Birth Of A Paranormal Investigator

Paramjeet was sensitive to alternate realms, beings, entities, planes etc from his childhood. He could sense and feel what others could not. Since childhood only, his senses were keenly developed and he could see and hear things that you and I probably can’t. From a very young age, he could communicate with spirits of all sorts. All this started when one day Param was about to go to sleep when he had his first experience with the paranormal. As he was about to turn off the lights, he heard a slight creak coming from his wardrobe door. At first, he could not understand it. Then, he heard a faint whisper.

“Param....... Param.”

He thought his brother was calling him but his brother was sound asleep.

He looked at the door again.

This time the door was slightly ajar. He could see a faint outline of a thin, tall man.

He was surprised and shocked to see this in his wardrobe! Naturally, who wouldn’t be?

I mean if you see a thin tall man in your wardrobe wouldn’t you be scared?

Paramjeet was scared but did not react in any way; rather he slithered under his bed covers! This continued for the following few nights. Every night, he used to have this nocturnal visitor whom only he could see and hear. Then one day Param asked

“Who are you?”

“Why are you troubling me?”

His brother shouted from the adjacent bed “go to sleep. Don’t disturb me. Who are you talking with anyways?”

Param knew that his brother wouldn’t understand so he said “no one, go back to sleep.”

The entity then spoke, “I need your help.”

“How can I help you?” Param asked.

“By finding out 

whether my wife still loves me or not!”

Param said, “ how can I find out about this?”

“I even don’t know your wife or where do you stay?” He continued.

The entity said, “I will give you the address and you have to just look at her eyes when she talks about me.” It said with a glint of a tear in its eyes.

The next day Paramjeet along with his grandmother who believed in him went to the address given to him by the entity. There they found a lovely young woman who was sad and lonely. When they asked her about the reason for her grief and loneliness.

She said, “I miss my husband.” With that, she broke down.

Param’s grandmother somehow consoled her and they came back in a sombre mood. That night the entity again visited Param.

“Did you go there?” It asked.

“Yes,” Param replied.

“What did you see?” The entity asked.

“I saw that your wife loves and misses you terribly.” He said.

The entity was satisfied with this answer and thanked Paramjeet.

“Now I can rest in peace!” It said and vanished with a smile on its face.

Unfortunately, his parents could not at first understand the special gifts he had. Therefore, they always used to think that he was a special child and required special attention. His grandmother, on the other hand, could relate to his special qualities, as she was once deeply involved in metaphysical and spiritual research and phenomena and had immense knowledge on such matters. So she always supported him and this caused tensions between his grandmother and his parents.

Being the youngest of three siblings Paramjeet was loved and adored by everyone, especially, both his elder brother Ritwik and his grandmother. Both of them just doted on him. Though he was a completely normal boy like any other who loved football, movies, outdoor excursions and goofing around; there were times he used to go completely quiet and not mix with anyone. Or, sometimes, he used to be so scared that his whole body used to shake violently that the whole family used to be tense and concerned about his condition. Though after a few seconds, he again used to be normal and chirpy as before. When asked by his parents “what had happened?

“I can see dead people!” He used to reply in a croaked whisper.

“They want to talk to me!” He continued.

His parents were like any other modern parent and did not believe in all these supernatural phenomena and rather thought he was suffering from some kind of psychological disorder. So one day, they took him to a world-renowned psychiatrist, Dr Ray. Dr Ray was an amicable, pot-bellied man, whose round face was always smiling and he always had candy for little children. When Dr Ray first saw Paramjeet, “he is a smart boy”, was the first thing he said. After going through the usual chit-chat and round of questioning Paramjeet suddenly sat up straight and started going into one of his phases where he could see dead people. His parents were concerned but Dr Ray was unmoved. He said, “what is happening Parry?”

“Do you mind if I call you Parry?” He asked.

Paramjeet just nodded and then said, “there is someone behind you”.

Everybody looked at where he was pointing but there was no one there.

“Where? I can’t see anyone.” Dr Ray said.

“She is standing right behind you and looking at you,” Paramjeet replied.

“What.........?”

“Where? I can’t see anyone.” Dr Ray said looking around.

“She is right behind you,” Paramjeet responded.

“Who is she?” “What does she want?” Dr Ray asked

“Her name is Shanta and she just wanted to see you,” Paramjeet replied.

Hearing her name there was a change in Dr Ray’s expression but he quickly regained his composure. However, this slight imperceptible change did not go unnoticed by Paramjeet’s parents.

“Everything alright Doctor Ray?” They asked.

“Yes ... Yes, absolutely fine. He is absolutely fine. He has got a high IQ level and is very smart.” Dr Ray said changing the topic and pointing at Paramjeet.

