Mamma gone crazy!!

Raising a teenager is never easy, but raising a superactive, multi-talented teenage daughter? That’s a whole different roller coaster ride.

My daughter is a whirlwind of energy, grace, ambition, and unpredictability. She dances like a dream, a beautiful Odissi performer who has graced prestigious stages, thanks to her Guru’s tireless training and unshakeable belief in her. 💃

She sings Western music with such confidence that she just bagged a gold medal in an interschool solo singing competition. 🎤 She’s in the school music team, wins in interhouse events, recently got a gold in basketball 🏀, and oh! Did I mention she's also a purple belt in Karate? 🥋

She paints (when she feels like it), with a style that even her teachers rave about. Her handwriting is the kind that teachers want to photocopy and pin to their walls.

And then there’s her love for English. 📚✍️
She reads endlessly, books, articles, true crime stories, and writes beautifully too. Her vocabulary, expressions, and articulation often leave me stunned. There’s a budding storyteller, a sharp communicator, or perhaps a powerful journalist in the making.

And her dreams? Let’s just say she dreams BIG; from flying fighter jets for the Indian Air Force to becoming an architect, or a fearless journalist unearthing hidden truths, inspired by The Sabarmati Report and the Godhra train incident. 🛫🏛️📰

But... ask her to open her textbooks, and everything crashes.

😵‍💫 The Homework Tantrums & the Eye-Rolling Olympics

The moment I say, “Time to study,” it begins! the tantrums, the sighs, the eye rolls that could win gold if sarcasm was a sport.
“Later, Ma!”
“Just five more minutes…”
“Tomorrow, promise!”
(Only tomorrow never comes.)

And there I stand, heart full of love, voice rising with frustration and wondering how to nurture her spark without burning both of us out. 💔

💖 Seeing Her for Who She Is

I see her. I really do. The way she lights up on stage, the quiet pride when she completes a drawing, the passion when she sings, and the fire in her eyes when she talks about flying a fighter jet to avenge Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devaiah — her inspiration from the 1965 war, a brave pilot who gave everything for his country.

She’s amazing. I don’t say that lightly.
But traditional academics? That spark fades. 📚❌

She just doesn’t feel connected to it. She says it’s boring. And yes, she perks up a little when I teach her — but let’s be honest — I’m not an academician. How much can I help?

Still, I know — dreams, even the wildest ones, need a foundation. They need focus, discipline, and yes… studies.

🧠 Turning Resistance into Relevance

So I’ve started connecting the dots for her:

✨ “Want to be a pilot? You need math and physics.”
✨ “Want to be an architect? You’ll need logic and precision.”
✨ “Want to uncover truth as a journalist? You need to read, write, and know the world.”

Sometimes it sticks. Sometimes it doesn’t.
So, I repeat the truth I want her to hear:
“You’re smart.”
“You’re capable.”
“You’re a winner.”
Even when the books stay closed.

😤 The Fights, the Frustration… and the Fierce Love

Oh yes, we fight. So. Many. Fights.
Some days, I yell.
Some days, I cry.
Some days, I storm out to the terrace, take deep breaths, and let the cold wind hit my face — hoping it will clear the fog of guilt and exhaustion. 🌬️

But I’ve learned:

• I don’t have to fight every battle.
• Giving her some control over when she studies helps more than deadlines.
• She needs me to listen, not lecture — even when I badly want to fix everything.

I’m learning to meet her where she is — not where I want her to be.

📝 My Game Plan (and Maybe Yours Too)

Here’s what I’m trying — not perfectly, but with love:

1. Structure with flexibility 📅: A routine that balances dance, music, studies, and downtime — without suffocating her.
2. Smaller goals 🎯: One worksheet before Odissi, one topic before dinner.
3. Celebrate effort, not marks 🏆: Praising the try, not just the win.
4. Role models over lectures 👩‍✈️🎤🏛️: Helping her talk to people who live the lives she dreams of.
5. Quiet connection time 🤝: Sometimes we lie in bed and talk. Sometimes we just stay silent and scroll together. And that’s okay.

💭 For Me, As Her Mother

I’m not just raising a daughter.
I’m raising someone who challenges me to grow. Every. Single. Day.

Some days I feel like I’m failing.
Some nights I whisper sorry to her sleeping face.
But then… I see her dance. Or sing. Or write something powerful. Or talk about a future she wants to build — and I remind myself:

We’re doing okay.
We’re just figuring it out — together.

