A Few Decades Ago:
A fog-covered village…The name of that village was Nallagudem.
In that village there was an old fort, where no one dared to step inside.
The villagers used to say “There’s a woman’s spirit in that fort… whoever enters in fort they never sees the next sunrise.”
One day, a scientist named Hari came to that village. He believed there were ancient secrets hidden inside the fort. The villagers warned him not to go there, but he just laughed and went to visit the fort.
Hari arranged a tent near the fort and decided to stay there. After midnight, he heard a song. He switched on his recorder.
Hari stepped out of the tent, flashed his light no one was there. But on the ground, he saw bloody footprints. Following those prints, Hari walked into the fort.
He never came out. The next morning, villagers found Hari dead in front of the fort, a stone slab was there in his hand. On stone slab it was mentioned that “Don’t try to know about me. Don’t come near me.”
Present Day: At city hospital.
Dr. Rishikesh (Rishi) a young psychiatrist sat inside his cabin.
A patient talking to him“Doctor… I can’t sleep at night. I feel like someone’s watching me… I’m scared” the man said.
Rishi smiled gently and said “Rajesh, fear is something we create ourselves. If you speak about it, it loses its power. Take these medicines, and do some yoga and meditation daily. Come back for a check-up in ten days.”
Just then, a nurse knocked door “Doctor, your next patient is ready.”
Rishi: Send them in after five minutes.
City College Campus:
The air was cool after a drizzle, the scent of wet soil filled the campus. Students are hurried to their classes.
Among them walked Anvi. She looked innocent yet confident, her smile soft enough to bring light to darkness.
Friend 1 (Harika): “Anvi! You still haven’t decided your project topic?”
Anvi: “I actually finalized it on my way to college.”
Friend 2 (Lasya): “What’s the topic?”
Anvi (serious tone): “Human Fear.” Fear is a part of human nature, right? So I want to understand why fear exists. Most people are scared of ghosts that’s why I want to explore haunted places. I want to experiment on myself through this project.”
Her friends stare at her in shock.
Harika: Seriously Ghosts?
Anvi (smiling): “Yes.”
Lasya: “But you’re the one terrified of ghosts! How will you even do this?”
Anvi: “Maybe… but to overcome my fear, this is the only way.”
Later Anvi spends hours in the library, reading books about parapsychology, fear, mind, and illusions.
She thinks “Is fear real… or just an illusion created by the mind?” To find the answer, she decides to meet a psychiatrist.
Meeting Rishi:
On her professor’s advice, she visits Dr. Rishikesh.
Outside the hospital, she parks her bike and looks up at the hospital name “City Multi-Speciality Hospital.”
At reception:
Anvi: “Can I meet Dr. Rishikesh? Professor Raghunandan sent me.”
Receptionist: “Do you have an appointment madam?”
Anvi: “No, but it’s just a short meeting for my project. The doctor knows.”
The receptionist called Rishi.
Rishi: “Send her to the garden after 15 minutes.”
At hospital garden Rishi sat on a bench, sipping coffee, reading research notes. Anvi walked in slowly.
Anvi: “Doctor Rishikesh?”
Rishi: “Yes. You must be Anvi, the project student?”
Anvi: “Yes, sir. My project is on Human Fear and Haunted Places.”
Rishi: “Interesting topic. But why haunted places?”
Anvi (smiling): “Because I have lot of fear and I’m actually scared of ghost, sir. That’s why I want to face that fear.”
Rishi: “So you’re walking toward fear to understand it?”
Anvi (laughing): “Exactly.”
Rishi: “Fear is personal, Anvi. For some it’s darkness, for some loneliness, for some memories.”
Anvi: “Memories?”
Rishi: “Yes. Sometimes unresolved emotions inside us take the form of fear.”
“To begin your project, record your own fear first. Note down what you feel when you hear ghost stories. We’ll analyze it together.”
Anvi nodded.
Rishi: “And stop calling me sir. Just Rishi is fine.”
