It was 5 o’clock in the afternoon, when Ramlal came home from School. It was the last day of school before the summer vacation. With a joyful and tired face he threw his school bag on the floor.
“How was the day my boy?”, his father asked.
“Maybe It was very nice! not?”, Ramlal’s mother said.
“Yes, it was a good day.” Ramlal replied.
Ramlal is a student of class 11th. He Studied in a well Reputed school in Mumbai in India. No other boy in the school was as brave as him. Whenever there was any argument regarding ghosts, he always laughed at his friends and told them that there is nothing in the world like ghosts. According to him, ghosts are only a concept of our weak mind. A few boys of his friends challenged him to go to the graveyards at night but Ramlal accepted and won the challenge without any hesitation. That's why he became the bravest boy in the school.
As every year this year also he wanted to spend his vacation in his Grandpa’s house.
He asked, “Papa, are we going to Grandpa's house this year too?”
“What's your opinion my boy?”, asked his father.
“Of Course! I want to go to Papa. Please!”, Ramlal replied.
“Alright, we shall go tomorrow.”, his father said.
Ramlal was different from other boys at his age. Most of the youths at this age are addicted to games, social media and so on. Ramlal liked to play outdoors, he loved the village, domestic animals, and nature's beauty. When he heard that they were going to his grandpa’s house he became very glad.
“Ramlal go and pack your luggage”, his mom said.
‘“Yes, maa” he said.
He went to his room and packed his clothes, study material, and his favourite binoculars which helped him to observe village animals from a distance.
It was the next morning, they began their journey. All the way Ramlal thought about his best friend Krishna. He lived in the same village where Ramlal was going.
They approached his grandpa’s house at about mid-day. Everyone was glad to see them. After lunch Ramlal took a day nap. As usual all his friends including Krishna came to their house to listen to a story from his grandpa.
“Grandpa, Grandpa today we want to hear about a real ghost”, said Bimal, one of them.
“Ha ha ah ha ahah haha”, Ramlal and Krishna laughed loudly,” Come on Bimal you're about to 17 years old and you're eager to listen about Ghosts?”, Ramlal and Krishna can't stop their laughter.
“Why are you two laughing?”, Jamini said, “Don't you know that there are real ghosts in this village?”
“Yes, I have heard the rumour that there are ghosts in the Haunted villa by the village side, but I don't believe this.” Ramlal replied.
“Me too”, said Krishna.
“So many villagers heard scary noises from the villa, what about that? Are they lying?” Suman said.
“We are not saying that they are lying, but maybe that was some nocturnal animal's voice and they are thinking that it was a ghost.” Replied Krishna.
“Exactly.” said Ramlal and pat Krishna’s back.
An argument formed regarding this and it was about to increase when grandpa Said,” Stop, stop, well why are you all not going to the villa and reveal the truth, are you ready?”
Grandpa continued,” If you're ready to go then there are some criterias. First you have to go there at midnight. You can take nothing but a torch with you. Are you all ready?”
“My parents will not agree grandpa, sorry.” said Jamini.
“We usually complete our dinner at 9 o'clock. After that I can't blink my eyes.” said Bimal.
“I have too many assignments to complete thus I have to read at night so I can't go.”, said Suman.
“Ahahah ahahah ahahah, I knew your bravery”, Grandpa laughed. He continued,” What about you two boys?”
Ramlal and Krishna looked at each other and said,”We are ready Grandpa.”
“Bravo! My lions, ok you have to go tomorrow.” said Grandpa.
“OK”, they said.
Next day in the morning Grandpa called Ramlal and said,”I'm going to the city for important work. I shall come back tomorrow. Ok, tell me when you two will start your adventure?”
“Tonight at 1 a.m.”
“Good luck”, Grandpa replied and got out of the house.
It was about 9 o’clock when Krishna came to their house. They completed dinner together and started to get ready for the adventure. They wore tight t-shirts and loose trousers to move comfortably and took two high luminous torches. At 12 o’clock when everyone was sleeping the two friends walked slowly to the door, opened it without any noise and got out of the house. They started to run towards the village side where the villa was situated.
After half an hour they reached the haunted villa. Ramlal spotted the light on the main gate.It was in a very poor condition. Many herbs and shrubs were covering the gate and the yard. Krishna started to clear the bushes. Then they entered the yard. The yard was too big. They reached the front of the building. It was so weird and scary.
Suddenly, the bushes behind them made a noise. They immediately turned around and discovered a black cat there.
“Hoff! I became really afraid. Hahaha”, said Krishna.
