Made Moksh mad

A man, cheerfully rides on his bike singing. He goes by a pond. Suddenly his expression changes from bliss to terror. His eyes saw the curse ghost hovering before him at a distance looking at him. Troubled by what to do, he stood their staring at it while sweat rolled down his forehead. The ghost suddenly vanished. He was confused, and slightly panicked, when something threw him off of the bicycle into the pond. Struggling to keep himself afloat, he flapped his legs and arms vigorously. Upon surfacing, he looked towards his cycle but found no one. Suddenly something or someone caught his leg underwater and began pulling him inside. He tried to get himself free, but it dragged him into the deep waters. The night was dark, making it hard to see underwater. Even though he tried his best to see what it was, he couldn't. A big octopus mouth jumps towards him from the dark and takes him away.

A woman was holding her new born child merrily pampering her. The child was sleeping, suddenly it's tongue began to slip out. He began having trouble in breathing. The woman panicked after seeing her child. The neck of the child was tightening up like something was strangling him. Then, the curse ghost became visible hovering above the baby choking him to death. It again spreads it ugly mouth exposing the octopus shaped teeths inside and gobbles up the soul of the new born child leaving the woman wailing.

The above story is being told to Vishwas by Santu. The man was his younger brother who was going to see his new born child. The woman was his wife, Alpana's aunt.

Vishwas breaks out of his day dreaming, sitting before his desk, thinking about what Santu told him, he finds himself back in his office. He quickly takes out his phone and calls Alpana. Alpana, who was playing with her baby boy, gets up to pick the phone leaving Moksh behind playing on the bed alone.

Alpana: (Jovial) Hello!

Vishwas: Yes Alpana!

Alpana: Oh dear, it is you.

Vishwas: Where is Moksh?

Alpana: Your son is playing on the bed trying to grab air out of nowhere.

Vishwas: Does this mean he is not near you?

Alpana: I was just there with him. I came to get the phone.

Vishwas: I told you not to let him get very far away from you.

Alpana: Geez Vishwas Babu! You are such a worrywart. You should see your son, how happy he is playing with the air like that. And you just need a reason to ruin the fun. Come on.

Moksh was reaching out his hand like to grab something before him. Alpana thought that her son was just being a playful child but only he knew what he was reaching out for. An entity stood before him, goggling at him with his eye balls exposed out, mouth curved in front like a beak, hairs all messed up. Moksh was directly looking at it and was trying to grab him out of curiosity. The ghost vanishes as Alpana comes back to Moksh and pulls him closer.

Alpana: Your father keeps hitting his head over for you. I just don't understand what is troubling him. Do you get it? Hmm! (Touches his nose with her one finger and he starts laughing).

Vikram called his son over to discuss about the purchase of a new house close to the news station. The women were busy playing with the babies while the men consulted with each other on how to proceed with the cost and formalities.

Alpana: (watching Ritika and Moksh play) Ma, when is Devika getting free from the college? It's been some time since I saw her last.

Ramya: Right, the house feels pretty dull without her.

Suchita: Oh dear! I thought I was the only one who missed her. She hasn't said anything about a vacation or something yet. I can't say anything about it.

Ramya: Looks like we will just have to do with the phone callings then.

Suchita: Appears so dear.

Alpana: She wanted to pamper these two. It is a shame that she couldn't be here sooner.

Ritika gently pats her brother's head and then pulls him in her arms caressing his cheek.

Ramya: Oh my! Already taking care of your little brother, are you?

Suchita: Look at them, such a treat to the eyes.

Alpana: Isn't our Ritika brilliant di? She is your and big brother's daughter alright.

Vikram: Did you check out the house?

Vishwas: Yes, I went to see it with brother the other day.

Vijay: Hmm! No doubt, it is a pretty standard house.

Vikram: So, what do you two say? Is it worth it? The cost is affordable.

Vishwas: You are never wrong Papa, if I say so.

Vijay: It won't be a waste if you ask me.

Vikram: Good, it is better to stay in your own house than to spend one third of your income on an apartment. Shall we get you shifted then?

Vishwas: What about the paper works?

Vikram: The agent says it is all ready. We just needed to make a concrete decision about it.

Vishwas: Let's do it then.

Vijay: I will try to arrange for your stuff to be moved as soon as possible.

Vikram: Hmm! Good thinking. You do that, me and Vishwas will go and see the paper works done.

Vijay: Alright.

The house that is supposedly being discuss here is situated within the two kilometres radius of the news station. The moving idea came as a surprise to Alpana, however she had no objection towards it. Living in your own home is a better choice, which she understood perfectly.

