Ghosts and their Children.

Chapter 3: Grandpa is waiting.


At 2:00 AM on a frightening night in Kupnur 3 distinct voices were heard. A man screaming, a woman screaming and an old woman laughing. The couple ran down. The voices from the top floor now stopped. Kumar reached for the switch and put the bulb on.

Aarti hid her face in Kumar’s chest as he slowly moved towards the staircase again.

Suddenly they heard a boy cried somewhere far.

“Maa, where are you, Maa...” The voice was from their bedroom. It was Amit’s. Aarti hesitated, but Kumar went in. He switched on the bulb in the bedroom. Amit looked at Kumar from the corner of the bed. He had that same innocent look. Kumar went and hugged Amit. He was cold. Aarti followed.

“Where were you people? I got so scared.” said Amit rubbing his eyes vigorously as he tried to wake up. Aarti was shocked and silent.

“There was a cat in the kitchen Amit, we were there” said Kumar, but Amit abruptly spoke out, cutting him, “Ok. Maa why are you standing there? Can we sleep?”

Something was wrong. Amit spoke as if he never got out of the bed, as if he never climbed the staircase, as if he never giggled at his great Grandma. Something was definitely wrong.

3 Nights Later.

Kumar felt thirsty. He reached for the water bottle kept on the table but found it empty. He hated to get up but his thirst didn't let him sleep. He went to the kitchen, switched on the light and opened the fridge.

As he started drinking, he suddenly saw a shadow walking at a fast pace on the kitchen wall. He turned back, dropping some water on himself in the process. The curtains moved but there was no one there.

He ignored it. The last 72 hours had gone talking to Aarti about the incident that happened. He walked back to the bedroom. Aarti looked at him. Something was wrong, again.

Amit was not in the bed.

The couple knew this time where he would be. They went towards the corner in that room. The door was closed. Kumar tried opening the door and looked in. There was just the portrait, no Amit. The couple dint have the courage to turn and go back.

Suddenly someone shouted, “Kumar, Kumar beta, where are you?” Kumar started sweating. Someone called out his name. They turned back and stood at the beginning of the staircase looking below.

A long shadow was seen. As it came closer , it was clear that the person was wearing a saree. Aarti tried to scream but there was no sound. It was Amit, in his Grandma’s saree, wearing her ornaments, all the ones on the picture. Slowly he moved up, talking to himself in a female voice. The couple could not move.

As Amit came closer, Kumar tried to move away.

“Kumar, where were you? Grandpa is looking for you. Go down. And who is she?” said Amit and walked  the room and closed the door behind. Aarti began to cry in fear. Kumar did not know what to do. Both ran down.

“Hi Dr Prakash, it’s me Kumar here”

Prakash PK was an able doctor. As soon as Kumar told him the problem he knew what happened completely. He arrived after 2 hours with his kit and asked the couple to be downstairs as he went to the room.

There was a lot of screaming for the next ten minutes but everything was calm after that.

“He is fine. He just is imagining things. He is amazed by the house and its history. I’ve given him some medicines. He should be fine.” That sounded convincing for the couple. They thanked him and sent him off.

As Prakash started to drive, Amit looked at him from the window and smiled. Prakash smiled back. He had to.