Anika felt something build up in her stomach, making her feel a little queasy about the entire situation. She turned to look at Sabitha, but her cousin, as usual, was expressionless.

“Come.” Sabitha went up the stairs, but walked in the opposite direction of the room that had been offered to Anika that morning.

As soon as they reached one of the doorways, Sabitha stopped short.

“Go. She’s waiting for you.” Sabitha indicated to a partially open door.

“Aunt Neelambari?” The queasiness continued..

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you coming inside?” Anika asked Sabitha when she saw her cousin turn away.

Sabitha stopped and turned back. “No.”

“Sabitha, please. Can you stay for a few minutes—”

“I’m not allowed inside. You’ll have to go in by yourself.” Anika saw her cousin’s eyes flare. For the first time, there was some emotion on her cousin’s face.

Rage? Sorrow? Anika didn’t know. She was too worried about herself to analyze her cousin’s reaction.

Her rational mind began to reason. Come on, Anika. It’s just your aunt. You spoke to her on the phone and liked her.

Her aunt had convinced her to travel to India to meet her terminally sick grandfather. But her grandfather didn't appear to be ill, at least not in the way she had imagined him to be. She had expected a bedridden man with whom she would have a tearful reunion with.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and walked into a dimly-lit room.

As her eyes adjusted, she noticed it was a large suite with multiple rooms. The doors of the other rooms were firmly shut.

“So, you are finally here.”

Anika jumped when she heard her aunt speak.

“Aunt Neelambari?” Anika couldn't find her immediately within the almost dark room.

“Yes,” an impatient reply came. “Come here. Come closer to me.”

Anika blinked several times until her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. She saw the outline of a woman seated in what appeared to be a rocking chair with her feet propped up. Slowly, she went towards the woman, and stopped next to her.

“Kneel down.” The order was thrown sternly, raising her hackles. Anika decided to ignore her reaction, attributing it to her aunt being eccentric, rather than rude.

As soon as she knelt down, she felt her aunt grab her face. She also felt her aunt’s eyes peering at her, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Jaya!”

“Yes, madam,” a meek reply from a woman came from somewhere.

“Open the curtains!” There was excitement in her aunt’s voice.

There was a shuffling of footsteps, and then the noise of curtains being opened sounded in the room, followed by a blinding light.

Anika flinched as the bright light hit her eyes, which had just adjusted to the dim lighting. She tried to move her head, but she was still held within her aunt’s firm grip.

Slowly she opened her eyes, only to see a shockingly similar image of herself.

Her aunt looked just like her.

Or rather she looked just like her aunt. The resemblance was eerily uncanny.

Her aunt had a pale face which still looked quite youthful. She also had liberal streaks of gray in her hair, making her appear regal. She wore a heavy, ornate sari that had weaves of gold and magenta in it.

Neelambari let out a booming laugh. “By God, this is happening now for sure!”

Confused, Anika simply stared at her for an explanation.

“Jaya! Open the balcony doors. Tell the people to gather outside right now!”

“Yes, madam!” The maid opened the balcony doors where noise from a crowd was heard.

Jaya hurried outside the room. Anika could hear noises from several footsteps going down the stairs.

“What is happening?” Anika asked her aunt. “I thought Grandfather called for me because he was on his deathbed. I-I just met him. He seemed fine.”

Her aunt ignored her words. She didn’t let go of Anika’s face. Her eyes roved over each and every feature with a satisfying smile that bordered on maniacal.

The crowd outside became deafening.

Anika wondered what was happening even as some instinct warned her to pull her face away and run out of the place.

Her aunt’s hands slid down over her arms. Gripping them tightly, she stood and pulled Anika up with her. “Come. They are waiting for you.”

“Who?”

Ignoring Anika’s question, her aunt pulled her towards the open doors leading to a balcony, until they stood staring down at a large crowd.

“Thirty years!” Her aunt’s voice boomed even louder. “Thirty years of my penance is about to pay off. I stand in front of you today, because we finally have a way to break the curse!”

Her aunt’s voice was commanding. The crowd fell silent as they listened to her in rapt attention. “Anika Prajapati will soon become Anika Singham and continue the Singham bloodlines!”

As soon as her aunt finished saying those cryptic words, there was a deafening roar from the cheering crowd.