GHOSTS

 GHOSTS

 

Mr. Gupta hesitated before he revealed his hand. The imposing walls of the prison, which of late had become the breeding ground of ghosts of all hues. He could feel the anger and fear coming out of this dreary place.  An inmate had experienced  unnecessary pain and suffering. His spirit had come back to hunt his tormentors. Mr. Gupta, using his considerable experience in dealing with such matters, managed to liberate the ghost before it wreaked havoc. The prison was free from the menace of ghosts once and for all. Mr. Gupta decided to retire from ghost fighting and live a quiet, peaceful life doing everyday, mundane things, like managing his business.

 

 

 

Mr. Gupta looked up and smiled at his friend Mr. Pathak, who was his childhood chum since their school days. Both of them had attended the same school and university. They were thick buddies who had done the same things in life. Their marriage anniversaries were also just a week apart, as were their birthdays. Mr. Pathak had turned out to be a police inspector and a good one at that. Rumours had it that he was in line for the commissioner’s post. As for Mr. Gupta, he was a very successful businessman who doubled up as a ghost fighter. His vast knowledge of the paranormal had placed him in high demand not only in the city but in the whole country as well. But today, Mr. Pathak had come to him with an extremely strange request.

 

 

 

‘Gupta, I know you are done with the spooky stuff and all that… but my friend someone desperately needs your help, to get back his old life.’

Leaning in, Mr. Pathak continued in a conspiratorial tone, ‘Well, a bizarre case has come to our notice. A young youth in the city is being harassed by ghosts. He had complained to the authorities on several occasions…but we, the police, could not offer him any help. The young youth- Sunny is a very talented guy, but I’m afraid he is on the verge of losing his mind, if help does not reach him on time.’

‘What has that got to do with me, Pathak? You know I’ve hung my boots, and am finally getting some time to be with the family…’ said Mr. Gupta in an exasperated tone.

‘That may be so… Gupta, but if you help this boy, you will be saving a young, talented life who can still contribute much to society… and if we crack this case, I may very well be sitting in the Commissioner’s chair come Diwali’, said Mr. Pathak in a confidential note.

‘I beg you, Gupta…to accept this final assignment.’

After a little while, Mr. Gupta started pacing the living room as if deep in thought. He finally said, ‘Ok, Pathak, I’ll see what I can do.’

‘Thank you, my friend, I knew I could count on you, ’ said Mr.  Pathak, almost bowing down to his old friend to whom he owed much.

 

 

 

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That evening, Mr. Gupta made his way to Rajendra Nagar, where Sunny lived.

‘Hi… I’m Mr. Gupta, and I’m here to help you.

Sunny's appearance came as a shock to Mr. Gupta. Sunny seemed to be a youth in his early twenties. He had dark circles around his eyes, perhaps from the lack of sleep or stress. He had an exhausted, spent look about him, though he tried to be charming. Mr. Gupta wondered what burdens this youth carried behind that disarming smile of his.

‘What exactly is the problem? ‘ Mr Gupta enquired, trying to sound sympathetic.

‘Well, Sir, it's like this… for the past several years, I’ve been haunted by a gang of ghosts. They stalk me at home, at the office…in fact, wherever I go. My entire life seems to be hijacked by this gang. They spy on everything I do… and utter abuses nonstop. Sometimes they even assault me physically. My life has turned into a mess. Though I cannot see them…I feel their evil presence everywhere, Mr. Gupta, you’ve got to help me.’

‘Apart from the harassment, do you find any strange occurrences around your house…like some strange incidents that defy logic?’ Mr. Gupta asked in a quizzical note.

‘Well, Sir, sometimes in the dead of the night, I hear strange banging sounds that seem to be coming from nowhere. At other times, I hear strange noises, like footsteps. My doors sometimes open and close on their own accord. Sometimes I hear the disturbing sound of birds crying nonstop. The cats suddenly seem to follow me around. The dogs bark outside my flat continuously. The furniture mysteriously moves around the house. Posters and wall photos suddenly fall off. If this continues, Sir, I may soon go bonkers! said Sunny, sounding extremely distressed.

‘I see! said Mr. Gupta, his ghost busting skills and senses now fully activated. 

