Haunted banyan trees 

many years ago there was a quiet village called Behag surrounded by green paddy fields on the banks of Yamuna river. The village was as beautiful as it was mysterious. At one end of the village there was a huge banyan tree several ages old. The tree was so large that its roots came down to the ground and took the form of another big tree. Even during the day, there was a strange darkness under the tree. The people of the village used to call that tree "ghostly banyan tree".

It was said that all kinds of ghosts lived in that tree. There were Shankchunni, Petni, Brahmadaitya, Nishi, Mamdo Bhoot, Aleya and countless invisible souls. Even if they were silent during the day, their true form was revealed when the night fell. After evening no one went to that tree. Because the people of the village knew that if someone accidentally falls under a tree, then a terrible violence will come down on him.

Once in a village Kathur, his name was Gadadhar, he was returning from the nearby forest cutting wood. That day there were dark clouds in the sky. Suddenly it started raining. Gadadhar ran and sat under the banyan tree in search of shelter. He had forgotten the prohibition of the elderly. As soon as we sat under the tree, the surrounding environment changed. The wind stopped. The call of the birds stopped. Suddenly the branches of the tree started to tremble.

Gadadhar looked around in fear. Then he saw a woman wearing a white saree hanging upside down from a tree branch. Her hair fell to the ground. He is looking at Gadadhar with red burning eyes. Gadadhar asked in a trembling voice. "Who are you?" The woman suddenly disappeared with a loud laugh. Then the real violence started. On the one hand, the sound of hundreds of people crying, on the other hand, the laughter of children. Sometimes it feels like someone is whispering in his ear, and sometimes it feels like someone is pushing him from behind. Suddenly a huge black shadow emerged from the trunk of the tree. It was Brahmadaitya. The giant roared, "How dare you come and sit in our kingdom?" Gadadhar lost consciousness in fear.

The next morning, the people of the village rescued him unconscious under the tree. Even though he regained consciousness, he was not the same as before. He would scream in the middle of the night, talk alone and say that hundreds of ghosts were following him. After that, several people fell victim to the same incident one by one. The people of the village spent their days in fear. Eventually the village elders decided to summon a powerful tantric. After much searching, they got the news of a mighty saint. His name was Mahayogi Trilochan Nath. It was said that he could subdue the evil spirit through mantra Shakti

One evening he came to Behag village. Ocher clothes on, rudraksha garland in hand, trident on shoulders. The people of the village told him all the incidents. Hearing all this, he said, "The restless spirits accumulated in that tree are living in that tree for many years. They must be released tonight." That night he organized a yajna under a banyan tree. Lamps were lit all around. The flames began to touch the sky. Trilochan Nath started chanting. Midnight approached.

Suddenly the sky turned black. A heavy storm arose. The branches of the tree began to swing like crazy. Then one by one many ghosts came out of the tree. Shankchunni started screaming. The wives started crying. The Mamdo ghosts swirled around the fire. Nishira started calling in the familiar voice of people. The whole environment turned into hell. But Trilochan Nath is silent. He started chanting louder. His voice became increasingly powerful as a thunderbolt. Suddenly a huge Brahmadaitya appeared in front of him. He roared, "This tree is ours. No one can drive us away!"

Trilochan Nath closed his eyes and chanted a special mantra. Immediately a bright light circle was created around him. The ghosts started screaming in pain as they touched the light. Brahmadaitya came forward to attack again. Then the saint raised the trident and recited the last mantra. In a moment, the sky was thundered. A strong ray of light surrounded the banyan tree. The ghosts began to disappear one by one like a coil of smoke. Some are screaming, some are crying, some are apologizing. Finally Brahmadaitya was also defeated. He roared for the last time and disappeared.

The storm stopped. The sky became clear. For the first time after many years peace came under the banyan tree. As soon as the morning sun rose, the people of the village saw that the face of the tree had changed. Instead of darkness, light has spread there. Birds have nestled again. Trilochan Nath said, "The evil energy is gone. Now this tree will not harm anyone else."

From that day, the people of the village were freed from fear. The haunted banyan tree gradually became a symbol of the village's blessing. But the old people of the village still say that when the wind becomes silent late at night, then a faint whisper is heard from a distance... "We are gone... but our story remains..." And that story still survives as the most terrible legend of Behag village.


The End 






Inaccessible Valley

A remote mountainous region in the northeast of Afghanistan. Surrounded by gray stone mountains, deep canyons, and snow-capped peaks. The place is called “Darwaz Valley.” Locals avoid the place because strange things happen there at night. Some say the spirits of dead warriors roam, others say a cursed force lives inside the mountains.

But German tourist Eric Hansen didn’t believe in these stories. He was a travel blogger. His job was to travel to dangerous and mysterious places and make videos. He came to Afghanistan to capture the beauty of that mountain valley.
He was accompanied by a local driver, Hamid. A middle-aged, calm-natured man. However, he initially refused to go when he heard the name of Darwaz Valley.
“Sir, we have to leave that place before evening,”
Hamid said as he drove.
Eric smiled and said, 
“Do you really believe in ghosts?”
 Hamid looked at him with serious eyes. 
“What I believe is not a big deal. But many of those who spent the night there never returned.”
Eric laughed it off.

In the afternoon, they reached the Darwaz Valley. The place was like a region outside the world. The sunlight had penetrated behind the mountains. Silence all around. Not even a bird’s call.
Eric stopped the car and took out his camera. He was fascinated by the vast canyon. The dark valley below was covered in fog. The sound of the wind sounded like someone crying from afar.
Hamid kept saying, 
“Let’s go, sir, it’s not good to be late.”
But Eric was busy taking pictures.
Suddenly, a strange sound came from the car’s engine.
“Grrrrr... thud!”