🌈 My Hope for Her

I don’t want her to become someone she’s not.
I want her to become everything she already is — but with a little more focus, a little more balance, and a lot of courage.

Because she’ll fly — I know she will.
And until then, I’ll walk beside her…
Holding her hand when she reaches out.
Letting go when it’s time.
And loving her fiercely through every tantrum, every triumph, and every tiny step forward. 💗

🚨 A first job. 📋 A call from home. 📞 A fall from the terrace. 🏢⬇️
A mother lost. 👩‍👧 A mystery buried. 🕳️

This is not just my story - it’s a question still waiting for answers. ❓🕯️

We were four girls - fresh graduates - full of hope, curiosity, and ambition. My dad, our ever-supportive guardian 👨‍👧, accompanied us on a journey from the eastern part of India to the west, to join a company in Ahmedabad. It was a campus placement of sorts - our big break.

🚆 It took us three days by train to reach the city. We arrived on Maha Shivratri, and the streets were eerily quiet. The company had arranged for our stay - an apartment just opposite the office. It felt perfect. Life was about to begin.

🌅 A New Beginning Interrupted

The next morning was our first day at work.
Dad had gone out to meet a friend in the city.

As I was settling into the office, I was called into the cabin by Mr. Chandak, the company owner.

📞 “There’s a call for you.”

It was Utpal Jethu. His voice shook.

“Your mom has fallen from the terrace. She’s badly injured. Joydeep da is taking her to the hospital. Find your father.”

I froze.
🧠 My mind went blank. No phones. No clue where Dad was.
No way to find him.

🚶‍♀️ Lost in a New City

After what felt like a maze of language barriers and directions, I somehow reached the location shared by Jethu - and found my dad.
He didn’t say much. Just listened. His face hardened.

We rushed back to the office.
I explained the situation and apologized profusely to Mr. Chandak for not being able to work on my first day.

🙏 He was incredibly kind - he arranged flight tickets for us. We didn’t have the money to pay him then, but there was a promise to return it as soon as we could. He even booked a cab to take us to the airport.

At the airport, I called Jethu again.

📵 That’s when it happened.

“She didn’t make it.”

I was shattered.

😢 Grief That Never Left

Throughout the flight, I hid my face in a shawl and cried.

When we reached home, people had already gathered.
I saw Bapi Da - and a wave of anger surged through me - but I stayed quiet.

🍽️ Someone offered dinner. I couldn’t eat.
I had never eaten without Ma.

🧊 The Body Arrives

The next morning, Dad went to bring her mortal remains.

When they returned, she was wrapped in a blue plastic sheet.

Only her face was visible.

🕊️ One side was peaceful as if Ma is sleeping.
💔 The other - smashed, swollen, unrecognizable.

My little brother ran into my arms.
For days, he didn’t leave me.
Not even to let our father touch him.

🧩 The Inconsistencies

We took the police to the terrace.

🔍 There was a heavy bench, dragged, placed next to the wall.

👣 A footprint on it.
🧷 Ma’s hair tie lay nearby.

Below, shards of her bangles were scattered - far from the wall.

Inside, her toothbrush, with paste still on it, lay untouched on the washbasin.

🧠 Who prepares to brush their teeth and then chooses to jump off a building?

The police refused to register it as a murder.
They asked us to call it provocation to suicide.

🕵️‍♂️ The Whispers Begin

Neighbors whispered stories.
The security guard had been shouting immediately after the fall:

“Mrs. H committed suicide! Mrs. H committed suicide!”

Who told him that?

The first to reach her was RDS.
He saw XXX speeding off on his bike, fully dressed, helmet on, early in the morning.

Why was he ready to leave? Why didn’t he stay?

Joydeep da managed to get a cab and take her to the hospital - but it was too late.

🧠 My Theory

My brother had just left for school.

Ma was getting ready - maybe brushing her teeth, maybe thinking of what to pack for his school visit at 10 a.m.

📲 XXX called her to the terrace.
💪 He had already moved the heavy bench.
👿 When she reached, he grabbed her by the hair, climbed onto the bench, and threw her over the wall.

She hit multiple window sills as she fell. Her bangles shattered. Her hair tie came loose. Her body bore the evidence.

But the police turned away.