Time goes on, the child grows into a boy who can now walk on his feet. He can now perceive things from good to bad. Surprisingly, the boy could see things a normal human is not supposed to. Even when he is close to his mother, he could notice the entities from inside of her purifying zone which shouldn't be possible, given it purifies the senses as well. The boy can now sense the fear within him, as he saw ghastly creatures around. He would stick to his mother's arm and shut his eyes to avoid looking at them. Alpana figured that reaction as shyness from going out and seeing new people. He began pointing out things to his mother like people moving around with ghosts following them. Alpana mistaking them as his growing curiosity towards the people around him, she described them as people confusing them to what Moksh was pointing at. Sometimes, he pointed at the wondering ghosts which his mother couldn't see and she took it as a prank and laughed them off. Failing to understand what he was seeing, the fear of unknown slowly begins to consume him. He began to grow timid and smile less. And incidents begin to take effect in his life...

Incident 1- Moksh 4 years old...

Walking around his neighbourhood with his mother...

Neighbour: (Approaching) Mrs. Anand, what a surprise?

Moksh: (Sees a snake like figure with a human like face wrapping her around from her right leg rising to the neck, winding around and smiling at him peeping from behind the neighbour's shoulder, he hides behind Alpana grabbing her arm).

Alpana: Oh, Mrs. Dutta, good day to you.

Neighbour: (Notices Moksh) Hmm! Am I that scary son? Geez, and my husband told me I am beautiful the other day (the entity around her vanishes as she gets closer to Alpana).

Alpana: Oh no Mrs. Dutta, he is just shy around people. Moksh! Come out. Don't be rude to aunty.

Neighbour: Don't worry about it. (Moves her shoulder) He is just a kid.

Alpana: What's wrong Mrs Dutta? Does your shoulder hurts?

Neighbour: (Messages her shoulder) It did, but I don't know, it stopped hurting all of a sudden. It feels, relatively a lot better than from before.

Moksh: (Seeing the entity has vanished he comes out from the hiding).

Alpana: Thank God, you are feeling better.

Neighbour: (Bows a little) Oh my, Moksh is such a big boy now, isn't he? How old is he exactly?

Alpana: He has just turned 4 years.

Neighbour: My goodness. Looks like he is ready to go to school.

Alpana: Yeah, his father was also suggesting that. But, you can see how shy he is. He doesn't want to leave my side.

Neighbour: Oh come on, Mrs Anand, every child is like that. They don't wanna leave their mother. But once they make friends at school they will change, you just wait.

Alpana: I hope so.

Neighbour: Out on a walk with your son then?

Alpana: Something like that. I was just heading for the supermarket to get some groceries and get this little trouble maker some chocolates.

Neighbour: Oh! Really? Then I better not hold you here anymore. It is getting late anyway. See you soon then.

Alpana: Take care then.

As she steps out of the range of Alpana, the entity appears again on her shoulder.

Neighbour: (Massages her shoulder) How come it started aching again? Oh god!

Moksh: (Looks back at the neighbour and sees the snake back on her shoulder, with its face towards himself with a smile and red glint in his eyes).

Incident 2 - Moksh with his father.

Vishwas: (Swiping through his digital camera looking at the pictures he took).

Moksh: (Arrives) Papa, what are you doing?

Vishwas: I am looking at the pictures I took today son.

Moksh: I wanna see them too.

Vishwas: You do, ok, come here (pulls him up and sets him on his lap). Don't just see, give reviews too, alright.

Moksh: Hmm!

He begins swiping through the pictures, beautiful landscapes and shining buildings, some scenes of an event or program, some general occurances around the city.

Vishwas: Say, you like them?

Moksh: (Notices something) What is that papa?

Vishwas: (Holds) What?

Moksh: There is something behind that person.

Vishwas: Where? I don't see anything.

Moksh: There is, see, something white, with messy hairs and broken face standing right behind him.

Vishwas: What did you say? Broken face?

Moksh: Yes.

Vishwas: (Zooms in and still sees nothing) What is he... (the curse ghost's face pops up before him).

Alpana: (Cooking in the kitchen) Moksh! Moksh! Where did you go dear?

Vishwas: (Concerned) He is with me love.

Alpana: Oh! Okay. The dinner is coming in a moment.

Vishwas: Ok!

Moksh: Papa, do you know what this is?

Vishwas: It is nothing son. Just another person.

Moksh: Really? They have such unusual face. I don't like it.

Vishwas: Do you see them most of the time?

Moksh: No.

Vishwas: (Relieved) Phew! Thank God.

Moksh: Not them, but many other like them, with different faces and crazy body shapes, they are ugly. I don't like them.

Vishwas: (Thinks) No, no, this cannot be. My son can see ghosts. What should I do? Wait, maybe if I make him believe that there is no such thing like ghosts and such, just like Alpana's mother did. Maybe his conscience will erase their existence from his view.

