The Inheritance

His small car looked out of place in the open parking area. Nimesh had not driven his car into the garage, instead he had parked it in the open parking space of the house. It was a deliberate decision as he knew it will look out of place in the garage meant for big cars. The car was also covered with dust from the long travel. The rain, which was imminent, might wash out grime which had settled on its body.

From every angle the house looked huge. He tried to make comparison with his small one room flat in the big city, yet his imagination failed him. The two were simply not comparable. This house was a mansion, with its three floors and a basement which he had yet to visit. There was a fenced garden along with the boundary of the house. The garden appeared to be well-tended, someone must have been taking care of it after the passing of his uncle.

He had come into the house recently. It had belonged to one of his favourite uncles. Although he had never visited this house, but his uncle had told him about his huge property. Whenever he visited the metropolis, his uncle always stayed with him. They were quite close, yet he had not visited this house of his uncle. It had been built a few years ago and somehow, he had not found time to see this house earlier. Now he was about to enter into the house, however, his uncle was no more. He was sure that his faithful servant, who had been taking care of the garden and house, might visit shortly.

He picked up the house key from under the foot mat. He had got a message from someone, presumably from the same servant, who had been taking care of the house.

He looked up at the sky, it was covered with dark clouds. Just then he remembered that there was a prediction of heavy rainfall in the area.

He opened the door with the key. There was a huge drawing room in the beginning and a few guest rooms on the ground floor. He decided to survey the entire house. He was not sure if he will keep it or sell it. He was sure that his uncle would not have approved of selling the house.

He walked up to the first floor which housed four bedrooms. The biggest one he presumed must have belonged to his uncle. The second floor housed his uncle’s medals and mementos and a few books dealing with spirituality. Right now, he was not interested in any of these. There was a small bedroom with attached bath and pantry adjacent to the library. There was an open area with a sit-out on the floor. He sat on the chair under the canopy and contemplated visiting the basement.

The basement was just a big hall. It had exit on both sides, front and back. A few discarded items of household stuff were lying in one corner of the big hall. As he was still surveying the big hall, the rain started falling. He heard the sound of falling rain as it fell on rooftop and in the courtyard.

He decided to come out of the basement and enjoy the first rainfall in the house. Fortunately, he had switched on the lights immediately after entering into the basement as basement area was quite dark and darkness had intensified after the onset of rain.

As he was contemplating walking up to ground floor, the lights went out. The basement was shrouded in complete darkness. He could not see even his hand even if he put it in front of his eyes. The heavy rainfall outside added to the eerie feeling. He did not really have claustrophobia, yet some amount of discomfort had already set in his mind.

He walked in the direction of door, at least where he presumed door should be. After sometime he reached near the wall and tried to get a feel of door handle. But his hands only touched the wall. The door must be in another direction.

Disappointed, yet not disheartened, he walked in another direction. There also his efforts led him to the wall. He made a few more forays and every time his efforts led him to the wall.

He knew that he had to be patient and not panic. Sooner or later his hands will close on door handle. He stood, what he presumed to the centre of basement hall and tried to concentrate his mind on the direction from which he had entered into the basement.

This time he was sure that he was going in the right direction. It was pitch dark and he walked with confidence, yet when he reached near the wall, his hands only touched the wall and there was no door, even nearby.

He wished that he was a smoker. Then he would have a cigarette lighter in his pocket. What else could he do? Inadvertently his hand touched his pocket, he felt greatly relieved. He had luckily carried mobile in his pocket. So far, he was under the impression that he had left the mobile in drawing room.

He took the mobile from his pocket and pressed the ‘on’ switch.

To his disappointment, nothing happened, battery must have died down during the time he was in the house.

His mind was now in full panic mode.

….

After a few more unsuccessful forays he decided to pause for a while. There were no chairs in the basement, only some broken furniture. He decided to sit on the floor lest he hurt himself on some sharp edge of furniture.

The panic had started making appearance in his mind. There was no chance of rescue as nobody knew that he was in the house. Even the caretaker might not come to the house in this rain. He remembered that the weather forecast was of heavy rain for next three days.

He got up from the floor and started walking along the wall trying to feel for a door handle. After walking for a while, his hands finally closed on the door handle. He tried turning the handle, but it did not turn. Perhaps the door was of self-locking type.

Just when he was despairing, he remembered that there was another exit. Perhaps that door would be of different type. He knew that for reaching the back door one had to climb stairs. He started with a renewed hope and soon his feet touched the staircase.

He started climbing the stairs and soon his hands closed on the door handle. As he started turning the handle, the door was pushed forcefully from the outside. It almost hit him in the face. He had to jump back to avoid being hit by the door.

In the darkness his eyes noticed a silhouette on the other side of the door. For a while he was scared as his eyes took some time to adjust to the outside light.

As his eyes focussed, he saw a man with an umbrella and flashlight.

It must be the caretaker.