The Haunted Secret

“Who is it? Don’t come near me, I have weapons don’t come close. Ahhh….”

and so woke up Peter out of fear, he had dreamt of something horrible, something he had done. This secret had been haunting him for months, but he never had the gut to reveal it. His parents, seeing him depressed, always tried to comfort and ask him about what had been going on lately, but the poor little boy who was afraid always pushed them off. As time passed he started getting more and more miserable with the secret choking him.

One day, finally after 8 months of curiosity, irritation and frustration, his best friend Sally confronted him. By now he had realised that this time she wasn't going to listen to his futile excuses but wanted an answer. He finally decided to break his long-held silence, he said,

"I've done something horrible"

"Ok so could you share it with me, you know you can trust me"

"But.. but it is really horrible, you will hate me if I tell you"

"Have some confidence in me, we have been friends for ages, no act of yours can make me hate you"…

"Um… You really won't hate me, are you sure?"

"Yes I won't"

"You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone "

"I promise "

"Okay……."

"Come on... Tell me now"

"Uhh… So…"

"Yes please go on"

"I KILLED SOMEONE"

"What!?"

"You heard it right… I killed someone"

"What? When? How? Who?"

"It's a long story"

"I'm all ears"

On that the boy opened, it was 8 months ago when he had been given a dare, he had to enter the haunted house in their locality, he was very scared but peer pressure made him do it, little did he know that inside the haunted house awaited a prank for him, his friends covered in white sheets came to scare him and as he ran to hide in a room he saw a broken piece of glass from the broken windows. He took it as the only weapon he had and moved out of the room but as he was proceeding he saw something moving in front, it was dark in the passage so nothing was visible, out of fear he randomly swung his hand and heard a scream and saw a dead body before him. It was 'MICHEAL'! Later not knowing what to do and out of immense fear, he buried the body behind the house and left. Since then he has been haunted by the secret.

Sally was blown away by listening to the story she had just heard, she couldn't believe it, she thought she was dreaming, she even pinched herself but it was all true and nothing or no one could change what had happened. She then comforted Peter a little and told him she will think about what should be done next, even though Peter protested about just keeping it quiet and not interfering. Sally thought and thought and thought about it, she thought all morning, all afternoon, evening and even at night. That is when she finally came to a conclusion that now is the time that Peter needs to inform his parents, they both are kids now and can't take such decisions. So the next morning she spoke to Peter about it

"Peter, listen. I think it's time we talk to an adult about it"

"No, No one needs to know"

"But….."

"No buts, I have trusted you. Please don't break it, you promised me"

"Yes. I know I promised you and I won't tell anyone, but you need to… You need to tell your parents"

"But they may give me off to the police. Even worse they will disown me”

“No, they are your parents, they can do everything but not support you in your difficult time. It is important for you to tell them”

“Are you sure, they will help me, this matter is very big, I can’t just go on toying with it anymore”

“It is important for them to know, just believe me”

“Ok but if anything happens to me, you have to be responsible”

“I will, and go to your parents now before guilt kills you from inside. They are sure to have a solution”

“Okay……”

Peter had many contradictory thoughts but couldn’t help, but listen to Sally who was the only one he could trust right now so he decided to talk to his parents. 

After school, he came back home and as he entered the house, he called out to his parents.

“Mom… Dad… I need to talk to you”

His mother replied from the room,

“Yes Peet tell me what happened”

“Mom could you and Dad come here, I have something to tell you”

“Sure sweetheart”

“Mom, Dad for the last few days you have been asking me why I have been behaving oddly”

“Yes son, tell us”

“I have done something horrible and you will hate me if I tell you, but Sally thinks it is important for you to know”

“Peter, son, we can never hate you, we are your parents, your family, if there is a problem you need to share it with us”

“Mom… Dad…… I killed someone”

“WHAT!?”

“You heard it right”

“But how and when did this happen, you must have dreamt of it”

“No mom, I’m serious”

“Ok calm down son, tell us everything”

Peter tells his parents what had happened, after a while of silence his father finally spoke,

“So tell me who is Micheal and if he has been missing for so long why is it that his parents are not looking for him”

“Dad actually he has no parents”

“Then? Is he an orphan?”

“No dad”

“So was some kind of child living on the streets your friend, why didn’t we know about it”

“No dad actually…”

“If not that what could it be, he lives with his relatives who don’t care about him, something like that?”

“No, he was actually the pet cat me and my friends had been raising at that time”

“So you are telling me Micheal whom you killed 8 months ago and whose death you have been depressed about all this while is that little diseased kitten you played with?”

“Yes dad”

“Oh, son!”

“What happened dad, though I know he was a cat yet, he also is a living being and I have committed a murder”

“Son, let your dad complete”

“Peter, the cat didn’t die because of you but he had died before that itself”

“What do you mean dad?”

“Actually son…. That cat had been very ill those days and passed away, we all knew how attached to that cat you kids were so we decided to keep him in that house so his body will be safe before we could cremate him for you”

“You must be joking to comfort me, dad, this isn’t possible”

“It’s true son, you haven’t committed any crime”

After a long silence, Peter finally realised that he was no longer a criminal, he immediately hugged his parents as he burst into tears. Then he called Sally to tell her the truth, Sally who had been worried sick those days was relieved upon hearing these pleasant words. That day hence Peter had new life waiting for him, the burden he carried had been carrying in his heart for months had finally been eased and lots of happiness awaited him.