🔒 Justice Denied, But Never Forgotten

We later found out Dad had filed a complaint - but in a different jurisdiction.

Maybe to protect us. Maybe to avoid what could come with making it public.

But the truth still haunts us.

Someone paid their way out.
And we were left with silence.

🕯️ She had toothpaste on her toothbrush. A normal day was just beginning.
And then… everything ended.

Ever had a dream that left you somewhere between memory and meaning? 🌙🧠

I dreamt - I was writing an exam for my brother… ✍️📄
Only to watch time, emotions, and roles blur across a classroom that wasn’t mine. 🕰️💭🏫

A short story about caregiving, pressure, and second chances told through a letter, a teacher, and a dream that stayed with me. ❤️📚💫

The exam hall was humming with silence - that strange, concentrated stillness where minds are loud but voices quiet. I was there, pen in hand, pouring careful words onto paper. Not for myself, though. I was writing on behalf of my brother. 🖊️

He sat on the bench just ahead of mine, head bent, scribbling on his own sheet. Different subjects, different struggles. Still, in that moment, it felt like we were sharing the same exam, just taking it differently.

Once I finished the letter, I walked up to the invigilator and hesitantly asked if the formatting was okay. She glanced at it, nodded. I returned to my seat, satisfied. Leaning forward, I whispered to my brother, “It’s done.”

He looked back, eyes defiant and determined. “I want to write it myself,” he said. Before I could say anything, he tore the paper. The very paper I’d poured effort into. And then, with a strange calmness, he started writing from scratch.

Minutes later, he walked out of the hall. 🚶‍♂️

Then it happened. The smart screen at the front flashed:

"Time’s up." ⏰

Panic struck me like lightning. ⚡ I looked at his empty seat, then at the clock, then back again. My legs moved before my thoughts did. I rushed out, calling his name - or maybe not his name. It didn’t sound right. Not the name I’ve always known him by. A blur of urgency. The teacher joined me in the search.

Soon, she returned, eyes wide.

“He’s been found. He’s injured.” 🩹

The scene shifted. I was outside now - in a garden where scattered students lounged like fallen petals. 🍃 And then, I saw him. He was being carried by two others. He looked smaller than I remembered, fragile. Without hesitation, I ran and took him into my arms, lifting him in a way that defied physics but made sense to the heart. ❤️

His fingers were bloodied, bandaged, and swollen. “Can you write?” I asked, already knowing the answer. He shook his head gently.

Back in the hall, I faced the invigilator. “English is his favorite subject,” I said, not knowing why.

A voice called from the doorway. “History too!”

I smiled. “That’s Anwita Ma’am’s doing,” I replied - a little inside joke from another part of life. 📚

Then, he began to dictate. Slowly, clearly. His voice was calm, like waves guiding a paper boat. And I wrote again - this time, not alone, but together.

Just as I finished the letter and started chit-chatting with ma'am, my alarm went off. And I woke up. 🌅

🪞 Reflections: When Roles and Realities Overlap

After waking up, one detail stayed with me longer than the rest - the mention of Anwita Ma’am, my daughter’s history teacher. She has no connection to my brother, yet in the dream, I credited her for his love of history. And the setting itself - the exam hall with a smart screen - felt more like my daughter’s school than anything from my own past or my brother’s.

It made me wonder: why did my mind bring these two worlds together? 🤔

Perhaps it’s because, in some ways, I don’t see myself only as a sister or only as a parent - the roles blur. I’ve often found myself supporting those I care for in ways that go beyond labels. Whether it’s my daughter learning in a modern classroom or my brother navigating life in his own way, I find myself constantly toggling between guidance, protection, and quiet support. 🫶

Maybe Anwita Ma’am represents the kind of influence I admire - someone who inspires a love for learning in a natural, lasting way. Maybe I wished my brother had someone like that too, at a time he needed it. Or maybe I was simply drawing from a familiar part of my life - my daughter’s daily school experiences - to fill in emotional gaps in the dream.

The smart screen flashing “time’s up” added urgency, but also a sense of modern structure and pressure - something I’ve noticed in today’s academic environments. 📺⏳ My brain seems to have layered the dream with the present-day reality of my daughter’s learning, adding elements of routine and responsibility I associate with her world.

