A night in a mortuary van

Ghosts are a truly enigmatic topic to talk about. We could see people who do not believe in God. In recent times, it is quiet common too. But to see a person who does not believe in para normal activity is rare. It could explain how the movies based on ghosts are accepted with open arms rather than the movies based on Gods. This has been the trend worldwide, without any exception. There is a reason for this inclination and that has to do something with the “experience” of people. The story which we are going to see now is also based on a true incident, an experience of a person whom I have known only for a brief moment. But known enough to share his story.

Sit tight, don’t look left or right, for no one knows who might look at you from front when you look away!

I had a dream where I was working in a high class hotel. I was the manager, I was driving everyone nuts. Everybody were so scared. I was wearing a clean white shirt and a bow tie. I was speaking in English, though now I cannot remember what exactly I was talking. But in real life I am nothing. I am just a driver! What’s more? I am a mortuary van driver.

“Maari, where are you?” my supernatant screamed.

“What is wrong now?” I thought. I slowly started moving towards the counter. As I moved closer, I acted like I was running. We don’t really get along! His name is “Jagan”. I am pretty sure “Jagan” is not his original name. No one tells his original name but I have heard Janaki, Autopsy Doctor, shout at him by calling him as “Pichai”. He just changed his name to appear modern. Cheater. Of course.

“Hey Maari, I have got a really good job for you. I have called you without calling anyone else to deliver the body. You owe me Maari, you owe me!”

“There is something wrong” immediately I thought. Though I said “Thank you, Sir. Is the party big deal? Which area? RA puram or Anna Nagar (High class areas in Chennai)”

“Ah, immediately questions! Say thank you and leave when I tell Maari! Don’t ask questions to your superiors!”

I nodded reluctantly and collected the token. I need to submit the token and collect the body and get it signed from the relatives. “Sir, Relatives are with the body right?”

“Yeah yeah! Get it signed and leave immediately Maari!”

I did not directly go to the ward. I went to Toilet first. I saw myself in the mirror there. I looked like a regular 35 year old guy. Short, with tummy, moustache, and rugged beard. But there were visible changes in me if you had known me from before. I have applied oil to my head, my curls are neatly combed, applied viboothi to my forehead. I smiled and noticed that the red marks on my teeth are reducing slowly. I look clean and decent now. It is good that I have stopped my PAAN habit. All these changes are because of my sweet daughter. She asked me to stop using PAAN when I was leaving her in her school few days before. She said her friends are making fun of her. She has never asked me anything before. And I am not going to refuse the only thing which my angel has asked me for. It pains sometimes not using PAAN, but still, the change is for good! For my angel.

I started walking towards the ward now. Many people were crying outside the ward. It only irks you the first few times. After you see a certain number of death, you will find it really hard to care for these people. Death could break your heart only so many times. I went near the ward and Babu was standing there collecting the tokens from the drivers. I shook my head towards him and he smiled. He saw my token, raised his eyebrow and shook his head sideways! happily smiling.

“Somehow when I saw you coming towards the ward, I know you would be the unlucky person. What did Jagan Sir said to make you agree?”

“Actually I am not surprised at all. Why will he help me? So this is not a costly affair after all” I thought. “Babu, he did not tell me a single word about this. He just forced me to take the job without any questions answered and he said I owe him. So you have to tell the entire story about this trouble, to me”.

“Ha ha ha… why do you both fight like this? Ok, anyway, this body has to be transported to a village in Srikakulam. About 700 kms from here”

“Did he tell The Srikakulam? The one in Andhra?” “What are you telling babu? Are you talking about Srikakulam in Andhra?”

“Yeah, that too it should be transported quickly. Before tomorrow morning! Or else the body will start to stink badly.”

“Babu, are you joking? How can my van handle that level of driving! Radiators will surely burst on the way. Moreover I have not informed Kavi that I will not be coming home tonight! How dare he push me into a job like this?”

“Maari! Is kavi your daughter or your mother? Why are you scared of her so much?”

