STORIES

This incident occurred when I was a naive 4th grader. I lived in a relatively sparsely populated colony in
Nanded, India and had recently become the proud owner of a neon-pink bmx. Despite being a scaredy
cat as a kid, I enjoyed the thrill of exploring places in my surroundings immensely. Being overshadowed
by a daredevil older brother made venturing into abandoned buildings and lonely woods that much
more appealing.

I used to be the sidekick of a 6th grader named Shridhar, who typically led these exploratory
expeditions. In those days, the urban legend most notorious in our friends circle used to be of the
abandoned swimming pool complex of the Science College, just across the quiet, lonely woods. It was
said that some female student of the college was molested and raped there and ended up committing
suicide by drowning herself in the pool. This suicide occurred on a fateful Thursday, five years back (or
was it ten?). It was also said that as dusk approaches on Thursdays, the malevolent spirit of the poor
suicide victim would manifest itself to anyone who dared to disturb it and the consequences would be
terrible. It was just the right mix of taboo information, intrigue and horror to keep us talking about it.

The building was at the end of a dirt path and had an eerie atmosphere that would make my breath
catch every time my friends and I cycled past it. We'd always find ourselves pedaling faster when we
were close to the haunted swimming pool, especially on Thursdays.

It was just a couple of small buildings in ruins really. On non-Thursdays, we had dared to venture in and
look at the pool for a few seconds before getting the hell out, scared out of our little minds. The pool
always looked the same: murky green water of unfathomable depth covered with a thick layer of algae
with a few brown tree branches breaking the surface here and there. To someone who was also scared
of water back then, it was a waking nightmare to stare at the pool. Shudder.

I have no idea how or why but one day, Shridhar convinced me to go with him to the pool at dusk and it
just so happened to be a Thursday. The goal was to toss a few pebbles into the pool itself and observe
what happens! Maybe I agreed to go because of the street cred it would earn me. Maybe I just wasn't
thinking straight. Nevertheless I found myself pedaling through the woods towards the ruins.

It was almost sunset. I was already on edge. The chirping of nocturnal insects wasn't making things
easier. My feet felt heavy. It felt like something lay in wait at every step. I was certain this was not going
to end well. I remember us parking and locking our bicycles at a small tree, a few paces away from the
entrance of the pool building. The air was a little foggy, the ruin covered in a miasma of foreboding and
mystery. What was I doing here? Why was I doing this? I had no idea. Oh yes. The street cred this daring
act would earn me. I'll be the toast of the colony, at least the toast of the kids in the colony for my feat.
The desolate shriek of a bird flying away into the sunset broke my reverie.

Shridhar was right behind me as we stepped into the doorway. With trembling legs, I made my way to
the pool. The pebbles we were supposed to toss were already in our pockets. I extracted one, looked at
my friend's impassive face and tossed the pebble into the pool. It disappeared with a plop and then
nothing. Silence. I gulped. Shridhar also tossed one. Still nothing. Total silence. I fumbled my pocket for
the other one.. got it out and tossed it into the murk. It seemed like it ricocheted off of a branch and
made a weird sound as it hit the water surface. I turned to Shridhar to gauge his reaction and saw that
he was no longer by me. He was standing in the nearest corner, his face turned to the wall. A chill ran
down my spine and I literally yelped in terror.

"Shridhar?" I called. No reply. "Shridhar!" I almost screamed. He turned. His eyes glinting, he opened his
mouth to reveal.. fangs!?

What the?! Fangs? My tiny, timid mind snapped. I was certain the spirit of the pool had my friend in its
malicious grasp. He was possessed and now, I was going to die. My whole body shook. My breathing was
ragged. I gasped and in a flash, I bent, picked up a sizable boulder and rushed my now adversary. I was
sure I was going to smash his head in.

When suddenly, he held up both hands and babbled at me to stop. He quickly extracted the fangs from
his mouth and begged me to stop. I stood still in shock, my arms still raised, the boulder ready to be
hurled. For a few moments, I had no idea what was going on. It then dawned on me that the fangs were
fake and I was being pranked!

And that my friends, is a story of how I almost committed murder at the tender age of 11-12. The what-
if scenario sometimes haunts me to this day and it was the most terrified I have ever been. I hope you
had as much fun reading this as I had recollecting and writing it.

My girlfriend died. She was in a car accident. My mother woke me up the next morning to tell me. She
was a mess and I found myself comforting her instead of processing what she had just told me. After she
left it sunk in. I cried for hours. I started crying because my girl was gone. I kept crying because our last
words had been hard ones. A fight over the phone.

The funeral was awful. I only glanced at her body. Too much make up. It made me ill.

Later that night I found myself hugging my pillow, unable to sleep. I fumbled for my phone in the dark. I
read our last text conversation. Then I wrote her a new message:

Me: I'm so sorry, Ipsa. I'll love you forever.

I hit send and eventually drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to my phone buzzing. I looked at the time. 1:49 am. It was a message from her phone.

Ipsa: Forever? :)

Who has her phone? I wondered. I was instantly angry.

Me: Who is this?

Ipsa: It's me, Ipsa.

I was so angry tears started welling up in my eyes.

Me: Whoever the hell this is, please... just stop.

Ipsa: It's me, I promise. I'll prove it. Ask me something only I would know.
I proceeded to grill her with question after question. The sun was up before I was convinced. But it was
undoubtedly her. She said she couldn't tell me where she was, but that it was amazing and she was
happy. She said it was against the rules to talk to me, but that she couldn't help it. That made me smile.
She said she couldn't call, but that she would continue to text me whenever she could.

