Dream that become alive
Rita heard strange sound of dog barking. She was so upset. She didn’t understand why did she needed to wake up like that every night. It was so frustrating. She began to sense different dogs were barking again. She wanted to scream & tell watchman to send them away. But she knew that it was impossible. Watchman couldn’t run after street dogs on street. She didn’t understand why did they keep like that night after night. She tuned to other side. Her husband Harish was sleeping peacefully. She didn’t understand why she kept hearing sound of those dogs. She was so upset. She went back to window to see dogs but she couldn’t see any. She sensed that dogs must be far away. But their voices seemed so near. She didn’t understand why couldn’t she see them. She was so sure that those dogs were somewhere. She just couldn’t locate them. She decided that they might be far away. She went back to bed. That dog barking was so irritating. But she kept controlling herself. She kept telling herself that she needed to sleep. But she kept getting restless. She wanted to feel happy but she didn’t feel it. She knew that her life didn’t have any bad side. She knew that she had little problems like she didn’t have baby. She felt so restless at thought of baby. She was expecting baby but she couldn’t manage to give birth to healthy child. Her baby died in eight months. She knew that it was worst. She was so happy but then Doctor said that it was just misfortune next time everything would be fine. She knew that it was true but still she was so restless when she thought about that baby. She told herself to accept fact & forget it. She knew that soon everything would be fine. Then she suddenly heard voice of child. She was so confused. Then she started laughing. She had baby girl. She didn’t understand why did she felt that she didn’t have child. She went to room. Her daughter was crying in low voice. She took her in arms. She started singing lullabies for her. She felt that her baby was relaxing. Her life was perfect. She needed to enjoy it. She was getting restless without cause. She had child. Her life was back on track. She knew that her first baby’s death was sad but such incidence happened. Now she had another child. She didn’t understand why she kept so sad. Then she slowly kept baby back in her baby cot. Then she once again settled on bed. She suddenly sensed that baby must be upset due to those dogs. Only Harish was lucky one who didn’t wake up. He truly slept in such a way that nothing could wake him up. She smiled. She once again started to try to sleep. This time luckily those dogs didn’t bark. She woke up in morning. She looked around. She was so confused. Sunlight was falling in her room. No one was sleeping beside her. She looked towards bed carefully. It seemed as if no one was sleeping there at all. She looked around. Then her Mom started calling her “ Sarika? Are you awake? You will be late for college.” She was so disturbed. She didn’t understand what was her true name. She looked towards mirror & saw her reflection. She was college girl Sarika. She needed to complete her project & reached to lecture on time. But she still felt as if she was still had some part of that dream. She could sense touch of that baby. She touched her shoulder. She felt as if it was wet. She sensed that baby was biting on her shoulder. She decided to confirm bite. She looked in mirror. There was not any bite. But there was one mark. She couldn’t understand how did that mark appeared. It was just dream. She was sure that she didn’t know any Rita. She was so tense. Then she heard her Mom’s voice again. She immediately ran in kitchen. She began to eat breakfast. She was so upset. She started to tell her Mom about her strange dream. Her Mom heard it all. Her Mom looked so confused. Mom “ I think I heard dogs barking too. This is new house so sometimes such things happen.” Her Mom didn’t say anything for sometime. Then her Mom started to say “ We need to do some rituals. We need to perform ritual to make this house pure.” Sarika shivered with fear. Sarika didn’t like this. On that point her brother came. Her brother Tushar didn’t able to hear her. She was so glad. She didn’t want him to scare her. Tushar had habit of scaring her without cause. Since from childhood he always told her ghost story. She didn’t like them. She was feeling so restless. She knew that now Tushar was going to harass her. She began to feel so unhappy. Then Tushar asked “ What happened?” She took breathe of relief. She sensed that he had not heard it. Her Mom wisely changed subject. “ I was planning a ritual in this house.” Tushar immediately agreed. “ Yes we must otherwise ghost will hunt us.” Sarika started to feel upset. Sarika “ Which ghost?” Tushar started eating so he didn’t answer for sometime. But she insisted. “ Which ghost?” Tushar “ Ghost of anyone who was staying in this house before.” Sarika was so scared. She suddenly began to feel that Rita might be staying in this home before. She shivered. Tushar “ We stayed here which is wrong. We should have done worship first then we could stay here. But in hurry Dad ignored all rituals.” Then suddenly Dad appeared. Dad “ I didn’t do anything wrong. We don’t have any option. We can’t keep giving that heavy rent for so many months & your Mom will do rituals now.” “ Dad you never take them seriously.” Mom “ Tushar no need to argue. I have arranged all tomorrow.” Sarika took breath of relief. She smiled. She knew that Mom would do it. So after it Mom arranged ritual next day. Sarika was wearing beautiful saree for it. She was so happy. She felt like some perfect bride. She knew that she was too young to marry but still she began to start a dream. She was so happy. All guests were admiring her. Then they sat on ritual. She was so scared that something might go wrong. At beginning they couldn’t able to light fire in sandal but then soon it happened. They did all in perfect way. Priest didn’t said that he saw any sign of evil in house. Everything went in right way. She felt that all was okay. She smiled happily. She went to sleep with hope of wonderful future husband. She even imagined few faces.
Sarika went to sleep peacefully. She was so sure that it was just bad dream. But then she began to hear those dogs barking again. She was so stressed. Soon she began to become Rita. She didn’t feel like anyone else. She was just becoming Rita. She was Rita. Harish was sleeping beside her. She began to feel so stressed. She was so upset. She wanted to sleep but her baby was crying again. She needed to tell those dogs to stop barking. She stood up & went in balcony. She looked down towards watchman. Watchman was sleeping. It was frustrating but it was regular. Watchman was supposed to stay awake but he was not doing. She wanted to stop those dogs. She screamed “ Watchman..Watchman..stop those dogs...stop those dogs.” Suddenly watchman came running towards her & started screaming “ Didi you will fall stop.stop. Sir...Madam..” he began to scream so loudly. But she didn’t understand why. Didi was named normally used for younger generation not for her. She was mother of one. But she was young too. She smiled & started to say something. When she sensed touch on her hand & someone pulled her back. She woke up. She was once again Sarika. She sensed that she was climbing on fences of balcony. Her Dad asked angrily “ Are you out of your mind?! Why did you trying to commit suicide?!” She looked down. She didn’t understand when she reached here. She started crying. “I was dreaming & I suddenly come here.” Her Mom “ She might be sleepwalking.” Watchman was looking towards them with shock. Dad screamed loudly “ She was sleeping walking. Thanks. You saved life of my daughter.” “ Didi was talking about some dogs in sleep! But there were not dogs around.” Dad started to get tense. “ Honestly I don’t know what was her dream she might be chasing some Dog.” “ Did you have any pet dog?” “ Well..once! But after his death we never got one. Actually he had one unfortunate accident.” “ Then Didi must be having memories about him.” Dad nodded but he was doubtful. Sarika never took much interest in Dog. In fact she hated him. But Dad didn’t want to tell it to Watchman. Dad just nodded. Then Watchman suggested wise thing “ Sir if Didi had habit to sleep walking you should lock door & don’t show her keys otherwise she might open it even in sleep.” Dad looked confused. Mom asked “ How can she find keys in sleep?” Watchman “ You don’t know evil effect of sleep walking. They can do it. Once my Auntie went near river. Luckily someone stopped her from falling!” Sarika’s parents shivered. They sensed that this trouble was going to be big issue. They kept looking at each other with confused look. Sarika slowly went to bed & started crying. Suddenly Tushar came out of nowhere & tapped on her shoulder. She screamed with fear. He looked towards her with strange eyes. “ I feel that we should have