The night- A short story

The night and Me

Life was beautiful. For a child of 10 years old life is always beautiful. But after that day everything was changed. It was Saturday night. I called my all little friends of my gully for meeting. We gathered as if we are going to conquer a township. After a debate for few minutes, I interrupted all. I used to be the leader of this little kingdom. I said to all we play “police- thief” game. Everybody agreed. They have no choice than agreeing; otherwise they will be humiliated from our kingdom. It was right game for that time too since we did not have electricity at that instant. It was a game where one tries to catch the reaming all, similar to police catches thieves. Whoever is caught will become police and has to run behind thieves. The game goes like this. I always join thieves’ side since by that time all the movies I watched, found thieves are more popular than police. The game started. I’m watching police running behind thief (in game) and enjoying the scene. God! It’s my turn. He’s coming towards me. I have to run. I hate caught by police. I entered my gully book (not gunnies) of records of never caught. I’m running now. He’s following me. I ran ran and ran and escaped from police. I reached a place from where none of my friends were visible are audible. There was nobody except me at that place. So I took breath and started return journey to my battle field of game. Suddenly I realized somebody was following me. This time it was not police, it’s someone else.  My walk became run. I could realize that my heart beats are sounding like drums. I ran half a mile and looked back. It’s a human body with no head. I looked at it constantly for few seconds. Yes it is only a body with no head. All of sudden all my grandmother’s stories awaken in my mind. I wondered about my memory power but in no mood to enjoy that. It came closer to me. I dint move an inch. I stood like as if somebody made a carved stone. Now it’s beside me. In next moment I realized that it is not following me, I was in its way. It passed me and went away. I ran to my house and sat beside my mom. I told to my mom that I saw a ghost. Everybody laughed. I got angry. My mom realized it and explained that there are no ghosts exist and it’s only myth. I was angry on my mom that she did not believe me and slept with full of ghost dreams. The next morning my mom carried horrible news for me. Really horrible for me! The ghost was my friend. No my friend was the ghost. Ok I clarify it. One of my friends wore black mask to his head to scare me. It was efficiently planned and carefully implemented attempt to make me scare. As it was dark I couldn’t make it out. Then I realized that there are no ghosts it’s only our illusion. My mom was right. Since then I respected her every word and believed. Respect elders words, they are true.