A Close Shave With A Beautiful Ghost
Sundar, in his early twenties was well built and was of dark honeyed complexion. He was a fun loving and jovial person.
He planned to watch the horror film ‘The Exorcist’. Befitting his adventurous spirit, he chose to watch the movie on the second show that ended at 12 o'clock midnight. He gathered about six friends to watch the movie along with him.
Sundar and his bosom pals were then living in the old city of Hyderabad and the movie in question was being screened at Alka Talkies.
Sundar and his friends watched the movie ‘Exorcist’ which created intense fear in them with bated breath.
They enjoyed the intermission of the horror movie with biscuits and tea and the refreshments relieved them of their tense feelings about the movie.
As the movie was over, Sundar and his friends were a bit shaky while dispersing thanks to the horror scenes of the movie. Sundar volunteered to drop his friends at their houses, of course on their individual bicycles. Motor cycles were a princely luxury in the country in the 1970s.
It was half past one o’clock before Sundar saw all his friends off. Suddenly the power went off and it was pitched dark. The tea-stalls at the narrow lanes were being closed and the tea-biscuit carts were being pushed away to the vendors’ homes.
Now it was totally dark but for the shimmering light from the kerosene lamp fixed to the bicycle. Suddenly there was a violent shake of the bicycle. Sundar experienced an eerie feeling that somebody occupied the seat of the luggage carrier of the bicycle. He turned back and was surprised to see a woman of matchless beauty on the rear carrier. She was dressed in a white saree and a black blouse. She was of fair complexion and left her jet black curly hair without braiding. “Hi” she said, her voice sounding as sweet as that of a cuckoo bird. “Sorry for taking liberties of this sort. “I missed my friends while coming out of the theatre. If you shelter me till day break, I will leave for my place.” It’s a sincere request out of my heart.”
Sundar could not say ‘no’. He wanted to whistle for his good luck. But he checked himself for she might mistake him for a duplicate Romeo. “It’s no problem, miss,'' he said, ''Our house is spacious enough to accommodate you. Moreover you need not fear for your safety. I live along with my parents, sisters and brothers.”
On the way she engaged him in a long conversation. She said that she was a graduate of
Government Women’s College at King Kothi. She also said a lot about her family. She told him that some matrimonial alliances were being considered for her. But nothing was finalized. Then she looked into his eyes, which spoke of many things.
Sundar had almost swooned with excisement. Now he had grand plans. He would note her address before she left his house in the morning. Then his parents would meet her parents and finalise the alliance. He thought that he would be the envy of his friends for having such a beautiful girl as his wife.
The bicycle ride was very smooth with the girl at the rear carrier even on the potholes of the lanes and bylanes of the old city of Hyderabad. Whenever the bicycle bumped against a pothole, the girl’s bangles and anklets jingled at the jerks. Since the girl was of feather weight, pedaling the bicycle was easy for him.
As Sundar approached his house, he experienced an eerie atmosphere. He got off his bicycle. He was about to ask the girl to dismount and accompany him into his house. But to his surprise the rear carrier was empty.
Till day it is a million dollar question as to who the girl was and how she disappeared.
There is no chance for her disappearance in a split second. This goes without saying that she was a ghost.
The paranormal expert Veenu Sandal says that the spirits of men and women of unfulfilled desires would not leave the earth for astral planets. This beautiful girl must have died before her marriage. Hence her spirit chases handsome young men like Sundar.
Though Sundar is happily married with two children, a boy Chintu and a girl Sphoorthy, he still could not forget that beautiful girl. For him the entire episode was a sweet dreamy affair.
It was not an encounter with a spirit for him.
Wow! Great. What a story
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