The Story As It Has So Far Unfolded :
Chapter 1 by Savio Paes – Welcome to Apartment no. 4402
Chapter 2 by Rajeshwari A housewarming Party gone seriously wrong
Chapter 3 by Lalitha – Enter Arjun the initial owner dead forty years back
Chapter 4 by Sri – One Apartment two ‘existing’ owners – one dead the other alive
Chapter 5 by Meeta – A staircase to the Unknown and a Man not yet born
Chapter 6 by Foolz Another Kabir and a nameplate with an illegible name
Chapter 7 by Parikhit – Gatecrashes the mysterious woman
Chapter 9 by Geeta – The Light at the end of the Tunnel
CHAPTER 10
UNDER REDEVELOPMENT
Jamshed Screwala regained a low note in his silenced voice,
“This property is under redevelopment.”
“Is or was?” It was Rhea. Both Arjun and Kabir ran inside to look for documents. “Did you get a search report done?”
“It has been under redevelopment for ages, including the lost ones rolling down the staircase.” The woman spoke again.
Nobody mustered the courage to look down the unending staircase.
“I took the elevator to come up, and the version of me that entered and exited the elevator is almost the same. I say ‘almost’ because this apartment teaches many lessons.
Some of you are lucky enough to retain the same names. Redevelopment does not always ensure improvisation. Like our friend Jamshed out here…”
Jamshed’s gaze was fixed on Kabir, who was scanning the property papers for the names of previous owners, but the dates were illegible.
Rhea spoke again. She asked the woman,
“Who are you?”
“I am the dirty secret that Jamshed wants to blame someone else for. Keep looking for a hidden skeleton somewhere.”
The cornflower blue curtains fluttered, and she disappeared from the window.
Arjun’s cornflower-blue shirt had disappeared, and he stood exposed.
“I went to jail for a crime that Jamshed committed.”
I hand over the baton to Savio who started fantasizing first and led others on 🙂
Thanks to all the contributors who gave me a foundation to build on. Special thanks to Geeta for handing over the baton to me.
Very nice.
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