“Mum? Dad?” he said glancing nervously at his parents. The family, comprising six members, was having dinner in the dining room when the eldest, a 15-year-old, spoke up.

“Yes?” Mr Adnan said, raising his eyebrows.

Fahad cleared his throat before speaking, “Uh, I ... I don’t want to go to the wedding tomorrow, dad. Can I stay at home, please?”

Mr Adnan dropped the spoon he was holding in shock, Saba coughed, Arif choked on the water he was drinking and Dania laughed while their mother remained silent.

“Come again?” Mr Adnan said.

“Dad, actually, I want to study, my exams are starting next week,” Fahad pleaded.

Mr Adnan coughed and the children snickered. Mrs Adnan shot them all an angry look and shifted her gaze towards Fahad. “Is it really because of the exams, or are you up to something?”

“Up to something? Oh come on, mum,” he said, pretending to be hurt. “I have been focusing on the exams so much and you are suspecting that I am up to some mischief?”

Mrs Adnan sighed, “Okay, you may stay behind, but remember Fahad ....”

“I know, I know mum. Thank you,” Fahad cut her short joyfully.

Next day, the bags were packed and the family left for the wedding in Hyderabad, leaving Fahad behind, home alone with hundreds of instructions. They were due back the next day. He heaved a sigh of relief, ran to his room and slumped down on the bed.

‘Freedom!’ he whispered to himself, smiling broadly. ‘The party is about to begin boys!’

He jumped off the bed and made calls to everyone he knew from school, as well as from the neighbourhood. Soon the house was full of his friends dancing and cheering, laughing and chattering. The party continued till late at night.

Finally, after hours of enjoyment, the children started to leave one by one, and Fahad was left alone once again. He cleaned all the mess all by himself as the servants were given a day off. It took him more than two hours. When done, tired and sleepy, Fahad dragged himself to his room and flopped down on the bed.

Just then, the electricity went out, plunging the room into complete darkness. Fahad got up and went towards the window. Looking out at the garden, he waited for the guard to turn on the generator .... but it didn’t happened.

Out of nowhere, a loud noise seemed to explode in the room. Bewildered, Fahad looked around only to realise, with goose bumps rising on his arms, that someone was wildly banging the door to his room,.

“Who is it?” he asked in low voice. There was no answer, though the banging continued.

“Who is there?” he asked again, trembling. Again, there was no answer.

Just then, he heard the beating on the main gate. He waited eagerly for the guard to check, but the noise continued echoing all over the house. With every passing second, the voice grew louder and louder reverberating even through his body.

Horrified, Fahad started to sweat. He propped himself up on the bed and wrapped the blanket around him.

As if all this wasn’t enough, far away a cat cried. Then, in a matter of seconds, he heard a dog barking. The cat continued howling in agony. Fahad’s lips were quivering and he was shaking badly. Pressing his palms against his ears he tried to block out the noise, but in vain.

Minutes passed slowly, the voices lowered and then, completely died down. Fahad heaved a sigh of relief and looked up. But it wasn’t over ... not yet.

The door to his room started beating again. This time, he heard his siblings. They sounded worried and perplexed at the same time.

“Fahad, open the door! It’s your mum! Fahad, quick please ....”

Fahad stiffened.

“Fahad, help me ... please!’ he heard Safa crying in pain.

“Leave me alone!” Fahad managed to say. “Please go away!”

He then heard Saba shrieked in anguish. Her cry was one of absolute agony with welling horror. Fahad screamed in infinite terror, then darkness engulfed him.

He woke up and gazed around his surroundings. He realised he was lying in a hospital room. His mother was sitting on the bed beside him.

“Fahad!” Mrs Adnan said, her expression one of deep concern, and stroked her hand through his hair. “What happened, dear? We found you unconscious in your room when we returned.”

“Mum, I ... I am sorry. Please, I am very sorry,” he said, his voice low and tears rolled down his eyes. “I lied to you, mum,” he then told her everything about the party and about the noises.

“It’s okay, Fahad. It’s okay.” she said softly, trying to soothe him down.

Mrs Adnan then smiled. “You learned your lesson, Fahad. It’s okay. It was a nightmare, nothing else.”

“Look, Saba is here, perfectly well.”

Fahad moved his head to look at his siblings who were sitting on the couch, staring at him, the corner of their mouths twitching as if trying to control their laughter. Saba waved at him, grinning broadly.

Fahad nodded slightly. They would never know, never understand. It wasn’t a nightmare. It was for real.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 17th, 2018