Moksh: Tell me papa.

Vishwas: Listen to me carefully, son. They are just people with different builds. You understand. They are just like us. Nothing to be afraid of. I understand why you dislike them. But, there is nothing you can do about it. But if you tell them about it, they might get angry and hurt you.

Moksh: They will. That means they are bad people.

Vishwas: They are not bad people, they just look like it. Even I want to hit people when I get angry. So, it is better if you don't talk to them ever. Just ignore them when you see them. They will vanish automatically.

Moksh: You are right. They vanish as soon as they come close to mummy.

Vishwas: You see.

Moksh: But they come back again when I look back.

Vishwas: That is it. Some people get angry when you stare at them too much.

Moksh: Is that so?

Vishwas: They do. They might even harm your mother.

Moksh: No.

Vishwas: Yes. So to protect your mother, try to avoid such people from now on. Understand.

Moksh: Ok.

Vishwas: Good, you are a man. Men are not afraid of anything. Real men die for their family. You are a real man, right.

Moksh: Yes. I am.

Vishwas: That's my boy. Then protect your mother, your family at all cost when I am not around alright.

Moksh: Yes, I will.

Since then, Moksh begin avoiding every ghost he encountered. He could roam about alone now. The ghosts began to ignore him thinking that he is just another normal human. The sightings became fewer and fewer.

One day...

Alpana: Listen dear.

Vishwas: Hmm.

Alpana: Isn't it about time we send him to school?

Moksh: (playing with his toys).

Vishwas: It is. I guess we should really do something about it.

Alpana: There is only so much that I can teach him at home.

Vishwas: That is true. But, I don't want him to go alone.

Alpana: You are still worried about it. He has become a lot more social these days, don't you see?

Vishwas: (Thinks) Looks like my trick worked.

Alpana: He will find some friends. Just let him attend a school already (shakes him violently).

Vishwas: Ok ok, my love, ok (falls in her lap). I will see to it.

Alpana: (Caresses his face, smiles) Are you ok?

Vishwas: If I was not before, then now I am (smiles peacefully).

Alpana: You are such a smooth talker (slaps gently on his face).

Vishwas: Why you? Slapping a father before his son? Let me tell you... (Begins tickling her).

Alpana: (writhing in pleasure, laughing uncontrollably) Stop, stop it, Vishwas, stop it.

Moksh: (Confused) Papa...!?

Vishwas: (Stops and looks at Moksh) What? You want some too. Come (pulls him towards himself) Get some (begins to tickle him as well).

Moksh: (Laughs madly).

Alpana: (Wipes her face, recovering) No..no..not my son, stop you (swings a pillow at his face).

Vishwas: (Falls on the ground, gets up holding his back) Ow ow ow! My back, you broke it. Holy! Ahh!

Alpana: (Terrified, goes to hold him) Oh no! I didn't mean to. Please, I am sorry.

Moksh: (Looking at them all dazed).

Vishwas: I am just kidding (laughs).

Moksh: (Laughs seeing his father).

Alpana: Why you (swings another pillow at him).

Vishwas: (Laughing) Oye!

Incident 3 - Moksh, a school boy...

Moksh, who has now began attending children school, ran around playing with his newfound friends. The kid, trained his conscious to neglect the horrifying beings completely. A school is a place of high positive energy filled with good energy emanating from the happy and carefree kids which naturally kept the evil spirits far out. The classrooms were devoid of any ghosts or such entities except of laughter and chatters of innocent little kids. A curiosity towards learning new things made Moksh into a sincere and diligent student, good in what he learnt. His results proved that. His mother herself was a diligent student, no doubt he would inherit some of her qualities. She was happy on how fast and brilliantly her son was growing. The smile and laughter on her son's face lifted her spirits even higher strengthening her purifying much more. At this point of time, he was free from any kind of supernatural interventions. But, as we all know, destiny is a bitch. It will somehow find a way to turn your cheerful life into hell.

During a visit to his grandparents...

Ritika and Moksh running around.

Ramya: Oh my! Slow down kids, or you might hurt yourself.

Alpana: Devika, you never call these days. What's the matter huh?

Devika: (touches her forehead in distress) Sorry, sis. It was a mistake to take such a burdensome course. It is making me suffer. I don't even get time to eat properly, do you think I have time to talk to anyone?

Alpana: God!! Is it that hard? I never knew. Anyway, this is your last year right. Don't worry, we will make you forget about all the trouble you have during your college time. Right Ramya Di? You just hurry up and come back.

Ramya: Is there any doubt? Some girly time will definitely fix everything.

Devika: Oh! I love you two.

