Run | Short Story

Here’s a short story I started penning down last night, and completed writing just now. Hope you enjoy the story, just as I did, while writing it.

Kiara was on her way back from her solo trip to Boudanath, a popular pilgrim center located 7 Kms northeast of Kathmandu. The magnificent Stupas, stunning scenery and Kiara’s love for adventure made her pin down this destination. Her 5 days trip was nearing an end, and today being her last day, she decided to go off the maps to discover the local food, lifestyle and the picturesque mountains.

At 11am, packing her bags and picking up her luggage, she checked out of the dormitory that housed over 50 monks and 100 devotees on a daily basis. She took out her iPhone 6S and captured the beautiful architecture that she knew she wouldn’t get to see until her next visit. Kiara wanted to keep her mother abreast with all the activities throughout the day, but “No Service” made that task impossible.

Tucking away the phone in her side pocket, Kiara marched off on a trail that although seemed to be parallel along the main road, but on a closer look, the distance between the main road and the trail, was gradually thickening. The trail went deeper in to the woods, with dense trees and scanty habitation. So intrigued and lost in admiring the beauty she was, Kiara didn’t realize how the day went by and it was 4:40pm already.

Being a hill station, the sun sets much faster and earlier than it does in coastal areas like Maharashtra. She noticed the chirping of birds had stopped and the mountains were pin drop silent. The orange sky with a tinge of yellow and red was the most sunset she had seen in a long long time. She decided to check-in into a hotel to avoid being out there in the dark. She remembered her mother’s wise words, “Come what may, you must not be wandering out after sunset”.

A few kilometres of going deeper into the nature trail, she came across a sign board that said, “Beauty Lodge- Rooms available- Turn Right after 3 Kilometres”. The board must have been there for quite some time and suffered the wrath of nature for its paint was chipped from all possible corners, it hung on a crooked nail, slightly tilted to the left.

Kiara was happy and rejuvenated to have finally found a place to spend the night! She trailed off in the direction of the sign board while the soft breeze rustled the bushes behind, making her heart almost skip a beat.

As she approached the nearly crumbling-little-two-storied-building, the sign board of which said “Beauty Lodge”, Kiara couldn’t help but notice its condition. The lodge was an absolute contrast to its surroundings. While the mountains stood tall and green, hailing life and inhabitants, this lodge stood out of nowhere, complete with a dark and dingy set up, as if time stood still and refused to pass.

She noticed there were a couple of lanterns hanging at the main entrance and one in the passage that probably led to the backyard. She hesitated for a moment, but having no other option, and sign of human life anywhere close, she stepped it. It was all so dark, she could barely notice the thirsty glare of the man at the reception. “Hi. Do we have any room available for the night?”, she enquired.

“Yesh Madam”, replied the man with a funny accent, but eerie grin on his face, scanning the fragile frame of Kiara. “800 Rupees for 12 hours”, he blurted.

“Oh. Ok! Is there no electricity?” asked Kiara. “Hilly areas have this problem Madam. Its already gone for over an hour, power should be back any moment now."

Kiara nodded reluctantly and requested if her bags could be escorted to her room on the first floor.

“Sure Madam” he replied, picking up her bags and the keys. Kiara made a mental note to stay away from the man. He wasn’t giving her a very good vibe. Just as they turned left for the second room on the first floor, Kiara looked at the heap of cement bags and medium sized stones piled up on the far end of the floor. “What is all of this?”, she enquired.

“This lodge plans to close down for renovation in two weeks. This is all the stuff it will be needing at that time.”, replied the man.

“Hmmm… Okay. Is there nobody else staying in the lodge currently?”, Kiara further probed.

“A couple is staying, but has gone for stupa darshan. Will probably be back by tomorrow noon”.

As he tried to punch keys in the dim lights of hanging lanterns, Kiara’s stomach was throbbing in hunger. She had not eaten anything, nor had had a sip of water. After 60 seconds of struggle that felt like an eternity, the door opened.  

Kiara stepped in and thanked the man for his help. “Will be at the reception, if you need anything”, he said, and closed the door.

Just as she tried to make sense of the room in the light of the sole hanging lantern, the power came back. “Oh thank god!” she thought to herself. “Let me put my phone on charging first. And call up mom.”

She sank herself on the only bed that occupied major part of the room and looked around. A Television, small table, chair and a window was all that the room had. The bedding was clean and soft. She unbuckled her belt, changed her sweaty t-shirt and slipped into her favourite blue tank top.

Kiara decided to eat something first and then resign for the day. She looked around again to see if there was an intercom. But there was none. So she picked up the keys, marched out of the room and closed the door.

“Hey! Anything to eat right now?” asked Kiara.

“Yesh Madam. Aaloo puri and achar for dinner. When should the dinner be served?”

“I am super hungry. So can I get it as soon as possible?”

“Sure Madam. You wait in the dining area, I will ask chotu to start the preparations.”

“Thank you so much” she beamed.

She settled on the table right next to the window. The window glass was open, and she could see the dense forests, hear sounds of animals and birds she didn’t know of. The sudden chilly breeze played a perfect seductress and relaxed Kiara all the more.

She was busy fiddling with the napkin on the table, when the power went off again. “Oh what the hell?! Looks like it’s going to be a long night”, she murmured.

The power was gone for barely 5 seconds. When the lights turned on, Kiara saw something that wasn’t there until 5 seconds back.

There was a note stuck on the window, the glass of which was now closed, and it said just one word, “Run”.

She looked around to see if someone was playing pranks. But there was no one to be seen! Kiara froze in dread, and felt a drop of sweat trickle down her left brow. Holding the paper tightly, and re-reading the one word written in there, Kiara swallowed the emptiness of her mouth.

Fear now, had a new meaning.