Can We Have Your Autograph!

                                                                         • Mystery Builds Up •

It was dusk when he finally reached the woods that would lead him to his cottage close to the foothills. He had been working from home lately and had not been going to his workplace that often. He did not bring his bike because after such a long stay at home, he wanted his legs to stretch and go through some exercise. What better than a long good saunter…He had started early from his office in the town so as to reach his home in time. However, it being the end of falls and onset of winters, the clock moved slow and the twilight came fast. Moreover, while it was only sixty minutes' walk from the city council road that branched off mid-way into a by lane leading to the forest, he had stopped in the market square for some purchases for the festive season that was just around the corner, and had got delayed.

Despite the weight of a rucksack on his back, it had been a thoroughly enjoyable walking trip. The weather had been pleasant all the week, with cool breeze flowing evenly. The vast hillock overgrown with thick luscious bushes stretched out far and wide; surrounded by the extensive lush green valley deep down and by the clear azure sky, the through fare lined with tall, verdant, evergreen pine and fir trees swaying gently as if reveling in the caresses of the soft air; depicted a picturesque scene that made for a pleasurable extended stroll… he had become a poet in that short spell of time… reciting the verses he marched on.

"O! Mother Nature…how alluring you are!

Let me behold your beauty and conceal it inside my captivated eyes…

O! Mother Nature…how full of warmth you are!

Let me repose in your lap and snuggle in a soothing nap… 

O! Mother Nature…how serene you are!

Let me envelope and engulf you in my embracing heart…

O! Mother Nature…how full of nectar you are!

Let me soak you in my senses and quench my thirsty spirits…"

The main road also led straight to his home; however, it was a longer and busier route and at that time hampered by the construction going on there. The woods had many small tracks leading to as many outlets, one reaching near his home as well. Besides, he much preferred the zig zag, winding trail that the jungle offered. The forest was a dense one, however, he had gone to and fro so many times since his childhood. Though he had not felt the need to explore the interior parts anytime. He had also certainly never stepped inside the woods in late evenings and definitely not at night. He had his powerfully bright flash light with him. In the hills, especially those covered with dense forests, carrying a torch was almost a mandate.

As he entered, he heard the night call of the birds returning to their roost after a hard day of search for food. He watched as a couple of monkeys swung through the trees and vanished inside the thick groves. Nearby, an owl hooted and somewhere far away, a fox howled for its mate.

He was ambling along the little crystal stream flowing through the woods and deliberating on some nitty gritties. Thus, lost in thoughts, he did not realize when darkness came upon him…When he set foot on the narrow-curved bridge over the brook to go across, he realized that the sun had and darkness was gathering, he was somewhat taken aback to find himself alone there... "Never mind!" he assured himself, "I am almost there". His comfort though was short-lived.

Moon had arrived; however, she was in mood to play hide and seek. Peeping in and out from the dark grey clouds that had made a surprise appearance over the horizon. He switched on his flash light and moved it from side and side. He also upped his speed, not relishing the thought of being there unaccompanied by no one save strange sounds that the fauna was producing and the sinister shadows that the flora was casting thereabouts....

Despite his bravado, he was feeling a little apprehensive, the bosom affinity with the woods notwithstanding. The trees and bushes and pebbles that were so commonplace in the sunlight appeared so ominous after sundown, emitting a singular aura that was eerie, creepy and unnatural!

Various scary stories that he had seen, terror tales that he had read, spooky rhymes he had heard, creeped upon him and caught him off guard, playing tricks on his nerves!

"There is a lone empty house in the forest!

It is the haunt of the specters!

Don't go near! Don't you dare! 

The lord ghost with his gang of ghosts is roaming outside!

The spooks will tempt and have you hypnotized!

Then they will give you a terrible fright

By trapping you inside!

You will be captive forever!

Never to be seen ever!

Lost to the world forever!"

His anxiety slowly transforming into alarm... The distance was diminishing but the unease was escalating. All of a sudden! he heard a long screech! unthinking and unseeing, he broke into a run but his foot caught in an entanglement of some loose wild grass, he tripped and fell headlong.... a scream forming in his throat, that he suppressed with effort. "Enough! That was probably just some bird of prey! I need to man up!!"  He chided himself.

The fall had done him good and brought him to his senses. To calm his disturbed mind and settle his pounding heart, he started chanting a hymn for the invocation the deity that was the protector of innocents and destroyer of demons. Whether it was the shortening distance, the fall, the self-reprimand, or the Hymn; whatever it was, he reached the limit of the forest, without further incidents.

