The Ghostly Request

Raman was a bit apprehensive, yet he decided to follow the same path. It was short-cut to his place, but happenings of the past few days had made him slightly scared. It was a lonely trail. It took him about half an hour to reach home, a longer route might have taken ten minutes more.

Here he was, alone on path which people say was frequented by ghosts after dark. The night was already setting in. He tried to visit his parents at least once a week who had steadfastly refused to shift to his town house. So, he had to take a bus from town once a week and walk the distance of half an hour to his village.

As usual just when he reached the turning on the road, she appeared. She had been appearing to him at the same place. Initially he had been scared, but she had not harmed him so far. He did not know how much to believe in the benevolence of ghosts or believe in her when she told him that she had no power to harm anyone, especially when the person had done her no harm when she was alive.

She asked him the same question, “Have you taken any action on my request?”

He was scared as well as ashamed of himself. “So far I have not been able to do anything.”

She walked with him for some time. He kept on looking at her furtively, but she appeared to be thinking something.

Finally, she told him, “Can you bring Gulab to this place around the same time. This is the only time I am able to appear. I cannot even go to another place. Please try to bring him at the earliest.”

He knew that he could get Gulab to this place as he knew him well. However, he had no idea what she was going to do with him.

They walked together a short distance. At the next turning she just disappeared.

The next day was Sunday. He used to leave for town on the Sunday evening. This time he decided to stay in the village and leave for town on Monday morning. He had to get rid of ghost.

In the evening he asked Gulab to come for a walk with him in the jungle. He had no idea what the relationship between that girl was and Gulab. Only thing he knew that Gulab was working at a far-off place some time back. He had relocated to village a few months ago.

On the way Gulab told him the reason for relocating to the village. He was in love with a girl who had been killed in an accident.

As the rounded the corner and reached the point where the girl used to meet him, he saw the expression on the face of Gulab. It was a mix of fear and happiness. The girl was looking at him longingly.

Raman did not know for how much time he was unconscious. He found himself lying on a roadside boulder. There was no trace of either the girl or Gulab.