Dare to Fear? [Chapter 2: Fear]

“Sometimes, the voice itself is not sufficient to muster the courage. Sometimes, we require the very physical presence of our close ones to feel at power. Not being able to see them can make us feel deserted in the path. As soon as the six enters the villa, they become invisible to each other. Despite being able to hear each other, they are now on their own to encounter their fears. Lines of worry spread across the six faces, but if someone is exceptionally petrified then it has to be Fabio.”

FABIO: I cannot do this. I cannot do this on my own!

BOULT: You are not alone, Fabio. We are right here beside you.

EMMA: How is this even possible? How can all of us vanish into thin air? 

SEBASTIAN: We cannot freak out like this, guys. We need to come up with a plan of action.

CHARLES: Did you guys notice something? The sound is all around us. In other words, we can’t tell which voice is coming from where. It is directionless and has equal intensity. Let’s check it, Seb take ten steps forward from wherever you are and count as you move.

SEBASTIAN: Okay. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10.

CHARLES: I was right. There is no change in the sound's intensity. Hence, no matter how far we are from each other, we can still hear each other clearly.

ARSEN: So that means our communication will be smooth.

CHARLES: That’s one side of it. Alongside, we’ll also be uncertain about the threats because we will not get any distinct sound cues.

EMMA: So we should try to stay together rather than hovering around. We need to inform each other about the direction we are going in.

BOULT: Wouldn’t it be better if only one of us leads the rest and tells us which way to walk upon?

SEBASTIAN: That’s a good idea, Boult. I think you can lead us. (Stretches his left hand over his head)

ARSEN: (Feels a push on his head) What? Who is it? (Voice shakes)

SEBASTIAN: (Chuckles) Chill Arsen I think it was me, I felt an empty head on my elbow.

Everybody starts laughing.

ARSEN: I will kill you Seb…

CHARLES: Oh, shut up Arsen. Seb, you see what this means?

SEBASTIAN: Yes, brother. Come on let’s find out who’s standing where. (Moves his right hand swiftly)

FABIO: (Trembles) WHO’S THAT?

SEBASTIAN: It’s me, Fabio. (Grabs Fabio’s shoulder)

FABIO: (Jumps and clings on Sebastian) Save me brother! (Weeps)

SEBASTIAN: (Keeps his palm behind Fabio’s head) Everything’s alright Fabio, get down and hold my hand.

EMMA: Ew. What’s that? (Creeps out)

CHARLES: (Offended) MY HAIR EMMA! How can you?

EMMA: Don’t you wash them properly? Or did you use an entire canister of oil?

CHARLES: (Rolls his eyes) Whatever.

SEBASTIAN: Fine guys, Arsen is holding my left hand and Fabio my right.

EMMA: And Charles my right.

FABIO: Where is Boult? (Worries)

BOULT: I am right here guys. Move your arms, I am sure one of you will find me.

Everyone starts moving their arms in the air. But no one could feel Boult around them. The ambience grew slightly tensed.

SEBASTIAN: Where are you Boult? Why can’t we feel you around us?

BOULT: I have no idea man… WHAT IN HEAVEN IS THAT? Can you guys see it?

ARSEN: What are you talking about, Boult? I can’t see anything.

No one could see what Boult saw. It chooses the person, and it chose Boult. 

BOULT: It's like a dark cloud with thundering lights inside it. The light is almost blinding. I’m trying to look away, but I can’t! I CAN’T!

CHARLES: If you can’t look away, that means it wants you not to! You need to hide!

Boult feels his leg muscles tightening as he tries to run. He has never felt weaker. He somehow manages to get hold of a pillar and stands behind it, trying to control every cell of his body not to look at it. As he is waiting for it to go away, he hears it thundering just behind the pillar.

BOULT’S MOM: BOULT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? HOW DARE YOU STAY OUT SO LATE! 

BOULT: Mom! I-I’m s-sorry! I promise I-I won’t do it again. 

His legs started shaking with fear as he saw his mother standing behind the pillar. If there’s anything Boult is afraid of, then it is his step-mom. His step-mom has tortured him throughout his childhood. He has gone for days without eating as he would be locked up in his room even for the tiniest mistake. Probably that’s why he feels the need to be strong. He doesn’t want to surrender in front of anyone as he needs to do in front of her. And seeing her standing in front of him, so agitated, is his worst nightmare.

EMMA: Boult, whom are you talking to? How can your mother be here? It is impossible!

CHARLES: Boult don’t listen to your mother! She can’t be here! It's all in your head and it isn’t true!