Anvi: “Alright, Rishi. Honestly, I thought psychiatrists are old and serious… you’re actually quite young!” She thanked and left.
Project Begins:
One day in the library, Anvi while writing about her fears, she got a call from Rishi.
Rishi (on phone): “Anvi, remember I told you to I want to analyse your fear? There’s an old movie set where they used to shoot horror films. Let’s go there so that I can help you in you project.
When are you free to come?”
Anvi: “Friday Rishi!”
Rishi: “Okay, meet me near the hospital on Friday evening.”
At the Haunted Set:
As the sun set, darkness crept in. Broken huts, torn curtains, scattered furniture, broken doors.
Rishi and Anvi walked with flash lights. Anvi shivered slightly.
Anvi: “Rishi… did they really shoot movies here?”
Rishi: “Yes. Many films. But after a technician died in an accident, they stopped.”
Anvi (softly): “That’s why it’s called haunted…”
Rishi: “Yes.”
They explored the place for an hour and drove back.
Rishi (driving): “Anvi, I noticed something. You weren’t scared at all today. You’re hiding something.”
Anvi: “Nothing like that, Rishi. I used to get scared when I was alone but today you were with me.
If you’re with me as my life partner, I’ll never be scared again.”
Rishi hit the brakes.
Rishi: “Wait, are you… proposing to me?”
Anvi: Yes, the first time I saw you at the hospital, I liked you. That’s when we first met. I didn’t tell you then because I wasn’t sure what you’d think. I thought maybe you were married or already had someone you loved.
After that, talking to you every day and spending time together slowly turned into love. Later, I found out that you were single and didn’t have a lover.
The time I spent with you, the things we talked about, and being beside you today have given me courage. I’ve realized that you are the answer to my fear.
If you like me too, tell me. If not, let’s just forget this topic right here.
Rishi: “Hey, I like you too. But first finish your studies. Then we’ll talk to our families.”
Anvi smiled happily.
Few days later:
Anvi presented her project at college - “Haunted Places and the Human Mind - A Psychological Study.”
She started confidently “Ghosts may or may not exist… but fear definitely lives within us. And when we understand it, we overcome it" like wise she continued the explanation of her project. After completing the hall filled with applause.
Her professor praised her “You’ve turned fear into knowledge, Anvi. Congratulations.”
Her project was a success and her love story too.
Two years passed full of love, laughter, coffee shops meeting, shoping and long drives. In these two year's Rishi opened his own clinic. Anvi became a documentary filmmaker, researching haunted places.
One day, for her documentary research, Anvi went to a village Nallagudem. Fog-covered roads, dense forest. Inside the car, she recorded herself speaking into the camera about her research.
Suddenly, the car stopped. In the distance she saw the same old fort.
She walked there, Ignoring the warning board “Danger! Do not enter” she entered into the fort with her camera.
As she stepped inside, a woman’s voice whispered “Why did you come…?”
Anvi ignored it and continued filming. Blood stains on the walls, strange sounds in the dark. Her camera caught a shadow behind her.
She turned with the torch no one there. She found an old, dusty book pages smeared with mud. Cleaning it, she read about the fort’s history from the book.
Years ago, a bride named Bhairavi was killed on her wedding night inside this fort.
As Anvi was reading, her camera suddenly turned on by itself. On the screen a woman in a white saree descending from the wall.
Anvi (terrified): “Who are you?”
Hidden Voice: “I am your death. You’ve come here searching for it. You cannot escape.”
Anvi tried to run, but every door led to the same place. Bhairavi’s shadow followed her.
At clinic:
Rishi finished his work and called Anvi. He heard No network tone.
He kept trying he heard same voice “The number you’re trying to reach is switched off.”
He became worried, he grabbed his coat and bag. He called his friend and enquired about Anvi's last location.
He tracked her last location and went to Nallagudem Fort.
It was 2 a.m. Heavy rain, thunder, howling wind.
