“Why you are looking so much amazed” it is just another station Shajahanpur.” He said
Yes also I became conscious that it was just a station… I was so much deeply flowing with excitement and thrill that sound of wheels sound me like a blast. I was really so much excited to know his life experience that I was ready to go deep drown into this. I re-collected myself and try to be normal.
He said, “It is story around 40-45 years ago when I was a young boy, I was visiting to school. Like any other boy I was free and do what so ever I want to do. Most of my elders instructed me that not to visit that pond area in late evening time there is a ghost. Which can harm you…, He is lethal,
Ghost is thirsty of blood, He killed many. That spirit wants revenge, Vengeance spirit …. And so many thing about that spirit..!! Like any of you I also think that is just bluffing some stupid ideas to make me fool; so that boys should not visit pond late. These are just imaginary things, nonsense… just bad ideas.. I was thinking might be you also thinking this time..” he took pause after long dialog.
I am thinking and smiling “How this old man knows what is going on in my mind..?” I said, I trust you uncle ji just keep on narration … it is interesting.
He begins,There was a fine after noon in month of Apr last . It was summer time ; and you know in summer time during day it is ready hard to find someone on the roads ..it s too hot. My father gave me his kurta for stitching to tailor and he said me to go and collect it from market, because he has to use it tomorrow.
I was just relaxing at home so I said OK I will collect it myself.
My father told me “Do not go alone to that area that is evil place, bring someone with you, maybe bring your elder brother”.
I thought I am brave if I will go along with someone than then my friends would tease me , as chicken heart , It was matter of my pride so I decided to go alone; In that after noon. He told all this with high low pitch and false pride.
Sharma ji continued , “I started to go to market because I was order from my father , I bring my bicycle out and without taking anyone with me I stated to go to market. It was after noon time, not a single person outside of their home. I was alone going to market, it was warm air, it was appealing like winds are coming from hot oven. Even there were no cattle or birds were visible. I was slowly moving towards market. I was about to reach near to pond; I just arrived my half journey; maybe I was about .15 or 2 km away from my home. I was feeling hot, my head was covered with cloth piece my gamcha. I rapped my gmacha all around my head. I was slowly slowly about to reach to pond. I was just whispering some old melody song from a film. Everything was fine going on.
Then suddenly bad odor strike to my nose.. it was really bad .. and I was getting strong and strong as much I was going close to market . I realized this smell I know , I smell it somewhere.. What was that?
I was trying to recall and suddenly I realized this is rotten meat smell…yak… bad..too much bad smell, I recognized this thing it is so painful for my nose. Because few years ago when my friend’s old cow died and we put that cow’s body outside of village to be decomposed. it is ditto same smell, I recognized it very well. But from where it is coming from..?
May be any animal died near to pond. But usually we do not dump animal bodies near to water bodies; may be some idiot did it; who did It.? I was just wondering in my mind .But still that fragrance of crumble meat is all around. I stopped my bicycle and look around. There was nothing crumbling. But still it was near to me. This wind was also fast may be something far from my site. I just ignored this and keep moving towards market.
That road was muddy not pitch road like today’s. There was many small stones and dirt on road which makes it uneven, there was also no single residence nearby.. All that areas was filled with trees and some plantation. I was just moving on careless. Thinking about samosa and sweets in market.
Suddenly I feel that someone jumped on bicycle on behind. it was sudden and surprise, I was about to fall, and I was just about to grounded but suddenly I put down my left foot on ground and manage to balance myself.
I shouted …”who is this..?”
and turned around but there was no one just sound of wind and odor of rotten meat. I was puzzled I thought I s my fiend Birju… I was angry a roared high.
“Birju come out, you idiot, you stupid fellow”, “come out otherwise I will kill you”.
But I was amaze there is no reply from anywhere and I was standing in between road. Even trees are 15 feet away from me. I feel worried and well as mystified too. I started sweating, sweating all my palm and on my neck . I controlled myself, and recollected myself that might be I skid from this muddy road. I try to come out from it.” Sarma ji took a pause after this.