“Babu I am not scared! She will search for me man! SHE will be scared without seeing me! Bhuvana cannot easily console her. Aiyo leave this, you will not understand. Wait I will talk with “Jagan” and come” the way I said “Jagan” was really sarcastic.

“Sir! How come you give me such a trip without prior notice? You also said that I owe you because of giving me such a deal. How come I travel till Andhra and come back before tomorrow? Who will inform my family?”

“What Maari! It seems like you are shouting at me?”

I slowed down “I am not shouting sir! Please try to understand. How can I push and go till Andhra and come back before tomorrow? That too it’s such a huge distance? I have not even informed my kid or bhuvana!”

“Maari! I have given you a nice chance! These guys, the boy’s relations, did not get ticket to take the body in train. Their only other option is flight, but they will not be able to afford such an expense. So they are begging me to transfer through our mortuary van. If you take the body and deliver in their home, then you will get good credit after your death and also you will get nice Bata both from the government and these guys! Think Maari, I have only helped you. You can easily inform Bhuvana, I will give my cell phone, call someone near your home and inform her!”

The talk about Bata has hooked me. “Jagan” surely knows how to trap people and make them do what he wants.

“Don’t think Maari. We should not make laxmi devi to wait. Here call and tell bhuvana! Go! Go!”

I called and informed bhuvana about the trip. Bhuvana was scared at first but I compromised her and said I will return before tomorrow afternoon. I returned the phone to “Jagan” and thanked him.

“You have made a good decision Maari! I will speak highly of you to our seniors!”

“Like hell you will”, “Thank you sir!” He pushed few thousands in my hand for diesel.

I walked towards the counter. Babu was seeing me, also he was laughing at me.

“What happened Maari? So you will be going anyway right?”

“Yes Babu! He talked about Bata! Whatever he spoke about money made complete sense”

“Of course it will Maari! Our situation is like that. I know eventually you had to come back. See I have written down the actual address and prepared the body for transport. Look here, this boy has committed suicide. If you see over there, you can see the lady in the green sari. She is the mother of this boy. All others who stand around are his relatives. Do you see that guy who is tall wearing pink shirt and white pant? Only he knows Tamil. Go and get the token signed from his mother. Give the token to him, he will talk with her and get it signed.”

I nodded my head and walked towards the tall guy. “Hello sir!” I told. He gave me a confused look. “Sir I am the person who is going to transport the body of your boy to the village. I need the signature of his mother. Can you please get it signed for me?”

“He seems to be sincerely sorry for the loss of the boy. What relation will he be to him?” Suddenly they started crying while signing the token, including the guy. I, like a wax doll was standing there! For them to return my token. It’s been a long time since I felt sorry for people who cry like this for their loved one’s death. They slowly returned my token, for my credit I did not disturb them. Many a times, crying heals you more than staying quiet about anything. So I didn’t stop them. I told them that I will reach the village by 10PM minimum. They also confirmed that they will reach around the same time. They will come by unreserved ticket. They said even if by chance I reach before them, they have arranged people in their home town to receive the body. I felt little relieved. I started walking towards my van.

When I came near my van, his body was already loaded. I double checked whether his body was properly bound with the stretcher. When I was about to climb into my compartment, someone grabbed my hand. I jerked the hand away and turned towards the direction. Muthuvel was standing there. He was staring at me with intent eyes.

Muthuvel was the oldest driver in our group. Incidentally, he has also driven the longest distance in a stretch in our group. It is said that he went till Madhya Pradesh and came back. But he never talks about the incident. Even if we try to milk some details from him, he will angrily just walk away. Few who know him before we joined as drivers tells that he has seen Ghost while returning from the state and suffered a lot until he reached back to the hospital. That was the reason why he does not want to talk about the experience. I don’t believe in Ghosts. Such a close proximity to dead bodies removes any such fears. We always live and travel with the bodies but not even once I have seen Ghosts. But I imagined what will happen if I have seen one? Probably I will also become like Muthuvel?