“Let’s go,” Ramlal said.
They opened the door and got inside. In the ground floor there was a big hall room with a long balcony. Dry leaves and dust were scattered on the floor. There were two pieces of old furniture.
Pointing the torch upward Ramlal asked, “Krishna, don’t you think that here is something wrong?”
“Why?”, asked Krishna.
“I think someone is here. Let’s go to the first floor, be careful.”, said Ramlal.
They slowly went upstairs, they were keeping their steps silently and their breathing was too slow to hear. Suddenly an awkward voice came from the last room of the first floor. They began to move forward. The beam of the torch which was in Krishna’s hand was trembling. All of the rooms were without any doors and windows but the last room had doors and windows in good condition, it seemed that someone lived there. Krishna was thinking about what they would do if they really faced the ghost.
“Are you okay”, asked Ramlal, he said, “See nothing is here.”
“I’m… I’m fine, let’s go home.”, said Krishna.
“Who says that here is nothing? Then what am I?”, a growling voice came out from the closed room.
Two friends were holding each other trying to think what they should do. Their feet were as paralysed. Those torches had already out of their hand grip and were on the floor. The door opened slowly with a cracking sound. about a 10 ft. shadow appeared in front of them. In the darkness they couldn’t see all the figure but the eyes of the shadow. Those were bright red.
“Wh… Wh… Who are you?”, asked Ramlal
“I’m the owner of this house, don’t be afraid boys, you’re too brave, so you will be rewarded”, said the dark shadow.
Krishna was too afraid to speak anything. Ramlal was in confusion “Really? Ghosts are real? How is it possible?”, he thought.
“Say what do you want?”, asked the shadow.
“We don’t want anything, we just came here to reveal if you exist really or not”, replied Ramlal without any fear.
“Then you can go and tell your friends that I am ot a rumour I’m real”, the growling voice talked again and then disappeared in the dark.
Ramlal saw that Ramlal Krishna was sitting on the floor, he gave one hand to him for support.
Anyhow they succeeded to get out of the haunted house. They ran and ran without thinking anything until they reached their home. It was almost dawn when they reached home. They were very tired and were breathing heavily. Ramlal and Krishna entered their room and collapsed on the bed.
“Ramu, Ramu!”
Ramlal woke up, it was his Grandpa. “How was the journey boys?’, he asked.
“Terrible”, said Krishna with unslept red eyes.
“Hm, ok we’ll discuss it in the evening.”, Grandpa said, “ Now take a shower and be ready for breakfast.”
Ramlal and Krishna got out of their room. Suddenly Ramlal saw his Grandpa's shoes. It was covered with some green curly twigs of bushes.
“Hey! Look at this”, he dragged Krishna’s attention on those shoes.
“Let’s go, come with me”, said Ramlal and Rushed out.
“Wait! where? and why?” Krishna was confused.
“We should go again to that house”, said Ramlal on the way.
“Why? We have already justified that there are real ghosts”, said Krishna.
“Not Ghosts, only one ghost and that is fake. Don’t worry I shall give you proof, come with me.”, said Ramlal with a bright smile.
They reached the house and entered the building. Ramlal Rushed to the 1st floor. The dust was clearly visible in the daylight. Ramlal rushed to the last room where they met the ghost last night. He opened the door and squatted on the floor.
“Come here Krishna, Can you see the footprints?”, said Ramlal.
“OMG! Footprint of Ghost!”, said krishna.
“Not at all”
Then Ramlal opened his bag and took out a pair of shoes, Krishna didn’t notice Ramlal’s bag till then. Ramlal then put those shoes on the footprints. Krishna was astonished to see that those pairs of shoes were in a perfect match of those footprints and he knew those pairs of shoes very well, those were Grandpa’s shoes.
“That means…”
“Yeah, if we search the house I think we’ll get more evidence”, said Ramlal.
Then they searched the whole room and found two red LEDs, one long black coat. They took all the evidence with them. Then they returned home.
In the evening all friends gathered on the roof as usual. Grandpa came too. Bimal asked, “So, brave boys, tell us how your journey was?”
Two friends laughed together again and said, “We met the ghost and take him with us too”
Then they took out the evidence one by one and explained the red LED as the eyes of the ghost, the long coat as the body and at last they showed everyone the pair of shoes.
All was clear to everyone. Grandpa became so proud of Ramlal.
Suman said, “I realised that in the beginning. So, I didn’t join you. I usually don’t want to fight with fake ghosts.”
“Really….”
All laughed.
