Behind The Rusted Gate - By Arpita Pandey

Written By: Arpita Pandey

Category: Short story

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the realm of storytelling, Arpita Pandey takes us on an enthralling journey with her short story, "Behind The Rusted Gate." This submission for the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 is a testament to the art of weaving suspense and narrative intrigue. As readers, we are invited to explore themes of courage and friendship against the backdrop of a mysterious and abandoned house. Arpita's story is a vivid reminder of the power of resilience and hope in overcoming fear and adversity.

About the Work

"Behind The Rusted Gate" unfolds with an atmosphere thick with mystery and suspense. Arpita Pandey skillfully crafts a narrative that delves into the depths of human courage and the quest for truth. The story is rich in imagery, capturing the eerie silence of a long-abandoned house and the tension that grips its characters. At its heart, it explores themes of friendship and bravery, with a message that even the smallest acts of courage can shape the course of justice.

Behind The Rusted Gate

Original Submission by Arpita Pandey

On a silent midnight, as the clock struck twelve, Charles was

celebrating his birthday with his friends-Oliver, James, and Kaiz-

inside his car. Laughter and cheerful conversations filled the air, but

the joyful atmosphere was suddenly shattered by a blood-curdling

scream that echoed from the abandoned house across the street.

The friends froze in terror as an eerie silence followed. A chilling

sensation crept down their spines.

"What was that?" Oliver asked, fear evident in his eyes.

"Yes, that scream was terrifying," Kaiz replied.

"But that house has been abandoned for over a decade, hasn't it,

Charles?" James asked.

"Yes," Charles answered. "My family has lived on this street since

2005. In 2015, the family living there suddenly disappeared, and the

house has remained empty ever since."

Kaiz and Charles had always been fascinated by mysteries and

adventures, unlike James and Oliver, who preferred to avoid

unnecessary risks.

"Let's go inside the house. It will be exciting," Kaiz suggested.

"Absolutely not. We are not doing that," James replied firmly.

"We are not the kind of people who should be wandering into

abandoned houses in the middle of the night," Oliver added.

"Oh, come on. It's well within our capabilities, and it will be

immensely entertaining," Kaiz argued.

"He's right," Charles said. "I've lived here for nearly two decades.

There's nothing to worry about."

After some hesitation, James finally agreed.

"Fine. Let's go."

Oliver, having no real choice, reluctantly followed.

As they crossed the road together, Kaiz walked a few steps ahead of

the group.

Suddenly, a bike came speeding down the street. The rider

slammed on the brakes, but the bike lightly struck Kaiz, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the pavement. He quickly sat up,

rubbing his arm. Apart from a few scrapes and a cut on his elbow, he appeared unharmed.

His friends escorted him back to the car, where they cleaned the

wound and applied a bandage. While standing beside the vehicle,

Kaiz accidentally left a few drops of blood on the road, and a small

bloodstain remained on the car. Oliver noticed both and pointed

them out to the others, but no one paid much attention.

Soon, they continued toward the abandoned house.

For more than a decade, the gate had remained firmly shut, its iron

frame concealed beneath layers of rust, dust, and grime. The

overwhelming stillness suggested years of neglect, as though time

itself had ceased to exist beyond its rusted bars.

Since the gate was relatively small, the boys climbed over it and

entered the property.

To their surprise, the main door was already open. It seemed

unusual, but they dismissed the thought and stepped inside.

Then-

**THUD!**

The door slammed shut behind them.

A full day passed, yet none of the boys returned home.

Their worried parents filed a missing persons report, prompting a

large-scale investigation. However, there was no trace of the four

teenagers.

While examining Charles's car, investigators discovered the

bloodstain and the droplets of blood on the road. The discovery

heightened suspicion and deepened the parents' fears.

During the investigation, one of the officers noticed footprints near

the gate of the abandoned property. Accompanied by his team, he

entered the house.

Inside, they discovered several packets of illegal drugs resting on a

table. Although the exterior of the house was covered in dust, one

room appeared remarkably clean, as though it had been used

regularly. Further investigation revealed packaging materials,

leading the officers to conclude that the house was being used as a

drug-processing and packaging facility.