As he stepped out of the woods, he realized, he was in there just for a couple of minutes, though they seemed like an eternity in that time span. Darkness was acute by now. The all-engulfing blackness...It was a star less cloudy night...moon still playing truant. The only sources of light were the few and far between passing vehicles and couple of street lamps scattered across the road ahead There was a chill in the weather and the breeze that was blowing steadily uptil now was seemingly metamorphosing into a gale, making quaint hissing noises. The by lane reconnected with the main road here and he started walking in that direction. Midway, he crossed the road to the left and climbed up the sidewalk pavement, plodding cautiously as one careless slip could send him plummeting down the deep depth of the cavernous ravine...

As soon as he reached a solitary light pole that stood erect, sprinkling its faint beam on the path, suddenly, there was a lightning bolt in the sky that was promptly followed by the thundering rumble of the clouds, that quite unnerved him, swiftly after without any further intimation, raindrops came drizzling down, splattering him hard.

"JUST MY LUCK!" He exclaimed! This was not the season for rains. But the downpour was making its presence felt now and then since last two weeks s, he himself had enjoyed the same from the shelter of his home, so he brushed this not very common occurrence aside. Fortunately, like torch, he was in habit of carrying raincoat due to this very fact. He was vexed, mainly because he was attired in new chequered shirt and his treasured Khaki corduroy trousers, in fact, he had taken out his best trekking boots that morning itself!

Additionally, after his rather unsettling experience in the woods, he felt unusually tired and wanted to reach the warm and comforting shelter of his home. The rain would slow down his trudge, the road became slippery and arduous to tread during rains. Heaving a long sigh, he switched off his torch, muttering and cursing; fumbled inside his backpack, took out his rain coat, put it on, switched on the torch and proceeded forward.

The rain was coming down hard and the temperature had dropped down considerably. He was beginning to feel slightly cold but shrugged it aside. He had just about reached his dwelling, after all. In any case, he was a mountain man through and through...habitual enough for these routine travails.

The road ahead forked into two. On the right bend, was a small tunnel and on the left, just around the corner was the church cemetery. Beyond the church was his cottage. He would have to pass by the cemetery to reach his home. It was his daily passage and he thought nothing of it then...                                   

 •Mystery Deepens •

As he reached the cut that split the road, he happened to glance towards the tunnel and thought he saw a shadowy figure standing right in the middle of the tunnel! Just at that moment he was distracted by the screeching of tyres and whirled round to look back at what had happened. A red Toyota coming from the opposite direction had come to a halt. Probably some issues with the breaks.

He looked again and the figure, if one was there, had disappeared. He looked around and saw no one except a dog dozing besides some over grown shrubs on one side of the tunnel and some shepherds on the other side of the tunnel climbing down the narrow stone stairs, going towards their lodgings below. The way on both sides was flanked by light poles that scattered pale but clear glow, he decided that it must be one of them, whom he saw in front of the tunnel.

He continued moving forward, towards the cemetery. The luminescence was dull and he was still using his torch for illumination. As he was nearing it, he saw her, a woman standing in front of the cemetery gate. All alone, with no one else in sight. He had not seen anyone enter or exit the cemetery at night previously. Infact, he had never seen people around there even in day time. Of course, it was in use, however this gate was seldom used, people made their way through it from the other gate next to the church. Stunned! he came to a standstill…She seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. He rubbed his tired eyes twice to make sure that they like his mind earlier were not playing tricks on him.

Nothing doing! She was still there, where she was…. She was dressed in white and holding a lantern in one hand. The other hand clutching the hem of her dress. Despite the shower her clothes were dry. Only her face and hair were wet, with water dripping from them. She was standing very still, completely motionless… Only movement was coming from the lamp flickering in her hand. She was of above average height, medium built and seemed to have light brown complexion. Completely immobile she looked like a statue carved in marble.

Several questions cropped up simultaneously in his mind that very instant. His brain got flooded with the Whats…Whys…Who… et al. Dumbfounded, he stood stupefied there juggling those thoughts and doubts inside his head.

Finally, he collected his wits that were running hither and thither and realized that he has been gawping at her for too long, captivated by the remarkable aura oozing from her. He decided that it was time he should do something about it. At the very least ask her, if she required any assistance. The recipient of his scrutiny had not moved an inch, she was standing immobile as if affixed to the spot. He determined to reach her and find out some facts from her.

