Aatma

The Haunting

The Haunted Bunglow 

Sameer got a job in Chennai ,  a city in TamilNadu in India . He was very excited as he had done his engineering from  Chennai.He had many friends there so he was excited to work there .He was from Mumbai ,he lived with his parents and a younger sister .His parents agreed to allow him to work in a different city as they were sure he is safe there having known the city and the culture very well as he had stayed there for five years for his studies . He also liked the food.He started to pack his clothes and contacted his friends to arrange for a flat on rent .He wanted two bedrooms as he  wanted to make his parents feel comfortable whenever they visit him . While he was studying he stayed in the college hostel. So his family never visited him ,he always wanted them to come and stay with him for few days so he could show them around the city and the beautiful beaches .Though Mumbai is a island city ,the beaches in Chennai were definitely clean .And the awesome food , he wanted to show his sister the life in Chennai, the Temples so many beautiful coloured Temples .He promised them after few months from the time he joins ,  during his sisters summer vacation he will call them to stay with him .He planned many things to do.for them.His friends lined up few flats and some old bungalows for him to choose.Till the he could stay with his friend Venkat and his parents.He was very excited with the though he would be able to meet Laxmi his class fellow .He had fallen for her but could never confess to her as he was not financial stable . He belonged to a middle class family ,his father could somehow spare money for his hostel and food .His got scholarship as he was a bright student most of his education was completed with scholarship .The day finally neared when he had to leave Mmbai and go to chennai .He still had a week to join the office but before that he had to arrange for a place to stay . He reached Chennai and took a cab and went straight to his friend;s house .Venkat was not at home he was at work ,his mother welcomed him showed him Venkat’s room and told him to freshen up till then she will prepare hot coffee and hot steamed Idlis and chutney ( idli is a rice and lentil mixed  cake which is steamed and eaten with coconut and chilli paste ) He quickly went in and changed his clothes and came out to have the delicious breakfast. He ate the hot idlis as if he was hungry for days , he told venkat’s mother he missed the food of Chennai.After finishing the idlis his Aunt told him to rest in the room till she calls him for lunch, he thanks her and goes to Venkat’s room and calls him up and speaks to him Venkat tells him to chill and after he comes in the evening they can go and see the old places they used to frequent as students,till than he advises him to take rest ,Soon Sameer falls asleep as he had left his house in the morning the Airport was one  hours away from his Mumbai house. , he is fast asleep when he hears Aunty calling out to him he quickly gets up and opens the door and tells her he will be there for lunch .Though he is not that hungry , he does not want refuse her he washed his face combs his hair and joins her for lunch by now even Venkat’s father has joined them for lunch Sameer knows them very well as he used to visit them when he was studying to have home cooked food when he used to be tired of hostel food. Venkat’s dad asks him about his new job what salary he will get and advices him not to spend much on rent and take a flat or a house for lass rent not to go for fancy building and end up paying huge amount of money on rent .He has to save money for his future and also for his young sister’s marriage and also care for his parents so he should be very careful how he spends his money. Sameer appreciates Uncle’s concern and agrees to keep in mind .Both talk a lot about the current issues of the country . Later uncle goes in his room to rest Sameer takes a magazine from the hall and goes to the room and lies down and reads the magazine and when he fell asleep he did not realise until at 7pm Venkat entered his room and punched him hard .  He jumped up startled and shouted whose it.? Venkat laugh’s and tells he has not changed a bit he is still the week hearted  guy scared for his dear life .They go out in the hall and join Venkat’s parents for coffee and snacks .Vnkat tells his mother they will have dinner out as they will go out to meet other friends and will return late at night . Next day was a weekly off for Venkat…Around 9 pm they both go out and reach their frequented place near their college a small canteen on the road side where all the guys used to come to celebrate their success .They had found memories of that place the owner and the waiter still remember them the feeling was very good as if he return to his own place .They waited for few friends to join them .Sameer get’s a call from his mother enquiring about his wellbeing he tells her all that happened in the day from the time he reached Chennai and tells her not to worry he is out with his friends and having dinner.Three friends join them straight from their office .They hug each other and pull each other’s leg they also tease Sameer about not coming here for job but to find out about Laxmi .They scare him saying she is already married to a rich guy .And laugh and make fun of him ,they again become college boys and talk loudly and remembering all the fun they used to have .and how scared Sameer was of ghost .One of the guy remember’s how when Sameer had just joined the college and it was his first night in the hostel room One of the senior guy wanted to rag Sameer so he covered himself with a white bedcover and entered Sameer’s room through the window and scared him Sameer had picked up the water jug kept next to his bed and thrown it on the ghost he had to be taken to hospital as his head was bleeding .But all the girls were impressed by him for throwing the jug at that rowdy guy.Sameer says he did to protect his life not because he wanted to punish anybody he was scared it was a ghost as he had always read