Among the evidence, they also found a gold chain that Charles was

known to wear.

The investigation intensified.

Suddenly-

**THUD... CRASH!**

A loud noise echoed through the house, as though something had

fallen and shattered.

Mr. Edward, the senior-most officer leading the investigation,

immediately instructed a sergeant to determine the source of the

sound.

The sergeant entered the room from which the noise had originated

and discovered a broken flower pot beneath a windowsill. Looking

outside, he noticed an elderly woman running away.

He immediately alerted the other officers.

After nearly thirty minutes of pursuit, they finally caught her and

brought her before Mr. Edward.

"I am astonished, sir," the sergeant remarked. "This elderly woman

ran so fast that we struggled to catch her."

The moment Charles's mother saw the woman, she gasped in

shock.

"Mrs. Smith? You?"

Mr. Edward turned toward her.

"You know this woman?"

"Yes, sir," she replied. "She belonged to the family that lived here ten

years ago."

Edward noticed that Mrs. Smith's leg was bleeding and offered her a

chair.

"What were you doing here, madam?" he asked.

"This is my house," Mrs. Smith replied calmly. "Why wouldn't I be

here?"

"But this house has supposedly been abandoned for ten years. We

also found illegal drugs inside."

Mrs. Smith sighed.

"Ten years ago, my son and daughter-in-law disappeared. Before

they vanished, I overheard them discussing their plans to move to

London. They had decided to leave me in an old age home, and the

very next day, they did exactly that. They had no intention of selling

this house. After a series of unfortunate circumstances, I eventually

returned from the old age home and discovered that the property

had remained untouched. To avoid public embarrassment and

protect my family's reputation, I chose to live here in secret."

"But what about the drugs?" Edward asked.

"I know nothing about them," she replied. "Two nights ago, I heard a

disturbance while preparing to sleep. When I went to investigate,

someone struck me on the head. I lost consciousness. When I woke

up and saw police officers everywhere, I panicked and attempted to

escape because I feared my secret would be exposed."

Privately, Mrs. Smith informed Edward that she was a retired police

officer and wished to assist in the investigation.

The police then reviewed security camera footage from nearby

houses. They discovered a blue car passing through the area at the

exact time of the disappearance. Although the driver's face was

obscured, a hand briefly appeared outside the vehicle.

Oliver's mother immediately recognized the distinctive watch on the

wrist.

"That's Oliver's watch."

Unfortunately, only half of the license plate was visible.

Determined to identify the vehicle, investigators collected footage

from additional locations. Eventually, a camera outside a hospital

captured the full license plate.

The car was registered in the name of Mrs. Smith's son.

Naturally, suspicion once again fell upon Mrs. Smith.

However, she maintained her innocence.

"Instead of focusing solely on me, continue examining the footage,"

she advised. "This is Hyderabad. There are surveillance cameras

everywhere."

Although the police remained skeptical, Mrs. Smith began

conducting her own investigation.

Two days later, she tracked the vehicle's movements to a remote

village. Since the village lacked surveillance cameras, she carefully

searched the area herself.

After tracing the blue car's route to a remote village, Mrs. Smith

immediately contacted Mr. Edward and informed him of her

findings. She explained that the vehicle connected to the boys

disappearance had entered the village but had never left. Mr.

Edward assured her that a police team would be dispatched at once

and instructed her not to investigate on her own. However,

determined to gather more information while waiting for the officers

to arrive, Mrs. Smith carefully began searching the area.The officers

arrived and searched the village thoroughly. However, after an hour

of investigation, they failed to find any clues. Convinced that they

were pursuing a dead end, they decided to return. Meanwhile, Mrs.

Smith continued her search from the entrance of the village. As she

carefully examined the area, she noticed something unusual.

Every few hundred meters, she discovered one of Oliver's personal

belongings.

Following the trail, she eventually arrived at another abandoned

house.

Continuing her search, she discovered a deep, dried-up pond

approximately five hundred meters away. Hidden within it was the

missing blue car.

Her suspicions confirmed, she returned to the abandoned house.

Peering through a window, she saw all four boys sitting on chairs,

their hands tightly bound.

Immediately, she contacted Mr. Edward and informed the boys

parents of her discovery.