Suchita: Ah huh! Even when I said you should take some rest after BTECH, you said you would be bored staying at home and chose to study MTECH after that. And now you are weeping about it. Who are you trying to fool? Love them? Right! You must have found some very good friends to replace your mother and sisters at college.

Alpana: Woah! Is that true Devika?

Devika: (Flustered) Wh..wh..what? No! Mom! What are you saying?

Suchita: She hasn't time to talk with her own mother and you are hoping for her to call you. Dream, just dream.

Alpana: They must be very good friends I guess.

Devika: No way, will you chill mom?

Ramya: Ahh! Don't tell me, they are not just friends, but boy ...

Devika: Hold it big sis. Don't even dare...

Suchita: Look at her, getting worked up about it so much. Are they really not just friends?

Devika: Holy! What is pinching you mom? Come on.

Ramya: Oh my! Looks like it is time to bring forth Devika's prince.

Moksh: (stumbles and falls on Devika) Ahh!

Devika: (Grabs him) I already have my prince in my arms. I don't need anyone else.

Ramya: Is that so? (Giggles) Alpana, she is gonna steal your boy.

Ritika: (Arrives, shocked) Ah! My brother? What are you doing to him? Leave him alone.

Devika: No way! He is my prince.

Ritika: (Sad) But isn't he very young for you? Uncle says that you are an old woman born to spoil other's brain. Don't spoil my dear brother's brain.

Devika: (Furious) Huh! What did he say?

Ramya: Oh my!

Ritika: He said that you are a runt running wild.

Devika: Ahhh! Lizard face, you are dead. (Dashes away).

Alpana: Be gentle on your brother.

Distant chatter....

Vishwas: Yo, what's with the red face, runt? Oye!! What's the bat for? Hold on, Ahhhhh! (Painful scream).

Vijay: Doctor here, don't worry, I am gonna fix you right away.

Devika: (Comes back cracking her knuckles).

Alpana: Hey you! What did you do to my husband there? I heard a loud scream.

Devika: Nothing, just hit him for a boundary that's all.

Alpana: What the! He is not a cricket ball you know.

Both laugh...

Ritika: See brother, I got a candy for you.

Moksh: Oh really! (Eats).

Suchita: My dear son, come to grandmother.

Moksh: Coming (sits on her lap).

Suchita: (Caresses his head) I heard you began going to school.

Moksh: Yes, and I made a lot of friends. I play with them a lot.

Suchita: That's my dear boy. But don't just play alright. You need to study too or the ghost will take you away.

Moksh: Ghost? What is that?

Suchita: You don't know what a ghost is?

Moksh: No!

Suchita: Ritika dear, tell him.

Ritika: They are bad and ugly things that steal away and hurt bad kids.

Moksh: Bad and ugly?

Suchita: They are beings that normal people can't see. But if you don't study or do naughty things, they will catch you and beat you. They are not like us. They are from other world with different face and figure than us.

Ritika: Yes, they are very ugly. Like in that movie I was watching with my mumma the other day, the ghost's face was like this....

The faces of ghosts begin popping up before his eyes. Fear begins to take hold.

Suchita: You understand. So, no naughty things or troubling your mother or anyone, alright. They don't cause trouble to good kids.

Ritika: I am a good girl right, grandmother.

Suchita: A very good girl, the ghost will never come after you.

Moksh: (In a state of shock and fear).

Vishwas: (Comes out bruised and battered) Hey, big sis.

Ramya: (Looks at his face and laugh) Oh my!

Alpana: (Tries to control her laugh) Vishwas Babu, what is this?

Vishwas: You are laughing when your husband is wounded like this.

Ramya: How did this happen little brother?

Vishwas: Nothing, I was just attacked by a wild pig.

Devika: Maybe it was a cricket bat not a wild pig.

Vishwas: A wild pig holding a cricket bat. Son of a...

Devika: Huh!?

Vishwas: (Coughs) Ahem! So, big sis, I was saying.

Ramya: Yes?

Vishwas: I was hoping you will let Ritika go study with Moksh.

Ramya: Hmm! You want to take my daughter away.

Vishwas: No, I was just suggesting.

Ramya: What Ritika? Do you want to study with your brother?

Ritika: (Hugs her brother) Yes. I want to.

Alpana: Why this all of a sudden?

Vishwas: Nothing, I just thought she would look after her little brother.

Suchita: This is good. She is a responsible child. It will be better if she joined her brother in the same school.

Ramya: (Thinking) Hmm! Your side does has some standard schools. I believe that she will get some good level education there.

Devika: But sis, will you go with her there too?

Ramya: Why? I have mother and father to take care of here. Not to mention your brother.

Suchita: Don't worry about it dear. You can go live with your sister there.

Ramya: No way, I am not leaving you here by yourself mother.

Alpana: Di, let's not do this. Why would you even suggest this?

