Shadow

SHADOW

Dalea Sultana

Horror Fiction

Two hands suddenly emerged from my stomach. I was terrified. Please come quickly.

Rehana Begum pleaded in a tearful voice. The incident took place in March 2023. Rahim had set up a small fabric shop in Gazipur. Due to business demands, he couldn't visit home often. His wife, Rehana Begum, was six months pregnant. With Eid approaching, if he went home during this busy season, it would be disastrous for his business. However, it was hard to understand what was troubling his wife. They had consulted several religious healers and traditional doctors before. Rehana often had disturbing dreams at night and would suffer severe body pain the following day. Although there hadn’t been any significant incidents since she became pregnant, today’s event made him anxious. He promised to come home but was unsure how he would manage it. Lost in thought, Rahim drifted into a deep sleep.

“Himel, Eid is just around the corner. Can you handle things on your own? Your sister-in-law is a bit unwell. I’m thinking of leaving this evening. You manage the sales as best as you can and come to the village afterward,” Rahim said. Himel, who worked at Rahim’s shop, replied, “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll come home on the night before Eid and settle the accounts with you.” Hearing this, Rahim sighed in relief. After managing the shop all day, he went home in the evening and prepared to leave. With his bag in hand, he set off for the village.

Meanwhile, Rehana’s condition was deteriorating. She was experiencing intense burning sensations in her abdomen and had a high fever that was unbearable. There was no one at home to take care of her. Though Rahim’s younger brother’s wife stayed with her during the day, she wouldn’t be around at night. The situation was becoming increasingly worrisome.

Rahim boarded the bus, keeping his bag within reach, and huddled in his seat. Bus journeys were always a source of misery for Rahim. Despite the heat during the day, the night air was strangely cold. He struggled to close the window with his hand, but the window kept opening again and again. It became a significant inconvenience. Would he ever get some peaceful sleep? Rahim asked himself.

As the bus approached Rajshahi, the sky began to darken ominously. As they neared their destination, the weather took a turn for the worse. Rahim, who had taken a window seat, wanted to watch the angry face of nature. A thick, black cloud, like a vast army, was advancing from the western horizon. Their collective roar and the muffled thunder were deafening. The road was lined with paddy fields, where the crops swayed violently in the strong wind. Lightning flashed, illuminating the surroundings momentarily, making it seem like daylight. Despite the terrible weather, the bus sped towards Rajshahi.

Battling the strong wind, Rahim managed to close the window as they reached Shibpur Bazaar in Rajshahi. From here, his village, Jaykrishnapur Rishipara, was just 5.4 kilometers away. The bus, which had left Dhaka at eight in the evening, was supposed to arrive here at one in the morning, but due to the Eid traffic, it was now three in the morning.

The bus dropped Rahim off by the roadside and sped away. As it left, darkness and a grave-like silence descended around him. Rahim stood still for a moment, suitcase in hand. The area was deserted. The crowd would gather in a few days for the Eid holidays. Seeing such a deserted scene at this hour was not unusual. Rahim began walking towards his home, using his phone’s flashlight for guidance. After walking a bit, he noticed a pair of glowing eyes approaching him from a distance. It was nothing to be afraid of—it was just the lights of a passing auto-rickshaw. Rahim stood in the middle of the road, waving his hands like a circus performer to ensure the vehicle wouldn’t pass him by. The driver, also eager to catch a fare at this hour, pulled over and asked, “What’s the matter, brother? Why are you waving like that? Do you need a ride somewhere?” Rahim, startled by the question, replied, “I didn’t see any other vehicles around. If you could drop me off at Jaykrishnapur Rishipara, I would greatly appreciate it.” The driver smirked and replied, “Sure, I can take you, but it’ll cost you one thousand taka.” Rahim was stunned. The regular fare from Shibpur Bazaar to Jaykrishnapur was thirty taka, and the maximum fare for a reserved ride was one hundred fifty taka. But this man was asking for one thousand taka! “I’ll give you five hundred. Take it or leave it,” Rahim said with a frown. When the driver didn’t respond, Rahim picked up his suitcase and started walking again. The auto-rickshaw left without a word, and Rahim regretted not taking the ride. In this ominous darkness, walking was not a wise choice. He turned off his flashlight, and the surrounding darkness was so thick that he couldn’t see even two hands in front of him. Feeling a deep sense of despair, Rahim continued his journey.