done ritual. This must be some spirit which wandered in your room. Look out of window.” She looked out without second thought. Tushar added slowly “ These trees always carry spirits.” She saw it. Those branches were moving. She looked out of window. It had different atmosphere. She could see different feel from nature. That every part of nature was giving her indication that something was wrong. She was so scared. She looked out of window so peacefully. She hoped that fear wouldn’t vanish. She started to get restless. She began to see Rita. She started to feel that Rita was sitting on that tree. Rita had different sort of teeth now. Her teeth were so sharp. She wanted to look away but then she sensed. Rita was carrying baby in her hand. She was so tense. Rita was not planning to eat her own baby?! Did she? She wanted to scream but then she sensed that it was just imagination. Her mind started to tell her this was just imagination & soon it was gone. She sensed that due to Tushar’s nonsense paranormal stories she began to imagine. She gave angry look to Tushar. “ I don’t dream that Rita today!” She lied. Tushar sat on bed & asked “ Then what did you dream?” Tushar’s eyes were so innocent like child. He didn’t want to scare her but he believed it so he kept warning. She knew that soon Tushar was going to start new story if she didn’t tell dream. She began to create one. “ In my dream I was floating on water..” she started to create a story. Her imagination worked so nicely. Tushar kept telling positive meaning of every word. She smiled happily. Tushar “ I feel that evil spirit didn’t able to enter so it called you in Balcony. Don’t worry I will lock that Balcony powerfully then it will not come.” She knew that now Tushar would go to someone & bring something to tie. She didn’t understand what she supposed to do. She couldn’t understand if she supposed to believe or ignore. She kept feeling so restless. She looked out of window. She was began to feel uneasy. But then soon she sensed that her bad dream was gone. She didn’t imagine anyone on that tree now. Her parents came & locked that window. Then Tushar did his rituals & finally all went to their own room. Then she slept. This time when sunlight fall on her face, she didn’t feel any sense of dream. She didn’t remember anything about remaining night. She felt that she might be sleeping peacefully. Then she suddenly sensed that she was holding one toy in her hand. She threw it away out of fear. She didn’t understand when did she got that toy? She was so scared. She started crying loudly. She knew that this Rita was in her body for entire night & sadly she didn’t remember what happened. She felt so upset. She kept trying so hard to get things right. Her family was sitting downstairs. They all hoped that this trouble was going to be over but she needed to break this news. She took deep breath & she ran downstairs. She saw that they all were sitting on dinning table from where they were watching TV. She kept running down. She didn’t sense that it was not her house. Her house didn’t have two floors. They had small house with two bedroom & kitchen. She saw that Harish was cuddling baby in hall while baby was making giggling sound to show that baby was enjoying it. She screamed loudly.
Sarika woke up with scream. Her parents came running in room. She sensed that it was all a bad dream. She hugged Mom & started crying. Her Dad started patting on her head. She felt so safe. But she didn’t want to sleep. “ Mom why this Rita is harassing me? What is my crime?” Dad sounded shocked when he asked “ Who is Rita?” Tushar “ A spirit which is trying to or already possessed Sarika!” Mom screamed loudly “ Shut up Tushar! This is just bad dream.” Mom said it but Sarika could sense that her voice didn’t hold any confidence. Her Mom began to doubt too. Dad “ But we did all rituals.” Tushar “ Due to it she couldn’t control Sarika completely. Let’s call some paranormal expert!” Dad “ Enough. Let’s call psychiatrist!” Sarika was so confused. Both ideas were scary. Either she was losing her mind or a ghost was trying to take control of her body. She looked towards Mom. Mom “ Let’s do both.” Every one immediately nodded. Her Dad took appointment of psychiatrist. Then Tushar brought some friend who could sense ghost. But that friend didn’t feel any enthusiasm about their house. Tushar’s ate & enjoyed chatting but finally he told Sarika. “ I did all enquiries this house didn’t have any history of that type of