The Visitor

Chapter 1

With sweat tickling down his forehead, Mohan was struggling to survive his every next day amidst the dusty and humid weather of Udaipur. It had just been 1 month that he had shifted from Haryana. Mohan had rented a house far from the main city, away from the crowd. He had a very simple life. A nine to five routine as a manager in a bank and a decent pay with minimal expenses, but he always longed for something extraordinary in life.

He was a young man having a fascinating personality. It was easy for him to adjust in the bank’s environment, and had a good relation with his colleagues. Mohan was also very enthusiastic about vlogging and videography, which was concealed from his regular people, for which he generally spared time during his weekends.
It was 12th of Jan on a Saturday morning; he had just woken up and was heading towards having a perfect morning routine with a cup of strong tea, when he heard his doorbell ring abruptly. He opened the door and was not surprised by seeing his friends Ankur and Prakash on the door.

Ankur and Prakash were Mohan’s colleagues. They all worked at the same office. Their formal bond turned informal when all three of them discovered their common love for bun maska and Tea at Anna’s chai which was a roadside tea stall right in front of their office.

It was Mohan’s birthday and they had planned to surprise him with a cake.
They made every possible effort to confirm his location for the day. Mohan tried his best as well to look surprised.

Mohan did not live in a society rather it was more of a colony named after its developers called Ganga. The locality was quiet and beautiful. Only a few houses all of the similar type and most of which were rented out. Though the rents were cheap yet not many of the houses where occupied due to its obscure location.

After the cake cutting they decided to spend the rest of their day chilling at Mohan’s house.
It was a hot afternoon. All of them decided to order a parcel instead of going out in that blistering sun.
This was the first time Mohan was having visitors in his house. Mohan was very particular in terms of hygiene and always made sure his house was in the perfect state.
“Mohan yaar, are you sure you live alone in this house?” Asked Ankur, “your house is way too clean and big for you to stay alone, I mean does your family live here with you?”
“Nah, I stay alone” Mohan replied “I just don’t like a messy place; I like everything to be perfectly clean.”
“You seem to have been very well trained by your mom” Prakash said with a grin.
The two of them settled on the sofas while Mohan grabbed some beer for all of them.
“Mohan if you don’t mind, can I ask you something” asked Praksah,
“Yeah sure” Mohan replied, popping the beer bottles.
“Why did you rent a house far from the main city? You could have accompanied us at our flat in the main city.”
“Yeah I was planning to look for some place in the city but I was offered this house at a really affordable rent at such a peaceful locality that i couldn’t refuse” Mohan responded handing over the beer bottles.
“Well yes about that” Ankur continued, in a bit husky and worried tone, “this locality is not that safe as you think. Did you inquire the land lord why the houses in this locality are so cheap?”
“Of course” Mohan responded with an irritated tone, “the owner said the rent is low because it is far from the main city.”
“Well we would suggest you to move towards the city. Haven’t you heard stories of that midnight visitor?” said Prakash.
“What visitor?” asked Mohan sounding totally confused.
“Well there is a strange story that someone appears at night and the owner or who so ever resides in that house is reported to be either dead or missing the next day”, said Prakash sipping his beer.
“That indeed sounds pretty weird but murders and crimes take place everywhere. If I follow that none of us are safe”, Mohan said in a humorous tone. It could be possible that these are just some rumours.
“We would still suggest you to shift from this place as these stories are most recent and believed to be reported particularly from this area of Udaipur” advised Ankur.
“Indeed. I would better be alive than be a victim of such things”, said Prakash.

Suddenly the door bell rang and a shiver ran down their spines.

Mohan opened the door, “Your order sir” said the delivery boy, “sir that would be seven hundred and thirty two rupees”
Mohan looked towards his friends and realised they were going to rip his pockets today.