The car shook and stopped.
Hamid tried to start it several times. But the engine wouldn't start.
His face turned pale. 
"It's bad, sir... it's really bad."
Eric said annoyed, 
"What's so scary? I'll spend the night and leave in the morning."
Hamid didn't say anything. He just stared at the distant mountains with terrified eyes.
Evening slowly fell.

The sky turned black. A cold wind started blowing. That wind entered the valley and made such a strange sound, as if hundreds of people were whispering together.
Hamid closed the car door. 
"Don't go out."
Eric smiled. 
"Are you really scared?"
Just then, a metal scraping sound was heard somewhere in the distance.
"Clack... Clack..."
Eric stopped.
The sound seemed to be coming from inside the mountains. Then silence again.  After a while, someone suddenly shouted from the bottom of the valley.

A man's terrified cry.
Eric was startled. 
“Who's there?”
There was no answer.
Hamid said in a trembling voice, 
“Don't listen, sir. Those who call are not human.”
Eric said annoyed, 
“These are the sounds of the wind.”
But the discomfort was growing in his own chest.
The night grew deeper.
They were sitting inside the car, eating dry food. The fog had thickened outside. Suddenly, 
“Knock knock” sounded on the car window.
Both of them froze.
The sound again.
“Knock... knock... knock...”
Eric slowly looked out the window.

A shadowy figure stood on the other side of the fog.
Tall... head down... entire body covered in black sheet.
Eric's throat went dry. He dared to open the door a little and looked outside. No one was there. Empty everywhere.
Just then, Hamid's shout was heard from behind.
"Close the door!"
Eric turned around and saw a few faces floating on the back glass of the car.
Pale faces. Black eyes. Bloodstained clothes.
They were silently looking at the car.
Eric closed the door in fear. His heart rate increased rapidly in his chest.

The next moment, all the faces disappeared. For a while, no one said anything. Then Hamid whispered, 
"I said it's not right to spend the night here."
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps was heard on top of the car.
Dhup... Dhup... Dhup...
It felt like someone was walking on the roof of the car.
 Eric lit the torch and shone it on top. There was nothing.
But the sound didn’t stop. Then suddenly the car shook violently. It felt like someone was pushing it from outside.
Hamid began to recite verses from the Quran. His voice was shaking.

Just then, a few lights lit up on the mountainside in the distance. Fire like torches. Eric breathed a sigh of relief. 
“People! Maybe there’s a village nearby!”
He opened the door and tried to leave, but Hamid grabbed his hand. 
“No! Don’t follow them!”
But Eric didn’t listen anymore. He took the torch and got out of the car. The cold wind was shaking his body. The distant fires were moving slowly. As if someone was walking through the mountains. Eric started moving.

Suddenly he realized that the surroundings were unusually silent.
There was nothing but the sound of his own footsteps. Then a whisper came from behind.
 “Go back...”
Eric quickly looked back. No one was there. As he started walking, the sound came again.
“Go back...”
This time it seemed as if several voices said it at once. Eric’s hands began to shake. Suddenly, a man appeared in front of him in the fog. Wearing old military clothing. His face was bloody. One eye was missing. He slowly looked at Eric. Then he heard his loud laugh.

Eric backed away in fear. The torch fell from his hand.
When he looked again, no one was there. The distant fires had also gone out. Just then, a terrible scream was heard, shaking the mountain. It seemed like the cries of a thousand people at once. Eric ran back to the car with all his might. When he got to the car, he saw Hamid sitting in panic with the door closed. As Eric got inside, Hamid shouted, 
“Who is behind you?”
Eric looked back. Outside the car, a few shadowy figures stood in the darkness. They were slowly approaching.
Human-like, but their walking posture was unusual. One had no arms. One had a burned face. Another’s body was soaked in blood.
They surrounded the car. Hamid began to cry. 

“These are the dead warriors... There was a war here many years ago... Everyone died...”
A shadow pressed its face against the glass of the car. Its eyes were completely black. Then it started to rub its nails on the glass.
 “Kanch... Kanch...”
Eric closed his eyes in fear. Suddenly, the lights inside the car turned on by themselves. Then the radio turned on. A broken voice came through the hoarse sound.
“You... why... did you come here...”
Hamid shouted and began to recite verses from the Quran. The shadows outside seemed to become more agitated. The car began to shake violently. It felt like it would overturn any moment.
Eric looked out the window and saw hundreds of shadowy figures standing on the distant mountain.

Everyone looked at them. Suddenly, the front glass shattered with a loud noise. Cold air rushed in. A black hand tried to get inside through the broken glass. In panic, Eric picked up the iron rod lying under the seat and hit that hand. An inhuman scream was heard. Then everything suddenly stopped. Silence. Only the sound of the distant wind. For several minutes, no one moved.  Then Hamid said in a trembling voice, "It's not long until dawn..." The sky slowly began to change color.

As the light broke on the eastern horizon, all the sounds of the valley disappeared. The fog also began to move away. Eric dared to look outside. The surroundings were empty. There were no shadows. No footprints. It seemed that everything that night had been a nightmare. But the broken glass of the car and the deep scratches on the door were proof. What they had seen was true.
As the morning light spread completely, the car's engine suddenly started on its own. Hamid did not delay for a moment. He quickly turned the car around and left the valley.
When they reached the nearest village after crossing the mountain road, both of their faces had turned white.

An old man in the village fell silent after hearing them. Then he said slowly, 
“There was a war in the Darwaz Valley many years ago. Hundreds of soldiers died in that valley. Since then, when night falls, their spirits call the lost people.”

Eric did not say anything else. He never returned to Afghanistan after that incident.  He wrote only one line on his blog...
"There are places in the world where people are not guests when night falls."

          
                                                                  The End 








Chandrapur Bungalow

The end of the monsoon. Black clouds in the sky, a damp smell all around. Five college friends, Arnab, Rahul, Meera, Sayantani and Dev. They had been planning to go on a picnic somewhere for a long time. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in a quiet place.

