The Haunted Studio

After several months’ long emotional hibernation, when my friend Crax returned to the city, I asked him about his present stay. In former days, I used to visit him at a room located adjacent to an old movie studio. But, when he is back after that long interval, the old room appeared in a perished state lacking human touch.

When I saw him at the nearby restaurant, he at once offered me a tea and said as the reply to my question regarding his stay, 

“What to say buddy! That room is now like a store of rubbish. Rather than spiders and insects, the room is mostly inhabited by dust particles. So, during this visit, I had to choose the cold floor of the dubbing studio”

I startled at once, and asked him curiously, “Hadn’t you say that there was the presence of some kind of spirits in the night at the studio floor?”

“Ah,” laughing heartily, he asked, “do you remember that still?”

“I do remember. You said something eerie was disturbing you during nights whenever you chose that dubbing studio for sleeping. Can you explain exactly what was disturbing you there?” I asked.

He was thoughtful for a moment. Sipping tea he said, “It’s a girl actually”

“A girl?” I asked.

“Yes! She is – 

A cute angelic girl, 

Fragrantful, with a genuine voice!

A pretty little one

With a lovely hearty laugh!” he became poetic for a few moments.

“Is that so? What does she wear?” I asked curiously.

“She used to be in traditional attire, long skirt and blouse,” he said.

“Hmm...apart from you, who else had the same kind of experience while sleeping there?” I asked like a detective.

“Whoever sleeps in that room surely gets a visit from the little girl. By the way, she is a teenager. Don’t get any wrong impression from the usage ‘little’ girl,” he said cunningly. “Also, all others who once got her visit never dared to sleep in the same room again, except me,” he added.

“So you are not afraid of the so-called ghosts and spirits and you have no belief in such superstitions,” I made a factual statement expecting a positive nod from him.

“I don’t know whether I believe in ghosts, but...” he paused a while and continued, “but, at least I am afraid of them”.

“Then, how could you have slept in that same room again?” I asked unwilling to believe him.

“Because, you know, this girl does not generate any fear in me. Instead, what she evokes in my mind is a sense of care, protection, and affection,” he said.

I was silent.

“Whenever I chose that particular, let’s say, haunted place, for sleeping, she would come as soon as the lights go out, and would sit close to me caressing my hairs, etc,” he said.

I looked him curiously and half smilingly.

“And the interesting thing is that I am all the time in full of consciousness, not even in the first state of sleep. So you can’t blame me for imagining and dreaming fanciful things,” he said.

“What is the history of the studio?,” I asked assuming myself to be clad in the attire of a spiritual investigator.

“I don’t know actually. But heard that it was a huge prison during the reign of Travancore Kings,” he said.

“But this studio does not look like a prison. The walls are not that much strong enough” I said.

“Buddy, I mean the location of the present studio was where a huge prison situated during the time of royal rule,” he explained.

“So, how do you explain the phenomena of this pretty girl?”

“Hmm...I think it must be some sad or brutal case. The police might have trapped a girl within the prison long ago. She might have been gang-raped and killed. Perhaps I could be wrong also.” He said. 

I became thoughtful for some more seconds.

Soon, I woke up from thoughts and asked him, “Tell me the affair of the last night. Did you meet her yesterday also?”

“Hmmm...last night also she came close to me and began to chat in her usual playful manner. But, I got worried and terrified due to some unknown reasons of my subconscious.” He paused.

“Then...?” I grasped a breath.

“You know what do I do in such emergency cases? I would extend my hand to reach the mobile phone and would slide its display pane so as to get some light in the room,” he said.

“Then what did you see?” the question was actually dropped from my lips.

“Nothing. As soon as the light appears in the studio room, the apparition goes and what I see inside the room is perfect blankness.” He said.

I relieved and asked him seriously. “That’s ok. Well its better if you will take that appointment so soon,”

Thoughtfully he said, “Hmmm...I too think so..well..err..what did you say? What appointment?”

I said smiling, “Buddy, I am serious, go and consult a good psychiatrist. I think you are not late so far to get a mental treatment”