there were ghost roaming in the hostels. All laugh and enjoy their dinner and after spending some more time they all promise to keep in contact at least once  a month.the friends send message to each other before leaving but they don’t  share with Sameer.After seeing them off Sameer and Venkat start going towards Venkat’s car when they are walking on the road cool breeze is blowing and only few trucks are n the road flashing their lights on them occasionally when suddenly Sameer and Venkat can hear someone calling out to them .Hey handsome wait for me . Sameer is about to turn but Venkat tells him not to turn and responds she is a desperate soul who roams this street and calls out to people .If we turn back she will drag us and that will be the end. Sameer is shocked and cannot walk any further he freezes and Venkat puts his hand around his shoulders and they walk ahead Sameer tells him if he knew about this deadly haunted road why did he park his car there Venkat says he had forgotten about it . Now when he experienced it himself he realised it  may be the soul they walk faster now they can hear the soul very near to them calling  and pleading to help her , she comes very close to Sameer ,he gets so scared he turns and gives one blow at the soul and his friends who were following them hold his hand and laugh at him .They all had planned to scare him .Sameer also ends up laughing along with them though he was still shivering with fright They all hug and go their way in their cars which was parked at the same place .Sameer and Venkat reach home and quietly enter their room without disturbing his parents and go to the bed and after talking about the fun they had today after a long time, they fall asleep. .In the morning both get up late  .After having breakfast they leave to see the agent who will show  a few houses for rent , they meet him at his office , and he takes them to show a few houses and flats .Sameer likes few places but the rent was too high he did not want to spend lots on rent , the whole day goes in seeing the flats .At last just before they think  of going back home .The agent tells Sameer there is a very old bungalow  and very few families live around that bungalow .Mostly senior citizen’s live in that area in small house all the youngster have gone abroad. It is available for very less rent which will suit his pocket .He agrees to check out the place , they go there the bungalow is very beautiful but very old and not painted for ages but still it looked royal . He wanted to see it from the  inside , it has  well furnished and airy big windows in all the rooms .He likes it immediately he wants his parents to live in a Bungalow as they have always lived in a  small flat in Mumbai. He agrees and goes to the agent’s office and signs the deal. He did not have to give a deposit , but only paid six months rent in advance.. Sameer decided to take a good look at the house next day after he gets the key and get it cleaned and do some repair work as nobody had lived in that house from many years so the electrical wires had to be checked .As now he had time and can get the work done under his supervision .They return to Venkat’s house and tell tells Venkat’s  parents about the Bungalow and how the rent is very affordable and his parents will be happy to live there.Venkat’s mother asks them why they took a bungalow so away from the main residential area ,as the crowd there will be very less as mostly senior citizen’s live there with no youngsters around Sameer says for few months he will stay there and bring his parents to experience living in Bungalow .And than latter he will definitely  see a good flat by that time he will have some money saved for it,but right now he can’t afford more than this Next day Sameer along with Venkat’s father ,goes to the Agents office to get the key to the house. From there they go the Bungalow in daylight it looked pleasant , but nobody was in the area it was very all the houses were closed no one was seen outside Sameer told uncle as all the house’s hadelderly people staying they were all indoor. Uncle tells Sameer for now it is ok you are trying to save money by renting this house away from the main residential area , but take a better place to live in after a  few months .He said by that time he will come to know more places with less rent . They open the lock and go inside , they are welcomed with a foul smell , uncle opens the windows and lets the fresh air in , Sameer says probably the house was closed for many years so the foul smell .The Agent send few men to clean the house thoroughly , electrician also comes and repair the wires and fixes new switches and fans.Whole day goes in getting the work done Uncle was of great help to Sameer he was strict with the worker’s so the work got finished in a day .Now on Venkat’s weekly off they had decided to move in to the house and Sameer would also be joining his new job ..After locking the door both left for their place .Uncle was quite he did not speak much , Sameer probed him so very reluctantly uncle said he did not like the energy of the house ,he said Sameer is a youngster he should be staying in a place where there is lot of activity,this place was for sick and retired people .Sameer says that after a year he will be able to afford a better place but for now he will have to stay there .But he said he will be in the office the whole day and only in the night he will come to sleep . and in a  few months he will call his parents to live with him .After a few days on Venkat’s off day Sameer takes his luggage and shifts into the bungalow .Venkat helps him to arrange the things ,and then he leaves Sameer and goes home. After Venkat goes , Sameer suddenly feels very lonely , he does not know what to do as all the work was completed . They had closed three bedroom as it was not required now , only needed  when his parents and sister visits .He falls on his bed and looks at the moving ceiling fan an falls asleep .Morning he gets up to a bright sunrise and makes a cup of tea  and sits on the rocking chair kept near the window and enjoys the tea