Finally, they decided to go to “Chandrapur Bungalow”, located about 70 kilometers from the city. The place is very beautiful, with a large lake, dense forest and the ruins of an old landlord's house. However, various scary stories are also heard about the place.

People say that strange shadows roam around that old landlord's house at night. Some have also claimed that dead souls still roam there.

But after hearing these stories, Rahul laughed and said,
“There is no such thing as ghosts! These are stories made up by the villagers.”

The next morning, they set off in their car.  Green rice fields on both sides of the road, occasional fog and light rain, all together the environment looked great. By noon they reached the forest bungalow. The place was really beautiful. But there was a strange silence around. As if even the birds were afraid to sing.

The caretaker of the bungalow was an old man, Hariram. A face full of white beard and a strange look of terror in his eyes.
Hariram showed them the room and said,
“Sons, don’t go out too much at night.”
Arnav smiled and asked,
“Why uncle? Do ghosts come?”
The old man’s face suddenly became serious.
“Not everything is funny. There are many restless spirits in this forest.”
The friends looked at each other and laughed.

Towards afternoon, they went for a walk by the lake. There were huge trees, fog and a cold wind all around. Mira suddenly noticed someone wearing white clothes standing on the broken veranda of the landlord’s house in the distance.
She was startled and said,
“Look there! Someone is standing!”
Everyone looked, but there was no one there at that time.
Rahul said,
“You watch too many horror movies.”
As evening fell, the weather became even more terrible. A storm began. The electricity went out in the entire area.

They were sitting inside the bungalow with candles lit. Outside, the door was shaking in the wind.
Suddenly, a sound of “Dhoop… Dhoop…” came from upstairs.
Dev was scared and said,
“Who’s upstairs?”
Hariram said in a trembling voice,
“The room upstairs has been closed for many years… no one goes there.”
Hearing that, everyone’s bodies tingled.
But Rahul showed courage and said,
“Let’s see!”
Arnab and Dev went with him, carrying torches. As they climbed the stairs, the cold air chilled them to the bone.
The corridor above was pitch dark.

Old pictures were hanging on the wall. Suddenly, in the light of the torch, they saw a door slowly opening on its own.
Dev whispered,
“This doesn’t look good…”
As they entered the room, they saw dust on the floor, but fresh footprints on it. As if someone had walked in a while ago.
Just then, the door closed from behind with a “bang!”
Dev shouted.
Rahul tried to open the door, but the door seemed to be locked from the outside.

Suddenly, a feminine cry came from a corner of the room.
“Save me…”
Arnab’s hands started shaking. As they turned the torchlight, they saw a girl, wearing a white sari, standing with her head bowed. Her hair covered her entire face.
Dev stepped back in panic.
Rahul dared to say,
“Who… who are you?”
The girl slowly raised her head.

Her eyes were completely black. There were stains of rotten blood on her face.
 Then he suddenly ran towards them with a loud laugh!
The three of them shouted together and pushed the door open. They ran downstairs.
When they came downstairs, they saw Meera and Sayantani crying in fear.
Meera said,
“We saw a girl outside the window!”
Hariram was trembling.
He said,
“I told you not! That girl has returned!”
Arnav asked,
“Who is she?”
The old man slowly started telling the story.
Many years ago, a girl named Nandini lived in this landlord’s house. The landlord’s son loved her. But some people in the village could not accept that relationship. One night, they caught Nandini and burned her to death in a room of this house.

Before her death, Nandini had said...
“I will not let anyone who comes here to celebrate return…”
From then on, strange things started happening in this place.
 As soon as the story ended, the lights in the entire bungalow suddenly lit up for a moment, then went out again.
Then the sound of footsteps came from the corridor.
Dhoop… Dhoop… Dhoop…
It seemed like someone was slowly approaching them.
Meera cried,
“Let’s get out of here!”
But there was a strong storm outside. The car wouldn’t even start.
Suddenly, there was a “knock knock knock!” sound on the window glass.
Arnav dared to look outside, and his chest froze.
The girl in the white saree was standing on the other side of the window. A terrible smile was on her lips.

Then suddenly all the windows opened at once. Ice-cold air rushed into the room. The candles went out.
It was dark all around.
A voice whispered in the darkness,
“None of you will be able to return…”
Sayanthani screamed. Because someone was pulling her legs.
As soon as they lit the torch, they saw. Blackened hands had come out from under the floor!
Dev lost consciousness in panic.
Rahul was still trying to control himself. He shouted,
“This can’t be true!”
Just then Nandini stood behind him.
She slowly said in Rahul’s ear,
“Still don’t believe it?”
Rahul turned around and fell to the ground with a loud scream.

His face was pale. His eyes were fixed in fear.
Arnav understood that if something was not done now, no one would survive.
 Hariram said,
“There is an old temple behind the landlord’s house. There is a way to calm Nandini’s soul.”
Arnav, Meera and Hariram ran out into the storm.
Lightning was falling all around. Tree branches were breaking.
As soon as they reached the temple, they saw an old lamp still burning inside.
The inscription on the temple wall read,
“The restless soul finds peace in revealing the truth.”
Hariram said in a trembling voice,
“Nandini’s killers were never punished. That’s why her soul did not find peace.”
Just then, that smile came from behind.

Nandini stood at the temple door. Her body was burned by fire, blood in her eyes.
She shouted,
“Everyone will die!”
Meera cried,
“We did not harm you!”
Tears appeared in Nandini’s eyes for a moment.
 Arnav then rang the old temple bell and shouted,
“We will tell everyone the truth! We will reveal the names of your killers!”
Suddenly, a strong wind started blowing all around. The temple started shaking.

Nandini screamed in horror. Then her body slowly disappeared like a mist.
At the last moment, she said in a calm voice,
“Release me…”
Then everything became calm.
The storm stopped.
The next morning, the police came and found the old documents of the landlord’s house. Nandini had indeed been murdered. Some influential people in the village had suppressed the incident.