Vishwas: What? I was just thinking ahead.

Ramya: Oh my! Don't panic. I am not against the idea. But, what about your brother?

Vijay: (Arrives) Don't worry. I am in favour of it too. Let's leave our daughter in there care until Moksh rises up to the second standard.

Ramya: If you say so. Then take care of my daughter.

Alpana: What are you saying di? Your daughter will take care of us.

Ramya: (Laughs) Really! You are too much Alpana.

Vijay: Well, it is settled then. Let's get her transferred asap, shall we?

Vishwas: Ofcourse. Let us see to it.

Incident 4 - The real realisation...

Whispers, all around, the spirits talking, the ghosts murmuring, everything became known to Moksh. With every step he took, the negative air revealed every creature that his conscious had worked to negate by now. Here, there, everywhere, he could see the ghosts and creatures. Remembering his father's words, he tried to neglect them, but there is so much a person can try to avoid a thing he knows is there. Sometimes, unwillingly he would make eye contact with the ghosts.

A ghost was hovering and whispering around in his ears while he was walking around in school. He pretended like he can't see it and walked on.

Ghost: (Whispering) Hey, hey, you can see me right. Heeyy! Want to come play with me?

Moksh: (Trying to hide his fear, keeps walking)

Ritika: (Appears) Moksh! What's wrong?

Moksh: No..nothing sis. I was just going to the bathroom (runs).

Ghost: (moves in before Moksh)

Moksh: (Collides with the ghost and falls down).

Ghost: (pushed back to a distance).

Ritika: Brother! (Goes to help him)

Moksh: (looking at the half broken ghost, rising its broken back up with a grin on its face).

Ritika: How did you fall brother? Come on, get up (pulls him up).

Moksh: (shivering)

Ritika: (Concerned) Brother, you are shaking. Did you hurt yourself?

Ghost: A medium, are you? Your soul must be full of nourishment.

Moksh: (Frantic, runs away)

Ritika: (Yells) Moksh! (Goes where Moksh fell and moves her hand in air to see if their was something that Moksh crashed into, the ghost passed through her with a grin on its face.

Incident 5 - Attractions to a medium...

Eyes, everywhere he goes. Moksh could feel the gazes. The terror creeped in day by day into his veins and began mixing in with the blood. The boy who could only see such creatures earlier and couldn't distinguish them from good or evil can now not only notice them but see them doing all kinds of things. The deformed creatures were atleast easy to identify because of their appearance and the energy they gave out. Both of which can now be perfectly sensed by Moksh. He can now figure out if an entity was around just by sensing the energy it gave out even if he can't see it. This helped him to avoid them most of the time. However, this didn't stop his eyes from seeing them. Walking past an alley, he saw a bald discolored ghost muching on another ghost who looked like a human and was moving while he was being eaten. The bald ghost noticed him looking and glared back with his big protruding black eye.

Ritika: (Pushes him from behind) Brother, why you stopped? Come on, aunt is waiting.

Moksh: (Stutters) Ye..yes.

The ghost goes back to his eating. Another one, peeking at him from behind a tree then hiding behind it. Moksh walking with his mother, could see the dark spirit of the woman with no face but one eye looking at him. Another one, passed by him when he was coming back from school with his sister. The entire skull above his mouth was missing. It walked around with just mouth on its less than half face. Moksh lowered his head in an attempt to avoid it, but the fear triggered a shiver as the ghost got closer. As it walked passed, it noticed that Moksh noticed it, it bent and fell backwards landing on its arm. It shrieked and started crawling on its arm and began pursuing Moksh. Moksh ran for his life. Thinking it as a game, Ritika ran after him to catch him. The kids quickly ran into the house, while Ritika stopped at the door to catch her breath, Moksh ran towards his mother and hugged her shivering in terror.

Ritika: Brother, you are so fast.

Alpana: You kids, is there a need to run for the house? (Notices Moksh shivering, anxious) Moksh, what happened son? (grabs her son's face) What's the matter? Why are you shaking?

Moksh: A ghost.... it tried to catch me.

Alpana: A ghost!! There is no such thing as a ghost. Come here (hugs him), and wasn't your big sister with you? Did you see anything dear?

Ritika: No Aunt, it was just us two.

Alpana: You see, there is no such thing as a ghost. Your sister didn't see a thing. Come on, you are a strong boy, you are not supposed to cower like this. Come on, let's go and eat. Alright. Ritika, get yourself changed too dear.

Ritika: Yes, right away.

Slowly, the fear began accumulating negative energy inside Moksh. Now, the hungry, wandering ghosts were attracted more towards him. They swarmed him floating over his head whispering every kind of evil they can. He slowly began to loose it. The ghosts began pursuing him. The little guy ran to escape their clutches. Through the school corridors, the hungry ghosts reached out for him desperately. They attacked him, clawed him, tripped him, to get him to give in, but the boy kept running.

