It was deep into the night. 🌒
Sometime after midnight, an old train screeched and groaned as it slowly came to a halt at a tiny station. Yellow light spilled out from the train windows, and the fog spread across the platform made that light look dim and hazy.
The station looked like a forgotten place.
The train doors opened… and within moments three people stepped down — Deepak, his mother, and his father.
Within minutes, the train whistled and moved on.
Its sound slowly faded into the darkness.
Silence returned to the station.
Deepak looked around.
"Mummy… there's no one here… why?" he asked softly.
His mother checked the time.
"Son… it's late. Look… it's 12:42."
Deepak looked around again.
The yellow tube lights flickered. The air was cold. There was no porter… no tea seller… no passengers.
Only emptiness.
His father looked around and said,
"We should leave quickly… but why hasn't Shyamlal arrived yet?"
Mother said with mild irritation,
"He is never on time… not today either."
After waiting for a while, Father dialed his phone.
The ringtone echoed for a long time…
Then an old voice answered.
"Hello… who is this?"
"Shyamlal! You were supposed to come pick us up," Father said.
There was silence… then the voice replied:
"Oh… yes… yes… I forgot… I fell asleep… coming right away."
Father said irritably,
"I told you not to forget!"
Shyamlal replied in a slow voice,
"Sir… I am old now… I forget things… I'm coming…"
The call ended.
Mother whispered,
"Don't you think the station is too empty?"
Father looked around again.
"Yes… it's quieter than usual…"
Just then, the sound of a vehicle approached in the distance, cutting through the silence.
Soon an old jeep stopped outside the station.
The three walked out.
As they approached, Father said,
"Finally you came… everything alright at home?"
Shyamlal smiled.
"Yes sir… everything is fine…"
But there was something strange in his smile.
As if he were hiding something.
Deepak watched him silently.
This was Deepak's first night in the village.
That too… at midnight.
Mother asked,
"How does the village feel?"
Deepak smiled.
"It feels nice… it's very peaceful here."
Mother and Father laughed softly.
They knew — this silence is not always comforting.
The jeep started moving.
The road was deserted.
No vehicles. No lights.
Only the jeep's headlights cutting through the darkness.
Deepak began looking at his phone.
Father and Shyamlal talked about the village.
The jeep slowly passed through dark paths and finally stopped in front of the house.
"Wake up son… we're home," Mother said.
Deepak stepped out.
Darkness surrounded everything.
There wasn't a single streetlight.
Only faint moonlight.
In that pale glow, the village shadows looked like an old frightening painting.
At night, the village felt strangely unfamiliar.
Deepak slowly entered the house.
It was large… old… but strong.
Inside, in one corner, an old woman sat on a cot.
Deepak ran to her.
"Grandma! I'm here!"
She stroked his head.
Her voice carried a strange comfort.
"How are you, child?"
"I'm fine… and you have to tell me a story!"
Grandmother smiled gently.
Mother and Father came inside.
Everyone began talking.
Deepak got bored.
He quietly stepped outside.
Darkness lay spread outside the house.
He sat on an old wooden bench.
Dust had gathered on it.
He wiped it with his hand and sat down.
Cold wind blew softly.
The full moon shone above.
Deepak whispered,
"The village really is so peaceful…"
After some time, he looked around.
No one.
No humans.
No animals.
Only silence.
Suddenly, an owl hooted in the distance.
Deepak shivered slightly and sat upright.
Then…
he saw something.
Towards the jungle… within the darkness…
two large eyes.
They were staring at him.
Without blinking.
Deepak's heart began to pound.
He thought maybe it was a child.
"Hey… who are you? Come, let's play," he called out.
No response.
The eyes remained there.
Watching him.
Deepak stood up and tried to see clearly.
But the distance was too great.
He could see nothing.
Only the eyes.
Still.
Terrifying.
Just then a voice came from behind —
"Deepak!"
Father had come outside.
"What are you doing here? Mother is looking for you."
Deepak stayed silent.
"What are you looking at?" Father asked.
Deepak looked in that direction again…
but…
the eyes were gone.
He froze.
"I… I think I saw a child…" he said softly.
Father replied,
"Who would be here at this hour? Come inside."
He held his hand.
Deepak kept looking back.
Those eyes had given him a strange feeling.
As if they wanted to say something.
Even after going inside, he kept thinking about them.
Grandmother came near him.
"What are you thinking?"
"Nothing…"
She said,
"Want to hear a story?"
"Yes!"
"Come outside… it will be more fun there."
Deepak felt a little scared…
but he went anyway.
They sat on the bench.
Grandmother told the old familiar tale:
"One should sleep early at night… otherwise ghosts will take you away…"
Deepak felt uneasy.
Mother called everyone inside.
They ate dinner.
Slowly, silence filled the house.
Everyone fell asleep.
The night grew deeper.
Pale moonlight spread across the village.
The jungle stood still.
The wind had stopped.
Then…
from the darkness of the jungle,
two eyes emerged again.
Slowly, a small shadow stepped out.
It looked like a child.
But its eyes were unnaturally large.
It looked around.
As if searching for someone.
Then…
it slowly began walking toward the village…