he opens the window and lets the fresh air come in along with the sun rays . He feels very  happy for getting a good place to live in , he actually likes to be away from the madding crowd and inquisitive neighbours.In his Mumbai house every body knew what is happening in their neighbour house it was a very small building with few families ,so noe he hoped to have some privacy . He finishes his first cup of tea , and is thinking what he will prepare for breakfast. He decides he will just relax and have some bread butter and another cup of tea , after watching the sun for long and when it becomes difficult to stare at it , he gets up and goes to the kitchen .He applies butter to few slices of bread stacks them neatly in a plate heats the tea and pors it in the cup and brings it to the hall and sits on the sofa and pulls the centre table near him and dips the bread in the tea and enjoys eating it. When he is busy eating he feels he can smell the aroma of lentils boiling with all spices in it . The aroma is so good he gets up and takes his plates and goes to the kitchen .He feels the aroma in the kitchen is too strong as if it’s being cooked in his kitchen.He looks at the other houses around and wonder’s how can the aroma of food being cooked in other house which is quite far from his house can be smelt in his kitchen so strongly.. He ignores it and starts preparing to know about the company he will be joining from next day onwards , he is very busy making notes and around 1 pm his doorbell ring he is thrown  out off his concentration and wonder who at this hour of the day has come to meet him .He has not given his new address to anybody only Vikrant and his family knew it, and vikrant’s dad will not come to visit him as he had made it clear he did not like the vibes of the house , than who can it be,the doorbell rings again ; and with more intensity .He shouts and runs to see who is at the door he sees from the keyhole a middle aged lady  With a big round turmeric powder stuck on her forehead and some flowers pinned  to her long black hair .She  was  chewing betel leaves  was standing at the door. When Sameer was  watching her activity from the keyhole she also sticks her eyes to the keyhole from outside, Sameer gets a small heart attack and falls down ,the lady shouts from out saying will he  just stand and watch her  from that little hole or is he  going to open the door and talk to her. .She does not have the whole day to stand and ring the bell , come and open the door Sir.. Sameer gets up dust his trousers and runs fingers through his hair and slowly opens the door and puts his head out to ask her who she is and what  she wants from him .She spits the red saliva from her mouth into the garden (the saliva turns red after chewing the betel leaf and lime stone ) and wipes her mouth with her hands and looks at him ,he is still looking at her surprised and only with his head out and rest of him behind the door.She smiles and gestures him to  come out of the door and when he opens the door fully , she tells him she works as a maid in the neighbouring houses she washes clothes , utensils ,cooks delicious food and also keeps the house clean ,she says one of his neighbour , she points out to a house where she works  told her  that a man has come to stay in this bungalow so he would want a house help so she came to ask him , if he needed a house help .Sameer  asks her how much does she charge , she tells him her rate .He does not want to spend much money , so he tells her she can come only for cooking in the morning at 7 am as he has to leave for his office at 8.30 am so he can have the food and take it for lunch also , he tells her she will have to prepare food for both the time at the same cost. She looks at him and tells him .She knew it from the   start he had no money , he feels hurt and says what makes her say that .she laughs  and tells him why would a young man like him come and stay in such a locality where only senior citizens live .He tells her to start work from tomorrow and she should come on time otherwise he will not keep her . She plays brings her long plait of hair in front and gives a deep looks in his eyes and says ok and walks of ,it takes a while for him to understand what just happened and when he tries to see where she went she has disappeared . He closes the door and wipes his brow and goes and checks in the kitchen what to prepare for lunch as now he is starving , he makes noodles and eats . And again starts preparing for his first day at  work .He Goes to bed early after talking to his parents and also speaks to Vikrant and hits the pillow he falls asleep immediately. Next day he is woken up by the doorbell , he remembers he had called the maid to work at 7am .He gets up hurriedly and goes and checks from the keyhole and opens the door for her , she enters the house muttering something and enters the kitchen .She asks him what he would like to eat for lunch ,He tells her to make some rice, vegetables  and lentils .and he goes for shower as he has to get ready for office after shower he comes out she gives him hot tea with biscuits he is happy , she made without he telling him ,he quickly finishes his tea and starts getting ready for office he can hear her talking to herself and preparing food suddenly he can smell the same aroma of lentils being cooked with spices he comes to the kitchen and remember’s the previous day he could smell the same aroma . He feels she may be cooking in the neighbour’s house so he could smell it and he goes and sits in the hall waiting for her to finish her cooking and then packs  a lunch box for him. While packing the lunch box Sameer asks her why this house was never occupied , the maid tells him she is not sure but people came to stay in this house but never stayed for long they used to leave the bungalow after staying for a few days .He picks up his lunch box and asks her the reason for them leaving the house , she says she has heard them talking about some  activities happen  in this house some paranormal things have  happened.A cold sweat runs down his spine he asks her does