BOULT: Mom p-please don’t punish me. I-I beg you! I’ll do whatever you want me to, but p-please don’t be mad at me.

BOULT’S MOM: You are the worst son one could get! I should’ve asked your father to send you to a hostel, you ungrateful brat! Your father never loved you and you still stick around like a shameless person.

Boult breaks into tears as he listens to her harsh words. He feels worthless and starts thinking about how everybody would be happier without him in their life.

SEBASTIAN: Boult! What’s wrong? Don’t let it get to you Boult!

FABIO: He won’t listen! He is consumed in it!

ARSEN: We have to do something before it hurts him!

BOULT’S MOM: If I were you, I would’ve killed myself long back! YOU ARE OF NO USE TO ANYONE! YOU DON’T DESERVE ANYBODY’S LOVE BOULT!

CHARLES: We need to find him! He might snap out of it if we hold him!

SEBASTIAN: Let’s split up and try to feel him!

FABIO: Hey, I’m not leaving you Seb!

SEBASTIAN: Alright, you stay with me.

Everybody scatters out and moves their arms aimlessly to feel Boult in their grip. Meanwhile, Boult is down in dumps and is engulfed with self-pity. But as soon as the thought of killing himself crawled through his mind, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

BOULT: Don’t hurt me, please! (Murmurs in a low and shaky voice)

EMMA: Is it you Boult? (Tightening her grip)

BOULT: (Snaps out) Where did she go? She was just here!

EMMA: No, she wasn’t! It was a hallucination!

CHARLES: More like a projection. Whatever is in the house, it is trying to get to us. 

BOULT: It felt so disturbingly real. (Gasps for air as he tries to stand upright)

EMMA: (Helping Boult) Take it easy Boult, we are here for you.

SEBASTIAN: We should stick around at all means. Come on everyone, lets come close to each other and hold hands.

ARSEN: Yes, where are you guys?

SEBASTIAN and FABIO (Together): Ground Floor near the wooden door.

EMMA: We are near the big pillar.

CHARLES: I’m near the washroom.

ARSEN: Okay, let’s get going guys.

After 15 minutes.

BOULT: (Frustrated) What the hell guys? Where are you all?

ARSEN: I don’t know man. This place is quite dark and empty. Just some empty shelves and boxes.

SEBASTIAN: We both are near the Fireplace now, and we did search everywhere we could. Also, there is no washroom on the ground floor Charles, where are you?

CHARLES: What do you mean by there’s no washroom? I’m standing right in front of one! 

EMMA: For real Charles? Washroom was the place you chose to find Boult?

CHARLES: I don’t know how I reached here Emma, I was just trying to look for him. Anyway, I’ll be there in a minute, I just need to use the washroom.

ARSEN: Yes you better do, otherwise someone is going to return with wet pants. (Grins)

CHARLES: Speak for yourself! (Annoyed)

Charles enters the washroom vigilantly, with every corner under his radar while constantly scanning his surroundings for a potential threat. As he finishes his business, he walks up to the sink to wash his hands. For the pipelines being clogged, the water gets stranded in the sink. Chills run down his spine as he looks at his reflection in the swirling water. He looks closely and finds himself sitting in the classroom holding his test papers and crying as he failed in it. Failure is Charles’s biggest fear. He studies day and night and still doesn’t get enough of it because he cannot stand failing in anything. And seeing himself holding a sheet with red marks is probably the worst nightmare for him. He urges to look away, but he feels a powerful pull which makes it nearly impossible for him to do so. The reflection fades away in the swirling water, giving formation to another. Charles can now see himself holding a letter from his dream university which says “Your application has been REJECTED…” It is a thunderclap to him and it has instantly taken him off guard. Charles was confused if it was a mere reflection or a glimpse of his future. He stood in a volatile state. But before he could process anything, the reflection swirls into a new one. Charles grows hysterical and begins to perspire as he sees himself getting rejected in every job interview and running from place to place like a vagabond in search of a job. With every passing reflection, the pull is getting stronger and stronger, choking him to the point of breaking down, just when,

ARSEN: (Screams) GO AWAY! IT ISN’T REAL! IT CAN’T BE! Please just go away. (Whimpers) 

Charles snaps out from the world of reflections and realises the trap he has set foot into.

SEBASTIAN: WHAT HAPPENED ARSEN? WHAT IS IT? (Shouts nervously)

BOULT: IT ISN’T REAL ARSEN! TRUST ME! NO MATTER WHAT IT IS!

Charles runs out of the washroom to find his way back into the hall but finds himself in greater trouble as their stood a wall which marked the end of the way.

CHARLES: This can’t be! This was the exact way! How can there be a wall here?