As he came close, he swung up the torch and flashed it directly upon her. He saw that drops of blood was scattered on her clothes…and some on her face! He blinked and peered and blinked again and then peered again…As of then, he was simply astonished to see a female standing unaccompanied; dramatically dressed in all white, all the more theatrically holding a lantern and wondered if he was reliving a scene from a movie in real life. Lady in white with the Lamp, used to be a favourite with horror film makers.

"A lady with the lamp was standing in the rain…

White and Wet! She looked like a sculpture…

Her eyes were black like a coal burnt…

Her lips were red like crimson 

She said I Like BLOOD! So much BLOOD!

 Give me…Give me…. Give me BLOOD!"

Seeing blood on her, he initially felt that she had met with an accident, he quickly discarded this thought; first, there was absolutely nothing thereabouts to show in the vicinity that any mishap had occurred, no vehicle around, no sound of crash that he would have certainly heard, most importantly no other person around. There were no signs of her getting hurt any other way as well. Secondly, even if she was in an accident why did she not shout for help or approach any passing vehicle for help.

He was getting scared and stood as if in daze. His heart pounding and beats escalating, urging his feet to bolt. His befuddled mind started imagining all sorts of 'things', at that moment. Thoroughly perplexed, he speculated that the 'thing' must be a spectre or possibly a woman whose brain was addled, why else would a human being stand out in a chilly rainy night like this? She started moving towards him; to his fascinated eyes it seemed that she was floating towards him. instinctively, he stepped a few paces back but his legs still refused to break into a run. Gradually, he became aware of it... He perceived to his astonishment that she was hobbling on one foot! A limping ghost!!

He had read about maimed and deformed ghosts but never even in his nightmares had dreamt that he would encounter not only a beautiful wraith but also a lame one. As he stood rooted to the spot, wondering what to make of this, she came forward and reached him.

She put out one frail hand and made to touch him. He flinched but remained standing, his feet still not cooperating with his heart and took a good look at her. None of the cliched yardsticks for defining beauty applied to her, yet, she was definitely pretty in that unconventional way that cannot be assessed. They stood speechlessly and stared at each other, the spirit checking him out and measuring him up and down.

After full one minute or so it felt to him, he gathered pluck and whispered "You appear to be alone here… and look hurt too…Do you need help?" The woman continued to gaze at him. Bucking himself up, he carried on… "There is a chemist nearby, who can take a look at your injuries and give you medicine…" though he could see none. "I can take you there…" At this, he felt her eyes widen so he hurried on "Or I can give you directions and you can yourself go there, if you feel like it…I can also call up your friends and family, if you so wish…"

She kept silent…she kept staring…He was getting goose bumps, "She does not seem to be deaf or mute…though how would I know…why is she not replying! She definitely is not from this world…So is she really a ghost? 

He stood stock-still, waiting and no thought of running even entering his mind. How long did they keep standing like that, he couldn't realize? Couldn't be more than some seconds. Then she spoke finally…solemnly...softly… "Can We Have Your Autograph?"

The bafflement he felt earlier was nothing to what he felt now. He couldn't ascertain if he had heard the words correctly and stood agape. "What kind of assistance, is she asking for… Autograph! WHY?? WHAT FOR??"

To his further Astonishment, she burst out laughing and kept on laughing till tears formed in the corner of her eyes and threatened to spill onto her cheeks. Wiping them away and trying to contain her convulsions, she sobered down and spoke again… "Oh! My! I am so very sorry" She repeated them. Again, the words struck him as strange.  "A spirit saying sorry??"

        • Mystery Unveils •                    

He looked as bewildered as he felt, the woman was turning out to be a complete enigma. As if reading his mind and to further augment the confusion, she whistled! And that too thrice! Right on the cue, several rays of floodlights splashed brilliantly and lit up the whole place! Almost blinded by the abrupt dazzle, his eye lids fluttered instinctively and his hands were over his face automatically partially shielding them from the sudden brightness.

Removing his hands from his eyes, he noticed that the entire area was gleaming, completely dispelling the darkness that had shrouded it. He also spotted some forms appearing out of the cemetery and approaching them. To his jumbled minded, it felt as if the apparition had called up her comrades to keep them company. "Whistling! Do ghosts whistle! He thought dumbly. "Doesn't telepathy, mind-reading, extrasensory perception, the paranormal activities, more their thing…Well! Well! If they could be a limping ghost, why couldn't they be a whistling one!" He reasoned.

