It was a Saturday summer evening and it was pouring buckets. My vacations were going on so I had went to my grandmother's place which was a small village with very less population. It was peaceful there but you would not see many people so hanging out alone at that time wasn't really an appreciated task. But I had gone out for some sight seeing in the outskirts of the village and I wanted to click some pictures. You can rarely find such beautiful natural surroundings in a city so I wanted to make the most out of my trip. But I guess I chose a wrong time to go for it. I was stuck at the bus stop waiting for the bus to come and I didn't knew what was taking the bus so long to come. Had the rain stopped, I would have walked home. But it was not possible. On top of that I was the single soul at the bus stop and as it was getting dark I wanted to get home as fast as possible so was waiting desperately for the bus.
After a while bus arrived. It was an empty bus. I took it and sat at the front. Not a single soul except me and the driver. Well that can be a problem with such villages. I was happy that the whole bus belonged to me and that I will finally be reaching home as the journey was not so long, only 4 stops.
The driver started driving. It was getting dark and I wanted to reach home as soon as possible. The bus stopped at another spot and an aged woman got in. She sat next to me. I wondered that why were there so less people to take a bus. The rain was making it difficult for the driver to drive and the horrible roads contributed equally to it. I felt as if this 4 stop journey would take ages to complete. But I was left with no option so I sat quietly waiting for my stop to come.
After few seconds the woman asked me that where was I heading to, to which I replied gently and asked her the same to which she replied that the last stop is her destination.
For a moment there was silence. Then she asked me what did I do. I told her that I am a student. She smiled and said that I should make it fast to the home as it's not safe for a girl of my age to stay out at this hour and that too all alone. She also figured out that I was new to that village to which I nodded in a yes and told her that I was there to visit my grandma.
I started looking out of the window, though it was dark and I couldn't see anything but still I found it as a way of avoiding that woman. To me, that woman seemed strange.
After a while the woman asked me that whether I believed in ghosts or not and this surprised me. I answered in a yes but was still wondering that why was she asking such a question.
She told me that she has seen ghosts for real. My curiosity increased and I started listening to her with keen interest.
She further narrated- "I was just married then, I was very beautiful and shy. I didn't knew anything and was naive. My husband was a nice man and took care of me. It all started when I visited his village to meet his distant family members and paying tribute to the ancestors.
I was young then and so was free spirited and enthusiastic about everything. I went to roam around in the village and saw an old house on my way. Looking at it I felt that it was empty from quite some time. There was no one around and I thus went into the house.
The house was completely a mess. I think someone left from here in a great hurry. The house was spooky and I felt uncomfortable inside so I headed back and that was when I saw her for the first time."
-"whom?", I interrupted
-" the lady in the black. (she continued) I thought that she must be living here so I chased her. She stopped suddenly and I was scared. She turned and she looked horrible. She was a ghost. I screamed loudly and ran away.
I told this to my husband and everyone else in the house. They advised me to not to go that place at it was haunted by the spirit of that lady.
After it she often appeared in my dreams and I was scared. I started knowing more about ghosts after that. I studied about them. There is one thing about ghosts, they make you feel that they belong to this world and they indulge you in their conversation. They only show their real face when you get a hint that they are not what they pretend to be and you express your fear towards them.
Your fear gives them strength."
She ended her story. I sat quietly and smiled towards her. I was thinking about what she told me and just then I happened to look in the mirror of the bus in front of me. It was in mid of where me and that old woman was sitting. So accordingly one half of me was visible in that mirror and the other half would be of that old woman.
I grew pale as I saw only one reflection in the mirror and that was mine. No reflection of that old lady. I took out my compact powder and pretended to apply some on my face while carefully directing it's mirror towards her and again I saw no reflection of her in it. I by now knew that what was going on and I was about to scream but just then I remembered what she had told me, 'your fear gives them strength.'
It was still raining outside. My destination was 1 stop away. I decided to sit quietly and wait for my stop. All this while she didn't spoke anything and neither did I.
Finally my stop arrived. I wanted to get out as soon as possible. I stood up and got off the seat and that was when she spoke.
She said-" I guess you are a good student. You take your lessons seriously." and she smiled.
I grew pale once again and hurriedly got off the bus. I started walking towards home as fast as I could. My heart was throbbing. I thought that she told me that my fear will give these entities strength and I had control over my fear and that is why I was saved.
Well yes, it was a lesson learnt. Overcome your fear. Get hold of your fear and emotions and you can get out of any situation. Though at that time I was scared, but now I stared feeling somewhat relieved.
That no matter who or what she was, she taught me a valuable lesson.
It was still raining, but I was almost home now.
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