After the whole truth came out, no more strange incidents happened in that place.
But even today, if someone passes by Chandrapur forest bungalow at night, sometimes a feminine voice would come from afar,
“Thank you for releasing me…”

After Nandini’s soul disappeared, a strange silence fell around the temple. Where a few moments ago the storm, thunder and terrible noises were shaking the surroundings, now only the smell of wet leaves and the distant chirping of crickets could be heard.

Arnab, Meera and Haripada stood in silence for a while.  As if no one could believe it. What had happened so far was real.
Suddenly Meera said in a trembling voice,
“Rahul and Dev?”
Hearing this, everyone was shocked. They quickly ran towards the forest bungalow.
The door of the bungalow was half open. As soon as they entered, they saw Dev lying unconscious on the floor. And Rahul was sitting in the corner, staring blankly. There was still a hint of panic in his eyes.

Arnav quickly splashed water on Dev’s face, and he slowly regained consciousness.
Dev gasped,
“That… is that gone?”
Hariram slowly nodded his head.
“Yes, Babu… he has found peace.”
Rahul was still silent. After a while, he said in a low voice,
“When I looked into his eyes… I didn’t just see anger… I also saw his pain…”
As the morning sun rose, they left the forest bungalow.  As he was leaving, Hariram looked at the landlord's house once and bowed.

When they returned to the city, they told the police the whole story. Although no one believed them at first, they dug up the ruins of the manor house and found some old bones, burnt clothes and many years old documents.
The truth gradually came to light.
The news appeared in the newspapers...
“The mystery of the 40-year-old murder of Chandrapur manor house is revealed.”
Then the government declared the place a protected area. The old temple was also renovated. The villagers started lighting lamps there every year in memory of Nandini.

But after the incident, the lives of the five friends were never the same.
Dev could not sleep alone at night.
Meera would be startled whenever she saw the sudden darkness.
And Rahul, who always laughed at ghost stories, changed completely.
One night, Rahul said in a trembling voice on Arnab’s phone,
“Can I tell you something?”
“What?”
 “That day when Nandini spoke in my ear… she said only one thing.

‘I will never laugh at the truth.’”

From then on, Rahul never laughed at any strange incident.
A few months later, on a full moon night, Arnab was sitting alone on the veranda. Suddenly, an old picture popped up on his phone.
The picture was taken on that picnic day.
Five friends were standing by the lake, laughing.
But in one corner of the picture, under a big tree, a girl in a white saree was standing.
She had a calm smile on her face.
Arnab’s body went cold.

He slowly stared at the picture.
Then suddenly the phone screen went black on its own.
And very slowly, as if from a distance, a girl’s voice came out….
“I am free now…”

                                  The End







haunted pond


There was a medium-sized old pond in the middle of Paschimpara. Beautiful paved ghats were built all around. In the morning, the pond bank would get wet as soon as the sun set. The women of the village would wash clothes, some would wash dishes, fishermen would cast nets to catch fish, and in the afternoon, young children would sit and talk on the ghat.

The pond was called "Kalodighi".

As peaceful and beautiful as the place looked during the day, it would become just as scary as night fell. No one would go that way after evening. The villagers used to say that after midnight, a woman dressed in white could be seen in the pond water. Sometimes her cries could be heard, sometimes the sound of someone walking in the water could be heard from the houses in the distance.

Many years ago, a bride drowned in that pond. Since then, these strange events started.

So the villagers avoided going to the pond after the sun set.  But a young boy in the village didn't believe these things. His name was Ark. He was only thirteen years old. He was a curious and brave boy. He loved reading mystery stories.

One afternoon, Ark said to his friend Shuvo, 

“Have you noticed? No one has seen anything themselves, yet everyone is telling ghost stories about the black pond!”

Shuvo looked around in fear. 

“Shut up! Don't say such things. My grandmother said that there really is something in that pond.”

Ark laughed. 

“If there is a ghost, I will catch it myself.”

Shuvo said, 

“Are you crazy? No one survives if you go there at night!”

Ark didn't say anything. But a plan was already brewing in his head.

That night, after everyone had eaten and fallen asleep, Ark quietly came out. With a torch, a small camera, and a stick. There were clouds in the sky. The moonlight was repeatedly obscured. It was strangely silent all around. Ark slowly moved towards the black pond. As soon as he reached the pond, a cold wind hit him. Suddenly, an owl hooted from somewhere. Ark steeled himself. He bravely hid in a corner of the ghat.

Time slowly moved forward.

Suddenly…

Chop…Chop…Chop…

A sound began to come from within the water. Ark turned off the torch and remained silent. Then he saw something moving in the middle of the pond. After a while, a figure covered in white cloth slowly floated on the water. Ark's chest began to pound. The thing that looked like a woman slowly started to approach the ghat.

Then suddenly, the sound of a woman crying came out.

 “Save… save…”

Orc’s hands were shaking. But he didn’t run away. He noticed that the white figure was standing right near a certain place on the pier. Orc’s eyes caught sight of a faint light shining under the pier. He moved forward a little.

Just then, the figure disappeared!

Silence fell all around again. Orc bravely descended the steps of the pier. There were bushes on both sides of the pier, and when he went to the water’s edge, he saw that a thin rope had gone under the water. He pulled the rope. Suddenly, a structure made of bamboo floated up from under the water. There was a white cloth wrapped around it!

Orc was surprised.

So this is the ghost?

Just then, someone’s footsteps were heard from behind.

Orc quickly hid behind a bush.

Two men stood on the pier. They had lanterns in their hands.

 One said, 

“It seems no one has come yet.”

The other laughed and said, 

“If it weren’t for the fear of this ghost, everyone would have taken our shelter by now.”

