Between worlds

The Johnson family is new to the city of Amarpur. They rented a small house in a colony. The house was the last one, beyond which there was a water stream and then a dense forest. 

Mr. Johnson is a police officer who came to Amarpur on transfer. The family has four members: Mr. Johnson, his wife Anita, his son Derek, and his daughter Sonia.

 Halloween was just around the corner, and people were preparing for the celebration. Derek and Sonia prepared a big jack-o'-lantern with candles inside. They bought costumes for trick-or-treating. Sonia and Derek had made some friends at school and in the colony. Anita had become familiar with the families that lived on their street. So now, they were no longer strangers in the colony. 

When October 31 arrived, people were wandering the streets in Halloween costumes. Young people and children were busy setting up Halloween decorations. Derek, Sonia, and their friends had a plan to visit one another's homes for trick-or-treating.

 In the evening, children were visiting homes for trick-or-treating. Sonia and Derek were also out trick-or-treating. Mr. Johnson and Anita were at home. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. Anita opened the door and found a girl at the doorstep asking for treats. Anita saw that girl for the first time. She was a girl of about five years old wearing a pumpkin costume. She had a doll in her hands. 

Anita offered her candies and apples. She said, "Thank you for the candies and apples." She gave Anita a cute smile and said, "My doll, too, wants candies."

 Anita laughed and offered her some more candies. Anita asked her name. At this, she replied, "My name is Jainy." She gave her a sweet smile and, pointing to her doll, said, "Her name is Daisy." Saying so she sat on a chair.

Mr. Johnson was there reading a novel. Jainy caught his attention, and he took photos of her using his mobile phone camera. Anita asked, "Where do you live?" Jainy replied, "We lived here in this house before you." Anita asked, "Alright, but where do you live at present?"

But instead of replying, Jainy remained silent for a short while and then said, "Thank you for the candies and apples, and we will come again." Saying so, she turned to go. 

Just then, Derek and Sonia, along with their friend Manoj, entered the house. When Manoj saw those two children, he became frightened and began to tremble. Manoj once again looked at them; those children were walking towards the forest.

 Manoj said to Derek, "Look, that is Jainy. She died last year. How could she come here for trick-or-treating?" 

Hearing this, Derek shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know any Jainy."

 Manoj said, "It is the ghost of Jainy. Look, the ghost is going to the forest," and pointed in the direction where she was going. Hearing this, Sonia laughed and said, "Ghosts don't exist." 

But Manoj insisted, "But Jainy is already dead. Jainy's doll is with her too. It is the ghost of Jainy." 

Mr. Johnson interrupted them, "What are you saying? She is a live girl who has just visited us and is now going home."

 Manoj replied, "It is the ghost of Jainy. Jainy died in an accident." Johnson said to him, "You are mistaken. I took photographs of her." Saying so, he checked the photographs. To his surprise, neither Jainy nor her doll was in the image; only the chair was visible. 

Manoj said with curiosity, "Let me look at the photos." He looked at the photo and said, "Where is Jainy? We can't take a photograph of a ghost." Seeing this, Mr. Johnson was surprised and decided to probe the matter.

 The next day, Mr. Johnson met Manoj's father and told him all about what happened the previous evening.

 Manoj's father told him that Jainy and her parents had died last year in a car accident. Then, Manoj's father showed him a photo of Jainy and her family.

 When Johnson saw Jainy in the photograph, he was shocked and said to Manoj's father, "This is the same girl who visited my home last evening! How is it possible?" 

Manoj's father looked at him with surprise and said, "Manoj also saw Jainy last evening. Manoj told me that she had her doll with her. The doll was with her when she died, and she was buried with it."

 Johnson and Manoj's father went to the graveyard to see Jainy's grave. They found candies, apples, and a pumpkin costume on the grave.