I smiled at Muthuvel but he did not return the favor. It was nothing out of the ordinary. I asked him confusedly “What happened brother? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I heard you are going to travel a long distance at night with a dead body! Is that true?”

“Yes Brother, I have to travel till Srikakulam. Around 700 Km. I will return only by tomorrow morning.”

“If I say don’t go? Will it be too late?”

“I hesitated. Why will he say like that? So is it all true then? But…” “How can I say no now brother? Body is loaded into my van now!”

“So it is late!” he hesitated “Listen Maari!” He put his hand inside his pants pocket “Never stop in between! When you start the van go directly to the village, drop the body there and return. Never stop in between! While you are returning never look back” He stuffed a saffron in my hand while talking “This is from God AngalaParmeshwari! I always keep this in my hand. But now you keep this. You need this more than I do now.” After saying all this he just walked away. He told this with such an intensity and fear in his eyes that I forgot to ask the foremost important question “Why? Why should I not stop?” I scolded myself. I thought of going in search for him again but decided against it because of the time factor. I was careless about this topic. After all how many ghosts have I seen in my fifteen years of service?

It was already evening when I hit the highway. God! Do I hate the traffic in city! Would it pain them to follow the little traffic rules in our city? I decided to safely travel in average speed towards the left most lane. It doesn’t matter if I return late tomorrow, returning late is better than travelling rashly and not returning at all.

While driving, I slowly contemplated the brief encounter with Muthuvel brother. Why would he say such things? Could all these story about be actually true? Is there something called Ghost? I slowly turned back to see whether the body lies in the same place. I have to admit I was a bit scared. I thought maybe the body will come and attack me! No, it was there. The exact place where I have bound it. I laughed at myself. There is no such thing as Ghost.

It was night 7PM. Travel was mostly uneventful. I should be thankful. I thought about my daughter! What will she be doing now? She should be worried!

                                                                                                Food, Food, Food, Smell Food! Smell, Smell, Food

I need to buy a phone. Till now it was ok, I mean bhuvana did not have to be consoled then and now that I will return home! But Kavi! I have to talk with more. But the problem is…

                                                                                                There, There, There! Smell there. Meat, Meat, Meat!

..I have to buy two phones. One for me and one for her. Which is not possible in my current budget plan. But still I have to do something. I turned once to see whether the body is still bound. “Yes, let me adjust the belt again”.

                                                                Oh light light! Killer Killer! No Afraid! Shout! Afraid! Dead! Shout!

“What was that sound! Oh a dog! Crap!” I turned my steering completely to my left. The dog also turned to its right. “Oh no, I am going to kill this stupid animal” Luckily the dog turned to its left and ran away. A lorry was honking heavily at my back. “Oh god!” That dog gave a small whining noise! The lorry ran over the dog! Oh! Damn! I stopped my van to the left corner, away from the road. “So the dog was not that lucky after all”. I came out of my van and saw the dog. “Kavi likes dogs”. The dog was a dead meat! “What was the dog even thinking?” It is always a problem with these dogs on high roads. But the mistake was also on my side. I shouldn’t have turned to see the dead body. Because of me a dog is dead now. It is all because of Muthuvel brother! My heart froze! I was nailed to the very place I was standing. “I stopped my van! He told me so strictly but I stopped my van!”