Ark was shocked. The two men moved a stone under the ghat. There was a wooden door hidden there.

As soon as the door was opened, a dark tunnel was visible below. The two men went inside. Ark understood that the whole ghost story was actually made up by humans! He slowly walked towards the door. Words were coming from inside.

“The goods will come from the city tomorrow night. Don’t let anyone come near the pond.”

“This ghost drama is working great.”

Ark understood that they were smugglers. They use the tunnel under the pond to bring and take illegal goods at night.

The ghost rumors were spread to scare the people of the village.

Ark silently recorded everything on camera.

But suddenly a dry branch broke under his feet.

Motas!

The conversation inside stopped.

“Who’s there?”

Ark’s chest trembled.

Two men quickly came out.

Ark ran.

The people behind him started shouting, 

“Catch! Catch the boy!”

Ark started running desperately along the dark pond. Suddenly, his feet slipped. He fell straight onto the steps of the ghat.

The torch fell into the water and went out. The men were coming quickly. Just then, Ark noticed a fishing net lying nearby. He quickly pulled the net and threw it at the two men.

In the darkness, their feet got entangled in the net and both of them fell to the ground. Seeing that the two men had fallen, Ark seized the opportunity and ran towards the village.

Panting, he reached the village crossroads and started shouting, 

“There is no ghost in the pond! There is a thief!”

At first, no one believed him. But when the video from the Ark camera was shown, everyone was shocked. A few brave people in the village immediately ran towards the pond with sticks. The police were informed. The police arrived and recovered a lot of stolen goods from inside the tunnel. The gang of smugglers was caught.

They admitted that they had been using that place to spread rumors of ghosts for many years. The white cloth-covered structure, the sound of crying, and the sound of water were all meant to scare people. The next morning, the news spread throughout the village. This little Ark had revealed the secret of the pond that everyone had been afraid of for so long.

The villagers started to boast about him.

Shuvo came and said, 

“You really caught a ghost!”

Ark laughed and said, 

“No ghosts, I caught a fear of people.”

From that day on, Kalodighi was no longer haunted.

 In the evening, people started sitting on the pier and talking. Children started playing by the pond.

However, the old people of the village still say that sometimes, in the deep darkness of the night, strange shadows can be seen in the pond water...

And then Ork just smiled and said, 

“The answer to all mysteries cannot be seen with the naked eye, it takes courage to find something.”

The pond that once cast a shadow of fear in people's minds in the pitch black darkness of the night regained its old vitality. 

The people of the village could feel that sometimes human greed and intrigue are more dangerous than ghosts. And little Ork became a brave little hero in the eyes of everyone in the village.


                                             * The End *


Detective Story



2.Haunted House





In the oldest part of Dhaka city, there was a huge three-story house. There were half-broken walls all around, rust on the iron gate, and a cold, damp smell wafted into your nose as soon as you entered. Everyone in the area called the house... "Haunted House".

Whoever rented this house would run away from it within a few days. Some said that heavy footsteps could be heard on the roof in the middle of the night. Some said that the kitchen faucet would open by itself. Still others said that a spirit was trapped under the house, which got angry whenever it saw new people.

Hearing all these things, everyone avoided the house. But one day, Arnak came there. Arnak was a journalist by profession. He was around thirty. He had a tall face, calm eyes, and a strangely courageous mind. He never believed in ghost stories. According to him, 

"There is a truth behind every mystery."

 The old man who owned the house was named Haripada Mallick. He opened the gate and let Arnak in, saying, “Father, I’m asking you for the last time… do you really want to stay here?”

Arnak smiled and said, 

“Why? Will the ghost come and take the rent?”

The old man’s face did not smile. 

“Those who laughed, didn’t stay long either.”

Arnak did not give importance. It is a matter of luck to get such a big house in Dhaka city for a low rent. He went straight up to a room on the second floor. The first day everything was fine. But as the night wore on, the true form of the house began to come out slowly. It was almost one in the night. Arnak was working on a laptop. Suddenly the sound of "Dhup... Dhup... Dhup..."

came from the ground floor. It felt like someone was pulling something heavy. Arnak opened the door and looked outside. The entire corridor is dark. Only the yellow light in the distance is teaming. The word came again. Dhup... incense... this time closer. He started to go down. 

The wooden staircase was making noise. Downstairs, the drawing room door is half open. Cold air is coming out from inside. Arnak slowly pushed the door open. The house is empty. But wet mud-like footprints are visible on the floor. As if someone had walked out with his wet feet. The footprints went straight and stopped in front of the storeroom of the house. 

The storeroom is locked. Arnak went ahead and saw the lock moving by himself. Knock… knock… knock… It seemed like someone was pushing from inside. Suddenly a hoarse voice came from behind. "Don't open that house!" Arnak turned around in surprise. The caretaker of the house Nitaida is standing. Panic in his eyes. 

"Why?" Nitai said in a dry voice, 

"Those who went to open that house...neither of them were fine." 

The next morning, Arnak went out to find the area. Sitting in the tea shop, an old man said, 

"Fine fifteen years ago there was a family in that house. Husband, wife and a little girl." 

"One night there is a sudden fire. Everyone says short circuit. But no one knows the real story." "Then?" The old man whispered while drinking tea, "People say, someone was buried alive under the house."

Arnak's eyes narrowed. That night, he decided to open the storeroom. At midnight, he went downstairs. Nitaida was nowhere to be seen. The whole house was silent.

As he stood in front of the storeroom, a faint cry suddenly came from inside the room. A little girl's voice.

"Mom... open the door..."

Arnak's body went cold.

He controlled himself and broke the lock. As he opened the door, a gust of dust came out. Lighting a torch and entering, he saw old furniture, torn dolls, and black stains all over the walls. Strange signs were drawn on the wooden floor in one corner of the room.

It seemed like something was hidden below.

