Six teenagers—three couples—arrived at a quiet lake in Manali around 4 in the evening. The air was cool and fresh. Birds were chirping in the distance, and the lake looked calm and peaceful. They parked their two vans near the shore and started setting up their camp.
They quickly put up three tents and lit a small bonfire in the middle. The fire crackled gently as the sky turned golden with the setting sun.
Two boys went to the lake with fishing rods, hoping to catch something for dinner. The third boy stayed back to help the girls. They unpacked food, arranged cooking items, and got everything ready near the fire.
By 6:30 PM, the campsite looked cozy and cheerful. The smell of firewood and spices filled the air. Everyone gathered near the lake to watch the sunset. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets they had ever seen—bright colors like orange, pink, and purple filled the sky and reflected on the water.
They stood close to each other, enjoying the moment. The sky slowly turned darker as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. It was now 7 PM, and everything felt calm and perfect.
After watching the sunset, the group opened a few beers and sat around the bonfire. They laughed, played music from a speaker, and danced together under the open sky. The fire kept them warm as the night grew colder. The smell of roasted food mixed with the soft sound of crackling wood. It was a perfect evening.
By around 9 PM, two of the couples said goodnight and went into their tents, leaving Nandini and Hari alone by the fire.
The area was quiet now. Only the gentle sound of the lake and the occasional crackle from the bonfire could be heard. Hari looked at Nandini, the firelight dancing on her face. He moved a little closer and softly asked, "come to me?"
Nandini smiled and didn't say a word. She leaned in, and they wrapped their arms around each other. With the stars above and the firelight flickering around them, she rested her head on Hari's chest.
His heartbeat was slow and steady. Nandini listened quietly, feeling calm and safe. As she lay there, her fingers touched a small ring she wore. She looked at it for a moment, then closed her eyes, thinking about her future with him.
She didn't say anything, but in that silent moment, she felt something strong—hope, comfort, and the start of something real.
Suddenly, a loud scream echoed through the night.
All the birds sleeping in the trees flew away at once, flapping their wings in panic. The peaceful night turned tense. Nandini and Hari quickly stood up from beside the bonfire, alert and scared. They looked around in every direction, their eyes wide in shock.
Within moments, the two other couples rushed out of their tents, confused and worried. Then, another scream came—louder this time. It sounded like someone was in pain, crying for help.
"There!" Nandini pointed toward the jungle nearby. "It's coming from that direction."
All of them turned to look. Out of the darkness between the trees, a man slowly appeared. He had a strong, muscular build and walked calmly toward them. But just before reaching the light of the bonfire, he stopped.
He stood still, staring at them.
Because of the dim light and shadows from the trees, the group couldn't see his face clearly. Deepak called out, keeping his distance, "Are you okay? What are you doing here?"
Naresh added, "This is private land. Who are you?"
The man didn't reply. He didn't move.
Nandini, nervous, quickly picked up her phone and dialed the number of the security guard assigned to the area.
A phone started ringing.
The ringing came from the man's pocket.
The group froze.
Deepak leaned toward Naresh and whispered, "I think… he might be the security guard."
But Naresh wasn't convinced. Still tense, he slowly started walking toward the man—nervous, but curious.
Mahi ran out of the jungle, her breath quick and uneven, leaves and branches brushing past her. Behind her, floating close and silent, was Rohan—the dark shadow, his form barely holding shape in the moonlight.
From above, his whisper reached her ears.
"That way…"
Without stopping, Mahi turned slightly, adjusting her path to follow his guidance.
"Hurry, Mahi," Rohan said, gliding just above the ground. "You should reach there faster."
Mahi shouted between breaths, "I can run, Rohan—but you can fly!"
He slowed.
"If I go now," Rohan said, "who will guide you the rest of the way?"
Mahi stopped for a split second and looked up at him. "Don't worry about me. Just go! We can't lose that man. Not now."
Rohan hovered silently for a moment, undecided.
Then—a scream ripped through the night.
This time, it came from the lake.
Mahi's eyes snapped toward the sound. "There! That's it!" she yelled. "Go, Rohan! I'll catch up!"
