A strange incident: Final part

In case you missed the third part, don't ruin your experience and check that out first: A strange incident (part III)

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I was again shocked. I couldn't understand what was happening. For me, it was unbelievable. Fear was increasing inside me. Every moment was frightening me. I was feeling as if I was trapped in an invisible trap.

"This can't be possible! She was with me all the time and you're saying I was alone.", I said to that waiter.

"There was no one in the footage. And now, he's also telling that you were there all alone. So, I don't think if I could believe you anymore.", the receptionist told.

"It doesn't matter if you believe us or not. The truth will remain the truth!", Sam exclaimed.

"Ahh..just leave it.", I interrupted and I told the receptionist, "Well, thanks for your help. I understand that you can't do anything with this."

And then I and Sam walked towards the exit door and then left that place.

"I can't believe it, how can this happen.", I told Sam.

"Well, it could be possible.", he replied.

"How?", I asked.

"Well, maybe she morphed the footage by hacking into their system.", he told.

"It could be possible.", I said. Then I asked, "Now how are we going to collect evidence?"

"Well, we can still go to that nightclub. Maybe we can find something right there.", he replied.

"Alright. It's nearby. Let's go there.", I said and with this, we rushed towards that nightclub on Sam's bike.

We reached that place and directly went inside it. It was the same dark place with loud music and disco lights flashing. 

"So, where should we check?", I asked Sam in a loud voice.

"Did you got drunk at the bar or the lounge? ", he asked.

"The bar", I replied. 

"Was she there with you?", he further asked. 

"Obviously!", I told.

"Then the bartender could help us.", he said.

And then, without uttering a single word, I ran towards the bar and Sam followed me.

The bartender suddenly noticed me and said, "Hey young fellow!"

"You still remember me? I thought you didn't even notice me", I said.

"Come on! I can't forget you. You dazed so high after only four shots of vodka as if you were on anesthesia.", the bartender replied laughingly. 

"Four shots? You told me two.", said Sam.

"Yes, I had only two", I told and then replied to the bartender, "We ordered four but I had only two, the other two were drunk by that girl."

The bartender stared at me for a while and said, "Which girl? I guess you were alone because I don't remember any girl with you."

I was again shocked. But this time, I was not frightened but rather angry. It was enough. I went closer to the counter and grabbed the collar of the bartender's shirt, "How much did she pay you to shut your mouth? Tell me!", I shouted.

Suddenly Sam held me from back and calmed me down. He made me leave his collar and pulled me back. 

"Calm down buddy. This is not the time to get violent. He's our only hope.", he told me and then said to the bartender, "Gentleman, look we really need your help. That girl was a fraud and since last night my friend is in serious trouble because of her. We really need to find her out."

"Fella', I'm telling you, there was no girl with him. Why would I lie? I'm working here for years and I don't want to lose my job for some cheap acts. I'm telling you again, just trust me. You were all alone.", the bartender told.

For me, it was totally unbelievable because I knew it all had happened in front of me. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. I walked towards that same couch in the lounge where I kissed that girl. I sat there. Sam followed me and sat beside me.

"It's too frustrating", I told Sam.

"Yeah, I could understand.", he replied.

It was clear that the bartender was lying, but we couldn't accuse him of lying because we didn't have any strong evidence. She morphed the footage at the Cafe so that no one can believe us and maybe paid that one waiter as well for lying. 

In a while, Sam said, "I just can't believe how you can fall into this sweet trap so easily. You're someone who had never been friends with a girl in your entire life. Didn't you felt weird even for once?".

"Yes, I felt really creepy in the beginning, but she played it very cleverly.", I told him.

I just looked back on all things that happened from the beginning. It was clear that she had her eyes on me for a long time. In fact, she must be watching me while I got those emails. I also realized that photo she sent me a day ago before it was clicked was actually a fake one.

I said to Sam, "Remember the photo I told you about that she sent to me?"

"Yes, I remember ", he replied. 

"I figured out that it was clicked on purpose a day ago by creating the same settings that were supposed to be on the next day when I was about to meet her. And that is why she ordered the coffee before I reached there so that I do not even get the chance to order something of my choice. Because, if I would have done so then it was not possible to click the exact same picture.", I said.