“Can you still see her?” Dr Ray asked.

“No, she is gone now,” Paramjeet replied. He could see that the woman’s apparition look at him and melt into thin air. She gave a parting smile at him.

Paramjeet’s parents were now more concerned and worried for him. Dr Ray had also said after a few more minutes with him that he would be conducting some tests on him in a few days. When asked by his worried mother, Dr Ray replied

 “He is a gifted child with special talents. You should be proud of him.”

He further added, “He is a smart and intelligent boy and he will do wonders when he grows up.”

Anyways, life goes on for a few days when one day, when Paramjeet was playing football with his friends on nearby ground. The ball went a bit far away from a kick and Paramjeet had to go and fetch the ball. The ball went into one of the densely forested areas and there were a lot of bushes and hedges blocking the view from the main ground. As Paramjeet went to fetch the ball he saw a pale-looking boy, standing in the shade looking at the ball in his hands. Paramjeet saw that this boy was of the same height and build as his, however, he had a sad-looking expression in his eyes.

“Hi what’s your name?” Paramjeet asked.

“Shombhu.”

The boy replied looking at him.

“What are you doing here?” Paramjeet asked.

“I also want to play with you guys but I can’t,” Shombhu replied.

“Why?” Paramjeet asked surprised.

“I just can’t.” Shombhu insisted.

Meanwhile, the rest of Paramjeet’s friends had waited long for him to bring the ball back and when he took so long they started coming in his direction calling out his name.

“Paramjeet............... Paramjeet....” “Where are you? They shouted.

Paramjeet could see that this commotion had made Shombhu uncomfortable and he was looking nervously here and there.

“Don’t worry. They are all my friends.” Paramjeet said.

Shombhu however, did not say anything and kept on looking here and there apprehensively. It seemed that he wanted to just run away from the approaching group of boys. By that time his friends caught up to him also and Paramjeet said: “Here let me introduce you to my friends.”

“They will not say anything to you so you don’t have to be scared.”

His friends were surprised to find him talking to thin air. “With whom are you talking?” They asked.

“With my friend Shombhu,” Param replied.

His friends were a bit taken aback as they could not see anyone there. They even said to Param that there was no one there. This was surprising to Param also as he turned there was no one!

“Arrey, he was right here just now. Where did he go?”

“Where did who go?” His friends asked.

Param decided to change the topic as he knew no one would believe him and everyone would make fun of him. However, the sudden vanishing of Shombhu kept nagging him. That night when he was sleeping he felt as if the temperature of the room had gone down considerably. 

“This is strange.” Param thought to himself and took a bed-sheet to cover himself. After a few moments, he felt as if someone was pulling his bed –sheet off him! At first, he thought that he must have kicked it aside and again covered himself. But again, after a few minutes, the same thing happened. This kept on happening for a few minutes. No sooner had Param covered himself back under the sheet, than he would feel that someone kept pulling it off him!

Now Param was awake. He felt as if someone else was there in the room with him. He looked around in the darkness but did not see anyone. As he was to go back to sleep.

“Param.............. Param” Someone whispered.

Param jolted back and peered intensely in the darkness. After a few seconds, he could see a slight shadow slowly approaching. He was about to scream as he was scared. But the shadow changed into the form of Shombhu, his newfound friend from the morning.

“Hey... How come you are here?” Param asked.

“Shhh......... Please.” Don’t Scream.

“I can come and go where I please,” Shombhu replied.

“Why did you run away in the morning?” Param asked inquisitively.

Shombhu did not say anything but the sad look in his eyes gave away everything.

Now Param understood what was wrong with his friend. He kept quiet for some time and then asked “what do you want?”

“I want your help,” Shombhu replied.

“How can I help you?” He asked

“By helping me get to the place where I have to go.” Shombhu pleaded.

Meanwhile, as they were having this conversation, Ritwik, Param’s elder brother had gone to the kitchen for a glass of water. He was slightly taken aback when he heard voices coming from Param’s room. So he quietly tip-toed over to his room and very quietly opened the door to Param’s room. Here he was as surprised as anyone to see Param talking all by himself!

“Who are you talking to?” Ritwik asked.

“To my friend Shombhu,” Param replied.

“Shombhu say Hi to my brother Ritwik.” Param gestured to someone.

However hard Ritwik tried but he could not see anyone else in the room. This worried him and he immediately called his parents.

His parents and his grandmother came rushing to Param’s room.

“Who were you talking with?” They asked.

“With my friend here.” He replied.

This again worried his parents and they were now really worried about his behaviour and his mental health. His grandmother, however, could sense that there was someone else in the room apart from him.

“Don’t worry. I believe you.” She said.

