The room felt colder than ever, and the shadows seemed to come alive. The fire in the mirror was no longer just a reflection—it had grown to dominate the entire room, casting eerie light and flickering shadows across the walls. The flames, now untamed and violent, roared like a living creature, as if they could reach out and consume anything in their path.
"Humein yeh sab band karna hoga," Prajwal said, her voice steady but with an edge of desperation. "Lydia ko samajhna hoga, uska gussa hum sabko khatam kar dega agar humne rukna nahi sikha."
The others nodded, their faces pale but determined. The flames reflected in their eyes as they stood together, facing Lydia's ghostly figure. The tension was unbearable, and every inch of the room felt like it was pressing down on them.
Swara stepped forward, clutching a piece of the journal that had led them here. "Lydia, humne tumhari kahani suni hai. Tumhari dard ko samajh rahe hain. Tumne jo bhi jhela hai, woh bahut kathin tha. Lekin tumhara badla ab hum sab ko shaanti nahi de sakta."
Lydia's figure flickered, but she didn't speak immediately. Instead, she raised her hand, and the flames seemed to respond, dancing wildly around the room. The heat was unbearable, and the girls could feel their skin starting to burn.
"Tum samajhte ho, ki tumhare shabdon se sab kuch theek ho jayega? Tum sab kaise samajh sakte ho?" Lydia's voice was a soft whisper now, tinged with years of sorrow and rage. "Main kabhi bhi tumhare saath nahi thi. Mere saath jo hua, uski wajah se yeh sab hota gaya. Mera gussa… usne yeh sab banaya."
Anushka, who had been silent until now, took a deep breath and said, "Lydia, hum sab tumhare dard ko samajh sakte hain, lekin humein apni zindagi apne haath mein leni hogi. Hum sab ko apni zindagi ka control chahiye, aur tum bhi apne shanti ko paana chahti ho."
For a moment, there was silence. Lydia's form flickered again, her eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity. The flames in the mirror began to die down, but her anger still lingered.
"Agar tum samajh rahe ho, toh tumne kuch galat samjha hai," Lydia said, her voice hardening once more. "Mujhe khud ko maaf karne ki koi zarurat nahi thi… lekin maine kabhi bhi apna badla lene ka haq nahi diya. Tum sab ko yeh samajhna hoga."
The room shook again, more violently this time. The fire in the mirror leapt higher, its flames licking the air as though it was alive. The girls instinctively backed away, but Prajwal remained rooted to her spot, determined to end this nightmare.
"Hum tumhara badla nahi lenge, Lydia," Prajwal said, her voice clear and unwavering. "Lekin hum tumhe shaanti dena chahte hain. Tumhara gussa aur takleef hum sabko nahi le jaana chahiye."
For a brief moment, Lydia's expression softened. The flames flickered and dimmed. Her body wavered like a fading image, the outline of her figure becoming less distinct.
"Shaanti…" she whispered. "Shaanti… tum sab ke saath rehna chahti hoon."
And then, with a sound like a sigh, Lydia's form dissolved into the air, the flames in the mirror slowly fading into nothingness. The room, which had been filled with fire and rage just moments before, was now eerily still.
The hotel, for the first time in years, was quiet.
"Kya yeh sach mein ho gaya?" Rutuja whispered, her voice trembling as she looked around the now calm room. "Kya Lydia ab shaanti mein hai?"
Prajwal nodded, a feeling of relief washing over her. "Yes… she is. Finally."
The tension in the room began to ease as the girls slowly stepped back from the mirror. The hotel, no longer alive with Lydia's anger, seemed almost… peaceful. The heavy atmosphere that had once suffocated them was now replaced with a strange calmness.
"Humne Lydia ko samajhne ki koshish ki, aur uski shaanti ko paane mein madad ki," Swara said softly, her voice filled with a quiet understanding. "Ab hum yeh hotel chhod kar apni zindagi ki taraf badhenge."
Khushi smiled, though she was still shaken by the events. "Yeh sab kuch ek nightmare ki tarah lag raha hai, par humne isse jeet liya."
With that, they all turned toward the door, their hearts still pounding but their minds finally at peace. The hotel, once a place of terror, now stood silent behind them. The curse had been lifted, and Lydia's restless spirit had found the peace it longed for.
But as they made their way down the staircase, Prajwal stopped for a moment. She turned back to look at the hotel one last time.
"Humein yeh nahi bhoolna chahiye, Lydia ki kahani hum sab ke saath rahegi."
The door creaked open, and the girls stepped out into the cool night air. The moon hung low in the sky, casting its soft glow over the landscape.
The trip to Shimla had come to an end, but for the girls, it would remain a memory they would carry with them forever.
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