FABIO: Charles, what happened? What are you saying? What Wall?

CHARLES: It’s all a trap guys!

EMMA: SHIT! Arsen, what is it making you see? 

ARSEN: Do-Do... err

SEBASTIAN: Spit it out! 

ARSEN: (Shuts his eyes forcefully and clenches his fists) DOLLS! AN ARMY OF DOLLS!

BOULT: Army of dolls? (Chuckles) 

EMMA: Boult! Don’t be so insensitive! But hey Arsen, can you grab one for me, please? My cousin brother tore my Fudge the other day. (Makes a sad face)

ARSEN: Shut up Emma! I need to get out of here! (Cries)

SEBASTIAN: How did it even get to you? 

ARSEN: (Kneels down covering his head with his hands) I was just standing in this room full of boxes and shelves when dark smokes started to emerge like weird figurines out of them. They soon turned into dolls and spiders! The spiders are crawling up on me! (Kicking his legs spontaneously) I’ll soon be buried under them! And the dolls…the dolls want to kill me! (Shrieks) They are looking at me with their bloody eyes and are getting closer to me with every passing second. Guys, please do something! PLEASE! (Screams)

BOULT: Where exactly are you?

ARSEN: It’s a room somewhere near the staircase.

Meanwhile, Charles ran like a lunatic just to find a way out, but it was of no use. Finally, he decided to do what he would’ve done normally, stand and think. 

CHARLES: (Murmurs to himself) How did I enter this corridor? If there is a way in, then there has to be a way out. Think Charles! Think harder!

SEBASTIAN: Charles, there has to be something about the wall! Is it movable?

CHARLES: (Closes up to the wall and observes carefully) The wall is not hollow… But wait! I remember something! When I was looking for Boult, I bumped into a martyr statue and its sword got tilted at an angle of 45 degrees. At that moment I did hear a crackling sound, but it was so subtle that I didn’t pay much attention to it. And when I entered this corridor, I saw an identical martyr statue here. (Moves his eyes around to spot it) There it is! What the hell? The sword is missing!

BOULT: Shit! That means the door needs to be opened from the outside. Wait, I’ll come.

CHARLES: No Boult! You need to find Arsen and help him out. Sebastian can deal with this.

ARSEN: AARGH! (Faints after giving out a loud shriek)

Boult rushes to the staircase and runs back and forth to find the room. He locates it after a few seconds and kicks the door open. He walks into the room with his arms extended, just when his right leg bumps into something. He kneels down and starts strolling his hands around. He could feel Arsen’s hair but couldn’t sense him move. Boult realises that Arsen has fainted. The air in the room was thick with lingering smoke. Boult tries to bring him to consciousness, but after a few failed attempts, Boult panics. He puts him on his shoulder, brings him to the hall and places him on the floor. He rubs his ice-cold palms vigorously to provide warmth to his body.

BOULT: Why isn’t he waking up guys? He is not even breathing!

CHARLES: He needs CPR immediately!

BOULT: None of us can do it except you Charles!

Sebastian leaves Fabio’s hand and runs to the other end of the hall where he identifies the martyr statue, as elucidated by Charles.

SEBASTIAN: Charles, tell me in which direction did you tilt it?

CHARLES: Your right!

Sebastian slowly pushes the sword to his right, and the wall makes a crippling sound. 

CHARLES: It is opening!

The door opens completely, and Charles stares into emptiness for a few seconds. It then strikes him that he needs to find Arsen and Boult in order to perform a CPR. After a good few minutes, Charles is able to track Arsen and successfully does his job to bring Arsen back into consciousness. But after these dreadful encounters, there was one thing that they realised and it was that whatever it is, it feeds on their worst fears, buried deep within them.

ARSEN: Is this heaven? Am I dead? Are you guys dead too? (Confused)

CHARLES: Someone was talking about wet pants, eh? (Grins)

ARSEN: I love you brother! (Cries)

SEBASTIAN: Guys, one thing is clear. Whatever this thing is, it is driven by our worst fears. Boult’s mom, Arsen’s dolls and spiders and Charles’s…

CHARLES: Failure…

BOULT: We need to keep Fabio away from this thing! I can’t even imagine what would happen if…

FABIO: Don’t say that! And Seb, why did you even leave me alone? 

EMMA: Boult is right. We need to keep Fabio away from it by all means because I can’t point on a single thing he isn’t afraid of.

FABIO: You guys know I can hear you, right?

Suddenly, the six hear an earsplitting sound and everybody is taken aback. It was someone else’s turn now. But the question is, whose?

FABIO: Goodbye…

To be continued…