Riya adjusted the strap on her new pink top as she logged on to chat, like any other evening. It was just three months into her hostel life but life was a stark contrast from what it used to be at home. No domestic work, no family tension… nothing. ?Work hard and party harder? was the trademark of her hostel life. Her top was expensive but a good buy, she decided. The messages started flowing as soon as she logged on.

RaZor: U look gud in pink…
Sweetriya89: who r u?
RaZor: u always bite your nail?

Riya looked down at her nails, as she quit chewing them.

RaZor: I?m waiting for an answer…
SweetRiya89: who r u? how can u see me?

Riya picked her cellphone, and started viewing the messages she had got while she was busy attending the classes.

RaZor: 1st keep the cellphone aside?

Riya kept her cellphone on the computer table.

The latest message forced Riya to devote her full attention to this RaZor.A little rattled Riya replied?

SweetRiya89: listen! Enough of your pranks. Tell me who the hell r u?
RaZor: relax babes! 1st take a sip from the glass of water kept on ur computer table.

Now this was going beyond a joke for Riya.

SweetRiya89: enough is enough. This is becoming a little scary. how on earth r u able to spot me? c?mon tell me fast who the hell are you and how?how are you able to track my every movement and everything present in my room?
RaZor: scary?Do u believe in ghosts?
SweetRiya89: sorry! But why do u ask?
RaZor: b?coz I?m a GHOST!!!!
SweetRiya89: Aah! I see. So ghosts come and chat with people online?

Riya started smiling.

RaZor: stop smiling!!!!!!

Riya was taken aback. She left her chair at once and took a few steps back.

RaZor: sit down and listen to me Riya! Or be ready to face the consequences later.

A frightened Riya had no option but to sit down.

SweetRiya89:please tell me who r u? what u want 4rm me? Why are u scaring the hell out of me? Please don?t do this to me?
RaZor: Go to www.deathultimatum.com to get the answers of all your queries.

Riya felt like closing the chat session. But on second thought, she felt like exploring this little scary thing as it was very intriguing. Riya clicked on the link.The site opened and a message flashed:

Are you sure you want to see the site?s content? Once you do, there won?t be any coming back without our consent.

Riya hesitated for a moment and then pressed ENTER.

The new window that opened had images of murdered teenage girls splashed all across the webpage. Riya felt numb.She had every reason to feel numb. On top of the page, it was Riya?s picture under the heading :

? Forthcoming Death recommendations?.

She clicked on it only to find that the date and timing were of that very day. The time written was 7:30 PM. It was 7:28 PM already.

She tried to close the site but then this message appeared:

? You can?t log out of this site unless you are dead.?

Riya?s hands started becoming sweaty. She was feeling the heat of the moment. Her heart was beating very fast. She had no clue about what was happening and where it would lead to. She let out a loud scream.

RaZor, who was actually Riya?s batchmate Vidya, playing this prank on her, came rushing in to the room.

?Are you ok, Riya??asked Vidya.

Riya pointed to the monitor.

Vidya closed the site and switched off the computer. She hugged Riya to comfort her. It was a prank she played on Riya. Actually, she was watching Riya?s every move from her room which Riya had failed to notice.

?You are such a dumbo! Do ghosts ever chat with people on the net?? asked Vidya.

?Ok, got to go now. I?ve to catch the 8:45 PM train. Going home for the vacations. Aren?t you going?? asked Vidya.

?No? said Riya.

?Sorry for that prank?

?No problem,? said Riya.

Time: 7:30 AM the next day,? Place: Vidya?s house

After freshening up, Vidya took out her laptop and started checking her messages.

There was1 unread message.

It was her boyfriend Anurag?s message.

“Miss u sweety… Come back soon….luv u?

Vidya found that Riya was online too.

Vidyatheroadie: are u there?
SweetRiya89: yup
Vidyatheroadie: are u ok now? Or still shivering b?coz of last night?s prank
SweetRiya89:? not anymore. By the way, what was the site all about?
Vidyatheroadie: oh! That one? Actually there was a rumour about the site that whoever is nominated to die on that site, dies on the time fed by the user who nominates that person to die. But the only condition is that the recommended person has to visit the site personally and click on his/her picture.
SweetRiya89: so you recommended my name!
Vidyatheroadie: sorry, baba! I told you it was just a prank.
SweetRiya89: but do ghosts chat with people online?
Vidyatheroadie: don?t be an idiot

?There you are with your laptop! Come, go and have your breakfast first. Then chat as much as u want to with your friends.? Said Vidya?s father and switched on the TV for his daily news dose.

The headline was:

?A college girl found dead in her hostel room last night in mysterious conditions. Forensic reports say that the deceased, Riya, was said to have died around 7:30 last night.”

Vidya jumped out of her bed. How is that possible, she thought. Then something struck her. When she went to close the site, it had this message

? You can?t log out of this site unless you are dead?

But the site had closed at once as soon as Vidya clicked on the EXIT button. That meant that Riya was already dead when she reached her room.

But how can she be online this time if she?s dead?

Vidya?s heart was beating very fast. Her eyes were transfixed on the computer screen. She?s was looking as if she had just taken a sweat bath. Reason?

This latest message flashing on the computer screen was:

SweetRiya89: SOMETIMES GHOSTS DO CHAT WITH PEOPLE ONLINE!

?

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