THE HAUNTING OF LILY MORGAN

A forgotten village lay in the remote hills of Sylhet. A crumbling old mansion, only known as Rajbari, stood deep in the forest, concealed by thick mist and shadows, and there were only a few families left. Villagers avoided it, whispering tales of spirits, sorrow, and a girl who waited in vain.
Tasin, a young man from Dhaka, came to the village on a photography assignment. Stories and quiet places had always been his favorites. When he first heard about Rajbari, a part of him wanted to get closer to him. Curiosity, maybe. Or fate.
On his third day in the village, Tasin stood near the edge of the woods with his camera. He aimed his camera at the enigmatic mansion as clouds began to cover the sky and the sun was beginning to set. He saw her when the sky was struck by lightning for a brief moment. A girl.
Dressed in white. Standing at the top window of the mansion. Her long hair swayed, though there was no wind. Her eyes—dark, haunting, full of sorrow—looked straight at him.
Tasin blinked. She vanished.
That night, he tossed and turned. He dreamed of her voice, soft and broken:
“Why didn’t you come?”
The next morning, driven by something he couldn’t explain, Tasin entered the forest and approached the Rajbari. The iron gate creaked as he pushed it open. Ivy covered its walls, and shattered windows stared like dead eyes. Inside, silence ruled—yet it felt as though he had stepped into a world still alive with memories.
Dust lay thick on the floor, undisturbed for years. But as he climbed the stairs, something unusual caught his eye—a single, fresh red rose, lying on the third step.
He grabbed it. It was real. Soft, with morning dew.
That night, the dream returned. Her voice again:
“Will you come again…?”
And he did.
Night after night, Tasin returned. And each time, he felt her presence grow stronger. Mirrors in the halls reflected her silhouette. Doors squeaked open by themselves. He even caught whispers in the wind, laughter soft as rain.
Then one evening, as the fog wrapped the trees in silence, she appeared.
Not in the mirror. Not in his dreams.
But before him.
Real. Silent. Beautiful.
Her skin was pale like moonlight, her feet hovered an inch above the ground. But her eyes… they held centuries of sadness.
He spoke:
"Meherun... is that your name?"
She gave a nod. “I’ve waited for so long...” she whispered.
For hours, Tasin sat with her. They didn’t need to speak much. In her presence, he felt peace. He brought her flowers, books, even played soft music on his phone. She couldn’t touch them—but smiled at each one.
A girl who no longer belonged to this world was making him fall in love with him. Then one night, under a stormy sky, she said:
“If you love me… truly love me… stay with me. Forever.”
Tasin was hesitant. He was alive. He had family, dreams, time.
She turned away, her voice trembling:
"You'll leave me as well..." The next night, she didn’t come.
The mansion felt colder.
Lonelier.
Tasin searched the village for answers. Only an old woman dared speak.
"Meherun," she said, "was once the pride of this village. Her lover joined the military and never came back. Every night, she waited by that window, rose in hand. She jumped from that very window one night. They claim that her spirit is still seeking love and closure. His chest ached. Tasin realized that she was not haunting the mansion— She was haunting her own broken heart.
He came back that night. He saw her for the first time as he stood under the same window. “Meherun!” He sobbed. "I am here! I won't abandon you! She appeared once more.
Floating down the stairs. Hope took the place of her sadness. "Will you continue with me?" she asked again.
Tears in his eyes, Tasin stepped forward.
“Yes.”
She reached out and kissed him.
Cold.
Silent.
Eternal.
The next morning, villagers found Tasin’s camera on the steps of Rajbari.
There were dozens of pictures inside, but one stood out. Tasin, smiling, holding hands with a girl in white.
A girl no one else could see.
He was never seen again.
But some nights, when the fog is thick and the moonlight touches the old mansion—
Two shadows can be seen dancing in the top window.
A boy and a girl.
Bound by love.
in both life and death.