So while the dream began with my brother, it quietly folded in echoes of parenting, of teaching, of caregiving, of wanting to do right by the people I love, even if they are on different journeys. 🚸

“Because sometimes, helping means doing. Other times, it means waiting until they ask. And the real test? Is knowing when to do which.” ✅

Yesterday Baby S (now a tween) spotted a rat inside our car in the basement parking area. She was going for tuition, which is just next building, but still she needed her cycle, so that she could cycle around the society or play, without letting me know 😒. But, after seeing the rat, she got so scared that she came back running and almost on the verge of crying, to say that, she saw a rat inside our car.

My first reaction was, what were you doing there? You were supposed to go to your class.

Baby S: I was taking my cycle

Me: Why do you need the cycle to go to the next building?

Baby S: I..I…Mamma, there is a rat in our car

Me: How can there be a rat inside the car?

Baby S: Yes Mamma, I saw something moving and when I peeped in, it popped up just in front of my nose, it was on the passenger side window, I got so scared 😨

Me: Ok, I will go and see, you go for your class

I was pretty confident that she might have seen some shadow or something like that, that area is dimly lit. I was anyways getting ready to go for my dental appointment, so we both went down together and when we reached the basement, to my utter surprise, I saw the rat running around the car dashboard from one window to another; and sensing my presence, it stopped like a statue on the driver’s side window 🐀. I slowly unlocked the car, but it jumped inside and vanished. The area was so dimly lit, I couldn’t find it again!!! I asked Baby S also to check, but she said, “thank you!! bye-bye,” took her cycle and vanished…

I was clueless on what to do, was just standing there like a fool; suddenly I realized I have to inform Daddy S and for that I needed to come out of the basement to get some network. I started the car, and came out of the basement, then called Daddy S, he was in midst of some meeting, so when I said, “there is a rat in our car,” it didn’t get registered in his head and said, “what will I do, figure out something.” Reluctantly, I requested the security guards to help me search. Two security guards joined my search party; we opened all the doors, the bonnet, the dicky, but none of us could spot even the tail of the rat, after a rigorous 10-minute search, we gave up.

I thought, let me just keep the engine running for some time and drive around so, the rat will go away if the engine is hot (I thought rats could come only from engine area, such a fool I was). After driving around the society for around 10 minutes, I suddenly remembered that I had to go for my dental appointment. So, I checked with my doc, if I can come now and while I was waiting for her to respond, I sought suggestion in our apartment group about my rodent incident. I couldn’t check the responses; Daddy S called back, seemed like something registered in his mind. I explained the whole story again and by that time my doctor also called, so we stopped mid-conversation.

After coming out from the doctor’s, I called him back to give him the update on my tooth, but he started with the Rat discussion!!!, “maybe you could take it to a nearby car shop and see if they can help.”

I just took the car and drove around a few blocks and came back. Back home, when I checked back my messages, suggestions had already started pouring in. From that time, I started trying all sorts of home remedies and periodically was going down and checking whether the rat was gone or not.

Someone suggested spreading pepper corn/black pepper seeds, as apparently rats don’t like pepper smell. I did that and after an hour, when I went down, I saw the rat is playing on the peppers 🤣. Then people suggested calling the 24x7 helpline of the car manufacturer, I somehow managed to get the service manager’s number from the helpline, but the number was out of network coverage..ughhh. Someone suggested that rats go away with tobacco and naphthalene smell, So I called Daddy S again to see if he can bring some tobacco pouches while coming home.

Daddy S was like, “where will I get tobacco pouches now?”

Me: When you guys go out to have a puff or cup of tea, from those stalls only you can get

Daddy S: I am not going anywhere now and none of my team members smoke….call disconnected📵

Some more suggestions poured in; rat repellent spray, rat poison, etc. etc. but it was late, so I gave up for the day.

Baby S was like, “I don’t want to get in that car ever”

Me: Then you have to walk for 2 km every morning with your 6-kg school bag 

But, in my mind I was thinking what will happen in case the rat damages some vital wire or what if the car doesn’t start etc. etc.

When Daddy S came back, we went down again to check and saw that the rat was happily sitting on the bed of pepper corn. Again, as soon as we opened the car, it vanished. We searched for it everywhere, this time we also searched the stepney area and saw that the rat had had its dinner by chewing on our seat cover, ohh God!!!

Next day morning, I woke Baby S a little earlier than usual, in case we needed to do something unusual. After we both got ready, we tiptoed to the parking and saw the rat sitting on its favorite bed of pepper corns; I was wondering whether it was sharpening its teeth on those pepper corns 😧.