Param just looked at her and nodded. Later on, he went back to sleep as Shombhu’s apparition had melted into thin air when Param’s parents had entered the room.

This continued for a few days and Shombhu told him how he had died. He told him that while playing with friends he had run and climbed up a tree. As night approached, he in a scramble to get down had slipped from the branch of the tree and broke his neck. For the next few days, Shombhu’s parents had searched all over the city. Even the police had spent a considerable amount of time looking for him. Unfortunately, nobody could find his body which lay hidden under the pile of dried and rotten leaves just beneath the branch of the tree.

One day, he told his brother “I know where Shombhu’s body is!”

At first, his brother thought he was just playing a prank; but when he saw the seriousness in his eyes, his brother realized that Param was telling the truth all this while!

“Take me there!” His brother said.

So Param took his brother Ritwik to the exact spot where Shombhu had told him his body would be.

“How did you know the exact location?” Ritwik asked.

“Shombhu guided me.” He replied.

The next thing they did was to inform their parents about their discovery. Again, at first, both their parents were sceptical, but Ritwik and their grandmother managed to convince them. So they went to Shombhu’s house.

At first, Shombhu’s grieving parents did not want to even listen to them.

“Sir, why are you playing with our emotions?” Shombhu’s father asked with folded hands.

His mother was constantly wiping tears from her eyes as Shombhu was the only child. But when Param told them that Shombhu had met with a terrible accident and unfortunately, was no more in this world. They broke down. His mother fainted and his father was dumbstruck for a few seconds.

“You must be joking right?” He asked Param earnestly.

Param looked straight in his eyes and in a quivering voice said “I wish uncle, I was joking, but I have seen Shombhu’s body.”

“How do you know that it is Shombhu?” His father asked.

Param then peered inside the room and looked at Shombhu’s picture. He could envision that it was the same boy who used to come to him every night.

“He is Shombhu and I see him every night.” He replied.

“Even right now he is standing right beside you uncle and aunty.” He pointed to a spot where he could see Shombhu’s spirit standing close to his parents.

“Where?” Both of his parents jumped back but could not see anyone.

Both of Shombhu’s parents were taken aback by this statement. Then Param’s grandmother stepped and his brother joined in to tell them that Paramjeet had this special gift and that Ritwik himself had seen the body.

With extreme difficulty, Shombhu’s parents were convinced to accompany them to the spot where Shombhu had fallen to his death. Even the police were called.

Indeed, here they found Shombhu’s decaying body covered under a pile of dry and rotten leaves and broken branches. Shombhu’s mother broke down once again. His father could hardly control his emotions but somehow managed to look at Param and say “Thank you so much. At least, now my son will have salvation and we will die in peace in the hope of reuniting with him.”

“You have done a great favour to us Param.” Shombhu’s father said with folded hands. Later on, the police took the body for autopsy and all other formalities.

It was from then on that Param’s parents were convinced that their son indeed had special gifts. They just wanted him to use this gift to help everyone. It was from then also that his reputation as a person who could see and communicate with dead people grew.

Time passed and Paramjeet got on with his life. He grew up to be a young man who had all the attributes and desires anyone would have at his age. He liked to party, play, study and get on with his life. He also had a charming personality which attracted all the girls to him. He was studying mechanical engineering and also was pursuing his childhood work of helping people. His reputation had started gaining momentum and people from all across the state started coming to him for supernatural problems. He was also supposed to go to the US for getting his advanced degree in Paranormal Studies and Demonology from St. George’s Rectory, Pennsylvania.

Shubankar Dey, a neighbour of the Sengupta family, one day came to visit Param.

“Hi Param, how are you?” Shubankar asked.

“I am okay. How are you?”

“I have heard that you have got some special gifts.”

“People say so,” Param responded nonchalantly.

“I need a favour from you if you don’t mind,” Shubankar asked nervously.

“Not at all. Please tell me what’s wrong.” Param was interested.

At first, Shubankar was a bit hesitant to reveal all thinking that he might laugh it off or dismiss it completely. But still, he wanted to give it a try.

“You know it’s been six months only since shifted into that house.” Shubankar looked at Param for validation. But he just looked on.

When He saw that Param just looked at him, Shubankar continued with his narration.

“At first, everything was okay. However, from the last few days, strange things have started happening.”

“What kind of strange things?” Param asked interested.

“Things have started appearing out of place, doors opening and shutting all by themselves, all the electronic gadgets starting at the same time etc,” Shubankar said disturbed.

“I have not been able to sleep for the last couple of days.” He also looked harangued and tired.

“Maybe you are imagining things. Maybe you keep those things in one place and forget about them and then look for them in another place.” Param tried for an explanation.