Without another word, Rohan nodded. His shadow stretched wide, lifting off the ground. In a blur of darkness, he shot across the trees, heading straight toward the lake.
Mahi clenched her fists and turned back toward the jungle path—alone now, but determined.
Naresh slowly opened his eyes. His head was spinning. His back scraped against the ground—he was being dragged. The cold earth, the crunch of leaves… something wasn't right. He blinked hard, trying to see who was pulling him.
He struggled to remember. What happened?
Then—a sharp memory. A sudden blow to the side of his face. His head had hit the ground hard. Everything had gone dark.
Now, as his vision cleared, he saw the person dragging him.
It was Hari. His face was covered in blood.
Hari quickly pulled Naresh behind a fallen tree. They crouched low, trying not to make a sound.
Naresh whispered, voice shaking, "W-What's going on? What just happened?"
Hari didn't answer right away. He peeked over the log, eyes wide with fear.
The camp was destroyed. The tents were torn apart, crushed. A little to the side—Deepak lay motionless, bleeding. Next to him, Nandini was also down, not moving.
Hari's eyes filled with tears. He turned slightly and looked farther ahead.
That man—the one from the jungle—was standing near the fire. He looked up at the sky, calm… too calm.
But in one of his hands, he was holding someone.
It was Divya.
He gripped her by the throat. She was crying, begging for her life. The man looked at her and gave a slow, twisted smile.
Then, with brutal force, he threw her against the van.
Deepak, still alive, woke up with a groan and ran to catch her. They both hit the van hard. Deepak collapsed again, blood dripping from his forehead, unconscious.
The man slowly began walking toward Nandini, who was still lying on the ground.
As he reached for her hair—
CRACK!
A piece of wood hit him on the head.
He turned around. It was Hari. He had hit him with all his strength.
But nothing happened.
The man stood tall, now face-to-face with Hari.
Hari was terrified—but he didn't back down. He had to protect Nandini. He loved her.
The man raised his fist to punch—
But suddenly, a cold wind blew through the trees. A thick fog rose between Hari and the man.
The punch went forward—but Hari vanished into the mist.
The man looked around, confused.
A voice came from the fog—layered, cold, and echoing.
"We were looking for you… and now we've found you."
The man turned. Behind him stood Deepak—but his eyes were completely white, glowing.
Possessed.
The man smirked and swung a punch at him.
But this time, Deepak raised one hand and caught the punch with ease.
He smiled.
"You possessed this man," he said calmly, "so I possessed Deepak."
And then, with a burst of power, he punched the evil man in the chest, sending him flying back toward the lake.
Hari, who had fallen, opened his eyes.
Through the fog, he saw Deepak standing still—calm, strong—but strange.
Something wasn't right.
Deepak looked… not like himself.
Hari stood up slowly, still shaken, and called out, "Deepak… what happened, bro? Are you okay?"
But Deepak didn't reply. He didn't even look at him.
He just kept walking—straight toward the evil man by the lake.
His white eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
As he moved forward, his voice came low and cold.
"What did you do with Jay?"
The evil man chuckled, still lying on the ground, trying to rise.
With a wicked smile, he pointed at himself and said,
"Look closely… I am Jay. Dead Jay."
Then he burst into a loud, twisted laugh.
Deepak's face tightened with anger. His steps quickened. He broke into a run.
The evil man stood, grinning, and swung his fist toward Deepak.
But Deepak dodged it with ease.
He spun and tried to land a blow on the man's side—but the evil man dodged too, moving fast.
They both threw punches at the same time, but Deepak leaned sideways, letting the man's punch pass just inches from his face. In that same moment, he grabbed the man's arm mid-swing and twisted it.
With a powerful move, he lifted the man into the air and slammed him down onto the ground with full force.
Before the man could recover, Deepak landed a heavy punch straight into his chest.
The ground shook slightly from the impact. The evil man gasped, the smile fading from his face.
Hari stood at a distance, watching in shock.
This wasn't the Deepak he knew.
Something—or someone—else was fighting through him.