I turned and looked at my van. It was painted in maroon, but somehow for my eyes it felt like it was painted in red. That damned dog! Oh curse Muthuvel brother! What have you done to me? Immediately my thoughts went to the saffron powder given by Muthuvel brother. “I left it inside the van on the dashboard. How stupid can I actually be? I should have kept it with me! Instead I gave my gun to the killer!” I slowly walked towards the van. I directly went towards the driver seat and saw near the dashboard. The saffron powder was still there. Hesitatingly I bent and saw inside the van to know the condition of the dead body. It was still there! I watched it by standing outside the van, for long time. I did not dare enter the van. The body did not seem to move as I expected it to. It just lay still, like a stone. Then I finally decided to open the door. The only sound which I heard now was that of my heart. “lab dab, lab dab, lab dab, lab dab…” The door handle clicked open. I slowly opened the door. Still nothing happened! I immediately took the saffron powder pack and moved back. I expected something to happen! Things like the body to burst open the van and come attack me. Nothing of that sorts happened. At last I realized, like a fool I was standing outside and staring at the van. Still careful, I got inside the driver compartment. Turning behind often, I started driving the body back to his village. What option do I have? I cannot leave the only job I have here and leave!

I drove for another two hours and reached his village! As said before, his relations where standing outside to receive his body. I delivered him as planned on the same night and got the chit signed from them. As usual they all were crying. There was the same guy with the pink shirt who got it signed and gave the chit back to me! He suddenly hugged me and thanked me a lot. I didn’t realize I was crying too until he gave me his hand kerchief to wipe my tears. I didn’t cry like they did, but there were also tears on my cheeks. “Why the hell am I crying now?” I bid good bye to them and started back by 8PM.

When I reached the highway again, as usual I went towards the extreme left. I occasionally turned back and saw inside my van to make sure there is nothing dangerous inside. It felt very foolish to think about it again! How I behaved. Of course I know there is no ghost! Then why did I get so scared? I was very sure there was something wrong! My whole body went numb! It was almost like, somehow through my sixth sense I knew I committed a big mistake. I cleared all these negative thoughts and concentrated on road and kavi. If I keep thinking about this, I might kill another dog. Just when I saw the road with my complete attention, I realized that a dog was going to cross the road. “This dog also looks like the one which died today” I slowed down. “Hmm... Actually it looks very much like the previous dog” I was almost stopping my van now for it to cross. It suddenly sat before me and was staring at me. I stopped the vehicle completely. Only then did I realize that it was the same dog! The vehicles which came behind me were honking by now. “What in the living hell is happening?” I turned back to confirm that the body was not again in my van. “Thank god! But what was that dog? I am pretty sure now that it is the same dog. Am I going mad?” When I turned back towards the road the dog was not there. It disappeared. There was actually nothing in front of me. I started to slowly move my van forward. Other vehicles which were honking behind me, now over took me. Those drivers were scolding me left and right. They did not seem to understand why I stopped. So they were not able to see the dog. For them I just stopped in the middle of the road without any reason.

I was terribly confused. I was pretty sure I saw the dog. That too the stare which it gave me was downright scary. It was like the dog was asking why I killed it. “I am surely going mad”. There was a billboard sign before me which displays how much KM and which direction to take to travel back to my city. When I saw below the sign, my eyes bulged in shock. There it was again. The same dog was trying to cross the road. Again. I saw in my reflector mirror that the other vehicles were travelling with the same speed. They did not try to slow down. It seemed like they did not see the dog at all. “Could it be...?” I drove my van fast now and honked loudly. The dog seemed undaunted. Like the same as before, it sat in front of my van. My mind split into too! Both parts were arguing quiet loudly! “Don’t hit the dog! What if it is a real dog?” said one! “Run over the dog! It is a ghost, you can’t kill what is already dead” said another! “I thought there could be no ghost! But what is this? Now I am dealing with the Ghost of a dog?” I was so scared! But somehow I came to conclusion to run over the dog or the Ghost or whatever it is.

When I was about to hit the dog, it stood up and started to run away. I was shocked to see it behave like that. Could it mean that the dog is actually a living being? But what was more shocking is when the dog turned back and saw me. “This dog is really intelligent”, I thought. Only then did I realize, the dog did not run away. It was running before me. And it turned towards me to check whether I am following it. “What is it doing? Is it asking me to follow?” I was confused. How can a dog behave like this? And where exactly is it leading me to? Though a part of me warned me not to follow the dog, I drove behind it. “Anyway I have to go through the same route. It is not like I am going to deviate and go in another road just to avoid this dog” The dog was running in an inhuman speed. Of course it is not human, but it is running way to fast, even for a dog.