Arnak brought a hammer and hit the floor. After hitting it two or three times, the wood broke. A dark hole was below. And a rotten smell came from that hole. Suddenly, a white hand appeared in the light of his torch. Arnak stepped back.

The hand slowly rose up.  Then a terrible woman with a wrinkled face came out of the hole.

Her eyes were completely black.

Dry, burnt parts were hanging from her face.

She whispered, 

“Why did you imprison me…”

Arnak’s throat went dry.

Suddenly, the lights in the entire room went out.

Only the woman’s laughter was around.

Hee… hee… hee…

Arnak ran out, but the door closed by itself. All the old dolls on the wall were staring at her together. Then one by one, the doll’s mouths burst open and black liquid started to come out. The woman now climbed onto the roof and started crawling like a spider. Strange sounds were coming out of her throat.

“They killed me… my daughter too…”

Suddenly, a word came to Arnak’s mind. This spirit was seeking revenge. She dared to say, 

“Who killed you?”

The woman’s eyes widened. Then suddenly, the scene around the room began to change.  Arnak saw the events of the past.

The son of the owner of this house had murdered the woman out of greed. Because the woman was the real owner of the house. She and her little daughter were locked down and set on fire. But the woman's soul did not die. She was trapped down there.

Arnak gasped, 

"Everyone will know your truth. I promise."

The room suddenly became quiet.

The woman slowly descended to the ground.

The black color was fading from her eyes.

She whispered, 

"Find my daughter..."

Then she disappeared.

The next day Arnak brought the police. When they dug under the floor, two skeletons came out. One big, one small.

The whole area was in a state of shock. Haripada Mallick was arrested. Many years ago, he had hidden everything to save his son. But even after that night, the house did not return to normal.

 Because Arnak sometimes still hears…

When the night is deep, the little girl’s voice comes from downstairs.

“Mom… where are you?”

And then… dhoop… dhoop… dhoop… sounds were heard. 

Arnak thought it was all over. The police had recovered the skeleton, the truth had come out, and the curse on the house might have been lifted. For a few days, the area was crowded with people. Journalists, police, curious people. Everyone was coming to see the “haunted house.” But after a week, everything was as quiet as before. Only Arnak had changed.

Because he understood that something was still inside the house.

It was raining that night too. It was two in the morning. Arnak was sleeping. Suddenly, a cold wind woke him up. When he opened his eyes, he saw that the window was wide open. But he had closed it before going to bed. Just then, a faint voice came from the corner of the room.

“Find me…”

Arnak looked slowly.

 A little girl is standing in a dark corner. Her face is pale, dressed in white. Her eyes are unusually black. She is holding a burnt doll in her hand. As soon as Arnak sits up, the girl turns and starts walking towards the door. Her feet are not touching the ground… they are floating a little above.

Arnak bravely followed her. The girl went down the stairs. The whole house had become strangely cold. The color of the walls seemed to be darker. When she reached the ground floor, the girl stopped in front of the storeroom. Then she slowly raised her finger and pointed at the wall.

Arnak lit the torch and looked at the wall, and his chest trembled. Written in red on the wall

“He is still alive…”

Suddenly all the lights went out.

The whole house was silent for a second.

Then…a loud noise came from the floor above.

Dham!!!

It felt like someone had dropped something heavy. Arnak ran up. When he reached the second floor, he stopped. At the end of the corridor, a man was standing. Wearing a long black coat

His face was not visible. But he had a sharp iron rod in his hand. The man slowly raised his head. And Arnak’s chest went cold. This was the face…he had seen the picture of Haripada Mallick’s son in the police file.  The one who had disappeared many years ago. The man said in a hoarse voice, 

“If you ruin everything…”

Then suddenly he rushed towards Arnav at an incredibly fast speed. Arnav somehow managed to dodge. The plaster shattered as the iron rod hit the wall. The man’s eyes were red as blood. He was not human… nor was he quite a spirit. He seemed to be some cursed thing that had been hiding in the darkness for many years. Arnav started running downstairs, heavy footsteps behind him.

Dhoop…dhoop…dhoop…

Suddenly the little girl’s spirit reappeared.

She shouted, 

“Go down!”

Arnav entered the storeroom.

The girl pointed at the hole in the floor. Arnav looked down and saw that inside the hole was an old iron box. He pulled out the box. Inside were some papers and a diary. Just then the man in the black coat entered the room. The skin on his face had been burned and melted.

 He hissed, 

“Those are mine…”

Arnak quickly opened the diary.

It was written there,

Haripada’s son had also killed his own father, so that he could have all the property alone. But while setting the fire, he himself was burned terribly. Before dying, he had performed a strange tantric practice under the house. He had tied his soul to the house. That is why he is here after all these years.

The man roared now. The walls began to shake. The walls were bursting and black liquid was coming out. Arnak thought, if he could destroy this diary, maybe it would all be over. He picked up the lantern next to him and threw it at the diary. It caught fire. The man screamed loudly. His body slowly began to melt. The tears of countless souls floated around. The little girl smiled softly. Then she held the hand of the woman who looked like her mother.

Both of them slowly disappeared into the light.

At the last moment, the woman looked at Arnak and said, “Thank you…”

Then everything was quiet. The coldness inside the house suddenly disappeared. The morning light entered through the window.

After many years, the first bird call was heard in the “haunted house”. Arnak went out. But as he crossed the gate, he looked back once. A black shadow was seen standing for a second in the window of the third floor. Then it also disappeared.

 Arnak never returned to that house.

Yet sometimes, when he woke up late at night, he could still hear...somewhere in the distance...smoke...smoke...smoke...

A couple of years later. The "haunted house" is no longer abandoned. The house has been freshly painted, the surroundings have been cleaned, and the rust on the gate has been removed. The locals are no longer as scared as before. People say that the curse has been lifted. But Arnak knew that some curses don't end completely... they just fall asleep.

