The House Chapter 1 - The Illusions

  Sub-Inspector Harish, 25 years old, finished narrating the history of Araiyur from the back seat of the car. “Rajesh Sir, what do you think about it?” he asked, turning to Inspector Rajesh, who was 30 years old and sitting in the front seat beside the driver. “You know me, Harish. I’m not one to believe in these kinds of stories,” Rajesh replied calmly. Harish nodded, accepting Rajesh's skepticism. They continued their journey, each lost in their own thoughts about the mysteries awaiting them at Amrithavalli House in Araiyur.

  Inspector Rajesh, having dismissed the story, prompted Constable Paramsivam, aged 54 and driving the car, to speak up. “Rajesh Sir, don't dismiss this lightly. My mother used to tell me this story,” Paramsivam urged. Rajesh smirked in response, teasingly adding, “Yes, even Chandini here used to tell these stories to her child.”

  Constable Chandini, 28 years old and seated beside Harish, gave Rajesh a pointed look. Rajesh quickly noticed and remarked, "Chandini, that was just a joke. Don't take it seriously." Chandini responded calmly, “I understand, sir. But we should consider it seriously. Five painters who went to work on that house have gone missing. That can't just be a coincidence. Also there is an similar event where a couple bought this house gone missing in 1980s. Till date, no trace has been found.” Rajesh nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging Chandini's concern as they continued their journey towards Amrithavalli House in Araiyur.

  Rajesh's words echoed with authority as they approached Amrithavalli House in Araiyur. “We’re cops. Our job is to solve cases based on evidence, not myths. Let's investigate first,” he asserted, setting the tone for their mission.

  The police jeep rolled to a stop in front of the decrepit house. The house was engulfed in tall grass, thorns, and a skeletal tree. Around it, the eerie sounds of bats filled the air, intensifying the spooky atmosphere that emanated from the house.

  As they approached the house, Chandini's hands started to tremble. With a hint of fear in her voice, she said, “Sir, this house feels really eerie.” Rajesh trying to reassure her, “Come on, Chandini. It's just an old house. It's normal to feel like this.”

  They ventured into the house, the path to the doorstep strewn with thorns and tall grass. Each step was cautious, navigating the overgrown path carefully. As they moved forward, the atmosphere grew more oppressive. The crunch of dried leaves and the rustle of tall grass contributed to the already eerie ambiance surrounding them.

  As they approached the front door, Rajesh took the lead, pushing open the creaky wooden door. Inside, the house was shrouded in darkness and mustiness, every surface coated with a thick layer of dust. The air hung heavy with the unmistakable smell of decay.

  With flashlights ablaze, everyone entered the house as instructed by Rajesh. "Stay close and be alert," he advised firmly. The team dispersed cautiously, exploring the interior. Harish, intrigued, studied the intricate wall designs. "This place must have been magnificent once," he reflected aloud. Chandini, uneasy, kept nervously scanning her surroundings. "We should stick together," she suggested, her voice tinged with unease.

  As they proceeded, they eventually reached the living room. Paramsivam remarked, “Sir, I believe this is the living room.” Rajesh agreed, saying, “Yes, I think so too. Let's look for any signs of recent human presence here.”

  The team dispersed within the living room, their flashlights revealing dust-covered furniture and cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Harish focused on an old, decaying sofa, while Chandini carefully examined a dusty bookshelf filled with ancient tomes.

  Paramsivam, shining his flashlight on the floor, spotted a set of faint footprints leading towards a doorway on the far side of the room. "Rajesh Sir, over here," he called out, pointing to the footprints. Rajesh walked over and knelt down for a closer inspection. "These look recent," he noted, studying the prints carefully.

  Harish and Chandini also discovered footsteps leading towards both the basement and the staircase. Observing the various directions of the footprints, Rajesh made a decision. “Harish, explore the basement,” he instructed, “Paramsivam, check out the staircase. I'll investigate this room further, and Chandini, look for any other footsteps in this area.”

  Harish nodded and headed towards the basement door, his flashlight cutting through the darkness as he descended the creaky stairs. Paramsivam made his way to the staircase leading to the upper floors, each step echoing through the silent house. Rajesh turned towards the room with the recent footprints, while Chandini continued to search the living room for any additional clues.

  Harish cautiously descended into the basement, feeling the air grow hotter and damper with each step. The space was cluttered with old furniture, discarded tools, and boxes strewn about. His flashlight revealed additional footprints leading towards a back corner. Heart pounding, he approached the area with caution.