As he walked along the road at this late hour, the only sound was the clattering of his shoes on the pavement. Occasionally, a cold breeze would pass by. Rahim walked on, cutting through the dense, black darkness.

After walking a bit further, he heard a rumbling sound again. But there was no need to be afraid this time either—the auto-rickshaw driver had returned. Rahim’s eyes, half-shut in the dim red light, opened wide.

The driver stopped the vehicle beside Rahim and said, “Okay, give me seven hundred taka, brother. And don’t haggle anymore. Just get in.” This time, Rahim didn’t argue and got into the vehicle. He placed his suitcase at his feet and huddled into his usual position. The driver’s behavior didn’t seem so bad now. The driver started chatting absentmindedly, though Rahim, tired from the journey, wasn’t in the mood for conversation. So, he stared out the window. Suddenly, something darted past them, startling both Rahim and the driver. The driver immediately hit the brakes and stopped the vehicle.

Rahim snapped out of his daze and asked the driver, “What happened? Why did you brake like that? And what was that thing?” The driver’s face was pale with fear. Beads of sweat quickly formed on his forehead. “It was nothing,” the driver replied, starting the auto-rickshaw again and continuing towards Jaykrishnapur. Rahim had caught a glimpse of something—a black, smoke-like figure that had rushed toward the vehicle but had veered away at the last moment. Rahim was also a bit scared. He began reciting prayers. If he could just reach home safely, he would be fine. But Rahim had no idea that a great curse was waiting for him at home.

After an eight-minute ride, the vehicle finally arrived at Jaykrishnapur. The Rishipara temple was visible. After passing the temple, his house was just a minute’s walk away. Rahim paid the driver seven hundred taka and, with his suitcase in hand, walked towards his house. A minute later, standing in front of his house, Rahim called out, “Rehana! Are you awake? Open the door; I’m here.” When he didn’t get a response, Rahim called out again, “Can you hear me? Should I keep standing here in the middle of the night? Are you going to open the door or not?” But still, there was no response. Instead, Rahim’s younger brother and his wife came out. His younger brother, Mamun, a farmer who lived in the village, ran over as soon as he heard Rahim’s voice. “Brother, when did you arrive?” Mamun asked. Rahim, annoyed, replied, “I’m still standing outside with my suitcase. Can’t you tell when I arrived?” Mamun, looking puzzled, began calling out as well, “Sister-in-law, open the door. Brother is here.”

At this point, fear started creeping into Rahim’s heart. Why wasn’t Rehana responding after all this calling? She wasn’t the type of person to sleep through someone walking around the house. Fearing the worst, Rahim decided to break down the door. He stepped back to get a running start, but just as he was about to charge, Rehana opened the door. Rahim stopped in his tracks. If she had opened the door two seconds later, his kick might have landed right on her pregnant belly. But why did Rehana look like this? Her entire body was drenched in sweat, her clothes were filthy, and dark circles surrounded her eyes, giving her a ghastly appearance. Her hair was disheveled, as if she had just fought a battle with a massive elephant. Rahim, Mamun, and Mamun’s wife all stared at her in shock. Without saying a word, Rehana turned and walked back into the dark room. Clearing his throat, Rahim told Mamun, “You two go inside. I’ll see what’s going on.” Mamun nodded and left with his wife. Rahim picked up his suitcase and entered the house. Not a single light was on. The whole house felt like a crematorium. Rahim groped around until he found the light switch. The drawing room was in a mess, with spoons, bowls, and dirt scattered all over the floor. When he switched on the light in the bedroom, he saw Rehana lying there, drowsy and surrounded by filth. She had just walked back, and yet she was already asleep? Given how abnormal everything had been from the start, Rahim didn't say another word. He simply changed his clothes and lay down beside Rehana.