The training was over a week ago. The trainees were killing time since then.
"If they did not have process then why did they recruit us so early?" Keyur was the impatient one.
"Why are you concerned? We are getting paid. So, chill bro." Our relaxed Gaurav on the preaching mode.
"Guys, it is 1 am now. One and half hour more and then we are free birds." Priya hated mathematics in school but never got tired to count time remaining for shift to get over.
"Yeah right, I am so bored." Dev added his contribution to the current discussion to stay relevant.
"Do you know about Aarey road?" Gaurav’s question was irrelevant and nobody was in mood.
"Yeah, what about it?" Why do you hate us Priya. Now he would start and never stop.
"Ghosts roam on the road at this time?"
"Bullshit, there is nothing called ghosts." Dev was a kind of non believer.
"You don’t know a thing bro. I used to work for a US process at Goregaon. The shift ended at 1.30 am. One day the cab driver suggested if we take Aarey Road we can reach Powai quickly. The only condition was HR should never know. We were three employees. All the boys agreed."
"I swear the road was never ending. Suddenly, a woman wearing white sari (and Indian attire) appeared in the middle of the road. Cab driver could not apply break on time. The cab hit her. We got down after cab stopped. We searched for the body on both sides of the road. The body was never found."
"Bullshit! God has given mouth so you will speak anything? I have gone to Aarey road. No such thing there." Dev’s disbelief was not shared by any other participants.
"Have you gone at night?" Gaurav wanted to prove it once and for all.
"No."
"Then shut up." What a way to prove.
"I, I also have a story to tell. My aunt moved to a new house in Lucknow. In the morning when she checked the milk in the container it was red in colour. Daily the milk turned red. Then she came to know that a teenage girl had committed suicide in that house." Priya’s story was short and to the point.
Rohan had not spoken a word till now.
"There is a building at Charni Road. The security guard visited the terrace at night as a routine. One day, sorry one night when he was there on terrace he was hit on the back of his head. He swore there was no one around. He quit the next day. The new guard never visits terrace at night." Rohan’s story was ordinary. But given the time and existing mood of the group it seemed to have an impact.
"What happened Keyur? Why are you silent? Are you scared?" Dev tried to pull his leg.
"Huh, No. Anything. Accha what time it is now?"
"It is 1.15 am." Priya the watchwoman was quick to answer.
"I had a friend who confessed that his fellow employee was a supernatural being. He used to take same cab after shift. Every night this employee used to get down near a graveyard. He said that he lives next to the graveyard. It would be difficult for the cab to enter the lane so he preferred to walk instead was his excuse. My friend was sure that he lived in the graveyard. This employee left the job in a month."
Dev’s story made everyone uncomfortable.
"Hey the shift is over. See you’ll tomorrow. It was fun today. Let us hear more stories tomorrow." Priya expressed her pleasure.
The group arrived at the place where they take respective cabs to get home drop. Keyur was not comfortable today and didn’t wish to make a long journey to home.
Keyur knew that Dev lived nearby. He asked how he travels to reach home. Dev informed he walks. Keyur asked him if he could accompany him to his aunt’s house nearby.
A helping Dev agreed. They started walking towards the new destination. The street lights were not working on that day. Keyur cursed the authorities. They both shared a conversation so that Keyur could feel better.
After reaching the building Keyur requested Dev to wait till he reaches third floor and may leave only after he waves at him from third floor.
Next day news:
A BPO employee was found dead on the third floor of a building at Andheri. Key witness stated that it seemed that he was speaking to someone before he entered the building. But, there was nobody around Keyur the witness confessed. The possible cause of death was fear.
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