For months we conversed via text messages, usually late at night. We mostly reminisced about old
times. She refused to share any details about her new life. I didn't want to pry. I was just happy to read
her messages.

Then she told me I should start dating again. I told her no. We started arguing:

Ipsa: I don't think we should text each other anymore.

Me: What are you talking about?

Ipsa: This was a bad idea. I'm sorry.

Me: No. Wait. I'm sorry. I can't lose you again.

Ipsa: I love you.

Ipsa: Goodbye.

I texted her everyday for weeks begging her to write me back. I soon found myself in the grips of
depression. I had lost her all over again.

One night I awoke from a dream I was having about Ipsa only to find myself alone in bed. My room was
cold and dark. I had left the window open. I grabbed my phone to check the time. 1:49 am. Zero
messages. I would have cried, but I was all cried out.

I heard a faint shuffling noise coming from inside the closet in front of my bed. I looked up... And there
she was. She slowly emerged from behind my hanging shirts and jackets, pushing them aside. Even in
the dark her delicate features were unmistakable. Her dark, wavy hair bounced as she walked slowly
toward me.

"Ipsa." I whispered. My heart was pounding. She didn't say a word. She just stared into my eyes with a
sideways smile on her beautiful face. The moon coming in from my window made her pale skin glow.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated on my bed. I jumped. She stopped and looked down at it.

Karan took out his cellphone from his pocket and called up the number.

“What are you doing?” Vikram asked.

“Calling Kavya. Or Navya. Whoever she is.”

“Hello.”

“Navya?”

“Yes.”

“This is karan, I called up earlier. I met your sister.”

“I want answers. I dont believe this shit.”

“What answers do you want?”

“If kavya died three years ago why did I see her today? No, I want to know if she died three years back
how the hell did I get her number? That means she was here. I am not hallucinating.”

“Listen, I don't know what you are saying but this is a shock to me as well. We all are still grieving and
you made this all the more difficult.”

Karan was silent. “How do I know you aren't pranking me? I mean for all I know, you are Kavya and you
are just pulling my leg.”

“Yeah right. That's what my goal these days look like. I prank unknown strangers.” She said sarcastically
and hung up.

Karan cut the call and put it in his pocket.

“I am really going mad.” He said while opening the door of the cafe and coming out. He pointed an area
across the road and said, “That is where I met her. How is it possible?”

“Hey look! There is a CCTV camera there in that shop. Maybe you got captured in it.” Rehaan suggested.

“Great! Come let's go!”

It was a long shot. They arrived at the shop and found an elderly person sitting at the counter.

“Uncle, is you CCTV working?”

“Why? Who are you?”

“I... I... Actually someone stole my wallet from here an hour ago. I just want to know who did it. So that I
can tell police.”

“Yeah right everyone wants to see my CCTV footage. What is your name?”

“Karan.”

“Karan I don't usually do this but I would bend my rules for you.” He clicked on the desktop screen,
opened a link and the video started.

“An hour ago? Right?”

“Yes.”

“There.” He turned the screen towards them.

Karan could be seen at the far end of the screen talking to someone. She wore a blue shirt and jeans.
But her face wasn't visible as her back was towards the camera.

“See?” He whispered. “I did talk to her.”

“But was that the same girl?” James asked whispering as well.
“Of course. See they are pranking me.” He concluded and smiled at the owner who was looking at them
suspiciously.

“Thank you uncle. It seems the guy who did steal isn't captured in it. Missed capturing him in the frame.
But still thank you.”

“No worries. My CCTV does come in handy but not all the time….”

“It's okay uncle.”They were about to leave when the owner said,

“…Especially when the police wanted to see the footage during that hit and run case. Again, my CCTV
missed the person's face with whom that girl was talking to.”

“Which girl?”

“A girl was hit by a car some years back. The guy whom she was talking to apparently pushed her,
onlookers said. The girl is visible in my footage but the guy didn't come in the frame. The case is still on. I
have to keep a copy of the footage with me till the case closes.”

The color from Karan's face drained.

“I know this is not possible but could we see that footage?”

“No. No.”

“Please. We are actually students of mass communication. We need to make a short film. If this is
interesting we might make a movie on this and even give you a part as you are the person who helped
the police. You will act. What say?” said Rehaan.

“Wow. Okay. But don't tell anyone.” The owner relented.

“Sure.”

The owner opened a file, scrolled down and clicked on a video.

The video started with the date beaming at the bottom. 12th June 2015. There is a rush of people
outside. The video is little grainy. A woman comes out of Sam's cafe on the opposite side. She bids a
goodbye to another woman. She crosses over to the this side of the road. She is wearing a blue shirt and
jeans.

She stands at the side and waits for a cab or a transportation when she is tapped on the shoulder by
someone. She turns and talks to someone, who isn’t captured in the frame. There are some people who
pass by her that very moment and a car can be seen coming at a speed and crashes into the woman.
What exactly happened was a mystery as the people who were walking behind the woman, obstructed
the cameras view.

Karan stands there shaken.

“Karan, isn't that the same woman....?” James asks feebly.

“Yes... This….this... is the same woman with whom I talked in the other footage.” Karan said trembling.
“I am not hallucinating, I am seeing ghosts?” He wondered bewildered.