It halted exactly where it died. Its body was still lying there. Shredded to pieces because of the vehicles which ran over it. It was standing near the body, looking at the pieces and then looking at me. It was repeating the same action several times. I had to take a “U” turn to go near the dog. “What is this dog trying to convey? Is it asking me to move its body over to the corner?” There were very less vehicles around since it was almost 12 AM. No one drives at this time, let alone a mortuary van. When I came near the body and parked my vehicle at the exact same location I stopped it before, the dog started run away.

I was confused and tried to stop it. But I stopped. Somehow I was feeling restless. I felt like a huge gap has suddenly formed around my heart. I guess it was my instinct which was screaming at me. But what was it trying to convey? I turned around to see the dog’s body. It was still there lying cold, lying dead. I thought at the least I should move it away from the road. I looked around for any tool which could help me to move it away. I again looked at the direction where the dog ran away. I still couldn’t see the dog. Why did it bring me here? Why did it run away when I came and parked here? And then it struck me! “Could it be?” I turned and looked towards my van. Smoke was coming from the rear end of my van. It was not the smoke which comes when you burn the fire. It is the vapor which is realized when something is frozen quickly. Specially ice. The smoke which comes when you open the freezer where you store the dead body.

I gulped audibly. “I dropped the body along with the freezer in his home. So how come there is vapor coming from my van now? Something is wrong. Something is very very wrong” I did not know what to do. I looked around for help, but there was no one on road now. The trailer Lorries which came behind me should have travelled at least 2KMs away. I slowly stepped towards my van. Against all odds, I hoped that it was just my imagination and it will turn out to be nothing. After chasing a ghost, after parking the van in the exact same spot, after the ghost’s disappearance, after seeing the vapor come from nothing, I hoped this is nothing but my imagination. For every step I took, the distance between my throat and heart reduced. It was like my heart wanted run away from me before I reach the van. When I went near my seat and peered inside, I don’t know what I expected, but nothing was visible. I suddenly moved behind and looked at my van’s rear end, there was no vapor now. It was a huge relief. “So it was my imagination after all?” I scolded myself, yet again. I opened the door and sat inside. “But what was the dog? Was that my imagination too?” I thought. I tried to start the van, but it refused to start.

“Where is my body” Someone asked from behind. The voice was grumpy. Like someone struck a tin foil in our throat, which was already affected by cold. It was squeaking.

I somehow knew who was sitting inside. I didn’t have to turn back. I just knew who it was. “This is a huge mistake. Why did I even follow the dog? I immediately regret the decision” I did not have the guts to turn back. But I have to! I know I have to! I slowly turned my head around. There he was. If his voice was scaring the hell out of me, the sight of him! Let me say that the sight just killed me. I really died on the spot. I don’t have any other explanation to say how I felt.

His skin was pale. All the color has drained from him. His eyes were dark, red and drooping. There were cuts all over his body because of the autopsy. His hair was shaggy. It was like someone who is furious pulled their hair out, literally, because of their madness. His lips were the only part in his body which showed any sign of blood at all. That too was because he has bit his lips in pure agony. And I could guess why he is so furious. “He is searching for his body. When I stopped the van here and moved it again. His spirit just stayed here. It did not move along with the van or the body. This is the reason we have to stop the van only at their home and nowhere else. Muthuvel brother! You could have told me this right? I would have just ran over the damn dog! This is the reason he is asking me for the body!” I realized.