As soon as I opened the car, it vanished just like last time and with much reluctance, Baby S got in the car. I started the car and thankfully it started normally. When we came out of the society, I looked at the clock in the dashboard, and it was too early for Baby S’ school, so I took a detour and drove aimlessly, and Baby S said, “Mamma gone crazy!!” After killing some time on a new “atypical” Bangalore road, I dropped Baby S to her school and came back.

On my way home, I stopped at a local store and asked for a few tobacco pouches; instantly I could feel heads turning towards me and gazes 👀 saying, “how come a decent looking lady is buying tobacco pouches so early in the morning??” I completely ignored them and bought a full packet of tobacco pouches along with a packet of naphthalene, got into the car, and drove away.

Back home, I emptied all those pouches and made six portions and put them in cloth pouches with one naphthalene in each pouch. I went down again and ‘strategically’ placed the pouches where I thought the rat might come.

By that time Daddy S had started making calls here and there, to the service centers and accessories shops etc. with no solution.

Finally, one good lady shared the number of a service center, stating that they might help. The shop was right outside our society, So, Daddy S, spoke to the service center personnel and explained the whole story, and thank God, he said that he knows what to do.

Again, I had to take the car there as Daddy S had to go to the office. When I took the car to the shop, I showed them the seat cover where I saw the rat chewed it and found that it had chewed on the tobacco pouches as well 🤣, got its morning dose of nicotine. They inspected the whole car from outside and told me that I have to leave the car with them for a day, they will remove the seats and keep the door open to let the rat go away and then they will put the meshes on various entry points to prevent further entry.

As soon as the back seat cover was removed, to my horror, a rat couple jumped out. Thankfully, they didn’t get much time to start their family 🤣, they only had their dinner maybe by chewing on my seat cover and sharpened their teeth by nibbling on a few wires and the stepney; and then had their morning dose of nicotine, courtesy me!!!

I left the car with them to clean up the whole mess, repair the wires, and put the meshes on, will get it back tomorrow.

Have you had any such experience with these rodents??

I saw the black shadow again from the corner of my eyes, lurking around the bushes behind me, glaring eyes staring at me. I felt awkward and creepy, my hairs started rising at the back of my neck, I started running…I saw an alley and ran towards it; but, where did everybody go, I can't see a living soul, why is the alley so dark? what is happening??

Suddenly, I saw a house at the end of the road. It looked so deserted; but it looked so familiar, oh yeah, this is my house only, but why is it so dark? why there is no light? I was in a hurry, that black shadow is still following me, it seemed like a man wearing a long black overcoat with something in his hand, why is he after me? what does he want? I have to hide somewhere ooor should I confront him; I don’t know, I can’t think of anything…"there is a door, get in there," a voice told in my head, I followed the lead. 

Yeah, it’s my house only…Mom, Mom, where are you?….no response. Mom, are you there? Where is everyone else? What is that?? Suddenly, I heard some hushed conversation and some rustling, where is this sound coming from? Upstairs? Who’s there? I started climbing up the stairs and all of a sudden I was blinded by a bright light, pushed by a gush of wind, and I was in the terrace.

Mom, is that you? What is xxx doing here? Why aren’t you saying anything, Mom? Oh my god, he has a sword in his hand!! “its him Mom, he was following me,” Whoa! he chopped my mom’s head off, hey!!…where did he go? did he just vanish in the thin air?

What do I do now? God, help me, my mom’s chopped head is lying near my feet, Mooom!! I cried out, I felt so helpless, what do I do?

I gently lifted my mom’s head and walked towards her lifeless body, wait!!…I don’t see any blood here, can she be still alive? I carefully placed my mom’s head on her body and slowly asked, “Mom, are you okay?” and she opened her eyes, looked up at me and asked, “where is my dad?”

Mom wake up!! we have our outing today; mom, were you crying in your sleep?? My daughter shook me and woke me up, then she gave me a tight hug….

It was a bad dream….

Dream analysis

Background: The protagonist lost her mother in an accident, while she was far away from home, but she thinks it is a murder, allegedly by a person whom their family treated as a family member, trusted, and relied on.

Version1: You (protagonist) were very close to your mom, you cared a lot for her, you are still not able to accept the fact that she is no more, and though she cared for you in her own way, but she cared more for her parents, especially her dad.