One afternoon, he received news that the new owner of the house had arrived. A business family had moved in to live there.

Hearing the news, Arnak felt a strange unease in his chest. That night, his phone rang.

An unknown number. As he picked up the phone, a trembling voice...

"Are you Arnakbabu?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you."

"I... I'm the new owner of that house. I had something to talk to you about the house..."

The man's voice went dry with fear. Arnak remained silent.

 The man whispered, 

“My son says there’s a little girl standing outside his house at night…”

Arnav's body went cold.

“And… since last night, there has been a noise of smoke… smoke… under the house again…”

A few seconds of silence.

Then suddenly a little girl's laughter came from the other side of the phone.

Hee… hee… hee…

The man screamed in panic, 

“Who's there?!”

The phone went dead.

Arnav slowly looked out the window. It was pitch black outside. Just then, a faint voice was heard behind his house...

“We're still here…”

Arnav froze.

As he slowly turned around, he saw,

the little girl standing in the dark corner of the house.

Beside her, a woman with a burnt face. And behind them…two red eyes were burning.



                                                          * The End *


Detective Story



Story -1


 Bardo





Roni received an urgent telegram today, he has to return to the village. Roni got a new job as a chef in a hotel abroad. So he left his wife, children and old father behind and came abroad to work.

The urgent telegram was sent by Aunt Maryam, who lives next door. There was nothing special written on the telegram. She would come home as soon as she received the telegram.

Roni boarded the last train of the night to go to the village. He went and sat on the seat next to the window. Sitting on the train, he wondered why Aunt Maryam had sent him an urgent telegram and called him. After some time, the train left. After leaving the train, Roni looked into the darkness outside and saw the distant lights.

The fatigue of the whole day and the cold wind outside had made my eyes feel sleepy. I fell asleep as soon as I put my head out the train window. I was suddenly awakened by a jolt, and I looked up to see the train stopping at a deserted station, making a loud noise.

He looked into the train compartment and saw that there was no one else in the train compartment except him. He was a little scared, the train had started moving again and a man came running and climbed into the train compartment.

The train was moving through the darkness. The man came forward and sat in the seat in front of him. Ronnie saw the man coming, closed his eyes again, leaned against the window, and tried to sleep.

Ronnie closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, but his chest was pounding in an unusual way. The man's presence didn't seem natural.

The sound of the train, the grinding of the wheels. Everything seemed to slowly fall silent, only the sound of the man's heavy breathing became clear. After a while, Ronnie realized that the man was staring at him.

He could tell without opening his eyes. That vision was not normal.

Suddenly the man said in a hoarse voice,

“Are you returning home?”

Roni's heart trembled. He slowly opened his eyes and looked.

The man's face was hard to see in the dim light of the train, but his eyes were shining strangely.

"Yes," Ronnie answered in a shaky voice.

The man smiled a little.

There was no warmth in that smile. Instead, there was a strange coldness.

“The call came… right?”

Ronnie was startled.

Ronnie said in fear...

“How did you know?”

The man slowly leaned in front of Ronnie.

“Not everyone is called… Those who are called are never the same.”

Roni's throat went dry.

"What are you talking about?"

The man suddenly sat up straight and looked out the window. It was pitch dark outside, with occasional flashes of distant light.

The man looked at Roni and said...

“Do you know where this train is going?”

Roni said,

“To my village…”

The man nodded slowly.

“Everyone who rides this train thinks so.”

Suddenly the train jolted again. The lights went out once, then came back on.

After the light came on, Roni saw that the man was no longer in front of him!

His chest trembled. He looked around. The whole room was empty. Just then, the man whispered in Roni's ear...

"You're looking for me, look, I'm right here..."

Ronnie stood up abruptly. He looked back and saw that the man was sitting in the seat right behind him! His face was now clearly visible.

Dark circles under his eyes, pale lips, and a distorted smile on his face. Ronnie was about to scream, but no sound came out of his throat. His hands and feet went numb with fear.

The man said,

“Why are you afraid? You already know me, you started your journey with me…”

Roni said with difficulty...

“What are you saying… I started my journey alone to return home?” Roni said with great difficulty.

The man slowly raised his fingers and pointed at Ronnie's body. Ronnie looked at his hands. His hands were shaking, and his skin was unusually pale.

The man raised his finger again and pointed out the window...

Just then, he saw a scene outside the train window,

his own house. But it was not normal. Many people had gathered in front of the house. The sound of crying could be heard.

He leaned out the window and took a good look. There was a body lying on the ground. That body… was his own!

Ronnie stood up from his seat next to the window on the train.

“No… that’s not possible… I’m alive here!”

The man slowly stood up.

“When the telegram was sent… it was all over.”

A storm swept through Ronnie’s head.

“You mean… I… I’m dead?”

The man smiled softly.

“This train… is not for the living.”

Suddenly, all the lights inside the train went out. It was dark all around. Only the man’s eyes were glowing.

The train stopped again with a loud noise.

The text looked at Roni again and said...

"This is not the last station... this is the beginning."

Suddenly, many people were whispering around.

The crowd of invisible passengers seemed to fill the room.

Ronnie felt the cold hands of many touching him.

He wanted to scream... but this time he really didn't exist.

The train ran deeper into the darkness.

There was no destination anywhere else. The train seemed to be entering deeper darkness.

Ronnie felt something invisible crowding around him. A cold, heavy, breathless presence.

He said, disoriented,

“Where are you taking me?”

Many voices came from all around, whispers, tears, and suppressed laughter.

“Where your truth is hidden…”

Suddenly the train slowly began to stop.

The train stopped with a loud noise. The doors opened on their own. Roni's chest froze as he looked outside. The station was completely deserted... but strangely familiar.

The name of the station was written...

"Return"

Ronnie got down, trembling. His feet seemed to move of their own accord. The strange man stood beside him again. He said...