'The comrades' had surrounded them by then and were gawking at him, grinning from ear to ear, seemingly highly amused. The torrent had, by then, subsided to a trickle. One of them had picked up and was inspecting the torch that had unknowingly slipped from his hands and fallen on the wet ground. One of was trying to pull up the knapsack that hung down limply from his shoulder.

Hmm...they are ghosts of pirates, come to loot me, Not fair! seven! against one!  He had recovered enough to count them all. He felt a little relived that his end was not as imminent as he had assumed. He had also noted the gender; three women and four men excluding the women in white. "But…they are not dressed like pirates moreover; pirates are found in seas…how come they are here? No…No…I am mistaken, they are ghosts of bandits! Come to that they are not dressed like bandits too…More like collegians, they look too young also to be robbers…What does that mean? Are they ghosts of college kids…who died in a boating or road accident and were buried in this cemetery!" His mind was thinking fast and furiously. "For that matter, they don't look like ghosts also…Not that I have ever seen any…Heavens forbid! Except today though…Are they really phantoms or some other unknown entities? Who is the woman though, she doesn't look like she belongs to this set and what is her connection to this band?" He was lost in thoughts and they were disrupted abruptly by her voice.

Hi, I am DJ!" He must have been thinking aloud, because pat came the introduction. She was holding out a hand, propriety compelled him to take it and shake it. Shock ran through his veins as he grasped her hand and realized that it was soft and warm, despite the fact that she was soaked all through. Not a cold, frigid ghostly hand. Not at all. He realized his fears were ebbing a little.

"…you must be having lots and lots of questions… worry not…all of them will be answered…the queries, doubts, confusions…all would be cleared and explained". He heard her speaking. "Limping, whistling, explaining ghosts with a team of grinning amused ghosts!!" He chuckled involuntarily. "…But first things first…" She was still speaking. "Let us make introductions."  Each of them told him their names that he promptly forgot.

"We are all humans!" She informed…They all broke in to a laugh at this. This much he had already guessed. "I would have been a fool not to have done so by this time!" He thought. She continued.  "…and we run an advertising firm…We will give you all the details but first let us get out of here, I hurt my foot just before you appeared, it would be sore by now and I am cold to the bones! Tough spending even 15 minutes in such a weather…even with umbrella! 

"I didn't see any!"  He blurted out.

"Of course! you did not…" She giggled. 

He was getting annoyed "What the hell is going on?? Why doesn't someone enlighten me??" He spoke irritatingly.

Her voice was soothing "Easy there…all in good time…Please be patient…" 

A short thickset fair guy named PL took up the thread of this in realty, one sided conversation. 

"Come with us and you will know all that is there to know, our cars are parked just beyond the clump of trees a little ahead of the cemetery gate"

His suspicions returned, why couldn't they just tell him what was happening and let him go, where would they be taking him, they were no ghosts but they could be criminals who would abduct and possibly murder him later on, but why would they do so? They had no motive. Nor he had given them any reason to get offended. He had nothing on his person that they could rob. They would have figured that out too.

"What are you thinking MAN! Don't keep standing there, the showers are returning, we will be dripping before long. Let's make a move…" The speaker was a dark tall gangly fellow named SAT.

"I will not go with you, if you want to tell me anything, tell me here and now, otherwise I am of, I am not…" He retorted heatedly. "Oh Please! we understand your concern…" A bespectacled girl tall girl, had noticed previously but whom his brain had not registered properly, interjected. She, called TG, came forward and looked directly into his face. "We really are what we have told you…There is a café nearby, you must be knowing it, we are only going there for some warmth and some coffee…" He did know, how could he not know about the only café around there. The 'Irish Cocktail' was a popular bistro that doubled up as music club on weekends. It was just half a mile away from his home.

Yeah, I know the place but my house is closer, you can get all the comfort and the hot beverage there too… I am tired and would definitely prefer the warmth and coze of my house to that of the café…He said firmly. "If I am to be harmed then it better be in my own home…" He thought, without conviction.

They discussed among themselves and having decided that they do not have any other options, consented to accompany him to his house. He told them to leave their vehicles parked there as the path onward was a downhill descending narrow track interspersed with thorny shrubs, not suitable for big vehicles, plus the distance to his cottage was walkable. He did ask DJ, if she would be able to walk a little distance, she told him that she was not that badly hurt to not be able to walk some more. Agreeing, they left for his cottage. In no time, they reached his residence, a cosy little place aptly named 'The Roost'

        • Mystery Culminates •      

Over steaming mugs of delectable creamy coffee, deliciously hot chocolate accompanied by heavenly marble & caramel cakes, the whole story came spilling out. They were sitting on the comfy cushioned couches in the brightly warm living room. The cheerful fire that was crackling in the fireplace with radiant embers shooting out sparks sporadically was emanating a soft glow all around. One side wall was completely adorned with masks of various sizes and shapes. Other wall was lined up with books of different genres, mostly crime thrillers, suspense mysteries, historical fiction and fantasies. The books, he explained belonged to his sister, who was spending the night with some friends. He read occasionally but was more into sports and music, he informed them.

