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Ashely was shocked. She could barely speak. But all she did was immersed in thoughts. Plenty of questions swirled inside her head. ' what's happening? ' '
' was it shenelle who haunts me? What does this note means "trap and following" Who is following?

Serah's voice brought her back to reality. She was perplexed . She couldn't understand anything. Serah was scared to death when she come to know that the girl was none other than shenelle.
"But Ash! How could it be possible, she is dead. " Serah exclaimed

" I don't know serah. What's happening with us. I mean, perhaps I think Shenelle wants to convey something."

" Maybe. But what? "

" I don't know what. But shenelle's death is not an accident . Something is behind it. That night when shenelle and I texted each other. She was alright but you know I saw labby dead in my loo and following day shenelle was found dead in her washroom. When Shenelle texted me ASHLEY ARE YOU THERE. I heard the same thing whisper behind me in the kitchen. Whatever I saw in dream happened with shenelle in reality. Something is happening. Serah Iam scared "

" Hey ash calm down please. Don't worry. We will find out what happened with shenelle. " Serah embraced her and consoled her. Mrs Joe and Jenny slept in their cabin. Serah and Ashley couldn't sleep and they just sat beside each other holding each other's hands. Ashley's face was gloomy. She was immersed in thoughts. Serah was also thinking something deeply. Ashley slept. Serah was still awake. She then stood up and headed towards the loo. She opened the door . After peeing she was washing her face and then suddenly the lights were flickering. Serah ignored it. The temperature was down. She started a sudden decrease in the temperature. She felt the coldness, her hair adulated in the air lightly. Serah tried to open the door lock but she couldn't. She tried hard to pull but all her pressure was vain. She started looking around but no one was there. She then saw the reflection of a girl in the mirror. Her hair fell over her face. She was covered in blood. Her eyes were only glimmering. She was petrified. Serah couldn't move a inch. She looked at her eyes. It seems like her eyes carried the most painful memories. Serah exclaimed " She...ne...lle "

Serah could see a wicked smile on her face. The entity placed her hand on the mirror. She then scibbled something on the mirror. It goes like this " Will kill .. Go back" Serah was scared and screamed. She opened the door. And thanks to God the door opened. Serah went inside the cabin.

"Ashley! Wake up please" Serah started to wake up her. Ashely tossed her eyes and woke up .
" Is everything alright? What happened Serah? "

" No nothing is alright. Please help me "
Serah broke down and cried. Ashley aided her and consoled her. She held Serah's hands and warmly embraced her. Serah pointed outside. Ashley went outside the cabin and looked around the corridor but no one was there. Serah too steped outside slowly. She was hiding behind Ashley. " Ash! Who is that? "
" Shenelle" Ashley exclaimed.
" No Ash it's not Shenelle "serah whishperd. The black shadow was tall and her green eyes and evil smile was so creepy. It was not shenelle. But something else. Something more horrible. Ashley was so frightened. She turned back but Serah was not there. She searched for her. But couldn't find her and then suddenly she heard someone's scream inside the loo. Ashley quickly opened the door. She saw Serah in a horrible condition. She saw serah was terrified . She held serah in her hands. She serah was weeping badly. Ashley took serah into the cabin. She gave her the water bottle and patted her back. It was half past ten. Everyone calmed down. Serah was now calmed down and she explained everything to Ashley.

" Well Serah. You were behind me but when did you locked inside the loo"

"What! No I was in the loo only. The door was locked and I tried hard to open the door but failed"
Ashley was not at all shocked instead she get used to this type of activities. She knew that it was shenelle in disguise of Serah. But who was it. That tall dark figure. All  of a sudden. Mrs Joe knocked the cabin door .

"Hello honeys. Time to bid good bye to this train"
Ashley and serah packed their stuffs. Their destination was about to arrive. "Serah forget whatever happened here. And remember we are together"
Serah smiled at her and nodded. They got off from the train and booked online cab.
It was staring at them. Those bright eyes shimmered. Her hair fell over her face and the tall figure was standing behind her watching over her and the girls.

Ashley and serah saw the huge board at the entrance of the station. It was written WELCOME TO HARLOW in golden letters. She saw some people their busy with their errands. Ashley noticed a girl who was attired in a paneled skirt with a peep toe shoe. She then saw another girl wearing a elegant ruffled skirt with a beautiful top with d'orsay shoe. Ashley love shoes and sandals. Her shoe collection is amazing. Serah noticed a boy with a red checked T-shirt and jeans. He was with her father. Looks like their are going somewhere to spend vacation. But this is strange people are going out fancily at such time. Soon the cab arrived and  the ladies settled inside the car. Through out their journey serah was silent. And Ashley was just looking outside the window. She observed some elevated buildings and canopies. She saw some fancy stores and markets. It was pitch dark outside. It was half past twelve. Soon they reached the house. Every body stepped out of the car. Ashley and serah looked the huge villa named GOLDEN APPLE. Shenelle's mother Mrs Scarlett is my mom's best friend since from their childhood.  Ashley remembered those days. She remembered this huge house. There lies a secret here in the house. The beginning of this story. And the beginning of all those incidents. The memories flashes back. Shenelle and Ashley accustomed to play a lot. They used to play with the dolls and everything. Shenelle was a calm and beautiful girl. She always emit positive vibes. She was always there for Ashley. She loved her to moon and back. They were like sisters. Ashley and serah entered the main gate. Ashley noticed the beautiful rose plants and morning glories but it was not properly visible for her to see them. As soon as they entered the house. Mrs Scarlett welcomed them warmly. Mrs joe and jenny hugged Mrs Scarlett.
"Hello Mrs Scarlett"
"Hey honey . It's been so long" Scarlett kissed her in the forehead. Ashley introduced Serah to Mrs Scarlett. Mrs Scarlett embraced her warmly.
" Sweeties you must be jaded after a long journey. There is a room upstairs. You both can stay there " Mrs Scarlett said in  genuine way. Ashley and serah went upstairs and unpacked their stuffs. They were exhausted. And slept like sleeping beauties.
Mrs Joe, Jenny and Scarlett talked and had some coffee.
"What exactly happened Scarlett" Jenny asked while sipping the coffee
"I don't know. But it was Saturday night and everything was quite usual. The next morning when I headed towards her room. The door was unlocked. I entered the room but couldn't find Shenelle. I thought she might be in bathroom. That's when I saw that the bathroom door was also unlocked. I entered the loo and next moment I was totally shocked and petrified. My Shenelle was lying unconscious there " Tears rolled down from Scarlett's eyes . Jenny and Joe consoled her. They both were empathetic. Jenny is not a very good friend of Scarlett but still they used to be friends. Seeing her crying like this made Jenny miserable.