Rishi reached the fort the same warning board, Ignoring it, he stepped inside.
He found Anvi’s camera on the ground. In the last recorded clip a shadow behind her. His eyes widened “Oh God… Anvi is in danger.”
He found her bracelet near the stairs. Moments later, he heard weeping. Bhairavi’s voice echoed “She couldn’t escape… neither will you…”
Rishi turned saw a woman in a white saree at the corridor’s end.
Rishi: “I don’t know who you are… but leave Anvi !”
Bhairavi: “No one saved me… I’ll save no one.”
He noticed a message written in blood on the wall “I want justice.” He realized Bhairavi's soul was trapped in injustice.
Then he saw Anvi unconscious near the stairs. He ran to her, lifted her gently.
Rishi (crying): “Anvi! Open your eyes, it’s me… Rishi!”. She slowly opened her eye's and said -“Rishi? How did you get here?”
Rishi made her sit. Her eyes are wet. He asked, “Why did you come here, Anvi?”
She told him everything “This is where my grandfather Hari died. When I started my college project, I learned from my father that Grandpa died near this fort. I wanted to know the truth behind it.”
Even though I was afraid, I still did the project. With your support, I overcame the fear inside me.
When I read the history of this fort, I discovered something shocking.
Any man who enters this fort is killed by Bhairavi.
The reason is that the man who married Bhairavi was not a good person he cheated her, married her, and later killed her inside this fort.
Since then, Bhairavi’s spirit has remained in this fort.
Whenever a man enters, she sees in him the face of the one who killed her and kills him too.
That’s how my grandfather was also killed by Bhairavi.
Now it’s our turn, Rishi. We must help Bhairavi find peace.
Suddenly, a pillar cracked and was about to fall on Rishi, Anvi pushed him aside just in time.
Anvi shouted loudly “The man who betrayed you is gone! Dead! But your pain still lives here. If you want peace, forgive don’t kill!”
Bhairavi appeared before them.
Bhairavi: “He isn’t dead… he’s right beside you.”
Anvi: “No… the man who betrayed you is already dead. You’re seeing him in every man who enters this fort. Calm down and think the truth will reveal itself to you.”
But no matter how much Anvi pleads, Bhairavi doesn’t listen.
In the end, not knowing what else to do, Rishi steps forward and says, “It was me who betrayed you… forgive me.”
As Bhairavi watches in shock, Rishi picks up a burning torch nearby and jumped into the fire flames. The flames engulf him completely.
Seeing that painful sight, Bhairavi’s spirit finally finds peace. Slowly, her form dissolves into the air and disappears from the fort.
The words on the wall changed from “I want justice” to “Peace achieved.”
Anvi cries for Rishi, heartbroken, staring at the flames where he had vanished.
Just then, Rishi appears behind her.
Anvi was shocked “Rishi!? How is this possible? You were burning in the fire!”
Rishi smiles softly and explains,
“When you were talking to Bhairavi, she wasn’t listening to you. That’s when I noticed a mannequin (human-shaped model) nearby, something that looked human. I used it as a distraction. I pretended to stab myself, but actually, I threw that mannequin into the fire and screamed in pain so Bhairavi would believe it. Then I asked her to forgive me on behalf of the man who betrayed her.”
He continues,
“This is something I learned from my medical practice, a kind of therapy technique to heal emotional pain. Look at me, I’m perfectly fine. I didn’t deceive Bhairavi; I helped her soul find peace.”
Rishi looks around at the now silent fort.
“Bhairavi is free now, Anvi. She’s gone… her spirit finally found peace.”
Tears fill Anvi’s eyes but this time, they mix with a small, relieved smile.
Rishi gently holds her hand.
Rishi: “Now even your grandfather’s soul can rest peacefully, Anvi.”
Anvi: “Yes, Rishi… and so can I.”
The two walk away together, leaving the old fort behind as the morning light slowly breaks through the mist.
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