A girl came running into Ritika's class.

Ritika: (Studying)

Teacher: (To the girl) Do not run into the classroom like that child. A class is in session.

Girl: Mam, Ritika's brother is hurt again. He is bleeding through his nose.

Teacher: What? Again! This is becoming a daily routine now.

Ritika: (Stands, worried)

Teacher: Go son, take care of your brother.

Ritika: (Runs out) Thankyou mam.

The infirmary...

Nurse: (Holding unconscious Moksh and wiping off blood of his nose) How did this happen?

A kid: Don't know mam, it looked like he was running from someone when he fell and dragged himself on the ground like crazy almost like someone was pulling him away until I grabbed him.

Nurse: How fast was this boy even running? What's all this tears on his shirt? Like someone swinged their claws at him. Doesn't make any sense.

Ritika: (Arrives) Mam! My brother!!

Nurse: He is just unconscious.

Moksh's class teacher: (Rushes in) Moksh! Oh no! What happened to him?

Nurse: He is hurt bad. His nose is bleeding and his uniform is all in shambles.

Moksh's teacher: Oh no, we need to get Mrs Anand to come pick him up again (takes out her phone), Hello, Mrs Anand, this is your son's class teacher. Please hurry to the school. Yes... (voice fades out).

Moksh's consciousness tried to fade in slowly as he sees his sister sitting near his head and his mother rushing in through the door all panicked, calling out his name, in an echoing voice. He opens his eyes at home where his mother's hands shook as she took off her son's shirt only to find injuries and claw marks on his body. Ritika stumbled backwards covering her mouth to hold her shriek.

Alpana: (Thinks) No, I need to tell Vishwas... (Phone rings, it was Vishwas', picks up) Hello,

Vishwas: Hello my love, sorry, it looks like I won't be coming home for a few days. A team is going on a TV broadcast tour to Kashmir. Looks like there is trouble brewing near the borders. Fortunately I am part of that team. We have been allowed to provide the nation with all the information around the borders for sometime. This is such an honour. My hard work paid off. My channel decided to make me a part of the broadcasting team. Can you believe it?

Alpana: (Forces herself to sound happy) Wow! That's my husband. Congratulations!

Vishwas: Ofcourse I am. So, would you be alright for few days?

Alpana: (looks at her unconscious son) Yes, yes, I will be alright. I will be watching you on the television. Take care there ok.

Vishwas: Ok, call me if anything comes up. Love you.

Alpana: Love you too (puts down the phone).

Ritika: Aunt, what should we do?

In the doctor's office...

Doctor: Your son is injured bad. How did he manage to get such injuries? Did somekind of animal attacked him or something?

Alpana: Don't know doctor. He was just playing with his friends. All of a sudden he fell and incurred such difficult wounds.

Doctor: Such scars on a young child won't look good. Anyway, he is all fine. Just make sure he doesn't suffer anything like this again.

Alpana: Will do doctor.

Moksh sat with a blank expression on his face and remembered what his grandmother told him.

Flashback - Suchita: no naughty things or troubling your mother or anyone, alright. The ghosts don't cause trouble to good kids.

Alpana: Come on you two. Let's go.

Ritika: (grabs her brother) Come brother. Stay with me. I won't let anything happen to you.

