........and the bell rang

sat alone by the window, light drops of rain fell on the smooth road, it was pitch-black as if the earth had nothing but darkness. It was almost 11:00 pm and I was all by myself at home. My mom and sis were out with some relatives and my brothers were with their friends and my dear dad was at his office, he was to pick them all up on his way back.

I sat by the open window, feeling the light raindrops coming inside through the open window, the wind was blowing wildly. A fresh draft of cold wind came inside; brushing my hair and making my face go red with cold. I was enjoying the cool, serene and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

I was not in the least feeling sorry for my self.

Time flew past like a flash. It was 11:30 when suddenly the lights went out, a situation which I never enjoyed. I could see nothing except the flickering of the candle, it burnt brilliantly.

There was nothing except me and the darkness. I decided to go to bed but as the thought struck me I heard a weird sound. It seemed as if someone was crying bitterly...

It was becoming louder because of the stinging silence of my room, I wondered if there were ghosts in my house. The thought of ghosts gave a current to my body which chilling my spine.

I tried to ignore the thought of ghosts but my mind was so full of their horrible images that I could not prevent my mind from imagining them, to realize that they weren’t a reality.

Every second seemed like an hour. Time seemed to hardly pass but it did ... when the bell rang.

I was already terrified, the sound of the bell made me imagine all sorts of weird images of terrible ghosts after me. For a second I couldn’t move, I was so petrified and not in my senses. At last, when I was myself again, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best and walked with numbed legs towards the door.

I don’t know how I made it to the door. I opened it, a quick gust of wind entered with a small shadow. I couldn’t make out its face but as soon as it entered the door it shrieked in my ear; I was already scared from the dark and the scream knocked me off my feet. When I got up again, I could see six eyes peering right under my nose (no sorry! there were 12 eyes, each one had a pair). Thank God! It was my very own family, my mom, sitting by my side, stroked my hair, I could see love in her eyes.

I took a quick glance around and asked my mom about the ghost. She gave an indignant glance at my younger brother and said, “It was your ladla, shararti bhai.” I understood at once but something struck me hard like a stone, the Crying Ghosts! I told my mom about the sound which could still be heard but was now a little lower.



NEXT SCENE:
Five human figures, lurking around the kitchen with defensive weapons gripped in their hands. Not really weapons (just a jharoo, danda and jooti) I sat by the table, waiting for them to return with the ghost that nearly killed me. I was still spellbound, my blood circulation was getting slower. My blood becoming colder with fright.

After a minute of suspicious thoughts, I saw them coming towards me giggling, laughing — making it all a little too suspicious for me to understand. For a minute I thought they were out of their senses, then I asked them the reason behind their strange behaviour. They pointed towards the direction of the kitchen. Already confused I walked a “tortoise walk” to the kitchen. The door was wide open and ohh!! what a view! The kitchen tap was ON, dripping H20 onto the metal sink (basin) making the strange noise of someone crying bitterly...

I came out mad at myself... how could this happen to me. I had entered the kitchen half dead with fright and had came out half dead with burst of giggles. I couldn’t stop myself.

We had a good laugh together.

Now! I am alone, it’s almost a year to that day. I can hear something! Not crying but shouting, screaming. Oh, no! It’s not coming from the kitchen, it’s coming from the direction of my STOMACH. Oh no! The lights have gone, now how am I going to make it to the fridge.. hey! wait I can hear, I hear the... bell ring...