The Locked Room at Midnight
At 12:07 a.m., every light in Aranya Villa went out at once.
Riya sat alone in the living room, typing her mystery novel. The caretaker, Mr. Banerjee, had warned her before leaving:
"Do not enter the locked room on the top floor."
She had ignored him then. Now, in the darkness, his warning felt heavy.
Her phone showed no network. The Wi-Fi was dead. Only an old wall clock ticked loudly.
Riya turned on her flashlight — and froze.
Wet footprints stretched across the marble floor, leading toward the staircase.
She climbed slowly. At the top stood the black iron door of the locked room. It was slightly open.
But she had locked it herself.
With a trembling hand, she pushed it open.
Inside, the room was almost empty — only a dusty rocking chair facing a large mirror. A cold wind brushed her face, even though all windows were shut.
The chair began to rock on its own.
In the mirror, Riya saw another woman standing behind her — pale, soaked in water, and smiling.
Riya turned — the room was empty.
She looked back — the woman was still in the mirror.
A diary suddenly fell from a shelf and opened to a page dated 12:07 a.m., five years ago. The handwriting looked exactly like Riya’s.
The page spoke of a girl who drowned in the nearby lake after being betrayed.
Fragments of memory hit Riya — rain, shouting, and a scream in water.
The clock struck 12:07 again.
The figure stepped out of the mirror, leaving wet footprints on the floor.
The lights came back. The chair stopped. The room looked normal again.
But when Mr. Banerjee returned next morning, the room was empty — and on the wall, written in dripping water, were three words:
REMEMBER THE LAKE.
Riya was never found.
Part 2:-
Part 3:-
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