Sudha Narasimhachar

Horror

4.0  

Sudha Narasimhachar

Horror

The Ghost

The Ghost

5 mins
487



Jyothi had heard a number of ghost stories from her friends and also her grandmother. 

“Savithri had died as a young bride due to cholera and her husband Ramu married Godha after a couple of years. They were happy for four years. Then suddenly Godha started acting weirdly. That was immediately after her daughter Vydehi was born. She would not feed the infant. She would start talking in a different voice and abuse her husband and the infant”, Kamalamma was relating the story to all her grandchildren, who had come for their vacation.

“Amma, stop this. Can you not tell them stories from Ramayana and Mahabharatha? Why this story?” said Jyothi’s father Krishna.


“Appa, please don’t disturb us. We wanted to listen to these stories. Real ones! See how interestingly Ajji narrates them. Have you heard them?”

“I have heard them a thousand times! Each time, she adds some more spice”, laughed Krishna.

There was this story of Ajji’s uncle who used to return from the nearby town by bus late night and walk to his village through the thick jungle. “That ghost of Muniyamma, who had committed suicide long before, would accompany him.”

“Wasn’t Thaatha scared?”


“No, Muniyamma was a very good ghost. She was not harmful. She just wanted to share her woes with someone. Maama would just listen to her with interest. She would not even need any advice”.

“How was the ghost to look at? Was she wearing a white saree, as shown in movies?”

“I don’t remember. Maama just told us about what she spoke. He would not turn back and look at her, because he had to look ahead and follow the path carefully.”


The other day, Pavana had told them the story about the ghost of an autorickshaw driver, which haunted a lonely spot on the highway, where he had died in an accident years ago. 

“Who told you about his Pavana?”

“I read it in a local magazine Jyothi. It seems people avoid travelling on that road after sunset.”

All the girls got together and watched horror movies during their stay-over programmes. 

“What’s this nonsense? Why do you watch such movies and scream late in the night? Can you not watch some light movies”, said Jyothi’s mother Shashi every time the friends got together.

 “Your 12th std exams are nearing. Focus on your studies. Why a get-together now? Can you not do this after the exams?”


“Amma, please! Three of my friends are leaving for a holiday immediately after the exams. We may not get such an opportunity. This is the last time”, said Jyothi.

“Okay, no watching ghost movie tonight. There isn’t any ghost. All these stories are fake. What do you get by watching such movies?”

“Amma, we too know they are pieces of fiction. But the thrill that we get is very good. Why don’t you also join us tonight? You will understand.”

“Forget it. I have better things to do. Don’t scream loudly. Our neighbour Lalithamma was complaining last time.”


The girls thoroughly enjoyed the night and all of them left in the morning, after a yummy breakfast prepared by Shashi. “All of you do well in your exams. Forget all the ghosts and focus on your studies”, said Shashi. The girls giggled, thanked her and left.

Jyothi was studying seriously in her room. It was around 1.30 early morning. Just a week to go for the exams. Jyothi was a very studious girl and always scored more than 90 percent in all her tests and exams. She was dreaming of becoming a doctor like her aunt Malathi, who was a famous gynaecologist in the city. 


Suddenly she heard some sound, ‘tick, tick’. She looked around and could see nothing. She continued reading. After a minute, she heard the sound once again. She looked up and found nothing. ‘What’s this noise?’ She got up and went around the room, searching for the source of the sound.

‘Tick, tick, tick’! Jyothi looked down and was shocked. Her shoe was jumping up and down. Suddenly she got goosebumps and felt chilly! She froze and stared at her shoes. One shoe again started jumping and moved a bit forward. Jyothi, who was a brave girl and made fun of all those horror stories that she heard and watched, now started shivering. She gathered herself and ran out of her room. She went down to her parents’ room and tapped on their door. 

“Amma, Amma, Appa, please open the door”. 


After a minute, Shashi opened the door hurriedly. Jyothi hugged her tightly. “What happened Jyothi? You are sweating so much. Come inside”, Shashi switched on the light and made Jyothi sit on their bed. Krishna too woke up with a start and asked, “what’s happening? Why are you here Jyothi? Didn’t you sleep yet? What’s the time now?”

“Amma, I am scared to go to my room. Can I sleep here tonight?”

“Scared? Scared of what?” 

“Amma….my, my….my shoe is jumping up and down all of a sudden”.

“Your shoe is jumping up and down? What are you blabbering? You must have dreamt.”

“No, I was studying and suddenly I heard this sound tick, tick and I see my shoe jumping up and down”.


“Come, let’s check out what that is”, called her father.

“No, I will not come. You too don’t go now. Please stay here”.

“You were a brave girl. What happened all of a sudden? Didn’t I warn you from watching all those stupid horror movies?” Krishna went up the stairs and Shashi was about to follow him but Jyothi held her tight and pulled her back. “Please stay here Amma”.

“Shashi, Jyothi, both of you come up soon. I will show you the ghost”, Krishna called out.

“Ghost? What are you saying Krishna?”

“Will you both come immediately?”

“No, no, Amma. Let’s stay here.”

“Come on Jyothi! Appa is there and I am with you. Let’s go up and see what he is saying. He must be joking.”


Jyothi followed her mother with hesitation, looking around at all the dark corners of the house, holding her mother’s shoulder.

Krishna was holding the shoe in his hand. “Krishna, what did you find?”

“Here is the ghost”, Krishna turned the shoe and shook it and out fell a cricket!

Jyothi could not believe her eyes. Krishna and Shashi burst into laughter and Jyothi too joined them, covering her face shyly.

“So, this is the effect of watching too many horror movies and listening to your Ajji’s stupid ghost stories! Now, stop thinking of all that and concentrate on your studies”, said Krishna.



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