Chapter - 7 Whispering House

In the village, an abandoned house had always made me inquisitive.

Across the dusty path stood a derelict house, its windows boarded shut, its doors forever closed. Whispers of spectral encounters and unseen tragedies hung heavy in the air. No villager dared enter, fearing the wrath of the restless souls rumored to reside within. Yet, you never saw any evidence, only the unsettling silence and the shadows that seemed to dance in the moonlight.

One afternoon, I thought of exploring the house, to act daring, I was 14 then.

I took a big torch and a heavy neem branch to protect myself from any danger.

With all the courage in my heart and faith in God, I walked towards the deserted house.

The house loomed before me like a skeletal giant, its windows hollowed eyes, its roof a tattered cloak. As I entered through the creaking door, the wind whistled through the broken windows and sang a mournful dirge. Inside, dust motes danced in the pale sun rays filtering through cracks in the boarded-up windows. Cobwebs draped the furniture, shrouding it in an eerie veil. A chill crept up my spine as an unseen force brushed past, sending a shiver down my arm. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the floorboards groaned under my hesitant steps. A sudden gust of wind slammed a loose shutter against the wall, making me jump.

The echoing in the silence, and the feeling of being watched grew stronger. Was it just the wind, or something else entirely, slowly I took a step forward alarm with the neem branch, the torch, and my faith in God.

Suddenly I saw a strange figure along the doorway, a shadow, a phantom, no idea what it was, I felt a shiver run through me, and my throat dried, I saw the figure slowly and gradually stepping towards me, I tried to run but my feet gripped the floorboard tight, sweat poured down my head, the air surrounding me grew colder. I felt as if my end was near when suddenly, I felt an arm gripped me tightly and pull me towards the broad daylight, Rudra Uncle!

He came as a saviour for me. However when I recall the day I still feel a chill in my nerves, who was it?