she believe it , she says she does not stay there so she can not say anything ,she asks him as he had stayed there now for  two nights did he experience anything ,he tells her he did not experience anything abnormal , the maid advises him to look out for another house as soon as possible , this place may not be safe for him as he is alone . He tells her this was very affordable for him so he rented this house .She looks at him and tells him  money is more important than his life . He allows her to go out of the house and picks up his bag looks at the house and says a small prayer as it is first day at his new job and then locks the house and calls his parents for their blessing’s and then goes away .All sorts of things are going on his mind the new job , people and the things the maid told him . He enters his office and meets his seniors and is soon occupied with his work and forgets about his  conversation with the maid . During lunch  time he remembers the maid and what she had told him , he eats the food . but his thoughts are in the house  ,fear has taken over him .In the evening he reaches his house he looks around all the houses , there are lights in most of the houses he feels secure.He opens the lock and switchen on the lights first and then looks around before closing the door. He walks straight into his bedroom and closes the bedroom door and takes shower and goes to  bed without having dinner. He closes his eyes tightly so as to not see anything and fall asleep before any activities happen . He is awake though he has covered his face with the blanket and his heart is beating very fast .When he is tired and his eyes are about to close he feels he just heard an old lady sing a lullaby , and he could hear it more clearly and it was coming from the hall . When it becomes  more intense he musters up courage and opens his bedroom door and goes to the hall and he is terrified to see an old woman whose  head is covered with a black veil and she was sitting on the rocking chair looking outside the window and singing a lullaby.he goes towards the door , the old lady gets up from the chair and he still can not see her face it is covered , she walks to the kitchen ,Sameer see the rocking chair is still rocking he waits for the worst to happen he sees her coming from the kitchen with a plate of food he is fully wet with sweat he is shaking with fear , the old lady sits on the rocking chair and start eating by making lot of noise .Sameer runs back to his room and closes the door behind him . He starts crying . He sits in the corner of the bed and covers himself with the blanket . After some time he feels as if his bed was pushed , he hears the lullaby just behind his ears very close he can feel the warm breath , he screams in fear and runs out of his room and is horrified to see the old lady rocking on the chair in the hall facing towards the window , he tries to open the door and falls down .He gets up when the door bell rings in the morning at 7 am he jumps up and opens the door and sees the maid . She asks him what was he doing near the door did he sleep next to the door.He just tells her to help him pack his things as he is moving out of the house.The maid makes him sit down  and ask him what happened why does he want to move out in such hurry.He tells her what happened in the night and now he will not be able to stay there for a minute longer. H e request her to pack his bags and he makes a call to Vikrant and tells him he wants to come to his house and does not want to continue to stay in this house.Vikrant tells him to come as soon as possible .The maid packs most of his things and he too checks if anything is left behind as he does not want to come back to that house for anything. He  and the maid come out of the house and he closes the door and locks it. He Thanks the maid for helping him and pays her for the work she did  . She refuses to take money from him , she tells him he did right  by deciding to leave the house ,And both walk out of the compound and Sameer stops and sees the bungalow one last time , and when he turns the maid has left .He is standing alone with his bags waiting for a auto ,he sees few old couples taking walk on the lonely vacant road , they smile at him.One of the man asks him whether he shifted today , he tells then he had shifted three days back to that bungalow and today he is moving out of it  They look at him surprised . Sameer asks him whether the house next to this bungalow is his . The man says yes the neighbouring house is where he and his wife stay.Sameer thanks him for sending the maid to his house as she was of great help to him though she worked for only two days. The man laugh and says He just came to know about him few minutes back then how can he send any maid to help him two days back.Sameers face turns white , he tells him the maid had said she was working in his house and he had told her that a guy has shifted to the bungalow . The couple feel pity for him and take him with them to their side of the house and show him the window of the bungalow from their garden . Sameer sees up at the window and his knees goes weak .He sees the old lady in black with her face covered in a blck veil and the maid standing next to her and smiling very horrible at him .He closes his eyes and looks away from them . The couple tells him the bungalow is haunted by this two ghost .They tell him the old lady and her maid lived in that bungalow ,one dy robbers entered their house and stabbed the old lady sitting on the rocking chair and she died on the spot , the maid was cooking and she was also killed . this happened five years back and from that day onwards no one is allowed to rent or stay for a single day in that house . The owner was trying to sell it , or  give it on rent ,but both the ghost chase anybody who come to stay in that house .Sameer is shocked to know even the maid was a ghost .So she was trying to make him leave the house ..He thanks the couple and leaves the place and soon gets into a auto  with his luggage . Sameer  keeps staring at the auto driver suspecting him to be a ghost .