Chapter 1: Whispers Over Chai

You know those stories you hear over chai—of some poor soul discovering a stranger living in their house? Most people laugh them off, until something strange happens close to home. In India, as evening chai and samosas pass hands, people gossip about odd happenings in posh homes, but few truly believe until the shadow falls on their own doorstep. Still, the idea of someone lurking behind a curtain or hiding in the storeroom—watching from the darkness—can send a chill through even the bravest.

Is it really possible for someone to hide in another person’s house, secretly watching a family’s every move?

It sounds like one of those Sony TV crime shows, or the kind of horror tales dadi whispers at night to scare the children. Yet, in the shadowy corners of our cities, truth sometimes outpaces fiction—stories that are stranger, and far more frightening, than any serial.

And what if this invisible guest carries a motive darker than we can imagine?

The mere thought can make the hair on your arms stand up. In a country where the home is sacred, where “apna ghar” means safety, such a violation cuts deep.

These things do happen—sometimes quietly, sometimes with a bang.

In a land where everyone says, “Shubh-shubh bolo,” the unthinkable sometimes creeps in. When it does, it brings not just fear, but a bone-deep dread that lingers long after.

For the invaded, it’s nothing short of a nightmare.

That’s why even the boldest souls in India sleep with the latch drawn and the verandah light burning, just in case…