He continued and said “ I tried to forget that incidence and recall to go to market for my collection of kurta which my father tell me to do.
I paddled my bicycle but it was not moving. I put my efforts again but it was not moving, It was feeling that like there is weight of quintals on my bicycle. Hard to move it; But there was nothing on my bicycle . it was total weird.. I was horrified, shocked. Again try to push my it.. But again it was not moving, feel it jammed.
I do not have any idea what is going on, suddenly Idea strike in my mind. Might be breaks are jams. I lean front and see front break was OK; I press it and working fine. Then I press rear break it was also fine. There where is problem I thought.. What about chain..??
I check bicycle chain it was on its place. I was clueless! I do not know what to do..?
Suddenly I came off from bicycle and see it from a left side and try to drag it… I drag it with all my power because I have to go to market otherwise my father will scold me. I apply all my power and suddenly bicycle dragged,. I run with it while dragging, I just willing to go fast and fast as possible. I sit on bicycle and moved out, I was puzzled but I was happy too because I was going to market. I was happy and clueless also, what happened to me I it was unanswerable to me..? “Sharma ji completed.
“This was quite interesting story but there is no ghost in this ” I said after exhaling, “I was expecting some big stuff. It was interesting but not horrified story…?” I started smiling
“Hahaha I know you going to think in this way this is not story but just beginning of a most interesting and bizarre day of my life. It is a long story and I would complete it to you, but I need a break. I will go to wash room first.” Sharma ji said.
I said “why not we have entire night together”. I also realized that Its 12:00 midnight, I am also feeling by bladder is full, have not urinated since 3 hr, surprise, is I was so much indulge in story of this old man. Really this story was interesting. I am waiting to listen him again, why these old man take so much time in washroom? In that amount of time I could be relaxed twice.
“Ahhh this is cold night…. Thanks god blowers are on. It is good inside really..!!” Sharma Ji told me.
I said “Yes Uncle ji it is better inside”. I said in continuation “So… what happen next to you..? Has you got kurta of you father …? ”
He said. “Yes within 15 mints I reached to market and talked to tailor about my father , he told me that wait for 1 hr more to complete it, also suggested me to roam around market. I thought it was good idea, it was about to be evening… Might be samaosa going to be ready!
So I went to sweet shop and had two samosas with green chatni and had cup of tea. I was full. After 1 hr I visited to that tailor again and asked about my assignment. Tailor told me to wait for 30 mints more. I told him I have to go back and please make it fast. After my convincing he gave me kurta of my father it was about to dawn.
Any how I collected kurta and keep in my bag, I rapped that bad around handle of my bicycle and slowly I was going back to my home. it was not very much far but road was bad and it was about to dark. Also my heart was pumping fast because that wired experience which I had happen just few hours ago with me. I was still not able to understand it. I also did not tell about this experience to any one, because I was thinking people would laugh on me or they will tease me t about hat. How something stopped me near to pond. It might me another story. I was also not sure that incidence happened with me was an attack or just some accident happen with me. I was also not sure? Should I say these things to my father? But if I would detail him about this accident than he would scold me because already he warned me and said to bring someone with me to market. If I speak to my friends than except Arvind no one going to believe me. Because Arvind was first person who told me about Mangla..?
“Who is this Mangla..? “ I said
He said I will inform you later about him.. so I was telling you that I was going back to my home from market with kurta and so many ides and feelings was going in my brain what to say and what to do. I was moving on and day was about to settle down. It was a bit cool now that evening.
Suddenly oh my god someone slapped me on my back.. Intensity of that impact was so much I imbalanced and I was on ground within fraction of second. I was stunned and surprised what happen to me and how it happened. Same rotten meat smell was near. I realized I am near to pond and just after that Neem Tree. This time I can realized someone is breathing. His breathing was clear to me and it was slowly –slowly getting heavier and I could feel them on m chest.