The front French door opening in the lawn was curtained with pastel hangings. Kitchen, dining and washing rooms were in the back, there was a small study on the left side. A short spiral staircase on the right one led to the single bedroom upstairs.

The narrative as recounted by the group turned out to be so simple and straight forward without any ounce of supernatural that in hindsight, he marvelled that why couldn't he come up with this normal an explanation!

It transpired that the group that was from a city far away, were there for filming an advert. One evening, while doing a shoot in an obscure dim setting, they stumbled upon the idea of conducting a live experiment of gauzing the reactions of unwary passers-by if they chanced upon a sinister entity. It was pretty simple. They would station a girl replete with ghostly attire and accompaniments that included of water proof and luminous outfits, outside the cemetery to wait and approach the passer-by. They had also decided that once in a while they would set the sinister tone by themselves creating the unearthly atmosphere including replicating the thunder sounds and faking the rains. As they already had the permission for the shooting, it would not have been difficult to build the impression.

As it proved to be the case, their remained no requirement to recreate any atmosphere, it is said, if one is determined to do something, even gods will equip them; without asking, they were assisted by the natural phenomena.

The four girls in the octet would take their turns for the demo and the rest of them will hide inside the cemetery, close enough for protection against unsavoury persons, if any, meandering about and to watch the drama being enacted. They were going full swing the whole month without any untoward happenings. Only disappointment was that they had not been able to stop and talk to any travellers yet.

"You are the first one! Since we started this madcap antic! We determinedly and persistently waited every day…But the drivers will not pay any heed, let alone stop. As far as the walkers go, a couple of them did hesitantly pause, however they also took flight after taking one look at which of us was in attendance that time…" A girl named SUE laughed.

They told him that initially, what they did was just for fun and adventure, but after recognizing the fact that their plan was going to end up in a fiasco, if no one pulls up, halts and converses with them, they decided that as token of their approval they would like to reward the first person who makes even a small talk with the girls.

"But I did not do anything, leave alone anything special. I just stood there, doing nothing." He protested. "Your first act of stopping by and then not running away despite realizing what you could be facing is more then enough for us to acknowledge and appreciate your character and personality… DJ told him. "Your motives could have a wide range, from a simply normal human curiosity to the altruist desire of doing good…regardless of what they were, what matters is that you were brave, strong and caring enough to stay put and did not take off in a cowardly manner…" She tried to persuade him. Others also joined her in convincing him. 

"We knew that this was a prank of sorts, you did not…if you were intrigued, you were also concerned as much to reach out and try to aid a lonely girl…What was a joke for us could be a life-threatening situation for someone else…" A burly man called RS chimed in.  "Don't forget you were the one who initiated the conversation, I did not.. DJ chipped in again. He despite, not being convinced, agreed to what they were saying, more so to just get them all of his back and to let him go to his bed that he wanted eagerly to rest in.

Two days later, he was at the resort where they have been putting up, to celebrate a bash thrown in his honour, they toasted his name, his thumb impression was taken and he was gifted some presents. He felt like silly and ridiculous doing and taking all those things, yet he appreciated the gestures and loved the celebrations.

Long after they left and for many years since the incident, one evening, he was standing outside the cemetery to recall and muse about it. He still felt that he didn't deserve any credit, yet he did acknowledge that it was true if the situation was real and devoid of the supernatural elements, what then? He stopped because to him the circumstances were actual, the paranormal angle came later on, if he was honest with himself, even in those moments when he had first seen the girl till the time she had spoken, somewhere in the back of his mind, he was not entirely satisfied that he was dealing with otherworldly beings or state of affairs.

He comforted himself by acknowledging that the small acts of considerations are sometimes as important as big ones...that at times these seemingly minute kindly actions went a long way in rescuing or assist in rescuing someone in dire conditions Lastly, he decided that he should be happy about and thankful for the bonanza bestowed by heavens and accept gracefully what good comes to him, especially, if it has come unsought and without any machinations on his part…He finally felt peace and worthy of the commendation that had been conferred on him.

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