Eighteen-year-old Francis had just moved into the city to attend university. Every weekend, he would visit his town which was a beautiful hill station. However, many in the city had heard that chances were you would run into a ghost if you roamed around the town at night. So, Francis’ friends were very curious and would often ask him about the ghosts. One weekend, Francis decided to invite his friends over to his town. “It is really beautiful with greenery all around,” he said. His friends were excited and agreed to accompany him the coming weekend. On the day of the journey, the boys boarded a bus headed towards the town. After a few hours, all of them nodded off to sleep. Suddenly, the bus came to a halt. “What happened? Why did the bus stop?” asked his friend. Francis looked around and noticed that the other passengers in the bus looked anxious.
The Sudden Halt
Francis looked outside the window. It was close to midnight. He then went up to the driver and asked him the reason for the unannounced halt. “We are out of fuel,” said the driver. “It is five miles to the town, but we will have to stay put for tonight. At this time, we won’t be able to refuel,” he added. Francis and his friends were feeling impatient. They decided to walk the remaining miles to the town. “I suggest you do not go out this late night. People have reported about seeing ghosts and other creatures around here. It’s not safe,” said an old man. Francis and his friends were stubborn. “We do not want to waste time here. Besides, I have lived here all my life. I know the way around here,” argued Francis. So, the boys began their five-mile walk to the town. However, they had to be careful, as they were not carrying a torch.
The Man with the Lantern
The boys walked for some time but Francis could not find anything familiar. He realised that they had actually lost their way in the dark. “I think I have lost my way,” said Francis. “What will we do now?” asked a friend. “Let’s see if we can find someone to give us directions,” said Francis. The boys walked on keeping a keen eye for someone. Soon, they saw an old man with a lantern walking towards them. “I think we have lost our way. Could you please show us the way to the town?” asked Francis. “I can show you the way. Just follow me,” he said. The boys trudged behind him. Suddenly, Francis realised that one of the boys was missing. “Excuse me; we can’t find our friend,” said Francis to the old man. When the old man turned back, the boys let out a gasp. He did not have a face! Terrified, the boys screamed and ran away.
The Crying Girl
The boys ran with all the speed they could muster. Suddenly, they heard the sobs of a young girl. “I think a little girl is lost here somewhere,” said one of his friends. Francis spotted the girl and went up to her. “Are you lost?” asked Francis. He then placed his hands on the girl’s shoulder to console her. Suddenly, the girl stopped crying and grabbed his hand. It was then that Francis noted her face. She had red glinting eyes and long hair. It was another ghost! The boys scampered off as fast as they could and somehow reached the hill station. There behind a street lamp, they saw a boy hiding. On a closer look, they realised it was their friend who had disappeared earlier. “The people in the bus were right,” said a friend. “We are lucky to be alive. This place is full of ghosts,” he added.