"Well, I can believe that she planned everything very carefully. But, what about that bracelet you gave her. How did she know that you were going to gift that to her? Because that was in that photo. Right?", he told me.

This question confused me for a while. Then I thought, if she was watching me all the time then it could be possible that she somehow managed to contact that shop where I went to. I told Sam, "She was tracking me. It could be possible that she made one person go to that same gif shop the very moment I went there and pay the shopkeeper to make me buy that same bracelet."

And suddenly, I realized that the gift shop is our last hope. 

"We need to rush to that gift shop. Fast!", I told Sam and ran towards the exit. Sam followed me. 

And the next thing we were doing was going to that gift shop. We were on Sam's bike, He was riding and I was navigating him while sitting behind him as a pillion. It hardly took ten minutes to reach that place where the shop was situated and we then had to reach that shop which was somewhere among the many shops situated there. 

"If I'm not wrong, it was here only.", I told Sam.

"Yeah. It must be here.", he replied.

And we roamed like that for half of an hour around the same block and still couldn't find that shop.

"Are you sure that the shop is here only?", Sam asked.

"Obviously, I just came here yesterday.", I replied.

"Then why are we still unable to find that?", he asked.

"Ugh...It should be here. I clearly remember it's here only.", I said in a stammering voice.

"I guess we should ask somebody.", Sam said.

"Not a bad idea.", I replied.

Then we reached out to the watchmen of the block and enquired about the shop. But, after what he told us, we were thrilled in shock. He told us that for the last ten years there had not been a single gift shop in that locality. It was another terrifying moment after a series of terrifying moments. 

"How is this even possible?", Sam said.

I was badly stuck in shock and so I couldn't utter a single word. 

"Say something. What is happening ?", Sam continued.

"I have to reach home right now", I replied.

"What?", he said.

"YES! Don't waste time. Drop me home right now!", I told him.

"But, we can get a clue from that gift shop. We have to find it.", he said.

"Didn't you listen? He told us that there is no gift shop.", I replied.

"Damn. How could you believe him? It's clear, he too is lying like that bartender and the waiter.", he told.

"I just said drop me home right now! We are in danger, anything could happen. They can go to any extent to clear the evidence. In fact, they can clear us as well from their paths. So, just drop me home and go away from me. I'm telling. Don't waste time.", I said.

"Only because you're insisting on me, I'm doing this.", he replied.

The next moment we were on his bike and he took me all the way down to my home. After reaching home, I said to him, "Now just go away from me, and please do not try to involve yourself in this anymore. It's not safe. Trust me.".

"Alright.", he said and with this, he left.

After that, I rushed into my house and locked the front door. Then, I closed all the windows of the living room and locked them as well. I closed each and every window of the house. I disconnected the LAN cable and covered the webcam of my laptop with black tape. I realized that they were tracking me and having an eye over me and not from that day or the day before but from many days. And, that is why I wanted to make sure that they cannot do that anymore. I removed the sim card from my mobile phone and turned it off. I disconnected all the gadgets in my home and turned them off. Lastly, I went into my bedroom, sealed the window of that room as well, and then locked its door from inside. I confined myself in the room. Now I felt a little secure. Still, I was not in a good mental state. I was still frightened.

For the last three hours, I was sitting in my room still frightened. A flashback of all those events was going in my head again and again. Suddenly I could hear some strange noises as if someone was unlocking a door. Gradually, the noise was increasing. And, then I heard a banging noise. I realized someone has entered my house. It was the banging of the door against the wall. Someone unlocked it and smash opened it. I was terrified. I was freaked because I realized that they have reached my house. I knew that they were going to make me disappear too from this world so that all the evidence of that incident would be cleared. I could hear them opening rooms to find me. I could hear the footsteps coming closer. I was scared. I didn't want to die. The sound of the footsteps was just getting louder and louder. And they were at my door. They were trying to unlock it. And, because I had closed it from inside, it was difficult for them. I rushed towards under the bed. I could hear them banging the door really hard. And suddenly, the door broke open. I got chills down my spine. I could see their feet from under the bed. They were two people.

"He must be here because the door was locked from inside.", one of those voices spoke.