Unfortunately, the officers had already left the village and would

require at least fifteen minutes to return.

They instructed her not to intervene.

A short while later, she overheard two men speaking.

"What should we do now?" one asked nervously. "These boys have

seen us. The police must already be investigating."

The other replied coldly,

"We eliminated the owners of that house ten years ago, and no one

ever uncovered the truth. We can deal with this situation too."

Mrs. Smith was horrified.

Realizing that waiting could cost the boys their lives, she acted

immediately.

Grabbing a wooden plank, she struck both men on the head,

rendering them unconscious. She rushed inside and untied the

boys.

Moments later, several more criminals emerged, and a fierce

struggle followed.

Just as the situation became critical, the police arrived and arrested

everyone involved.

Afterward, Mr. Edward approached Mrs. Smith.

"You fought remarkably bravely. Tell me the truth. How did you find the boys?"

Mrs. Smith took a deep breath.

"The truth is far more complicated than anyone realizes."

She continued:

"My son and daughter-in-law never moved to London. They were

murdered. Ten years ago, I returned home and discovered their

bodies. While grieving, I was attacked, shot, and left for dead. I

remained in a coma for nearly nine years and regained

consciousness only three months ago. During those three months, I

dedicated every waking moment to studying old case files and

tracing the criminals activities. During those three months, I

dedicated every waking moment to studying old case files and

tracing the criminals activities. The story I told you earlier was a lie; I

was not living in the house during those ten years."

Everyone listened in stunned silence.

"Since recovering, I have been secretly tracking the people

responsible. On the night of the scream, they spotted me and

attempted to kill me. That was the scream the boys heard. I escaped

and hid in a basement they did not know existed. The boys were

kidnapped because they had seen the drug-packaging operation,

and the criminals feared that they would reveal everything to the

authorities."

The officers and parents stood speechless.

Then Mr. Edward smiled.

"So all this time, you were pursuing them yourself?"

Mrs. Smith nodded.

"Yes. Even after retirement, I continued assisting the authorities on

a confidential operation aimed at dismantling this criminal

network."

The criminals were eventually convicted for murder, kidnapping,

drug trafficking, and numerous other offenses.

The four boys were safely reunited with their families, who

embraced them with tears of relief and gratitude.

Mrs. Smith was officially honoured by the government for her

extraordinary courage, intelligence, and determination.

However, she was not the only person who received praise.

Everyone also applauded Oliver for his remarkable presence of

mind. While being transported by the kidnappers, he had discreetly

dropped his belongings at intervals of approximately four hundred

meters, creating a trail that ultimately helped Mrs. Smith locate the

abandoned house and rescue the boys.

What seemed like a simple act became one of the most crucial

clues in the entire investigation.

His quick thinking, courage, and composure under pressure played

a vital role in bringing the case to a successful conclusion.

Author's Synopsis

What begins as a joyful birthday celebration quickly turns into a nightmare when four friends hear a mysterious scream from an abandoned house and decide to investigate. Their curiosity leads to their sudden disappearance, setting off a gripping investigation filled with hidden clues, dangerous criminals, and long-buried

secrets.

As the mystery unfolds, an unexpected retired police officer, Mrs. Smith, steps forward. Her determination, courage, and years-long pursuit of justice reveal the truth behind a decade-old crime and a powerful criminal network. Alongside her bravery, Oliver's presence of mind in leaving a trail of his belongings becomes the key to saving the boys.

Blending suspense, mystery, friendship, and courage, this story explores how intelligence, resilience, and hope can triumph over fear and evil. It reminds readers that even the smallest act of bravery can change the course of an entire investigation, and that justice, though delayed, can never remain hidden forever.

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, is a celebration of literary talent from diverse voices around the globe. This platform showcases creative expressions that span across poetry, short stories, and essays, encouraging participants to share their unique perspectives and storytelling prowess. The competition is a testament to Hashtag Kalakar's commitment to nurturing and highlighting creativity in the arts.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Arpita Pandey for sharing her compelling story, "Behind The Rusted Gate," with us. Her participation in the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 has enriched our collection with a tale of mystery and valor. We are grateful for her contribution and look forward to more of her captivating narratives in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.