The old mill on the edge of Kalyan had stood silent for decades, its broken windows like empty eyes staring out over the Ulhas River. Everyone knew the stories – whispers of a watchman who vanished one Diwali night years ago, leaving only a half-eaten tiffin box and a blood-curdling scream that echoed across the water. Most dismissed it as folklore, something to scare children.But Rohan didn't believe in folklore. He and his friends, fueled by cheap Diwali firecrackers and bravado, decided this Halloween night was the perfect time to explore the abandoned structure. The air inside was thick with dust and decay, the only light coming from their flickering phone torches. They moved deeper, their laughter echoing eerily in the vast, empty space.That's when they heard it. A faint, rhythmic thump… thump… thump coming from the lower levels, near the rusted machinery. It sounded almost like… a heartbeat?Rohan, bolder than the rest, crept towards the stairs leading down into the darkness. The thumping grew louder, faster. He shone his light down. The beam caught something moving – a large, dark shape pulsing rhythmically. It wasn't machinery. It looked organic, wet, and it seemed to expand and contract with each heavy beat. Suddenly, the thumping stopped. From the darkness below, a raspy voice whispered, a sound like dry leaves skittering across concrete, "Still hungry..."Rohan didn't wait to see what belonged to the voice or the horrifying heart. He and his friends scrambled back out of the mill faster than any firecracker, the whispers seeming to chase them all the way back to the brightly lit streets, leaving the darkness and the rhythmic thumping behind them. They never spoke of what they saw, but every Halloween, Rohan swears he can still hear a faint, hungry heartbeat echoing from the direction of the river.
Stake ID: GauravRai26