MYSTERY OF ROOM NO.205, a short story

Photo: the-anam-unsplash

By LB THAPA

After the retirement from the 6^th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1991, I joined hotel Derek in Goa. There I worked as security in charge. Derek Santiago, a Portuguese descendent, was the owner of the hotel. 

The hotel was running well. Over the years, the hotel earned enormous name and fame and it became the first choice of many visitors. Many guests who once stayed in this hotel would never think of going to any other hotels. 

One day in the late evening, a teenage girl checked into the hotel. But the next day her dead body was found hanging to the ceiling. The door was broken to bring her dead body down to the floor. The police had tried their best but they couldn’t establish her identification. After three months, her dead body was cremated as an unidentified body. 

The very room where the girl had stayed was room No. 205. After three months, the hotel got permission to allow the room for the guests. Room No. 205 was a suite room and it was very comfortable. Because of its unique location, room No. 205 was the first choice of many guests. 

After the incident, once again the hotel was running with all its strength. We had almost forgotten the suicide incident as every one of us was busy in the hotel. However, one day something very disturbing happened in the hotel and it was the same room…Room No. 205. 

Hiralal Khurana, a noted gold merchant from Mumbai, was found dead in the same room. His dead body was hung to the ceiling fan. The door was locked from inside. The police broke the door and barged into the room. His dead body was released from the ceiling fan and laid on the ground. The police continued their investigation to find why Hiralal Khurana had committed suicide. But, even after eight months of rigorous investigation, police’s hands were empty. They were completely clueless. The police could not establish any reason that could lead to the cause of suicide. His business was going very well and he was very happy in the family. There was no extramarital affair in his life. When everything was perfect in his life then why he had committed suicide…was a mystery. After Hiralal Khurana, two more guests had committed suicide in the same room.   

After three consecutive suicide cases, Room No. 205 remained closed for about one year. Due to a persistent request made by Derek Santiago, the owner of the hotel, the Police Commissioner of Goa gave permission to use Room No. 205 for the guests. The room had earned so much notoriety that no guests wanted to occupy the room. Moreover, due to critical media coverage, the reputation of the hotel had been badly affected. Many old guests had stopped coming to the hotel and the overall business of the hotel was badly hurt. 

Room No. 205 remained unoccupied for over one and half years. Then one day Kamlesh Poddar, a popular businessman from Surat, Gujarat checked in the hotel. He was our regular guest for the last 10 years. But due to some reasons, he had not been to the hotel for the last 2-3 years. He went to the reception counter and asked for his favorite room, 205. The receptionist hesitated to allot him in Room No. 205. She persuaded him to occupy other rooms as there were many good rooms available. However, Mr. Poddar was adamant. Upon this, the receptionist made a phone call to Derek Santiago and explained the whole situation. Derek Santiago did also advise Mr. Poddar to occupy any other rooms of his choice. But Mr. Poddar did not budge an inch from his decision. At last Derek, Santiago gave in and agreed to give him room No. 205. 

Derek Santiago did phone me and asked me to take complete responsibility for the security and safety of Mr. Poddar. I assured him of the safety and security of the guest. To ensure the safety and security of the guest, I decided to sit at the door of room No.205 for the whole night. So that I could take timely action to prevent any untoward incident. 

I remained awake for the whole night, keeping my eyes and ears open. The following morning, I knocked at the door and Mr. Poddar did open the door with a wide smile across his face. I pretended and asked him if he wanted his breakfast in his room. He said that after the shower he would come to the restaurant to take breakfast. I heaved a sigh of relief and gave thanks to the almighty god because finally, the streak of suicide cases in room No. 205 had stopped.  

I greeted Mr. Poddar at the restaurant. I knew him very well because he was one of our longtime guests. I did notice that he looked extremely cheerful and contented. I had never seen him so joyful before. 

“I’m very happy today”, declared Mr. Poddar and continued. “This room has changed my life. This is a very lucky room for me”, said Mr. Poddar and walked out to his room. We were really very surprised because, after four consecutive deaths in a row, Mr. Poddar was the only person who remained alive even after spending about one week in the cursed room.   

It was 1992 Mr. Poddar did shift his business and family to Goa. One day I received a phone call from Mr. Poddar. He asked me if I was interested to work for him as security in-charge for his company. He offered me an unexpectedly high salary. I resigned from the hotel Derek and joined Mr. Poddar’s company as security in charge. 

As I was very close to Mr. Poddar, one day I dared to ask him politely. “Sir, Room No. 205 was a cursed room. All four guests who stayed in that room were found dead. I would be extremely glad if you kindly tell me that how did you manage to save your life from that cursed room?”. 

Mr. Poddar with his arms around my shoulders and said, “Look Bahadur, do you believe in spirit, I mean ghosts?”

“I have heard many stories of this kind but I have never met one in my life”, I replied honestly. 

“Actually, when I had stayed in your hotel, I was broken…I had suffered heavy losses in my business. I wanted to kill myself but I could not do it myself. Then I remembered about the notoriety of your hotel, especially room No. 205. I deliberately stayed in the same room so that someone should kill me. 

“It was about midnight when I was woken up by a girl. She told me that the hotel had sent her to entertain me. Saying this she began stripping off her clothes one by one. I immediately stopped her. I shouted at her to put on all the clothes immediately. But she insisted and in no time she stood naked in front of me. I was flabbergasted at her insane act. I gave her my towel to cover her body. 

“But she tossed off the towel and once again she tried to seduce me. Now I was angry. I slapped on one side of the chick and reprimanded her in my high pitch voice. I said that I treat her like my own daughter and such an act of her was extremely disgusting and annoying. 

“In the meantime, to my horror. The girl, right in front of me, transformed into the same girl who had committed suicide in the same room a few years ago. I had read the newspaper where her photo was printed. I immediately recognized her. She told me that she was raped by none other than her stepfather. Because of self-abasement and guilt, she had committed suicide in room No. 205. She did also reveal the fact that she was behind the three suicide cases. Actually, she had hung them to the ceiling to look like suicide. In reality, it was a coldblooded murder”. 

When I asked Mr. Poddar that why she killed those innocent men. Upon this, Mr. Poddar said that when she did appear in front of them, all of them wanted to get physical with her and this very act of them enraged her. And she punished them for their lecherous character. 

However, she did not kill me because despite being seduced, I stood firm as I was a man of good character. I had passed her examination and that made her pleased. She promised me that she would help me in my business and in my life. Since then she is always on my side. 

Listen to me Bahadur. If you are a man of good character and honesty then not only does god but even spirits will start liking you. So, keep my word in your mind. Always uphold good character and remain honest no matter how critical is the situation. 

LB Thapa is a Pokhara-based freelance writer and author. 

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