“Where is my body?” he asked again. In an eerie calm demeanor which is only possible for patients who are affected with hysteria. Now I can see where the vapor was coming from. The vapor was coming from his body, or spirit or soul. I don’t even know what I am dealing with. But I certainly know what was coming. I tried to slowly get down from the van without alerting him. When I pressed the lock of the door to release it, he saw it. He knew what I am trying to do and he just shouted in anger. Pure, ghostly anger. The shout was so shrill that I immediately got Goosebumps. I tried to close my ears because of the sound and then my van’s front mirror broke because of it. I couldn’t sit in the van and since he already knew what I am trying to do I just tried to open the door without hesitating another second. He was jumping for me just when I opened the door. But before that I fell outside. Suddenly the noise faded. I looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be found. There was no vapor coming from the van now. I thought he has power only inside the van and decided run away from it. I was so wrong!

I turned away from the van and tried to run. “I could get lift on any of the Lorries which pass by and explain what happened to Jagan” When I started to run, I crashed against an invisible wall. I jerked and fell backwards. I looked up to see where I thumped so hard only to see him standing there. Mildly Transparent. But still there. I didn’t know what to do, so I tried to scramble away again towards the opposite side. But immediately after I turned towards the other direction, he was there. I didn’t know what to do, so I threw the sand from the ground on him. It just passed through him like there was no one there. He shouted again. This time, even louder, even angrier. I closed my eyes and ear. I just couldn’t handle it. Then I slowly opened my eyes to see him. He moved closer to me in a second.

“Where is my body?” before I could answer, he stepped back and came fast towards me like a bird. Then, he just passed through me. I tried to turn back and see where he went, but I was not able to turn at all. My body was rigid. I panicked when I realized I couldn’t breathe! I don’t know exactly, but I felt my heart has stopped too! My entire life passed through my eyes; my gallivanting childhood, careless adulthood, unwanted marriage, unexpected gift of Kavi! Kavi! My daughter, she will be fatherless. I panicked again! With all my might I tried to breathe! I then realized that he is the one who has stopped my entire body’s functionalities. I was struggling to breathe, struggling to live and then he suddenly materialized from my body. He asked again “Where is my body???” he yelled at me this time. “I dropped your body at your home!” I told immediately, not giving him the chance to put me through that hell again. He seemed not so surprised to hear it. I moved my fingers to check whether I am in control of my body, Yes, I was able to move it. “I dropped it at your home! You mother received it! Go to your home! Leave me alone, I will go back to my home” I pleaded. I wanted to fall on his legs and plead, but I was terrified to go near him again. I maintained a careful distance. He looked at me like I have snatched his prize from him. “Take me there! Take me to my body! I want my bodyyyyyyyyy!!!! Ahhhhhhh!! I want my boooodddddyyyyyyyyy!!!!” he started plucking his hair out. It was cruel to see his agony. Though I couldn’t realize why he was tortured so much. I mean, he could just move to his home! Who can stop him? Also, he travels so fast, he can just reach there in few minutes. He saw me again “Take me. Take me to my body!”, “Look, I don’t know how to take you there! You yourself can reach there right? You travel so fast! I need to go back to my daughter. I have a family! Please let me go back to my family, I beg you!” he looked at me like I was such a disgusting piece of crap. “I couldn’t see past this place. It is too dark after this road. Also, there is someone with horns and red eyes waiting for me there. So I cannot leave this pot! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” it is wonder I have not fainted now. I thought I died when I saw him so close. I didn’t realize that I can be terrified more than that! But this moment has made me regret those thoughts. “Please stop shouting and listen to me! There is no one out there! It is dark because it is night. Please try to go to your home. You can go in few minutes. Kindly let me go, my daughter needs me” he gave the disgusted look again, though I really did not understand why he has to be disgusted because of me. “I am like this because of you! You made me suffer this hell! So you take me!” Suddenly it struck me. “Look, the dog which made me come here, it was helping you right?” he nodded his head “Then, ask the dog to guide you to your home” “But the dog cannot prevent the horned guy from taking me! I am scared of him” I didn’t want to know more about the horned guy. When a ghost itself is scared of a “thing”, I just don’t want to know more about it. Whatever awaits there, let him deal with it. So I changed the topic. “You have already died. Even if you found your body you cannot live again. But I am not dead yet. If you ask me to take you there, probably in the process I will die for taking you away from that horned guy. So please let me go! I beg of you! I will buy your favorite food and send it to you on a new moon day (This is a traditional of thanking the spirits for hindus).” He came near me, I, ever so scared slowly backed up. Then he said those sweet words. The words which swept me of my feet. “If you can’t take me there, give me your body”

