The Haunting at ShipaiJala

A group of students from Don Bosco School Udaipur, Gomati Tripura, India , were returning from a small educational tour. It was 3 AM when their bus was making its way through the dense, foreboding jungle near ShipaiJala Natural Sanctuary. Aditya, one of the students, urgently needed to use the toilet. He woke up Sir Praja and expressed his need. Despite initial reluctance, Sir Praja instructed the driver, Kishore, to stop when more students also needed to go.

As Aditya, Nilesh, Priyash, Subrahnil, Arghadweep, Abir, Rohit, Rajatnab, Fiyas, Shritik, Mrimoy exited the bus, they were joined by teachers Sir Jayanta, Sir Praja, Sir Subhadweep, Sir Titas, Sir Shankar, Sir Dipankar, Sir Debobrato, Sir Sagar, Sir Jagannath, Sir Vidhan, Sir Arkhadweep, Sir Mrimoy, Sir Tapan, Sir Ankur, and security guard Joseph. The eerie silence of the jungle enveloped them, sending shivers down their spines.

A few moments later, a highway patrol police car pulled up beside them. One of the officers rolled down the window and said, "Why have you stopped here? Don't you know this place is haunted? If the ghost catches you, your bus will roam the jungle all night long."

Sir Jayanta responded calmly, "We know, but we only stopped for a few seconds because the children needed to use the toilet." With that, the police officers drove away.

As everyone got back on the bus, Rohit asked Sir Praja, "What will happen if the ghost catches us?" Sir Praja reassured him, "These are just old wives' tales. The police officer was only trying to scare us." Soothed by his words, everyone fell asleep once again—everyone except Rohit, who couldn't stop thinking about the ghost.

Minutes later, the bus driver let out a terrified scream, waking everyone up. "What's wrong?" they all asked in unison. The driver, his face pale, replied, "We've returned to Shipai Jala Natural Sanctuary again!"

The security guard, Joseph, sitting near the driver's seat, whispered, "The police officer was right. The ghost must have caught us. Now she will make us roam the jungle all night long. And it's Purnima (full moon), which means her power is at its peak. When the sun rises, her power will diminish…"

Suddenly, the group saw a herd of bulls crossing the road, a sight they had already seen earlier. As they continued, they noticed a rope hanging from a tree. But this time, they saw a woman in a white saree hanging from the rope, her lifeless eyes staring into the void. Pretending not to notice, they tried to ignore the chilling sight and go back to sleep.

A few moments later, Nilesh, a student sitting near Sir Praja, let out a blood-curdling scream. Everyone woke up to see the woman in white, covered in blood, lying near their bus. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, her eyes filled with agony. Then, in an instant, she vanished.

As the night grew darker and colder, the bus was filled with an uneasy silence. The bus engine roared to life on its own, and the headlights flickered wildly. The ghostly woman reappeared, this time standing in front of the bus, her eyes glowing with a malevolent light.

The students and teachers felt a cold, icy grip tightening around their hearts as the woman floated closer. Her voice, like a chilling breeze, whispered, "You cannot escape me. You will wander this jungle with me forever."

The bus driver, Kishore, tried to start the bus, but it refused to move. The ghostly woman reached out her hand, and the windows of the bus shattered, sending shards of glass flying. The air was filled with a sense of dread as the temperature dropped even further.

In a desperate attempt to save everyone, Sir Praja remembered a charm his grandmother once gave him for protection against evil spirits. He quickly pulled it out and held it up, chanting a prayer for protection. The woman's face twisted with rage and sorrow as she saw the charm.

With trembling hands, Sir Praja continued chanting, "We seek your mercy, spirit of the jungle. Grant us passage and peace."

The ghostly figure paused, her eyes filled with tears. "Promise me," she whispered, her voice echoing through the bus. "Promise me you will bring justice for my death and protect my child."

"We promise," Sir Praja replied, his voice steady despite his fear. "We will honor your wish."

The ghostly woman pointed towards the old tree once again. "Beneath that tree lies the truth. Bring it to light, and I shall be free."

Summoning their courage, the group worked together to dig up the box and retrieve the locket. As they placed it in the temple at the edge of the jungle, the ghostly woman began to dissolve, her form becoming ethereal.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude. "You have given me the peace I've sought for so long."

As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, the oppressive atmosphere lifted. The bus engine roared to life, and they were able to continue their journey. The memory of the night's terrifying events was etched into their minds forever.

The legend of the haunting at Shipai Jala spread, a tale of compassion and bravery that reminded everyone that even in the darkest places, light and hope could prevail.