The sound of heartbeat was the only thing that can be heard in the tent. Anning didn't lose her mind, but was not clear headed too.
She never believed in ghosts or paranormal things, but the thought of it still thrills her very body. The photo. The unnatural angle. The creep isolation.
She got up after calming herself, went to that place and looked above her head, that angle. But there was nothing. No hidden cameras, no mobile phone, not even any scratch.
After not seeing anything, she picked her phone again and clicked on contacts history. Her finger hovering over Baizhi's name, but not clicking. No, she cannot do this, instead she opened her whatsApp again and clicked on the unknown number to copy it.
But-
the phone got switched off.
Hey, wait. Wait, wait. How can this be, my phone's battery is never below twenty. How on earth it got switched off, all of a sudden ?
Now, things are taking a different turn.
She was forcing herself to stay calm, but her frantic heart had its' own mind. Instinctively, cold sweat began pouring down her back, making her t-shirt go clammy. When she was turning around to go back in her bed and think about everything else in the morning, a cold hand clamped on her shoulder.
But, she didn't shriek, because she can't. The way of keeping silence was carved in her marrow, so no sound escaped. But the more she doesn't speak, doesn't scream, and doesn't express, the more her heart's condition got worsen.
Then a mellow voice spoke, just behind her, " Anning, what happened ? "
The breath she doesn't even know she was holding, finally escaped. And she wrapped herself around the person just arrived.
Surely, the other one was taken by surprise but nevertheless, she let her do it as she pleases.
Anning, on the other hand was sniffing her neck to calm her selves. That creepy feeling subsided, but a new completely opposite air now surrounded them. She has many questions to why she here, and not sleeping in her tent.
Was she not angry, just a moments ago?
All of a sudden, her thoughts came to a abrupt halt, when two more persons entered the tent.
Kritika was literally screaming, " Baizhi, what happened? Why all of a sud--- "
Raya was right behind her heels, and both of them abruptly stopped in their tracks to see the scene unfolded in front of their eyes. Kritika's eyes were visibly going to bulge out of their sockets, mouth hanging open and the words long forgotten.
Raya closed her eyes with her palm, after regaining some senses, and back paddled both of them. Anning released Baizhi and coughed to ease the embarrassment.
Baizhi, now calling them back, " Kritika, Raya, its' not like what you think. Listen, please. "
But the pair in question has already left. Resigning herself, she looked back at Anning, who was tongue tied till now. Anning also looked back, but tilted her head sideways soon after when she was not able to meet her gaze.
Baizhi, stepping closer, continued in her most possible soft voice possible, " What just happened? Why are you not in the bed, and instead here? "
Anning was ready for that, obviously. She stepped back and gulped her saliva. Then finally, she said in a quite voice only the close to her can hear.
" I was just- uh- th- thinking something and strolled here. No- nothing else. "
Baizhi, taking a one more step, but now her voice wasn't the same. It was like she scolding a child who was caught red handed while lying.
" Oh- yeah. Then why were you terrified ? Anning you know that you are bad at lying, don't you ? Just tell me what happened? "
Anning, once again stepped back, and finally conceded, " Zizhi, its just, I don't want to talk about now. Please ?"
Baizhi, " Okay, then. But feel free to talk it out. I also want to know just what happened that can leave you like this ? Come on now, sit here. "
They both sat on Anning's airbed. Baizhi was really feeling uneasy right now, seeing Anning like this. She slowly patted her hair and traced her fingers to her face, and said almost to herself, " Look how pale you are looking. "
Anning during all this, was just staring at her, and now hearing her, she remembered her own question.
She held Baizhi's hand, which was tracing her face and asked, " What are you doing here, at this hour of the night ? "
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