Version2

R: Do you remember exactly when you had this dream, maybe the lunar phase?

S: No

R: It sometimes might be a fact that the soul of the deceased person wants to say something to a very close person and that happens during specific time period

R: Did you see any color in your dream?

S: No, it was all black and white

R: That means it indeed is a dream, a bad one maybe, but not hallucination

R: The dream signifies a strong bond between you and your mom, your caring nature. The black shadow indicates a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to escape from a threatening situation or an imposter. Imagery of a mysterious figure and a dark and deserted house can symbolize the unknown and your fear of confronting something. Last words from your mom signifies that she was very close to you, and she trusted you, she wanted to communicate with you about something, she wanted to give you some message, maybe some unresolved feelings regarding your relationship with her.

Dreams are often a result of our subconscious mind processing thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Sudden transitions and changing scenes in a dream can be quite typical of how dreams unfold, where the storyline can shift suddenly without any logical connections.

Do you have any other explanation for this dream??

Pic credit: Google

It was continuing to be a heavy downpour with frequent lightning when Tarit and Megh finally reached their much-desired Hotel after being almost 5 hours late.

It was their fourth anniversary and second honeymoon 👫, so they did a lot of research and finally zeroed in on this beautiful hotel in front Nainital Lake. It was off season, so the hotel offered them a very good package with discounts, and they just grabbed it.

They were overjoyed when they left home in the morning; this was a much-needed break they were waiting for a long time. They were still halfway through their train journey, when a torrential downpour started and suddenly the train stopped with a huge jerk. All the lights went off and everybody started panicking. After passing an agonizing hour with no certainty on what is going to happen next, they got to know that a huge tree has fallen on the train and the pantograph of the train broke in that impact, so the train cannot move now. It can only be fixed by an engineer, who will come from a nearby town, but due to heavy rain, he is also stuck.

Finally, after another two hours of wait, from torrential rain it slowed down to a drizzle, and the engineer arrived, but sadly he couldn’t repair it because it was damaged beyond repair. As a stop gap arrangement, the train authorities arranged for a coal engine to pull the train till its destination, can you beat that!!! A coal engine??

They reached their destination after much delay. That's the best the coal engine could do.... They were relieved when they reached their hotel and the staff welcomed them with a nice refreshing drink.

They were soon escorted to a nice spacious room with a beautiful view of the Naini lake. The clouds and the drizzle made the atmosphere enchanting, and both of them were mesmerized by the beauty of the nature outside their window.

They quickly freshened up as the hotel manager called and informed that they had arranged for an open-air candlelight dinner for them. The rain has also stopped by then and they also had made some nice plans on how to celebrate their special day.

They were seated in an open-air balcony with a nice view of the lake. The table was decorated with a nice table runner, a bouquet of roses, and an antique candle stand with three candles. Food was arranged nicely, and the smell of the food made them feel more hungry. But, strangely, they were the only ones there, even the waiters also disappeared, they thought they were being given some privacy to create the romantic atmosphere and enjoy their day. They were starting to enjoy the arrangements, but just before cutting their anniversary cake, Megh remembered that she brought a nice tiara to go with her beautiful dress and she wanted to take pictures in that attire 👸, so Tarit scurried back to their room to get it for her otherwise.... God knows whether he will get to sleep in the room or not…

While Tarit was gone, Megh was sitting alone in their table and enjoying the night view of the Naini valley; suddenly she heard the noise of a bunch pigeons fluttering their wings and flying away, she literally jumped out of her chair but couldn’t see any birds anywhere nearby 👀. She was so scared that she was about to run towards their room, but then she saw Tarit coming back and just as they were about to cut the cake again, both of them heard the same noise, they got literally scared; they flashed their torchlight towards every direction but couldn’t see any living soul nearby. The romantic atmosphere soon turned into a haunted one, and even the lights started looking dim, vibes became darker. They quickly finished their dinner, and with much hesitation, clicked a few pictures before hurrying back to their room.

In the room, as soon as their backs touched the bed, sleep engulfed them, they were so exhausted from their journey 😴.