I started running for my van! “I am going to kill every dog I find on my streets” I cursed. “And I am going to kill that Muthuvel too” somehow I lost the brother part for that moment. I was so petrified that I forgot that he could travel faster than me. He was over me in seconds. This time, instead of passing through me, he was, tangibly over me. I looked down and realized he was trying to pluck something away from my ribs. When he injected his hand inside my ribs, like I was a bag of loose sand, is when I realized what he was after. He is after my soul. I couldn’t possibly explain in words how it felt, but to elusively put it in words, it felt wrong. Like someone is tearing your inner organs apart while you are alive. But it did not pain for me, it was just highly uncomfortable. Like the pain is directly converted to disturbance inside my mind. I shouted and struggled under him. For a spirit which is so translucent, he was sure heavy and terribly strong. My eyes became heavy and I slowly started to drift towards sleep. Everything become black around me and the only thing visible was his hungry eyes. For a brief period of a minute, I thought I should just give up and die! “I can just give up and all this will be over! He will pull me out, He will get inside my body! And everything will be over! Why should I even struggle? Are we not going to die after all? Why should I struggle so much to live?” And I remembered her! I remembered them. The answer for that question. I remembered my wife and my daughter. What will they do without me? How can bhuvana support the family? Tears swelled up in my eyes immediately.

“Leave me you monster! I have my family! I have to see my daughter get her married and live the life with my wife peacefully! Let me go!” With that struggle and anger I perfectly regained my consciousness. I, also remembered one more thing, the saffron pack. I moved my hand from his chest and immediately pulled out the pack. I opened it with just my one hand and threw the half of it over him. As soon as the saffron powder touched him, he screamed and howled in pain. He moved in a hap hazard way wildly, like someone was shaking a child holding it by its hands. I caught my cue, got up and ran towards my van. But the escape was not easy, I was not able to run and moved like a drunkard. As soon as I got up inside my van, he was standing before it. Even though he was just a spirit, his body and head appeared like it was scorched with 3 degree burns where I threw the saffron. He rushed quickly and started to lift my van from the front. I did not know what to do since I was not able to see him. I grabbed the remaining saffron and opened the door. I hung myself from the seat and tried to search where he is standing. I was able to see his left hand and his body. I realized that throwing the saffron over his body will not make any change. He might just stand there and still try to overturn the vehicle, enduring the pain. So I took a deep breath, prayed to God, and threw the remaining saffron on his left hand. As I expected he dropped the van. But unfortunately since I was hanging, my head hit the ground really hard. I was able to see only stars in a night sky for a brief period. I realized why, in the cartoons which my daughter sees, they use stars when a character is hit in its head. Slowly I heard his shouts and I also started regain my vision. He himself was already regaining his composure. I realized after this I would not have any chance and accelerated my van towards him. I couldn’t see properly but it didn’t matter. I have to leave from this place that is all! He cannot move further from this spot as he has admitted! So I drove like a mad fellow. Luckily no one was driving around, so I ran over the spirit. I felt him tugging his hand inside my ribs again, but he has weakened and I was also driving very fast. So he did not get a chance again to hold on to my soul. He just passed through the van like a cloud, and I fled.

I was atleast 10 KM away from the spot. But somehow I was not confident enough to stop and catch some breath. I did not drive very fast but I did not slow down too. The cold breeze touched my face directly since there was no glass before me. I couldn’t believe what just happened. Did I fight with a ghost and escape narrowly from it? It all seemed so farfetched! But here I am, having an acute pain in my head because of the fall. So ghosts really do exist! It was a chilling realization. This could change everything. It will change even my way of working.