyes flickering between the figure and the journal.

The moment he touched the journal, the figure disappeared.

The Haunted Journal

The oppressive atmosphere dissipated, leaving Aarav clutching the journal with trembling hands. He didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he sat on the couch, staring at its cracked leather cover, the edges worn with time. Embossed on the front were the initials “R.S.”—his grandfather’s.

When he finally opened it, he found pages filled with meticulous handwriting, sketches, and strange symbols. Each entry detailed his grandfather’s experiences with spirits, dreams, and haunted encounters.

One entry, dated June 15, 1978, sent a shiver down Aarav’s spine:

"The shadowed one thrives on fear. To defeat it, you must face it. A mirror can reveal its true form."

The words lingered ominously in his mind. Was this a warning? A clue? Or simply the musings of an old man who had lived with his fears? The description of the shadowed one sounded eerily familiar, too close to the entity he had seen during his episodes.

Seeking Help

Aarav’s phone buzzed, jolting him from his thoughts. It was a message from Neha: “Thinking of you. Let me know if you need to talk.”

He hesitated before replying: “Something weird happened tonight. I need to tell you about it.”

The next morning, Neha arrived, her skepticism giving way to genuine concern as Aarav recounted the events. The knocks, the figure, and the journal—all of it. She flipped through the journal, her no-nonsense demeanor faltering.

“Aarav, this is… unsettling,” she admitted. “But are you sure this isn’t just your mind connecting dots that don’t exist? Fear can distort reality.”

“What about the figure pointing to the journal?” Aarav pressed. “How do you explain that?”

Neha sighed, her tone uncertain. “I don’t know. But if the journal says to face it, maybe that’s what you need to do. Maybe this ‘shadowed one’ is your fear, like the pandit said.”

The Mirror Strategy

That night, Aarav placed a mirror near his bed,

positioning it to reflect the room. The journal

lay open on his nightstand, the words “A mirror

can reveal its true form” etched into his thoughts.

As he lay down, a new resolve settled over him.

This time, he wasn’t running from the shadows.

He was waiting for them.

Facing the Shadows

Aarav’s decision to confront the unknown marked a turning point in his journey. Whether this was a battle with his fears or something far more sinister, he was determined to uncover the truth about the shadowed one.

What Happens Next?

The shadows have been waiting, and Aarav has decided to confront them. But will he uncover the truth—or unleash something darker?

Stay tuned for Episode 5: Confronting the Shadowed One—Reflections of Courage.