Chapter 3 The first night

she felt so thin in my arms, the wrinkles on her face were so prominent. but her amber-colored eyes were the same as always. her eyes were so piercing, even when as a kid if I would do something she would see right through me. I hold onto her smelling her scent, she smelled the same, and the nostalgia hit me hard. I tried to shake myself from it.

"you look so thin dado, I didn't expect you to look so weak, what happened are you even taking a proper diet?"

she waved her hand dismissively at me like it was no big deal. " I'm an old woman Shah, you don't expect me to be energetic and young always".

she said, the lines on her forehead deepening further. I dropped my arms and stepped back. she was stubborn as a mule, and this trait of hers had passed on to me. I dropped the subject for now.

"let's go eat something, I'm sure you're so tired right now," she said while gesturing to someone behind me, I looked behind to find a young woman standing there, " serve dinner in the dining room, Tara!, and ask someone to get Shah's stuff and take it to his room". she said coldly to the young woman. it was weird how her tone changed so easily, she was talking just fine with me.

Tara nodded without saying anything and disappeared into the long corridor. I was too tired to say anything to her I just followed dado to a large room. the room was the same as before, even the dining table and chairs remained the same color and size. It was like time had stopped here, the walls were the same rustic color, with huge ceilings, and expensive Irani carpets. it was like I stepped into an old era from a posh and modern city.

the dinner was served and I dug into it the smell of roasted lamb chops made my stomach grumble in response, we ate in silence dado was never keen on small talk neither was I, but after such a long time I wanted to hear something from her, about the Haveli the people living in the village, anything. But she remained quiet, after finishing I said good night to her, and she looked at me with those amber eyes. I could see the longing in her eyes, for a moment, but it was gone as soon I saw it. she wished me a well good night's sleep.

"Anwar will show you to your room". I suppose he worked here.

So that was it! I expected our encounter to be awkward, but it was fine considering the fact how long we've been apart, it was okay so far and I was glad about it. but I couldn't deny the strange pressure on my shoulders since I came here it was like someone was watching me, I stopped and looked around the Haveli. most of the lights were turned off. the sky was dark and filled with stars. I shook the strange feeling that there was no one watching me. I headed toward my room following Anwar. he put my stuff down, I thanked him he left, and close the door behind him.

I stood there and looked around the room it was a comfortable room with a large open window facing the huge lawn outside. the bed was rustic with empty under space, with the same huge ceilings, and white walls. I looked for a bathroom, I spotted a brown door in the room, it was a bathroom. I got inside and took a quick shower. it freshens me up a little I got dressed into my comfortable pajamas. and went to bed, I opened my mobile after a long and odd day, it seemed like I forgot that I even had a phone. I had some messages from Haris asking about my journey, and some business stuff-related questions. I shoot a quick text answering him. And assured him my journey was smooth and will talk to him soon.

I closed my mobile phone and tried to sleep, which was hard considering it was a new place I was used to sleeping in my comfortable bed. after rolling around in bed finding comfort, after some time my breathing even out and I was fast asleep. I don't know at what time of the night my eyes opened suddenly my body was covered with sweat and my heart was hammering in my chest I felt a strange pressure on my chest, similar to the pressure I felt earlier. which was absurd, what is happening to me? I shook the feeling maybe it was a new place and I was not used to sleeping in a large Haveli, but the feeling didn't go away, irritated I sit up on my bed and looked around the room. everything was the same nothing ordinary, or different. I stood up and washed my face a few times to calm my nerves, the cool water helped a little.

going back to bed, again I felt like someone was watching me, the hair on my neck stood up and a shiver ran down my spine I looked around but no one was there, as soon as my eyes landed outside the window, a shadow was standing between the lawn facing my room's window. it was not moving from its place just standing there, I tried to blink and looked again there was no one! I stood at the window and looked outside no one was there. " no need to feel scared, maybe it was one of the workers, that were staying in the Haveli". I gave myself a mental note that there was nothing wrong with this place. but my gut had a different perception. shrugging I went to bed again and tried to sleep again, trying hard not to think about the shadow outside I just saw, I didn't know if it was real or if I saw it from my peripheral vision. after struggling for a while I fell asleep