THE PERSON BESIDE HER (PART 3)

Everything was clear to her except one thing.

Why did the woman disappear every time they walked to Eleanor's house? Eleanor asked herself. Was it because of her trauma or something really suspicious about the woman?

"Have I made a mistake trusting a stranger? Oh...silly Eleanor, how easily do you trust people. What if she tries to harm me later? Why does that woman disappears every time I reach home."

Eleanor snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Adrien's mother knocking the door. Eleanor looked at her and asked her to come in. She came in and sat near to Eleanor and asked, "Are you okay my child? You seem to be lost in some thoughts? Mind sharing something with your mother?" Eleanor, who was sitting while hugging her knees, looked up and said

"Ma please don't think of it in another way but a woman started meeting me in the park during the midnight and sometimes in evenings too-"

"You went to the parks at night? Without informing us?", asked Adrien's mother.

"Ma, I was in a trauma after his death. I know you were also in sorrow about the same. I didn't want to bother you. I went to that park because that Park had a lot of memories of both of us. One such day Ma, A lady, she suddenly came and sat beside me and started to console me. She told me that she was a friend of dad. I don't know, what got into me and I started meeting the lady everyday. It seemed like she had hypnotized me and was controlling my actions. She told me to meet her every evening till the vacations came to an end. She further said that there is a truth about her which I would know on the first day of college after vacations. The woman used to walk me home. However, every time I turned to thank her, she disappeared." Her mother looked up and her eyes open up wide as something struck her mind. She shrugged the thoughts and asked Eleanor to continue.

"Ma...I am very scared. I was about to inform you about this lady today only."

"Eleanor...Baby, please do not trust anybody like this...What if that woman takes an advantage of you. You are too innocent." She said and hugged Eleanor.

"Ma, can I sleep with you today?"

"Okay. I'll send your father upstairs, he'll sleep here." Eleanor agreed and followed her mother as she stood up. She went downstairs and slept with her.

The next day, Eleanor left her house and reached her college as it was the first day after the vacations. She entered the classroom with a smile on her face and talked to everyone. She made new friends and started to become cheerful.

"You look beautiful when you smile Elle...", said Allen, a friend of hers. Eleanor smiled. She flinched when she heard someone calling her. She excused herself and went to the person. The person took Eleanor to the class teacher's office. Eleanor knocked and heard a masculine voice which commanded her to enter. Eleanor entered and the teacher said,

"Eleanor, do me a favour. Please collect the holiday projects from everyone in your class and submit to me by tomorrow." said the professor while looking at some files lying on his table. It seemed like he was finding something amongst the documents. He found the correct sheet and handled it to Eleanor.

"Eleanor, here's the sheet. Please mark the name of the students whose projects you will receive."

Eleanor agreed and took the sheet from him. Eleanor was about to leave but her eyes struck the wall. She asked the teacher while pointing towards the portrait of a woman hung on the center of the wall.

"Who is she, sir? What is her name?" Eleanor asked. "Ah...she was my wife, Patricia. She is no more."

"When did she die?" Eleanor asked again with fear growing in her eyes.

"About 1month back." said the professor which gave her another big shock. She held the knob of the door tightly and took a last glance at the image and the principal with horror planted on her face. She opened the door and ran as fast as she could. She glanced at her shoulder and saw a woman in all white following her. No matter how much she paced, the woman managed to pace herself at the same speed. She ran as fast as she could and ran until she reached her house. She started banging on the door and shouted to open the door. She tilted her head back and found the woman smirking at her. She turned towards the door and banged the door with tears rolling down her eyes. Her mother opened the door. Eleanor went inside and embraced her mother. Eleanor looked back when she saw that the woman still standing by the support of the gate. Eleanor signaled her mother to shut the door. She shut the door and carried Eleanor to bedroom. She gave her a glass of water and asked Eleanor the issue. Eleanor looked up being petrified and said, “Ma, the woman I told you about that day, her name is Patricia. She had already died 1 month back. And she was following me all the way till here." said Eleanor sobbing. Her mother embraced her and lent Eleanor her shoulder.

She still did not seem to understand the unknown relation she and the dead woman shared in the past days? Why did the woman try to console her? Why was the woman following her? Why did she disappear every time she walked Eleanor to her home? What was her motive?

THE END......