The boy reminds himself of what his grandmother told him, begins to follow it diligently thinking it is the only way he would be able to escape this nightmare. He begins studying meticulously. He begins following what he is told to the T. He sat in the classroom with no expression on his face dragging his pencil over his notebook while Ritika watched him from the outside. He started mumbling to himself. The other kids began avoiding him. However the ghosts did not stop their assault on him. Everyday he went home with another scar on his body. Alpana's belief began to break down slowly as she saw her son coming home with scars everyday. Ritika tried everything she could do to protect her brother, but she could only do so much against something she cannot see. Moksh ran as ghost pursued him, pulled him into the dark room in front of Alpana who ran to pull him out. The things in the house began to fall here and there during the night. Alpana hugged the two kids close to her while sleeping. She now started to believe on such entities. Her purifying sphere shrinked day by day as her belief on God staggered. She could hear whispering sounds around the house. Fear was wrapping her in its arms.Sitting on the side of the field with a blank expression on his face watching the other kids play as ordered by the teacher, Moksh was approached by a ghost. It flew around him grinning and staring at him. He tried to grab Moksh's neck with his two hands but Moksh slipped through and the ghost scratched his back with his claws. Moksh ran enduring the pain on his back. While walking towards the house, Ritika locked her arm tight around her brother's when a man on phone tackled her pushing her on Moksh who leaned on a nearby wall. He stood their leaning as he looked at the ghost face grinning at him appearing on the entire back of the man who tackled Ritika. Moksh steps away from the wall only to find that he was stuck. He looks up and sees dark negative flames oozing out of the building. He looks down and sees that a rotten black arm passing through the concrete has caught his wrist tight. He begins to pull away but the grasp was tough. Ritika couldn't understand what was going on, so she grabbed him and began to force him out as well. Another few arms began to slowly emerge out of the wall reaching for Moksh, but suddenly a man came for his rescue, he stood between him and the wall pushing the other arms behind and grabbing the one holding on to Moksh. The arm released Moksh leaving a grab print around his wrist. Ritika saw the print on his wrist and tried to take him away from there as soon as possible. Moksh stood there looking at the man who freed him standing near the wall smiling at Moksh when suddenly an Arm pierced through his chest, then another one through his face. Moksh stared as the wall slowly abosrbed the man whole into the wall until Ritika pulled him away. That night he kept staring at the ghost standing to a distance staring back at him. His mother wrapped him and Ritika around her arm. He could sense his mother and sister trembling. The other ghosts messed around with things in the house throwing them randomly out of frustration as they couldn't reach Moksh because of Alpana's sphere which has now shrinked so much but leaving enough to cover the three on the bed. The ghosts would always disappear in the morning because Alpana would start moving around with her purifying sphere.

Incident 6 - The mad medium...

Moksh sitting on his bench in class.

Flashback...

Vishwas: You are a man. Men are not afraid of anything. Real men die for their family. You are a real man, right.

Scenes of his mother and sister trembling, the ghost encounters until now, everything crammed up in the classroom filling it with intense negative energy.

Moksh looks towards the window of his classroom and sees ghosts stuck on the windows staring at him. The negative energy dragged them into the classroom. They began feeding on the negative energy and hovered towards Moksh. They grabbed his arm in order to inflict fear and extract more negative energy out of him. But something was not right, instead of absorbing it, they felt like they were loosing it. The atmosphere in the classroom changed as the presence of such negative energy reduced the temperature and the students began to feel cold. As he saw his friends having trouble, he ran out of the class. The teacher called for him, but to no avail. The news soon reached to Ritika and she set out to look for him. The school began searching for him. A call from his class teacher informed Alpana. The dread choked her and she started fidgeting around in the house. Her purifying sphere shrinked even more. The ghosts in her house became active and started to harass her. Scared of them, she began running around and locked herself in her room rolling herself into her knees sitting on her bed. The ghosts banged on her door to break it open. But they stopped as soon as they sensed a stronger presence in her room. It was the curse ghost who came to take advantage of the opportunity waiting for her sphere to completely vanish.

Moksh, ran into the middle of the park and sat on an empty bench alone. The ghosts were coming from all directions to feed on him.

Moksh: (Thinks) It is all me. It is because of me my mother and sister are suffering. I will let these ugly things take me so they will leave my family alone. I will die for my family. I will, Papa. I am a real man.

The crowd of the ghost was approaching excitingly when they suddenly began backing away. A man, a huge man with an umbrella in his hand dressed in complete black suit with a huge moustache and refreshing grin on his face walked towards the bench Moksh was sitting. Emitting a tidal wave of white coloured positive energy out of him pushing the ghosts back the man sat beside Moksh smiling. Moksh, suprised by the sudden appearance of the man out of nowhere, he looked at the man and asked.

Moksh: (Looks up at the man's smiling face) Who, who are you?

Man: Me, don't you know? I am your friend. I am here to assist you.

Moksh: My friend! Assist me! But I don't know you.

Man: You don't know me? Then why did you come here to meet me?

Moksh: Sorry uncle, I came here to die not to meet you.

Man: That's what I am saying. You came here to meet me.

Moksh: I told you I came here to die.

Man: That's what I am saying boy. I am death.

Moksh: Death? You are here to kill me?

Man: No, I am here to save you. Now tell me, why do you want to die?

Moksh: I...I am the reason all those ghosts (points towards them) are tormenting my family. If I die they will go away.

Man: Oh boy! Aren't you brave?

Moksh: I am a man.

Man: Such determination for someone so young. But are you sure they will go away if you die?

Moksh: (Alert) I don't know. I am scared. I don't know how else to defeat them.

Man: Is that all? Why don't you go mad?

Moksh: Go mad?

Man: Yes, do you know what a mad man is?

Moksh: Yes, one who laughs too much for no reason.

Man: Right. Laughing feels good, doesn't it?

Moksh: Yes, it does.

Man: Then why did you give up on laughing?

Moksh: Because I had no reason to laugh. I would be a mad man if I laughed without a reason.