‘Fear not, I’ll solve your case, as if my life depended on it. But after this, I swear I’m done.’

 

 

 

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The first person to ring the doorbell at Sunny’s flat the next day was Mr. Gupta.

‘Cheer up, son, I’m here. I need to stay with you to get a first-hand experience. I hope you                understand.’

‘Sure, I’ll prepare the guest’s room, ’ said Sunny, almost relieved that here at last there was someone he could confide to.

Mr. Gupta settled in the guest’s room. He spent the whole day reading, since nothing unusual happened. Sunny, meanwhile, parked himself in front of the television, binge-watching Netflix, in an attempt to distract himself.

 

As soon as dusk fell, the atmosphere in the flat slowly changed. For the first time, Mr. Gupta could feel an eerie presence.

A strange noise at around eight in the evening began to emanate, as if it was coming from the terrace above. It was as if someone was hammering a nail on the wall. Mr. Gupta went up to the terrace to investigate.

‘Strange, there is no one around, ’ he said to Sunny, who had followed him.

The banging sounds continued. Mr. Gupta took out his infra-red scanners that could spot ghosts not visible to the naked eye. He flashed the scanner all around the terrace. Nothing. They came down to the flat and turned on the scanner in every room. There was a slight interruption in the banging sounds. But then suddenly, the TV set lost its signal, and the radio, which was playing in Sunny’s room, lost its signal too. And then a hysterical laugh could be heard, when suddenly the lights went out, leaving the entire area in pitch darkness. The hysterical laugh continued for some time, as if mocking. Just then, Mr. Gupta felt a strange sensation as if someone was trying to break his legs. His chest felt heavy, and his breathing was now coming in gasps. His head felt like it was about to explode. He found himself slipping into unconsciousness as the hysterical laugh resounded in his ears.

 

 

 

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He felt extremely lightheaded when he awoke to find Sunny peering over him. It was bright daylight outside. He must have passed out.

‘Thank God! For a moment, I thought you were gone’ Sunny exclaimed.

‘How long was I out?’

‘It’s 4 p.m. now…  the next day. You were out since the lights went out last night.’

‘This is a gang of extremely mischievous ghosts that we are dealing with. Why they spared my life, I’ve no idea. They outwitted me…but tonight I’ll be ready, Sunny. ‘

That evening, Mr. Gupta activated his ghost-hunting apps on his phone. He asked for an earthen pot with a strong lid to be placed in the centre of the room.  He took out some sacred soil from the banks of the Ganges and filled the open pot with it.

‘Now, we sit back and wait, Sunny. Your problems may soon be over.’

‘

 

 

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At exactly eight in the evening, the banging sounds resumed. This time, Mr. Gupta switched off the main electrical switch of the house. The flat was pitch dark. He then lit an earthen lamp and placed it beside the open pot filled with soil. He then switched the ghost-catching app on his mobile.

Some time passed when his mobile began vibrating, signalling the presence of ghosts in the room. Mr. Gupta counted five beeps, telling him that there were five of them. The electrical appliances in the room suddenly creaked and groaned, as the hysterical laugh resumed now in the darkness. Suddenly, the phone beeped and vibrated silently in Mr. Gupta’s pocket three times. It was time to act. With one swift move, he closed the lid of the pot and sealed it with some red coloured threads. He then sprinkled some holy water onto the pot.

‘We are done, my boy! Tomorrow I’ll take this pot and burn it in the fire.’ Said Mr. Gupta triumphantly as he switched on the lights of the flat.

‘The ghosts are trapped inside this pot, ’ he explained.

‘But, whatever you do, don’t open the lid…otherwise the spirits will be back to seek vengeance on us’

 

 

 

The next day, a priest was called, and a yagya was arranged where Mr. Gupta destroyed the pot in the yagya fire.

Sunny suddenly began to feel as if some filth was discharging from his body. He rushed to take a shower and came out a free man.

As for Mr. Pathak, he was soon promoted to the Commissioner’s post. Mr. Gupta took off to the Bahamas for a well-deserved holiday with his family. Sunny also took off on a holiday to Rishikesh before he resumed his new life. 

 

 

 

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