The voice seemed familiar to me. It was no one else but Sam. And for one more time, I was shocked. I couldn't believe that he was there. I looked back at everything and realized that how cleverly he tricked me. For a moment, I felt backstabbed. I got out of bed and exclaimed, "I DIDN'T EXPECTED THIS FROM YOU, SAM!"

And then when I looked at the other person, I couldn't believe it. It was my elder brother Kunal.

"You're getting it wrong. And that is why he's here to tell you everything.", Sam said.

"What do you mean?", I asked.

"Well, after leaving you home, I just thought about your grandfather's watch. And suddenly I remembered of your elder brother. I met him here at your house, a couple of years ago when he visited the city. I guess you remember.", Sam told.

"I just thought, why not I should talk about this with him because he too must be knowing about the watch so maybe he could help us with something. And so, I called him. But, after telling him everything, he told me something that turned me speechless. I didn't know how to tell you all that and so I just asked him to come and tell you everything.", he added.

"So, what is that? I want to know." I said to Kunal.

"Okay, it's a long story and I guess we should sit and then talk.", Kunal replied.

And then, he walked into the living room, opened the curtains, and then opened the windows. He then sat on the sofa, 

"Have a seat.", he asked me and Sam.

We both grabbed a chair each and got seated.

"So, what do you know about the watch?", I asked.

"I told you, it's a long story.", Kunal replied.

"Just tell me if you know about the watch or not!", I exclaimed.

"Yes, I know.", he replied.

"Then just tell me where is it!", I said.

"Okay, well, Grandpa never had any wristwatch.", Kunal replied.

"What?", I was shocked. "What are you saying?", I added.

"Yes. He never had any watch.", he said.

"Oh! Now I see. First, they told me that there was no girl with me. Then, that watchman told that there never existed that gift shop. And, now you're telling me that there was never any wristwatch. So, you two are also involved with them. You stole the watch and now you want to make it like it never happened.", I said.

"Calm down! Why don't you listen to all of it. It's nothing like that.", Sam said.

"Okay, then tell me what's the truth.", I replied.

"The truth is grandpa really never had any wristwatch. In childhood, he used to tell you a story about a businessman who got a secret watch in Luxembourg. You pictured that story so realistically that you used to imagine all of that. In fact, after his death, you kept a box about which you told that you kept his secret watch in it. Everyone ignored it because you were a child. But, many a time our family noticed you talking to yourself as if someone was there with you. Even I had seen you doing that. So, we took you to a psychiatrist who then told us that you were showing symptoms of schizophrenia, a mental disorder in which a person cannot differentiate between reality and imagination. He told us that it is rare and sometimes seen in small children but gets fine with time. Also, as you grew up, you never behaved like that anymore. So, we thought you got fine. Now, when Sam told me about all that, it just reminded me of everything. I never knew that you still kept that box with you.", Kunal told.

"So, it means, those mails, those chats, that girl, that waiter, that bald man, and that gift shop, and in fact, that photograph she sent me, it was all nothing but my imagination.", I said in stupefaction.

"Yes, and that is why there was no one in the footage.", Sam added.

"I couldn't believe it. Maybe I could have killed myself with this destructive imagination.", I said.

"Well, it was terrible but it's fine because nothing happened and thanks to Sam that he called me in time. Who knows what could have happened.", Kunal told.

I just stood up from the chair and went straight into my room, opened my cupboard, and took out that box. I bought it in the living room and opened it in front of everyone.

"It's still not inside it.", I said with a smile.

"And that is a big relief to know.", Sam said with laughter.

After a few days, Sam introduced me to one of his friends who is a psychiatrist. She did my therapy that helped me a lot in recovering completely. Now, after seven months I feel totally fine. And now, when I look back at all of it, only one thing comes to my mind that it was a strange incident that one cannot even dream of. Even, it still scares me sometimes but then I laugh at it and moves on. In all of it, I realized that sometimes our brain can make us see things that do not even exist. How strange it is, isn't it?
Anyways, all is well when the end is well, and now I think this is the time I should visit that cafe again where it all started, but this time, with a real girl!

The end.

So, this was 'A strange incident', a fictional work by me. Pardon me for any errors because it was my first this long story. I never wrote a story this long. Anyways, I enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoyed reading it. 

Have a great day!