" I immediately took her to the hospital. But the doctor said that she is already dead. My whole body trembled. All of a sudden everything changed. My daughter was no more. "

" What did the reports concluded " Joe asked
" The reports couldn't conclude properly. There were no sign of external or internal injury. If it's not a murder, if it's not natural. What the hell happened with her"

" Come on Scarlett. Calm yourself. Police would find out. Don't worry " Joe exclaimed.

Scarlett showed their rooms and then they three slept. They have to wake up early in the morning. There was complete silence in the house. It was half past three in the morning. The curtains swayed in the air. And everything was normal. The sun raised up and shone bright. Ashley woke up with the sun. She quickly freshed up and quickly attired. She wore a Asymmetrical long skirt with full sleeves top and her hair tied as  chignon. Serah too woke up and then she was attired in a long simple gown and tied french braids. They both went downstairs and had breakfast. The scrambled eggs were too delicious. They finished their breakfast . Ashley and Serah saw the huge photo of shenelle hanging in the wall. Plenty of candles were lit. Soon the guests began to arrive. Within a hour, throng of people arrived. And Pastor Vincent to arrived. He was the pastor of Shine hope kirk. Soon the prayer began. The pastor recited the prayer and people repeated after him.

In the memories of our dear shenelle. We hearby her family, friends and all kith and kins remember her. Though she is not with us but living in the endless memories of our heart. May God bestow clemency upon her and may god rest her soul in peace forever. Amen
 
People repeated the prayer after pastor Vincent. After the prayer every body had their meal and talked with each other.

Ashley and Serah sat in the sofa. They were talking about the last night sleep. It was peaceful for them. Serah received the call from her mother. She was unable to hear the voice due to the noises of people. She went outside to talk. All alone Ashley was sitting. And suddenly she looked upstairs and headed towards it. She slowly stepped each stair and entered shenelle's room. She saw the white painted room. There was a bed, a study table. And a huge photo of shenelle was hung in the wall. Everything was looking normal like nothing ever happened. The room seemed like someone still dwell there. And all of a sudden Ashley noticed a vintage lock diary in the desk. She slowly picked up the diary. She searched the same key and found it inside the drawer. She unlocked it. And then opened the diary slowly. She turned the pages. The last entry was on November 14, 11:30pm . November 15 was the day when shenelle died. The entry goes like this.

November 14  2019                11:30pm

Dear Diary,

I don't know what's happening with me. I mean everything was quite usual until the day I found that thing. That thing , that thing is very strange looking. I searched in the internet. It is a dybuk box. I browsed deeply. Well let it be..
            Well I don't know. But sometimes I feel someone's presence around me. Someone gaze at me. Even in the washroom and everywhere. Whenever I leave my door locked. The next moment I see the door opened. I constantly hear someone's whispers. But I all I do is hide. I try to be normal. I don't want to tell to anyone because of course no would ever believe me. The only person I can share  this with is Ashley. She can understand me but I am afraid whether she will believe me or not. I am perplexed. I don't know what's happening with me. I wish everything would be normal as it was.

The entry ends here. After reading this diary entry. Ashley 's eyes filled with tears. She thought to herself.
' she needed me. But I couldn't help her. She was in depression and she suffocated inside and I couldn't aid her. '

' Shenelle I will definitely find out what happened with you. Something is connected with all those incidents. '

Suddenly Ashley felt someone's presence around her. She was not afraid this time instead she knew that it was shenelle. She went towards the washroom. She looked around and found nothing. And all of sudden she noticed a pendant. She picked it up. ' the police missed this pendant' she opened the pendant and saw the picture of her and shenelle together. She smiled at that pendant. She remember this pendant. It was given by Mra Joe to Scarlet and later it was handed to shenelle. She kept it with her.
Ashley put the pendant inside the skirt pocket. And went outside. She remembered how they used to play together in that room.

" Hey. You are here " Serah exclaimed
" Hey. Yeah I was just.. '

" It's fine take your time "

" No wait serah. I'll come " Ashley went outside locking the door behind her. She went down stairs and talked with some of her relatives . Soon Everyone left. And the whole house seemed like lifeless and alone. While Pastor was about to leave he saw Ashley and serah
' There is something emiting from your faces. Here take this locket and it might help you' Ashley and Serah took the cross sign locket and thanked pastor Vincent.  Pastor sat inside his car and watched the house carefully and drove off from there.

Story to be continued...