SOMETIMES PAST CANNOT BE SIMPLY ERASED…

                         

 SOMETIMES PAST CANNOT BE SIMPLY ERASED…

Nina used to tell me all the time that someday she will own a spacious flat in which she can breathe freely in this crowded city. She was a self made woman and I appreciate her for her struggle, now she is the new assistant editor of the famous Elite Magazine and she earns sufficiently. We both have been searching flats for her for quite a time and we still are but she is still energetic and every Sunday morning she would appear in my porch to continue the mission- flat and yell my name so that I have to come out and shut her up by myself. We would have our coffee and start calling the brokers and dealers for flats. This is our routine for every Sunday and when we return empty hand, she would cheer me up instead of me doing that to her, she is just too positive about everything and I think this is her positive nature that she enlightens the gloomy environment around her.

Tomorrow is Sunday so I should sleep early so that at least for one single day my neighbours would not complain about the early morning yelling of Nina. And I am keeper my finger crossed for tomorrow so that we can end up this search and spend a lazy Sunday together.

As usual I woke up with her yelling but she was not on my porch but was standing above me and chirping like an early bird but there was a different expression on her face. I was still in my sleep so I slap myself and I regret it because accidentally I end up slapping hard. Anyways I was awake and calm her down and gave her the time to explain about all this commotion. She told me that some lady in her office has given an address about a building in which empty flats are available and she told her that the rooms are quite spacious and it’s in a posh area. Nina was excited to visit the building as soon as possible and that means I have to buckle up. I put on my usual loose jeans and my brother’s t-shirt, which I stole from him and I did it only because it was comfy.

We reached and we were feeling good about the appearance of the area because the buildings were beautiful and the area was quite luxurious than we expected. We called up the owner of the building. He showed us the flats which were empty. We loved the place. It was spacious and tempting, and the colour of the walls was soothing and we can have a nice few from every single window because the flat was on the fifth floor. The building was quite deserted from the other buildings and this was the most tempting thing for Nina. We already loved the place but we were sure that the price would not be low for such a house in such a posh area. When we discussed about the price and all, we were surprised because it was quite low and manageable. The owner told us that he was leaving the country soon so he has been trying to sell all the flats as soon as possible and this was the last flat. We agreed right there and Nina handed him the check, he took his farewell and left us to celebrate.

It took Nina almost a week to settle down in the building. We decided to spend the coming Sunday in her flat. Actually I envy her because she bought her dream home with her own hard earn money and the no doubt the flat is beautiful.

I packed the chocolate cake which I made for Nina and two bottles of red wine. I decided to spend the night there. I reached the entrance and I saw a couple coming downstairs. I addressed them gently but they did not even look at me, the passed just walk passed by as if I did not even exits. That was strange but nowadays people do not care about anybody. I rang the bell and there she was with her biggest smile. Whole day we lay down and were helping ourselves with cake and wine. We were talking about shopping and suddenly we heard someone crying just below our flat and her voice was in deep pain. We were suppose to go down and inquire about it but after the drinks we were feeling dizziness so we settled it for the morning.

We got up in the morning and we dressed up and came down to ask bout last night but the door was closed. We went down the next floor too but even it was locked. May it was office hour so people might have gone to their work so even we departed for our office. It was 6pm and I just reached room, and suddenly I got a call from Nina, she was saying that she just loved the place and some kids are playing upfront and people are coming in the building. She told me that tonight she will go and visit the other residents. We hung up. I had my dinner and was planning to watch a movie when Nina called me up again, she told me that all the other flats are locked like morning. It was strange but I did not want to worry her so I told her that may be they have gone somewhere and it is not our business to ask for it. We talked about something else and we hung up.

I got a call from Nina during my lunch and I can sense from her voice that something was bothering her. She told me that yesterday night she again heard some crying and when she got down all the other four flats were locked. She told me that she can see people coming inside the building from her window but she have never seen anyone leaving and she even tried to start a conversation if she happens to meet someone but every time they would just pass away without even looking at her. I told her that may be the other residents were not quite friendly and the cries might be from the TV or just a dream. She said that she would not think too much and we hung up. I was worried but even I blocked the thoughts.

I decided to go to Nina’s so I informed her to make dinner for me as well. When I was climbing up some people were coming down, I tried to stop them but like before they avoided me. I was annoyed this time. We had our dinner and I took my bag to leave, we said goodnight to each other and when I reached the entrance I saw people looking down on me from their windows from every floor. I was startled but I composed myself and began to walk ahead. The faces were inside my head and it was making me restless, I slept very uncomfortably.

I got up when I heard my phone ringing, it was Nina. She sounds terrified and scared. She told me that even yesterday she heard someone crying again and when she got out, all the flats were locked and at night she even heard someone calling her name. I could only hear my heart beating loudly; I was scared like anything but I did not let her know. I told her to come at my place after work and we will talk about it. We hung up but I could still feel the horrified voice of Nina, I simply just cannot digest whatever she had just said. I tried to think something else but whole day I was occupied with the thoughts about the late night cries and those faces looking down on me. I try calling up the owner who sold us the house but his phone was off.

I reached home and I was waiting for Nina. I was freaking out and I wanted to see her desperately and then suddenly she called me up and she told me that she got this meeting which she cannot leave and it will continue till late so she said the she will come tomorrow before she leave for office. I told her that she must come at my place even if it’s late but she said that she will come tomorrow because she knew that she will be really late. Half heartedly I said yes and made her promise that she would come tomorrow. I was not feeling like eating anything because I can still feel the fear in my stomach and I was too worried for her.

Someone was at my door and I knew that it is Nina and I was relieved to know that she did not go back there. I opened the door and what I saw was unexplainable, Nina’s clothes were shattered and her head was bending down as if she has dropped something and suddenly she looked at me and pointed at her eyes which were popped out and she cried saying that they have done this to me.

I woke up with a cry. I was drenched in my own sweat. I was dreaming and a very scary one. At first I drank water to calm down myself and try calling up Nina. Her phone was ringing but she wasn’t answering. And then I got a call from the police and told me to arrive at Nina’s as soon as possible. I reached there like a mad woman and saw her body lying in the pool of blood. The police inspector who called me up came to me and told me that she jumped from her window and they are registering it as a suicide case and then I heard someone saying that this was supposed to happen because the building is built above the burial ground and this is not the first person the house has taken down, there have been several victims but these policemen and that greedy owner would never understand.

At that very moment I understand everything. I felt like my heart has been pierced and I can feel the taste of blood. One by one people left and police inspector told me to leave the place for now and come to the police station. I was not in the situation to even move my lips so he helped me stand up and he called for a taxi. While walking away I looked back at the window of the fifth floor and there I saw Nina standing and looking down at me but I cannot just focus on her eyes and I knew that I was fainting.