  Meanwhile, Paramsivam ascended the stairs, his flashlight casting light on the dusty banister and cobwebs. The upstairs hallway stretched long and narrow, lined with four closed doors opposite to each other. He opted to begin with the first door on the right.

  On the other side, Rajesh cautiously entered the dark room, his flashlight piercing the dusty gloom. Nearby, Chandini swept her flashlight across the floor, searching for any clues.

  As Harish ventured deeper into the basement, he noticed a childlike drawing of a demon on one wall. As he stared at the sketch, the demon's eyes suddenly blinked and locked onto Harish, sending a chill down his spine.

  The sketch on the wall started to come to life, its lines and shapes morphing into a grotesque, fluid motion. The demon emerged from the wall, taking form with a thin, contorted body, standing on all fours. It had long, sharp nails and let out a low, guttural growl, its eyes blazing with rage.

  Harish's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the demon come to life, its red eyes glowing with malevolent intent. He staggered backward in fear. The demon advanced slowly towards him, its long nails scraping against the concrete floor.

  Meanwhile, Paramasivam attempted to open the first door, but found it locked. He tried to force it open without success. As he struggled with the door, the floor beneath his feet suddenly gave way.

  Paramsivam felt the floor beneath him give way suddenly. He grabbed onto the door frame, narrowly avoiding falling into a pit filled with darkness. With adrenaline pumping, he managed to pull himself back onto solid ground, panting heavily as he realized the danger he had narrowly escaped.

  In the middle of this, the room near the living hall, Rajesh was deep in investigation. Suddenly, he felt something moving beneath his feet. As he looked down, he was horrified to realize he was surrounded by a pit of snakes.

  Rajesh's heart raced as he realized he was surrounded by snakes in the room. He remained perfectly still, careful not to provoke them further. The snakes slithered around him, their scales shimmering in the faint light from his flashlight.

  Meanwhile, in the living hall, Chandini was diligently searching for any footsteps. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a patch of dust. She rubbed her eyes for a moment and then refocused her flashlight on the floor. In an instant, everything around her was engulfed in darkness.

  Surrounded by pervasive darkness, Chandini found herself without a ray of hope. Even her flashlight's beam was swallowed by the darkness. Panic overwhelmed her as fear gripped her completely. She began calling out urgently, "Rajesh Sir, Paramasivam Sir, Harish. Where are you all? Please come here." In her distress, she sank to the floor, curling into a kneeling position with her eyes tightly shut and hands covering her ears.

  Chandini's frantic calls echoed through the house, but no immediate response came. The oppressive silence seemed to amplify her fear. Meanwhile, Harish was still trying to keep a safe distance from the demon, his mind racing for a solution. The demon, continued its slow, menacing advance.

  As the demon's nails were about to touch him, a surge of adrenaline empowered Harish. With all his strength, he kicked out at the demon, sending it staggering back with a piercing scream. Its fiery eyes burned with fury as it recoiled from Harish's desperate resistance. Seizing the moment, Harish swiftly bolted towards the basement staircase, determined to escape its malevolent grasp.

  As Harish sprinted up the basement stairs, the demon pursued closely behind him. With a burst of adrenaline, he leaped forward, narrowly escaping its grasp. Reaching the basement door, he pushed himself outside and slammed the door shut, barricading himself from the pursuing demon.

  As Harish slammed the basement door shut, he took a moment to catch his breath. The demon's guttural growls were muffled but still audible, reverberating through the thick wooden door. He knew he couldn't stay there; he had to warn the others. Harish steadied himself and called out, "Rajesh! Paramsivam! Chandini! We need to get out of here now!" His voice echoed through the house, urgency clear in his tone.

  Upstairs, Paramasivam, who had narrowly avoid falling through the floor, heard Harish’s call. Paramasivam, already precariously balanced on the edge of the wooden floor, heard Harish's urgent call. The old wooden planks creaked ominously beneath his feet. Knowing he couldn't afford to waste any more time, he quickly but carefully retraced his steps back down the hallway with small jump, his flashlight guiding him through the darkness.

  As he reached staircase, his feet lost his balance. Paramsivam tumbled down the staircase, his flashlight bouncing and casting wild shadows on the walls. He landed at the bottom with a groan, but quickly pushed himself up, ignoring the pain in his side. He had to get to the others.