Now I can realize that a thin like on blood coming down from my front left side of my head because my head first grounded then my hands came. There was intense pain my arms because I stopped myself from skidding by my arms, it was burning like it is on fire might be my arms rubbed in mud and with stones. Someone was breathing on my chest. He was uttering something I was not clear. I was trying to see. I was focusing and I was trying , this shadow was someone. It was like human .
This shadow was about 6 feet tall and dark black brown colour, appearing that he is coming from mug and dirt. There was no hair on his head, eyes was not looking like human it was read, big fiery red eyes; looking like lava was flowing from there just directly looking to me. With heavy breath he was whispering something it was a bit clear..
Oh yes ..!! I was able to understand it .i was saying something in my language .. yes .. yes I got those words..
Run away.. Run away … I will kill you!!!
I warned you, to go away from here..!!!l
Oh god this haunted thing was .. When I was coming to market, he was who stopped my bicycle.. Yes same rotten odor.
I will kill you.,. I will kill you… I was able see there was a big scar on his chest bigger than my palm. Big scar, wounded and blood was flow from it, I was looking that someone stab his chest.. His hands were bigger than my head and he those big muddy hands was about to come on my neck. I just ducked and his hands just missed my neck… I attempted to save myself.
I saved my neck from his big hands but his nails were big, bigger than beak of a chicken .those nails where solid like iron. I saved my neck but I bended while saving myself; his nails pierced just below on my right shoulder; and sliced out some of my flesh. These claws ruptured my blood veins and shoulder was mess with blood. Blood was all over my body. I was so feared that I was not able to feel pain of this wound. I was just numb not able to do anything… I was not feeling anything… Just I was able to see that dark black face which was crazy. That was ready to kill me.
I rolled over and try to drag myself always from him. I was thinking it is my last day and last attempts which I am going to do to save myself; but these attempts are not going to save me . but I was trying my best to survive me.. Might be it was my survival instinct. I was trying to run away but by legs was trembling, might be legs are broken. I was trying to run , but fail, and I fall..
Oh God he was roaring like Bison Bull… Red eyes are behind me. He was furious, ghostly personality with rotten odor.
I applied all my power to pull myself up.. To go to run away….to save my life… All I was attempting to live… I could recall all my past. It was rolling on my eyes like film. I was shocked, was trying to re collect myself… I can save myself. I have to go… Run .. Run and Run. Those few seconds where feeling like hours. I want to live .i want to live. Blood was running like flood on my hand.
I again try to push myself up.. Yes I was successful to up few inches from ground. Suddenly something hit me on my head.
Boom…. ahhaa..!!!
I did not feel anything after that; I do not know what happened with me. Just I can see dark. pitch dark all around myself. Dark with no end… Nothing was visible. No pain, no fear. I was motion less. I do know what happen to me.
I opened my eyes I see that my father in front of me. I was on my cot . My mother was on my left side . I can see more and more people around me. It was night-time. I was surprised that how I came to my home.
I was near to pond ,Near to Neem tree how I came here..?
I asked to my father “how I came here? I was out”.!!!
My father told “we find you near pond unconscious “, wounded and fallen on ground.
“Might be some jackal or hyena attacked you”. He said.
“But how it could be it jackal or hyena.. It was a man”
Father said “man … do you know him.? Is it was from our village”, “could you recognize him”
“No it was without face… I never saw any one like this” “his eyes were red and with big nails was smelling like rotten meat”.
“Was there any scar on chest” I voice came to my ear… it was my grand-uncle
“yes.. yes big scar.. like someone stabbed his chest ” “he was saying I will kill you…yes same thing”
“oh God it was Mangla”
“Mangla”
“who is this Mangla…?”
This time voice came from behind above my head…I was surprised
I was suddenly shocked.. What is this sound..?
Hay who is there, top of my head..?
I turned back and try to find out source of that sound
I was amazed to see…
To be continued……
images source google.com
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Free Spirit-Abhishek 