Rahul Banerjee

Drama Horror

5.0  

Rahul Banerjee

Drama Horror

The Haunted Painting

The Haunted Painting

9 mins
454


Just like haunted houses, hotels, and places, there are many objects which are believed to be haunted like dolls, statues, furniture, paintings etc. In fact, in the west, there is a famous museum also which displays such haunted objects and it is run by two of the world’s most paranormal investigators. But this phenomenon is not just restricted to the west only, back home also we come to hear of many such stories where objects were said to be haunted. Our story is also of such a painting that was said to be cursed and which caused much harm and grief to the family which came to possess it. The whole family was so terrified of it that it had to leave their own house and run with their lives.


Raman and his wife Aarti are a well to do happy couple who are living in a modest apartment with their small kids and their parents. Raman is an advocate by profession and his wife Aarti is a doctor in a well-reputed hospital. Both of them are devout professionals and at the same time are loving parents also and they believe that life is to be lived to its fullest and also strive to make this belief come into reality for their family. Both are also very passionate art lovers and their house is proof of that, as it is adorned with all kinds of paintings, mural, sculptures both modern and antique. Raman had got this trait for passion for art from his parents both of whom were artists while Aarti was a natural-born art lover and in her spare time, she also used to dabble in painting and sketches.


One day they heard of an exhibition taking place in the art museum and both were excited to go there and see for themselves. So on a weekend both Raman and Aarti went to this exhibition and to see and check whether they could get one or two masterpieces for themselves. While going through the paintings, both of their gazes fall on a unique painting which was different from the other works of art that they had ever seen.


Although it was just a painting of Rajasthani family adorned with their traditional dresses, it was all the colours and the exquisite way this hand painting was made with oil colours that took both Raman and Aarti’s breath away. Both of them were so mesmerized by it that they wanted to purchase this masterpiece, at first they had to negotiate a lot for the correct price with curator who was not budging from his original position, but after a lot of cajoling and coaxing he finally agreed on a certain amount and was, in fact, quite happy about it. When all the negotiations are finally over and the painting is in the hands of Raman & Aarti, the huge smile of satisfaction and happiness was worth more than the cost of the painting.


As they exit the museum, they are accosted by a tall, well-dressed man who says that his name is Anand Verma and he is the creator of this painting and he had been watching them from a distance how they had been so fascinated and attracted by this particular painting, well both Raman and Aarti are instantly excited and delighted to have met the artist who has created such an exquisite piece of art. But the painter quickly dispels their excitement by saying that “I will give double the cost of the painting but you cannot have it”, hearing this both of them are taken aback and they look surprised that why is he saying this, rather he should be happy that his painting has been sold. But Anand is adamant about the painting and a quick argument ensues between the couple and the artist.


At last, when things are not going the artist’s way, he tells them that “ There is a reason why I am asking you not to take this painting as this painting is doomed and it will destroy you”, both Raman and Aarti look at him in amazement and think that how can such a person even say such things in today’s world and they just smile politely at him. Anand even tries imploring at them to not take the painting with them but they don’t listen to him and briskly walk away from him leaving Anand looking sadly at them and praying silently well for them. Then he goes to the curator and demands angrily that why did he sell the painting to the couple? to which the curator says he should not complain and be happy that he is getting a lot of money for it as he needs the money.


While they were in a euphoric mood with the painting and their small victory over the artist, they did not see a turbaned man suddenly appear out of nowhere with his cycle and was about to collide with their car when Raman swerves the car around and narrowly misses hitting the man. When they look back from the rear-view mirror, they could not see anyone which leads Aarti to remark that “that man’s appearance was very similar to that of the guy in the painting”. This leads to Raman saying she was very tired from the day’s exertion and she was seeing things and they reach home.


From the day they bring the painting in the house, strange things start happening which leads the whole family baffled. At first the family dog Bruno, a full-grown German Shepherd starts barking at the painting all of a sudden and then in the next moment it looks terrified of something and starts whimpering and runs away to the other room. The whole family just laughs it off, but certain other things happen which creates some apprehensions in the couple’s minds that something is not right. One day Aarti finds Ricky, their six-year-old son, and Daisy their four-year-old daughter talking in thin air as if they are playing with children of their age. When she asks them that with whom are they talking to? to which they reply in unison that with the children and point to the painting in which the children are depicted. This seems strange to Aarti and she mentions this Raman, who says “they are children and they will have imaginary friends”. But Aarti has her doubts still she keeps quiet about it.


As time passes and the euphoria dies down strange things still keep on occurring in the house that are unexplainable like one day in the middle of the night Aarti finds Raman missing from the bed, so she gets up and starts calling his name while looking for him and at last she finds after searching everywhere in the house staring at the painting in a trance-like state and muttering something unintelligible. When she calls him, there is no response from him as he keeps on staring at the painting and muttering, so when she goes near him and pulls at him she gets the shock and most terrible scare of her life. What she sees is the face of the man in the painting superimposed on Raman’s face and he is very angry and muttering something in a strange language.


So she tries to break his trance and gets pushed aside so violently that she nearly breaks her ankle due to the fall but she somehow manages to overcome and scream for help. Hearing the commotion, other members of the family come running out of their rooms and looking at the scene, they too are shocked and stunned but somehow manage to overpower Raman and put him to sleep. 

This leads Aarti’s mother in law to grow concerned and worried and she asks her that from where did they get the painting? to which repeats about their whole experience at the museum and with the artist who made this painting and also of the near accident. When her mother-in-law hears of this, entire she looks really worried and asks Aarti to get in touch with the artist as soon as possible. 


The next day, however, Raman wakes up from a sound sleep and when he looks at the worried expressions on his family’s faces he asks that “What is the matter?”, and they recount the previous night’s experience to which at which Raman is skeptic but when his mother also says the same thing, he believes them and agrees to contact the artist. So they contact the curator to get the number of the artist which he gives readily. When they call him up and tell him about the strange things happening at their house, the painter says it’s better to meet up and talk. So they meet and it is there the artist reveals that the painting was haunted as the family’s whose painting he had made had a huge conflict amongst themselves after the painter had their sketch and paid them for it.


 It was later on that the painter heard from the villagers that this family had a huge fight and in a fit of rage the husband had killed the whole family and later killed himself also but before dying his last breath, he had put a curse on the artist and his family. Their house had also burnt to the ground mysteriously and from that strange things started happening with the artist also. Events take such a turn in the artist’s family that his only child dies of a mysterious sickness and his wife divorces him and is now separated from him.


 Since then he has been trying his best to warn others of the painting’s evil side to other potential buyers. But then when Raman and Aarti ask that “ how come it did not harm you physically?”, the artist says that that is why he sold the painting at the museum and had made a deal with the curator to just showcase his work and not to sell it to anyone, but unfortunately this time he had broken the deal.


Hearing this Aarti asks that “is there any way that they can get rid of this painting?” and the artist says that tonight he will come to their house and take the painting. While they were waiting for the painter, suddenly there is a mysterious fire which starts all of a sudden in their house and spreads rapidly throughout the house. As the whole family is trying to save themselves, they hear a loud male angry voice emanating from somewhere in the house. 


All of them were scared and somehow manage to save themselves by escaping from the burning house. They look sadly upon the burning house which they had built so lovingly as it turns to ashes. Finally, the artist arrives and suggests that they should leave the place. So as they leave the place, the artist suddenly goes inside the house and checks whether the painting is destroyed also or not in the fire, which he finds that it has been destroyed. Seeing this Anand also feels happy that the finally the curse is over and walks away.


Few minutes later the painting suddenly reappears in the house unscathed from the fire and waiting for its next victim.



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