  As Paramasivam gathers his strength and reached Harish.  He noticed Harish frantically pushing against the basement door. Paramasivam approached Harish and grabbed his shoulder. “Harish, stop! What are doing?” Harish, panting and covered in sweat, paused and looked at Paramasivam. “Sir, there is a demon is right behind this door!”

  Paramasivam said, “But there is no force pushing from the other side.” Harish paused, stunned. He realized Paramsivam was right. There was no resistance against the door. Still panting heavily, he looked back. “But I saw it. It came out of the wall and chased me up the stairs.”

  Paramsivam kept his gaze steady. “I believe you, Harish. But here all things kind of mystery. Let’s regroup and head out first.” As Harish and Paramsivam stood by the basement door, the urgency of the situation sank in. They needed to find Rajesh and Chandini immediately. "Let's go," Harish said, nodding in agreement. They turned away from the door, making their way back towards the living room.

  As they reached the living room, they found Chandini huddled on the floor, completely overwhelmed by fear. Harish and Paramasivam hurried over to her, their concern evident in their expressions. Harish knelt down beside her, gently asking, “Chandini, what happened? Where is Rajesh Sir?”

  Harish's voice broke through Chandini's fear. Startled, she looked up. As her eyes lifted, the darkness that had surrounded her seemed to vanish. The only figures she could see were Harish and Paramasivam, who stood nearby looking at her with concern. "Ma’am, what happened?"

  Harish asked gently, trying to understand her state of mind. Chandini tried to speak, her voice trembling with panic. "Darkness... Silence," she managed to utter, but she remained trapped in her fearful state. “Chandini ma’am, where did Rajesh Sir go?” Harish asked urgently, hoping to bring her back to the present moment and gather vital information.

  Harish asked again, trying to get her to focus. Chandini took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “He went into that room,” she finally managed to say, her voice still shaky as she pointed towards the room.

  Meanwhile, in the room, Rajesh stood frozen amidst the pit of snakes. He remained as still as a statue, his eyes fixed on the serpent that had raised itself from the pit. The snake moved with deliberate slowness, its body coiling closer and closer towards Rajesh's face.

  Rajesh remained frozen in place as the snake from the pit slowly coiled towards his face. His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through him as he fought to maintain his composure. The snake's tongue flicked out, sensing the air, its eyes fixed on Rajesh's

  Back in the living room, Chandini's voice trembled as she pointed towards the room where Rajesh had gone. "He went into that room," she managed to say, her eyes still wide with fear. Harish and Paramsivam exchanged a worried glance before swiftly making their way towards the room.

  On the other side, Rajesh noticed that snake going to bite him any moment. Realizing the importance of that, within a fraction of seconds he pushed away the snake and quickly lumped to the room door.

  As Rajesh leapt away from the pit of snakes, he dashed towards the room's door with a surge of adrenaline. Behind him, the snakes hissed and slithered, their movements agitated by his sudden evasion. He reached the door and slammed it shut just as the first snake lunged towards him, its fangs snapping inches away from his leg.

  As Harish and Paramasivam saw Rajesh came out of the room. They both hurried towards Rajesh, who looked visibly shaken but relieved to be out of the snake-infested room. Harish quickly checked on him, asking, “Rajesh Sir, are you alright?” Rajesh nodded, still catching his breath. “Yes, just a close call with those snakes,” he replied, his voice tense with adrenaline.

  Paramasivam realized what happening, “Sir, this house is full of illusion.” Rajesh with heavy breath said, “What are you saying?” Paramasivam responded, “Sir, I saw a floor below me was falling, and it looked like a pit of darkness, but when I regained my balance, it was just a solid floor. Similarly, Harish encountered a demon that seemed to come alive from a drawing on the wall, but when he pushed through the basement door, there was nothing there. Chandini experienced a moment of complete darkness that enveloped her, yet when she refocused, everything was normal again. These are illusions or tricks of the mind, perhaps triggered by fear or some unknown force in this house.”

  Rajesh listened intently, his mind racing to make sense of their experiences. "Illusions..." he muttered, deep in thought. “It could explain why we each encountered something different yet equally terrifying.” He looked at his team, a mixture of relief and concern in his eyes. “Let’s move out of house, first.”

  Without wasting time, they all started heading towards the door entrance. However, they were met with a surprising sight. As they reached the spot where the door should have been, they were stunned to find it missing from its place.