Echo Dream - Ep-02 @VoomComix
Entry Banshi
After many days, Rahil woke up. There was a happy atmosphere in the house. But one thing was strange—if anyone went away from Rahil for even a minute, she would start screaming loudly. Her voice was exactly like the one coming from inside a well.
Slowly time passed, and Rahil started getting better. After a few months, she got better, but strange changes had come in her. She now always liked to stay in a corner. She started living in fear. She neither liked sunlight, nor any friends, nor was she attached to family or any relative. She just wanted to remain silent.
In school too, she would always sit in a corner. Neither did she feel like studying, nor did she talk to friends. Gradually the children in the school started getting scared of her. Her strange hair and habit of staring made her even more strange. If someone sat near her, she would look at him with such eyes as if she would kill him.
The situation worsened so much that the school authorities refused to teach her. They said that because of her, children were threatening to leave school.
At home too, Rahil's family was fed up with her antics. Now even her own family was scared of her going near them. She would go to the well at midnight and stand there. In the morning, the family would bring her back. Her mother would just cry on seeing her, as she was their only daughter.
Frustrated, the family decided to call an exorcist. No one suspected that Rahil was possessed by a spirit.
The exorcist came and tried to talk to Rahil. But Rahil remained silent. No sound, no fear, she would just quietly do whatever the exorcist said.
The shaman said to her, "Close your eyes."
Rahil closed her eyes.
The shaman asked, "What do you see?"
Rahil said, "The house."
The shaman asked, "Who else is in the house?"
Rahil said, "The banshee."
(This is a reference to the banshee, a female spirit in Irish and Celtic folklore. The banshee often signals death by wailing, screaming, or moaning. She is dressed in a white or brown hooded cloak.)
The shaman was frightened. He said in fear, "Banshi? Are you a banshee?"
Then Rahil's body suddenly started shaking.
The shaman asked again, "Are you a banshee?"
Rahil said, "No."
The shaman asked, "Then who are you?"
Rahil said, "I am Rahil."
The exorcist asked, "What are you doing near Banshi?"
Rahil said, "I like her."
The exorcist asked, "Do you like Banshi, or Banshi likes you?"
Rahil said swaying, "I like Banshi."
The exorcist said, "Do you even know who Banshi is and what a horrible woman she is?"
Rahil remained silent. Then she said, "She is very sweet. She can kill anyone who troubles me."
The exorcist asked, "Who else is there in that well?"
Rahil said, "A man. The one who went to take out my body. He is still there."
The exorcist looked at Rahil's family. From their gestures he understood that Rahil's words were true.
The exorcist asked, "How did you go there?"
Rahil said, "When I was playing with friends, I hid near a tree to hide. There I saw Banshi hiding with me. She was laughing seeing me and I found her very cute. Banshi said to go and hide near the well, otherwise she will find us. But I refused.
Then I tried to run and go to my friends. But all my friends were just playing. I shook my friends, but no one said anything. I was crying loudly, still no one saw me.
Banshi caught my legs and dragged me to the well in front of everyone. I screamed very loudly, 'Save me!' But no one came.
Then Banshi took me to the well. There I saw a new world. Where there was no one except me and Banshi. Banshi keeps me very happy there." Rahil said, "Really, when I live in this world, why are the people here so scary? Why are not everyone as good as Banshi? I will take everyone there."
The exorcist asked, "What else have you seen?"
Rahil said, "Fear."
The exorcist asked, "What kind of fear?"
Rahil said, "Whoever does not listen to Banshi, Banshi takes out his eyes and gives them to me so that I can eat them. And Banshi likes his heart very much. Banshi eats the heart and we both drink the blood."
Hearing this, the exorcist's fear increased further. He started reciting the mantra, but just then a strong gust of wind came in the room. A shadow began to emerge in the corner.
The shadow was the figure of a woman in a white robe. She had long, disheveled hair and empty, scary eyes. It was Banshi.
The Banshi said in a slow, echoing voice, "You cannot stop me. This girl is mine now. She has chosen me."
The shaman said, "You are lying! You have no power over a human being. Leave him alone!"
The banshee laughed and said, "He has called me. Now you cannot do anything."
Rahil suddenly fell to the ground and started trembling. The shaman kept chanting mantras, but the banshee's power kept increasing.
Rahil suddenly got up. Her eyes turned white and her voice became deep and scary.
Rahil said, "I need her. She does not leave me alone. When I am near her, everything feels right."
End of Rahil and Banshi
Rahil shouted, "Take me away. I don't want to stay here."
The Banshi smiled and said, "Come. I was waiting for you."
Then suddenly Rahil fainted. The Banshi grabbed her leg and started dragging her on the ground. Rahil was unconscious, but her body seemed to be following the Banshi on its own.
The exorcist started chanting mantras again and ran to stop Rahil. As soon as he tried to stop the Banshi, an invisible force pushed him back. The exorcist fell on the ground and kept looking terrified.
Rahil's family was crying and trying to stop him, but every time someone tried to touch Rahil, he would jump in the air and fall away. It was as if there was an invisible wall around the Banshi, which no one could cross.
Slowly, the Banshi took Rahil near the well. That night the moonlight was falling on the well, but the well did not look the same as before. Blue and black light was coming out of it, and a strange echoing sound spread throughout the area.
As soon as Banshi reached the well, she picked up Rahil and slowly started descending inside the well. Rahil's body also disappeared along with Banshi.
The exorcist shouted with all his might, "Stop! Leave him!"
But Banshi turned once and looked at the exorcist and such a black light came out of his eyes that the exorcist fainted on the spot.
Rahil's entire body was now inside the well. For the last time, his mother shouted, "Rahil, come back!"
But Banshi laughed horribly and said, "Now he is mine."
One last bright light came out of the well and then everything became quiet. The well started looking the same as before, but both Rahil and Banshi had disappeared.
There was silence in the house. The family members and the villagers stood in shock. The exorcist also lay helplessly on the ground.
Will Rahil return?
This question was on everyone's mind. But one thing was certain—now no one will go near that well.
Some say that Rahil is trapped in the world of flutes.
Some say that she will return one day... but if she does, will she be the same Rahil?
The story of that well still remains a mystery.
Echo Dream Ep-02