*Knock Knock* -------- "Who's there?"

*CLICK*

I opened the door and ran to the opposite room- room number 101, with my friend; tightly shutting the door behind me.

"Damn, too much of haunted talks for today! Lets just go to sleep now, we have to travel tomorrow." My friend, (say Alicia) said, all sleepy and tired.

I was on a college trip to Kurukshetra and Chandigarh with my batchmates and two faculty members. It was our first night in a hotel in Kurukshetra. I was sitting with my squad in room no. 105, which was opposite to my room, which I was sharing with a friend of mine.

We were chilling, talking about random things. It was 9:00 pm.

After a while, our HOD, who had come to the trip joined us. We all talked our hearts out and shared spritual, funny and uncanny experiences that we all have faced  at some point of our lives. It was 12:00 am now, everyone left except for four people, the girl squad including me.

And then the creepy stuff began.

My girlfriends started to talk about ghosts and horror movies and paranormal experiences. Soon, it was 3:00 am. It was when I begged to them to stop and then I came back to my room with my friend.

"Yes, you guys did not leave any ghost to talk about today!" I sarcastically replied to comment she said and we both snuggled under the blanket.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Somebody knocked at the door.

Alicia looked at me, I looked back.

"Who's there?" I called out loud. 

There was no answer.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Pamela (name changed), the friend who was in the opposite room.

"Oh Alicia, it's Pamela outside the room. Look she is calling. Open the door." I said with a sigh of relief as Alicia opened the door. The phone was still ringing. 

There was no one outside. Alicia and I looked around, there was not a single soul in the hallway.

I picked up the phone.

"Palak, did you just knock at my door?" was all she said, a little scared.

I freaked out. How can someone knock at her door and mine's too at the same time? And if it wasn't Pamela, who that might be?

"No Pam, I didn't. Someone just knocked at my door too. You don't worry I am checking. Goodnight." I said and hung up.

I closed the door and told Alicia to calm down too. We both positioned ourselves inside our warm blanket when the freaking door was knocked again.

This time, I got up and opened the door. There was no one, again. And then it struck me.

I realized that this must be a prank. Someone is up to some mischief, and trying to scare the shit out of us. So I decided to stand by the door this time, so that next time someone knocks, I will be able to open the door straight away and the culprit will be caught red-handed.

I waited for 5 minutes, until I heard the knock once again. I stopped breathing for a second and then opened the door, as fast as I could. 

To my utter horror, there was no one outside the door and in the entire hallway.

however, the reception was visible from my room, and there was a man sitting on the sofa which was placed opposite to the reception table, and that man was staring straight into my eyes.

"Did you just knock at my door?" I shouted a little, so that my voice could reach him. I was irritated.

He was wearing a plain shirt, and had thick black hair on his head. He had thick mustache and he was resting his hand on his chin and was CONSTANTLY. GAZING. AT. ME. He moved his head sideways in a "No" and kept staring.

I banged the door shut with all my might and then sat on the chair kept in the room. I was pissed, but I was scared. It was not possible. It was just not possible.

How can someone just knock and run away in split seconds? How come that man can knock and then sit back on a sofa which is far away from my room, with in 2 seconds?

How come?

For the fourth time someone knocked, I took Alicia with me and we saw 2 girls outside our door, asking us if we have knocked.

"No, we haven't. I think that man kno..." I pointed towards the sofa and fell short of words. There was no man. That man which I talked to hardly two minutes before was not there.

I recited the half Hanuman Chalisa ( prayer) that I have learnt and just went to sleep.

Next day, I asked my ma'am if there is any provision of the hotel staff to knock at doors in the night.

"Well yes, when a school or college visits and stays in a hotel, one person has to knock all the doors." She said.

I took a deep breath, and sighed. A sigh of relief.

"However, last night this duty was mine, and I was too tired to execute it. So I just slept. And I guess no one did it, as no one knocked at my door to ensure I am safe, ha-ha." She giggled.

I froze, and was just like that.

Today it's been a whole month since that incident happened, but my heart comes to my mouth every time I hear a, 

*KNOCK KNOCK*  ??