Around mid-night, in her deep sleep, Megh suddenly heard a loud bang and someone, in a very deep British Accent, said, “Leave the room now.” Megh thought someone in the next room might be talking, so she went back to sleep, but within a minute, she heard the deep voice again, this time closer to her. She sprang up from the bed and woke Tarit up, within seconds, both of them heard the same deep voice again, “Leave the room now,” it sounded quite angry. By then, they were pretty sure the voice was coming from within the room; they switched on all the lights of the room, but there was no one there. Megh started shivering 😱, Tarit got goosebumps, but both of them tried to think logically and tried to go back to sleep, but as soon as they turned off the lights, the voice spoke again, and this time right next to Megh, “Leave the room now.” Megh and Tarit sprang up from the bed and ran towards the door without wasting a second.

Huffing and puffing, they reached the reception and inquired about the boarder next to their room but to their utter dismay, the receptionist was little hesitant at first but finally checked the register and confirmed that there is no one in the next room, but someone is scheduled to come next morning…they couldn’t believe him, so they demanded to take a look themselves and made him open the next room, but to their sheer horror, there was no one there. Reluctantly, both of them went back to their room, but none of them could close their eyes for the rest of the night, even they couldn’t switch off the lights as well.

Their romantic vacation turned out to be a disaster. They were not believer of paranormal activities but how could they ignore what they heard with their own ears. 

With the first sight of light, they packed their bags and checked out from the hotel. Thankfully, they found one rickshaw just outside the hotel, who offered to take them to a nearby hotel near the opposite side of the lake with good food.

On the way, the rickshaw puller told that locals never go near to that hotel in the evening, it’s believed to be haunted by an old Bitish man , father of a British woman, who fell in love with a local man, which was frowned upon by the society at the time. A fight broke out between the father and the woman's love interest and the next day the both the local man and the British woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The father could not tolerate the death of his daughter and committed suicide out of grief and guilt. Many guests and staff have reported flickering lights, hearing footsteps, and shouting, especially near the room where the father stayed.

Megh and Tarit was so scared that they couldn’t gather enough courage to look back at the hotel. They looked ahead and saw the beautiful sun coming up through the mountains…a new day, a new beginning.

The End

Pic credit: Google

Little Brother

The girl woke up in the morning with the letter in her hand, the letter that her brother wrote to Santa Claus, the small-small wishes of a small child, one scented eraser, a car-shaped pencil box, one yellow toy car, a drawing book, and a box of crayons😊. Her brother was sleeping soundly next to her; she wanted to caress him, but he will start crying if he wakes up, thinking about that, she just fondly stared at him for a while and got up after running her fingers through his silky hair for a bit and messing it uu😊😊.

Today is Saturday, so she doesn’t have to go to school but there is a lot of work. Cleaning the clothes, doing the dishes, cleaning the house, etc.; these are all her weekend chores..huh!!!. Thankfully winter vacation is coming, so not many studies, but she must prepare for Christmas also.

Christmas has never been celebrated in their house before but in her brother’s school, they have taught all kinds of festivals that are celebrated all over India so he has become very fascinated about Santa Claus and his gifts, so she wants to be his Santa Claus, and fulfill his small-small wishes.

The girl started her day’s work while still thinking about how to plan and celebrate Christmas. She soaked the clothes in soapy water and began to do the dishes absent-mindedly; only to come back to her senses when her brother’s favorite mug slipped off her hand and broke into pieces, waking up everybody in the house. Luckily, her father was at home so her mother didn’t beat her up, but then she knew as soon as her father goes out, she will not be spared 😔. She quietly cleaned up the mess and after finishing the dishes, she went on to finish her other chores. What an awful beginning of the day…

In the afternoon, when their parents went to take nap after lunch; her brother came to her quietly with a storybook in his hand; he wanted her to read out stories for him and then he whispered in her ears, “don’t worry Didi, I will tell Santa to give me two mugs, one for me and one for you.” She almost felt like crying, but she controlled herself, smiled at him, and started reading out his favorite story. He again interrupted her, “you didn’t post my letter I gave you yesterday right, give it back to me, I will add the mugs also.” She was worried that the amount of money that she has will not be enough to buy two mugs along with the gifts that her brother has already written but couldn’t say no to her brother and gave the letter back to him. He quickly added two mugs in his wish list and gave the letter back, “don’t forget to post it on Monday.” He reminded her.

In the evening also, her brother didn’t leave her side, he wanted to help her make Christmas tree and decorations from colorful papers. Was he trying to protect her?? So that their mother didn’t get a chance to beat her??