woman you are describing. There was one death in this house but it was of name called Ramesh & he killed due to lightening. It was sudden death but not something which you described can be connected to it.” She told about woman in tree. Tushar’s friend slowly laughed. He needed to control his laugh. Sarika was embarrassed. But immediately he said “ Sorry I laughed. But this happened due to Tushar. Tushar keep telling this story again & again on some village background. Remember that village witch.” She nodded & started laughing too. She began to feel relaxed. “ Sarika this is not paranormal. Go to psychiatrist before it take some serious turn. You need to take it seriously.” She nodded. She went in her room. Now even during daytime she began to feel uneasy. She felt as if she wanted to sleep. She tried hard to avoid it. She knew that when she would go to sleep it all would begin again. She was fully sure about it. She was so stressed. She kept trying to stay awake. But in night she didn’t have much option but to sleep. Her parents kept insisting that her health was suffering. She needed to sleep. She couldn’t able to concentrate on her college lectures. She needed to study but she began to get sleepy. Her professor started getting angry with her. One professor even asked her to leave classroom. She cried so much on that day. Entire class was laughing on her. She didn’t understand why she kept dreaming like that. She didn’t feel that it was ghost. She didn’t have much hopes from psychiatrist too. But when her Dad insisted she went there. She kept getting uneasy while waiting for psychiatrist. She wanted to just hurry up. She was so stressed. Then she went inside. She began to explain all. She thought that psychiatrist would say something. But psychiatrist didn’t say anything for long time. Psychiatrist “Are you afraid of dogs?” She looked confused. “ Afraid? Not exactly but I don’t like that.” “Why?” She shivered. She said “ We had one dog..” she didn’t say anything for long time. Her parents kept looking at her. It seemed as if they were giving her chance to tell story. She slowly began. “Once I was taking that dog out for walk. That dog was walking but while walking dog suddenly dumped on a pregnant woman. She fall & screamed. Everyone came to help. She was taken to hospital. Luckily she was not harmed but her baby was safe.” She said it but Psychiatrist sensed that she was not telling truth. Her Dad “ It was an accident not mistake of my daughter.” Psychiatrist “ It was big mistake. But no one was perfect. Are you paying attention to your Dog?” She started crying. “ Actually I don’t want to take care of Dog. Tushar wanted dog so Dad bought it. But Mom gave me a nice necklace in return I agreed to walk him. I was so upset that day since I want to go to birthday party but Mom told me do it after walking that dog. I wanted to just push Dog towards street. I know I was wrong. But I want to throw it before car. That’s why Dog became so upset & angry. Dog sensed it & attacked that innocent woman instead of me.” Psychiatrist asked “ & did that baby survived?” Sarika turned head negatively. Mom added. “ But now that lady have two children.” Psychiatrist “ What about saying sorry to her? Did she accepted apology?” They didn’t say anything. Psychiatrist “ Did you shift to avoid seeing that lady?” Dad nodded. “ She had two kids but still she used to walk everyday near our house. She used to abuse Sarika whenever she get chance. According to her Sarika destroyed her life. She was so scared of Dog now. She wanted punishment for Sarika!” Sarika began to cry loudly. Psychiatrist tried to calm down her. Psychiatrist “ This Rita is reflection of that woman which tormented Sarika every night. Sarika felt responsible for death of that baby. Dog started all so always dogs barking begin her nightmare. This is impact of her guilt conscious mind. Don’t worry slowly we will handle it.” Then Psychiatrist started to explain treatment. She kept nodding. She was so tense & scared. She just wanted to forget all. But she couldn’t. Psychiatrist explained her that she needed to accept her mistake. She was not supposed to hide from it. She began her journey of accepting her mistake & rectifying it in her future life. Now she knew that dreams were her punishment & she was ready to take any punishment. She just wanted to get over her guilt. Psychiatrist was telling her how & she was feeling so relaxed.
The End
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