Man: That's it. You gave up on laughing that's why those ghosts over powered you.

Moksh: No way, it can't be. What laughing has to do with anything?

Man: Those beings are evil, they live and survive by feeding on negative energy. Since you are medium, you produce 100 times more negative energy than a normal human when you get afraid becoming a perfect meal for them. Do you understand now?

Moksh: I am a medium. I understand now. That's why they are after me. But how do I deal with them then?

Man: Hmm! Do you know what is a positive energy?

Moksh: If fear is a negative energy then courage is a positive energy. Right?

Man: (Pats his head) Great job, ok, if sadness is negative energy then?

Moksh: Happiness is positive energy.

Man: Very good. And what do you do when you are happy?

Moksh: We ....laugh.

Man: Yes. We do. So, to increase your positive energy what you need to do.

Moksh: I need to be happy and courageous.

Man: And how will I know that you are happy and courageous?

Moksh: By seeing me laugh?

Man: Good, you are an intelligent child.

Moksh: But, I cannot laugh for no reason.

Man: Go mad, when you feel like you are loosing, go mad, laugh like crazy. It will give you strength, it will make you stronger.

Moksh: It will?

Man: Ofcourse. Well, there is one secret I will have to tell you, then you might be able to believe on yourself.

Moksh: Oh! What? Tell me, please.

Man: You can touch the ghosts freely.

Moksh: What does that mean?

Man: It means you can destroy them with those hands.

Moksh: I can (looks at his hands).

Man: Now listen close, some of these ugly creatures escaped my grasp because they died before their time and turned into this. Now, I am giving you the duty to send them to me one by one.

Moksh: How do I do that?

Man: Just destroy this form of theirs and after that join your hands like this (joins his palm in namaste style) and say "Ram naam Satya hai".

Moksh: "Ram naam Satya hai".

Man: And make sure they hear it before vanishing.

Moksh: I will keep it in mind.

Man: Take your time freeing them from their suffering, alright boy (pats on his head), you are their last hope of salvation. Deal with them as they come. You are a medium, you will attract enough of them. And don't worry, you are strong enough to destroy anything. And you can get even stronger if you develop a body like mine (strike a pose).

Moksh: Really?

Man: Yes, my dear boy. You just need to keep working hard. Can you handle it?

Moksh: I am a man.

Man: Ofcourse you are. Ok, why don't you start your duty with saving your mother?

Moksh: (Alarmed) My mother? What happened to her?

Man: She is in trouble. You can save her.

Moksh: (Scared) Can I?

Man: Don't be afraid. You will save her easily. Just remember what I taught you.

Moksh: Ok.

Man: Let me clear the way to your home. But as soon as you enter your base, you will have to secure it yourself. Ok boy.

Moksh: Thankyou (turns to go but comes back) But uncle, before I go. I want to know your name.

Man: Why?

Moksh: I want to tell my mother that a super cool uncle helped me.

Man: (Laughs) Oh boy, I like you. My name is Dharmaraj, remember it.

Moksh: Uncle Dharmaraj! Ok, thankyou. See you again uncle.

Man: (Giggles) Yes, certainly. And boy, go mad.

Moksh: (bows his head and runs away)

Man: (smiles looking at him go way).

As Moksh leaves his sight, waves flowed out taking bench as the centre point, clearing the surroundings around the park with an echoing sound of the man laughing and then he vanished into the thin air leaving the empty bench behind.

Alpana was sitting on her bed rolled in, shivering as the vigorous beating on the door has dislocated the door a little leaving crack, a line of sight through which the ghosts outside can look in. The started mimicking Moksh's voice. The fear hiked and as she made herself ready to rush towards the voice of her son, she saw the gleaming ghost eyes through the crack of the door and heard the ghastly laughter of the wicked creatures outside, immediately undersanding that the ghosts were mimicking her son. She went back to sit on her bed. Suddenly she realised that she could see the ghosts now. Now the curse ghost standing before her became visible with its crooked face waiting for her half meter sphere to disappear. She looked into its eyes as it glared back at her.

Curse ghost: (in double voice) Y...you, you took my food from me.

Alpana: (terrified) You are the curse.

Curse ghost: Yes, and I will take vengeance for the curse that you broke. First I will gobble up your soul. Then it will be your son.

Alpana: But you can't do that, Lord Shiva is with me.

Curse ghost: Let's see how long is he gonna protect a lost and scared human like you. Don't worry, I won't touch your son before I eat you.

Alpana: I will keep sitting here like this.

Moksh: Mummy, where are you?

Curse ghost turns his head towards the sound then looks at Alpana slowly grinning.

Alpana: No way, it is another mimick.

Curse ghost: Is it? Keep thinking that.

The ghosts near the door rushed towards Moksh.