An old man lives in an old, kaput house. There is a small well near this house where people are gossiping about a monster who supposedly came back to life after thirty years. They try to avoid going near this house. Now it is the talk of the town that going near this well brings bad luck and that one would die soon after taking water from it.
On treetops, bats are hovering and making squealing noises. People around this house feel that some untoward tragedy might happen, as everything is not well in this village. They are gossiping with each other that it has been thirty years since this old man, who looks shabby and weak with a long beard and fragile body has not come out of this house.
They want to go near this house, but no one has the guts to go and knock at this gate. Finally, they made up their minds; everyone came and opened the front gate of the house. As soon as they were about to open it, a monstrous voice whispered into their ears, calling them to stay away and move out of this house.
They were now sure that something was wrong with this house and the old man inside was not an ordinary man. Actually, the monster living in the well was the soul of the old man, haunting anyone who came near the house.
Chinar leaves in and around had turned into crimson. Whoever dared to step into this house felt a strange feeling in their body. There was a strange smell emanating from nearby; perhaps it was coming from that well. It was believed by the villagers that the water of the well was blood-coloured, and whoever dared to come near it would face dire consequences. They might lose their eyesight and cry day and night without any reason. Just one glance at the well could make someone lose their senses and die naturally. This was the belief of the locals.
When it was completely dark, strange voices were being heard from this house by the villagers. Maybe the monster in the well was trying to come out of it. He was keen to take away anyone who ever dared to come out of his house. He was seen taking a blood bath with long nails soaked in blood. He was wearing a white shroud with a long untidy beard, while blood was seen oozing from his eyes.
Nobody has the courage to see him fully. They wanted to get rid of him, but they don’t have the courage to do so. Nobody wanted to enter the premises of this village, and it was the talk of the town that this village was haunted. Mothers were afraid to send their children to school as it was near the haunted house. Many of the children have seen his ghostly figure around the school premises. They were frightened to come out of their houses in broad daylight such was the fear of this monster.
The villagers wanted to get rid of him. They tried everything. Finally, someone suggested calling on the priests to take away his soul to some distant place where he may not return to haunt them again. When they entered the house, they were astonished to see the old man’s dead body hanging from the roof of a room, and a foul smell was emanating from it, which had been there for the last thirty years inside this house. They buried his dead body at some distant place and breathed a sigh of relief. They distributed sweets and chanted slogans that their prayers had finally been accepted by God. They lived peacefully and joyfully with each other and were now ready to fetch water from the well, which was no more haunted by the monster.
The writer is a freelancer and can be reached at uh*****@***il.com