‘Hello’ says Eva

‘hello,’ said Eva

‘Eva’ they called her

Short for Evelyn…

Vishal heard it all. The wardrobe door creaked open yet again. 

Creaked…Open and shut

Open and shut

Open.

“Can you do something about that goddamn cupboard, honey…?” Prema asked him that morning. “…Ever since I got back home with the baby, it’s been too noisy… why don’t you call the carpenter today?”

Vishal had only stared at his wife, his heart racing, threatening to weasel out of the thoracic confines. How could he tell her this was a daily occurrence for the past month? 

That night again, the door

Creaked…Open and shut

Open and shut

Open.

The following day Prema glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

“I am going back to my parents till you rectify this… the baby and I just can’t sleep….” She had barged out baby and baggage in tow.

Prema hadn’t observed but, Vishal hadn’t slept for days, hadn’t eaten for days. She didn’t hear Eva

Prema hadn’t seen, he had lost weight, had bags under his eyes… couldn’t go to work

He was scared too.

Terrified.

That night again, it repeated all over.

Creaked… Open and shut

Open and shut

Open.

‘Hello uncle Vishal, my name is Eva… 

Short for Evelyn. 

Will you give me that chocolate?’

Vishal walked towards the wardrobe and banged the door shut, but it opened right back, catapulting him in the air, and he crashed on the bed. 

He crouched in the corner of the bed, holding the blanket close, his clothes drenched in sweat, his heart pounding its way out through his orifice.

The dress innocently peeped out of the open wardrobe corner. 

The pink one with white frills now marred with grime and gore

The pinky hues melting into the crimson flushes

Languid power pulling him back to it.

Again.

‘Hello uncle Vishal, my name is Eva… 

Short for Evelyn. 

I was a good girl

Why did you do it?’

Vishal rubbed the rivulet streaming down his cheeks, intercepted by his overgrown stubble.

A strange sound closed in. He turned around and saw the shoe. The roseate blur now caked in slush. 

How could they be here? He had buried them all… a month ago.

‘Hello uncle Vishal, my name is Eva… 

Short for Evelyn. 

That was my birthday dress

Papa got it for me.’

Vishal covered his ears as Eva’s singing swelled the room along with the earthly petrichor.

‘Goosey goosey gander…. where shall I wander?’

“Stop it, Eva… STOP please…” Vishal screamed, panting as his chest constricted. He wanted to run out, but he was frozen. 

The following day, he was jarred awake by the heavy pounding on the door.

He opened the door to a stern-looking woman in formals flashing an ID.

“Senior inspector Mohini Raut. We have a warrant to check the house for a missing child Evelyn from flat 405.”

The police barged in even as he looked on groggily,

‘Hello uncle Vishal, my name is Eva… 

Short for Evelyn. 

I am hiding here

Here’.

[zombify_post]