Healing through words 😄

STORY TIME PEOPLE

The Rules of the Storytelling Challenge

Read the previous chapter, add your own continuation, nominate the next blogger, and link them up so the story can keep rolling!

No overthinking and not resetting the story. Just pick up where the last blogger left off and let your imagination take over.

Now let’s dive in, shall we?

Well…what have we here. A story telling challenge.And I have been passed on the baton to continue from where it was left off…..

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The Story So Far…

New to Apartment 4402? Catch up on the madness before you step inside!

Chapter 1: Savio introduces us to Apartment 4402

Chapter 2: Rajeshwari turns an ordinary housewarming into something rather mysterious.

Chapter 3: Lalitha takes the mystery to a whole new level.

Chapter 4: Sri tries to solve the Stranger in Apartment 4402: The Arjun Problem

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Chapter 5

Previously in Apartment 4402…

Two Arjun’s. One haunted flat. A shower with commitment issues. And a property broker who could probably sell a flat to its own ghost.

Honestly, even the ghosts deserved better housing.

“Both?” Arjun stared at Jamshed. “You mean I have to pay maintenance for a man who died forty years ago?”

The stranger looked offended. “Excuse me! I may be dead, but I have standards. And the lift has been out of order since 1986.”

“THE BUILDING WASN’T EVEN BUILT THEN!” Arjun screamed.

“Exactly. Terrible construction quality.”

Before anyone could respond, the lights flickered.

The television switched on by itself.

A newsreader appeared on the screen.

BREAKING NEWS: A MAN HAS BEEN REPORTED MISSING FROM APARTMENT 4402.

Everyone turned towards Arjun.

Then towards the stranger.

Then back towards Arjun.

“Which one of us is missing?” Arjun whispered.

Kabir shook his head. “At this point, I’m missing my old, peaceful life.”

Suddenly, Rhea’s phone rang.

Unknown Number.

She answered on speaker.

A woman’s trembling voice whispered, “Is Arjun there?”

“Which Arjun?” Rhea asked nervously.

A pause.

Then the voice replied, “The one who hasn’t been born yet.”

The call disconnected.

Nobody breathed.

Even Jamshed stopped smiling. For approximately two seconds.

Then he adjusted his collar. “Small technical issue, madam. Happens in premium properties.”

“JAMSHED!” everyone shouted.

Just then, the lift bell rang outside.

Ding!

The apartment door slowly opened by itself.

A little girl stood in the doorway, holding a red balloon.

She looked straight at the two Arjun’s.

“Papa?” she asked.

Both men pointed at each other.

The girl sighed. “Oh no. Not again.”

She walked inside, placed the balloon on the dining table, and turned towards the curtains.

“Uncle,” she whispered, “why have you opened the window?”

Arjun frowned. “Which uncle?”

The girl pointed at the curtains.

They were moving.

But every window in the apartment was firmly shut.

Then, from behind the cornflower-blue fabric, came a third voice.

“Because,” it said cheerfully, “someone has to let me in.”

The curtains flew open.

There was no window behind them.

Only a narrow staircase descending into complete darkness.

And on the first step lay a photograph.

Seven friends.

One little girl.

Two identical Arjun’s.

And a shadow standing behind them all.

The photograph was dated November 1, 2026.

Tomorrow’s date.

Kabir swallowed hard.

“Right,” he announced. “I’m moving out.”

The little girl looked at him sadly.

“You can’t.”

“WHY NOT?”

She pointed towards the front door.

A new brass nameplate had appeared.

APARTMENT 4402 — OCCUPANTS: 10

Rhea counted the people in the room.

One, two, three…

Her face turned pale.

“Guys,” she whispered, “there are only nine of us.”

From somewhere beneath the staircase came a familiar, gravelly laugh.

“Arre, darwaza toh kholo, yaar!”

(Come on, open the door!)

And then the little girl smiled.

“That’s the original Arjun,” she said.

Both Arjun’s screamed.

The lights went out.

TO BE CONTINUED… 👻

P.S. If anyone knows a good property lawyer who handles disputes between the living, the dead, and the not-yet-born, please send me their number. Jamshed is clearly not to be trusted. 😂

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And now comes the most dangerous part of this exercise: passing the baton.

I have someone in mind who I think can bring just right amount of madness,spooky and humorous to this already questionable apartment.

Witsutra.wordpress.com of Wise Foolz, are you ready to enter Apartment 4402?
I’m passing the baton to you.

We all cannot wait to see what you can do with this. Please feel free to make things more ridiculous. The floor is yours take the story where ever your imagination leads you too.