"This is your station,"

Roni asked in a trembling voice.

“Why did I come here?” 

The man pointed to a path in the distance....

“If you go that way, you will remember everything.”

Roni started walking slowly. Fog was all around him. Suddenly he heard someone calling him.

“Roni… Roni…”

It was his wife’s voice! He started running. As the fog cleared, a scene of his own house appeared in front of him. But now everything was clear.

Inside the house, his wife is crying, his baby is holding onto his mother's arm, and his elderly father is sitting quietly, his eyes empty. And in the middle... Roni's lifeless body, wrapped in white cloth.

Ronnie fell to his knees.

“No… no… I’m here! I’m alive!”

Suddenly a memory flashed through his mind….

That day, the workload abroad was very heavy. After a long day, Roni was going to his rented house to sleep, exhausted.

While crossing the street at night, a speeding car came and stopped with a loud noise…

And then everything went dark.

Ronnie screamed...

“No....!”

Suddenly everything stopped.

The mysterious man was standing next to him again.

“Do you understand now?”

Ronnie cried and said...

“Let me go one more time… I want to return to them,… my child… my father… my wife”

The man nodded slowly.

“Going back isn’t for everyone.”

Ronnie shouted...

“Please!”

The man was silent for a while and said...

“There is a chance… but there is one condition.”

Ronnie said desperately,

“I agree to all the conditions! What should I do?”

The man leaned towards him and whispered...

"Someone else will have to take your place..."

Ronnie's body went cold.

"You mean?"

The man smiled slowly...

"All the passengers who came from this train... they all came in place of someone or the other."

Ronnie looked around. Countless shadow figures stood in the fog. The same terror in each one's eyes.

The man said...

"If you want to go back... you have to choose someone,"

Ronnie's hands were shaking.

"I... I can't do this..."

That's when he saw his own son crying, saying....

"Dad... where are you?"

Roni's chest exploded.

The man said...

"Time is running out..."

Suddenly the train whistle blew.

The shadows around him started running together towards the train. Some shadows started coming towards him, they started saying....

"Don't take me... take me..."

"I can't take it anymore..."

"Let me go..."

Ronnie closed his eyes. After a while…everything was quiet.

The man asked slowly….

“Your decision?”

Ronnie slowly opened his eyes. There was a strange emptiness in his eyes.

“I… didn’t choose anyone…”

The man was silent for a moment. Then he smiled softly.

“Then… you’ll stay here.”

Suddenly Roni's legs froze. He couldn't move. Slowly he felt his body becoming like fog.

Another shadow… another lost soul.

The train door opened again in the distance. Ronnie went to the train seat and sat down. A new passenger got on.

Ronnie looked around in fear, and saw that he was now sitting in front of the new passenger. An unfamiliar smile slowly appeared on the new passenger's face.

He said to Ronnie....

“Are you going home?”

Ronnie looked at him and said...

I don't know.

Ronnie sat with his eyes closed again, but sleep was not in his eyes. The sound of the train seemed to be slowly changing.

Where there had been rhythm before, there was now a strange clanking sound, as if something was rubbing against iron.

He opened his eyes slightly and looked ahead.

The man is sitting just as before, but this time his head is down. His hair is covering his face.

Ronnie said boldly,

“Where are you going to get off?”

The man slowly raised his head. Roni's chest trembled. Looking at Roni, the man's eyes were completely black. There was no white part. He whispered,....

"I don't get off anywhere..." 

"I just drop off passengers..."

Ronnie didn't speak anymore. He looked out the window. But this time there was no light outside. It was completely dark. It was as if the train was disappearing into the darkness. Suddenly he noticed that his own reflection in the window was no longer visible.

Instead… he sees someone else’s face!

He jerked away.

“What am I seeing!” he shouted.

The man said slowly,

“That’s you… you a little later…”

Roni's head started to throb.

"I'm going crazy..."

Just then, the lights inside the train flickered on and off.

Roni saw a gap in the light. The whole room was full!

So many people... but none of them were moving.

Everyone is sitting the same way, with their heads bowed.

The light went out.

It came back on....

Everyone is looking at Ronnie!

There is no gem in their eyes... blank, white.

Ronnie stopped as he tried to scream. No sound came out of his throat.

The man stood up.

“They all came like you… to return home…”

Suddenly a woman stood up. There was a mark on her neck, as if something had been squeezed.

He came forward and said,

“They sent me a telegram too…”

Another said....

“My mother was sick…”

Another....

“Give birth to my son…”

Their voices merged together.

“But none of us could reach…”

Ronnie started to back away. Ronnie said in a trembling voice.

“Who are you...?” 

The man said,

“They are all stuck in the middle of the road…”

Ronnie shouted.

“Why?” 

The man slowly looked at him.

“Because their bodies had finished their journey… but their minds had not yet arrived.”

Suddenly the train doors slammed shut.

The air became heavy. A strong burning smell spread. Ronnie suddenly saw. A man's body was burned black, yet he was still standing.

Another's head is tilted in an unusual way.

Everyone is slowly approaching Roni. They said together.

"Give us some space..."

Ronnie shouted

“No! Let me go!”

The man suddenly raised his hand and stopped them.

Everyone stopped. The text said.

“It’s not time yet,”

Ronnie sat down panting. He said.

“What time is it?” 

The man sat back in his seat.

“When you understand… your time will begin.”

Suddenly the train jolted again.

The lights of a station could be seen in the distance.

The man smiled slowly.

“The first station is coming…”

Ronnie’s chest trembled.

“What will happen here?”

The man looked out the window and said....

"The first door of truth will open..."

The train slowly started entering the station...

And Ronnie was understanding. This is not just a station... This is the beginning of the final reckoning of his life. Now is the time to judge the truth and lies of his life that came as a result...



                                                                                                      *                                                  * The End *


Detective Story