The next day at school passed normally, though Karthik's mind kept drifting. Should he take the free course offered by "LIGHT IN THE SHADOW" or not? The decision weighed heavily on him.
Days turned into a week, and soon, the deadline for the course application arrived. Karthik finally made up his mind: he had to go. But another problem immediately arose—how could he get to the city without his parents knowing? He spent hours brainstorming, trying to find a foolproof plan.
After a long session of thinking, Karthik came up with the only idea he could imagine. He went to the computer center again and searched for any other free courses for students in the city. He found one, a business workshop, but it wasn't free; it was cheap, though. He decided this paid course would be his excuse.
Karthik knew he was lying to his parents, but he felt he had no other choice. He had to go to "Light in the Shadow." He quickly approached his father and told him about the business course, listing all the benefits it offered. His father, after much thought and a bit of a struggle with himself, eventually gave in and agreed. Karthik went ahead and registered for both the paid business course and the free session offered by "LIGHT IN THE SHADOW." Another issue then cropped up: the timings were different. The free class was scheduled after his paid course. He convinced his father by saying he'd like to explore the city a bit after his workshop.
Soon, the day he had been waiting for finally arrived. He packed all the things he would need for a day in the city: his lunch, a water bottle, and an extra set of clothes, just in case. He took the bus and arrived in the bustling city. His first stop was the paid business course he'd registered for, to make sure his father's money wasn't wasted. It was a typical workshop, all about how to run a business and become successful. After the course ended, he ate his lunch and decided to walk around for a bit before heading to the free ghost-handling class.
He roamed around the busy streets near the bus stop, taking in all the sights and sounds. Then, as the time for the class approached, he made his way back to the "Light in the Shadow" building. He looked up at the wooden signboard, took a deep breath, and braced himself. Then he walked inside.
As soon as he entered, the same man who had told him to get lost the other day greeted him. "You again, kiddo?" the man asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I told you, this isn't a place for kids to just hang around."
Karthik, however, didn't back down this time. He stood tall and said, "I'm here for the class."
"You?" the man asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He didn't argue further, though, just pointed towards a room. "Go inside."
Karthik entered. There were only two other people in the room: a man and a woman, both looking to be in their late twenties. After waiting for a short while, the man from the entrance walked in, a confident smile on his face.
"Hello, everyone," he announced, his voice booming slightly. "I am Harry, and I will be teaching this session. I'm also the Leader of Light in the Shadow."
Karthik was stunned. He had completely mistaken Harry for a watchman, and now he found out he was the leader of this whole organization.
Harry began his lesson, sounding very professional. "There are several types of ghosts," he explained, holding up three fingers. "Today, I'll talk about three. First, an Aavi—a simple ghost. Second, a Katteri—a violent ghost. And finally, a Ratha-Katteri—a violent ghost that actually sucks blood!" He detailed each type with dramatic flair, making them sound truly terrifying.
After about an hour of this, Harry declared, "Now, I will show you how we actually seal a ghost."
A few moments later, two other people brought in a man who seemed completely out of it, his eyes wide and vacant—clearly "possessed." Harry approached him with a serious expression. "Spirit, leave this body!" he commanded. The possessed man thrashed, letting out guttural sounds, clearly "refusing" to leave.
Harry began to chant something, his voice low and powerful. He then threw a handful of white holy ash onto the possessed man. The man screamed in pain, a chilling sound that instantly reminded Karthik of the ghost's cries in the graveyard. Shivers ran down Karthik's spine.
After a few minutes of continuous chanting and dramatic gestures, Harry brought out a small, unglazed clay pot. He chanted over it, and then, as if pulled by an unseen force, a wispy white smoke seemed to float out of the possessed man's body and swirl into the pot. Harry quickly slapped a lid on the pot and sealed it shut.
Karthik watched, wide-eyed. Seeing all this, he was now absolutely certain: only Harry, with his incredible power, could stop the ghost he had encountered in the graveyard. He felt a profound sense of relief and hope.