“Initially I also thought so but then something happened a couple of nights ago that has completely shaken me and I am scared!” Shubankar said a little bit fearfully.

“Couple of nights ago as I was about to retire to bed I heard some strange sounds.”

“What were the sounds?” Param asked.

“They were like the sound of the micro-wave open starting by itself, the mixer-grinder starting all by themselves etc,” Shubankar replied.

“Maybe you did not turn off the electrical appliances.” Param reasoned.

“No.................!” Shubankar exclaimed!

“Last night I heard someone calling out my name and when I went to investigate, I saw the words Get Out of my house’ written on the wall with blood and there was no one there! Shubankar said this with fear in his eyes.

Paramjeet was surprised at this last statement.

“Is it still there?” Param asked.

“Yes I saw it in the morning also,” Shubankar replied.

“I have to come to your place then,” Param said finally.

“As I am curious to know why is this happening?”

That day only, both Shubankar and Paramjeet went to Shubankar’s house.

The moment Param entered the house he could sense that something was not right. He could also sense the sudden drop in temperature.

“Where is it?” He asked Shubankar to point out the writing.

Shubankar pointed straight to the wall behind Paramjeet.

There he could see that Shubankar was the truth.

The wall was covered in illegible writing in red, though the words could be read clearly.

He could feel the anger, the spite and the presence of someone watching them uneasily. So Param did the next logical thing.

“If anybody can hear me please make your presence known.”

He repeated this twice or thrice when suddenly the mixer, the television, micro-wave all started whirring up simultaneously!

Shubankar was scared of this latest phenomenon. But Param asked him to be quiet.

“If you can hear me please let yourself be shown. I know you are hurting. Maybe, I can help you.”

He tried a softer one.

Within a few minutes, both Param and Shubankar could see an outline of a man taking shape in front of their eyes. Shubankar was ready to flee therefrom fear, but Param stopped him.

“I know you are hurting. But let me help you” Param started.

“Hah!....” “Nobody can help me”

Param could see that the man was six feet tall and with a scraggly beard. His eyes were like two red-hot coals. His face had some scars.

“Who are you?” Param asked.

“What is your name?”

He continued.

“What will you do with my name?” The man asked.

“If he doesn’t leave my house I will kill him!” He growled.

“Why?” Param asked.

“Because this is my house and I was killed here and my body is buried here.” The man said angrily.

“Who killed you?” Param asked shocked.

“My girlfriend whom I loved dearly and my best friend.” The man said this reminiscing with a slight sadness in his eyes.

“Why did they do this?” “Where is your body buried?” Param asked with concentration and focus now.

“Why are you asking all these questions?” The man growled again.

“To get justice for you,” Param replied.

“No need. I have taken my vengeance from both of them.” The man said this with pride and anger in his tone.

“Then why are you troubling this young man. He is innocent.” Param said softly.

“No, no one is allowed to stay in my house.” The man said.

“But where will he go? He has come here to earn his living and settle down.” Param said.

“You can surely see that. He doesn’t mean any harm to you or anyone else.” He added further.

Both Param and Shubankar could visibly notice the difference in the attitude of the entity. They could feel that the man’s demeanour was changing under their influence. He was getting a little soft.

“If you still want to kill him then go ahead, be my guest, but remember one thing you will never get salvation. Isn’t it the thing you want most right now?” Param said this in an assertive tone this time.

Now Param decided to keep quiet for some time and let that sink in.

They could see that they had made some impact on the man. After a few moments, the man turned around and said

“My body is in the basement. Kindly see to it that it gets the proper treatment.” Param nodded in agreement.

“We will have a special ceremony for you to help you reach where you have to go.” Param and Shubankar said with folded hands.

The man looked at them for the last time and melted into nothingness. The sounds had stopped by this time. Even the temperature of the room had come back to normal.

“Now we have to perform a cleansing ritual and a puja to see that this man gets salvation,” Param said with finality.

“What if it remains here?” Shubankar asked with trepidation.

“No, it won’t. For that, we have to take care of his body.” Param said.

Then both of them looked for the body in the basement. After performing all the rituals and the puja, they could sense that the entity had left the house.

“Finally he is at peace,” Param said sadly.

“Wonder how could living people be like?” He mused.

Shubankar thanked him profusely for all the help.

“It was my duty and I have finally found my true calling.” It was all that Param had to say to him.

This incident was an eye-opener for Param also; as he realised that he had been bestowed with special gifts. Gifts that are meant to help people and souls both. His popularity and recognition soared with this. Now, more people started coming to him with all sorts of supernatural and paranormal problems. He now started building his team of like-minded people. Some of whom he found in the course of further investigations and research.