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| Sunday, 12 February 2006 |
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Short story A Waddling Ghost "Yipee! Hoo! Holidays! Cool!" sang Meenu at the top of her voice and jumped up and down along with her sisters Rinu and Anu. All three teenagers were very much delighted to spend their holidays at Nilgris with their Grandparents. This was an unusual delight for the teenagers as this family never goes trips or tours during their holidays. And well, Anu, Rinu and Meenu were ready and were waiting for their Dad's arrival.
Spontaneously, while Mrs. Brigenza warned the three girls not to go out alone Meenu, the youngest said, "Mom, what do you mean? you aren't coming with us! Huh??" "Yep, honey. Dad's so busy these days and therefore he needs me" replied Mrs. Brigenza. Nobody spoke anything but all three teens nodded and hugged her. And while Joseph arrived home they were ready to leave the place. All three girls along with their Dad reached Nilgris and were back in their Grandparents house. Joseph left the place as soon as he could, to look into his business matters. Nilgris.........uh! A fine village! so beautiful! so c-o-o-l! Infact Nilgris was so beautiful and so was the house. Eventhough the old couple Mr. and Mrs. Gregorin, lives there the house is arranged so neatly and every part of the house gave a charming look. Naina, the house maid accompanied the three girls to their bedroom while their Grandmother brought them the tea. After taking a change and having tea, all three girls came downstairs and had a sweet and lengthy talk with their Grandparents. Meenu and Rinu were so talkative and couldn't finish their conversation and it was of course MIDNIGHT. Anu the eldest felt strange and reminded them of time, "Hey, come on! Let's catch up on our sleep. I feel quite tired." "Yeah, that's fine" added Grandpa. Silent Night And everyone went to bed. The girls slept upstairs with Naina and when Grandpa's clock struck one, Anu woke up and she saw that both her sisters as well as Naina were having a peaceful sleep. Anu tried to sleep but her eyes would not close and began surveying the room. Anu couldn't sleep and she thought that it was because it's not their house. She got up from the bed and went close to the window. The mist had formed a soft white film on the window glass. Nothing was visible to Anu through the window. Anu wondered whether that glass was not transparent. With a sigh of relief Anu whispered "Eventhough I am not sleepy, I suppose I am dreaming" and smiled. Without Any fear she opened the window. Strange View The cool breeze blew in; The leaves were falling from trees. A half moon was shining in the sky. She told herself, "I should be lucky to see this marvellous scene rather than to be sleeping" and then all of a sudden something strange met her eyes and she gasped. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She saw a figure roaming here and there furtively looking back. Anu was sure that the figure was waddling. Anu stayed in the same place because she had no strength to move a single step. And Anu saw the waddling figure entering the dilapidated but at the corner of the garden. Anu ran and jumped on to the bed and closed her eyes; she tried to forget all what she saw but she couldn't. She wept like a baby. She looked at Rinu who was fast asleep. Anu prayed and prayed so much and at last fell asleep while closing her ears with her hands. Day Dawns The clock struck half past six. Rinu and Meenu woke up greeting each other and Anu was still fast asleep. Meenu kicked Anu. "Ah! No, No. It's not me" shouted Anu "Oh! you seem to be dreaming" said Rinu "You stupid, will both of you get lost from here?? Please Rinu! Please Meenu. I have something mysterious to say to you both. But at first let's have our tea ok!" Anu said in confusion. "Anu what is so mysterious? "Well Rinu, as you know I saw a ghost last night" Anu said in fear. Meenu couldn't control her laughter. She teased her asking "Ghost you mean G-H-O-S-T! Hoo! Crazy." But Rinu felt scary "Anu, what do you say?" She asked softly. "Well" she replied and related all what she saw in the night. Rinu laughed so loudly. So did Meenu saying "you had seen a WADDLING GHOST! So funny! you look so funny sis" and left the place. Anu asked Rinu and Meenu not to tell anything to the Grandparents. And when they came to the hall, Granny said "Your Dad phoned me right now and he said me that he'll be here today evening and I'm afraid that you all will have to leave Nilgris because your Mum is ill and she needs you lovings" and went into the kitchen. Girls in Action Anu who wanted to explore the hut desperately knew that her sisters will not be of any help, because both Rinu and Meenu were teasing her and calling Anu "WADDLING KID". Anu felt like crying. But she didn't want the others to know how sad she felt. Anu made up her mind and asked Rinu "will you both help me to explore some place?" Meenu said "you wanna explore a place or a person somebody you know, Ah ! that WADDLING GHOST ! Huh ??. Anu didn't mind what Meenu aid as Anu thinks her stupid. She pulled Rinu to her side and opened the broken door of the hut. They were puzzled to see a white cloth dirty and untidy spread on the floor and there were blood stains too Rinu said with a fear "These stains seem to be new !" Anu felt faintish and said in a low voice to Rinu "well, fine. It's better that Meenu is not here. Let's leave the place but come back. And they came back home with unsatisfactory results. At Home When they came home, three teenagers with their Grandfather and Grandmother went out and completely enjoyed themselves. Because they had to leave Nilgris the next day. And it was so late when they came home. Meenu ran upstairs and after a while she called "Anu ! Rinu ! Please come up". As she didn't sound frightened both Anu and Rinu didn't go upstairs. "Naina, switch on the light, lady. It's so dark" Granny shouted at Naina. Rinu reminded Anu about the Ghost and at the same time Rinu and Anu were shocked to hear Meenu shouting in fear "My dear sister, please come up ! I feel scared, please come up" Meenu cried. Anu and Rinu ran up and held Meenu. "Anu, you're right ! I saw that waddling Ghost shaking his legs here and there". Rinu said " No way, how can you ever say you saw the Ghost shaking his legs". "Well, Rinu ! I too was thoughtful for a while thinking how it I could see it. But Anu, I saw it! I saw it !" said in fear. And Anu "ush be quite ! Granny would come up. Move, Move on ! Let me see the hut". Anu said, nervously. "Hey I am not scared of any thing" and went close to the window. Unlike Meenu, Anu saw the figure fully red; roaming about, waddling and shaking his hands. Anu thought that blood was flowing all over his body and screamed "Mummy! Blood! Blood! I am half dead". Meenu too cried out seeing Anu screaming. Anu felt dizzy and she fell. Rinu who was helpless ran to the window. She too was confused and puzzled to see the legs shaking through the entrance of the dilapidated hut. She too felt faintish. She looked at Anu: Anu had fainted; Then she looked at Meenu: she was crying closing her ears with her hands. At the same time she heard a car horn tooting. The car horn was familiar to her but she stood transfix. She turned to the dilapidated hut. The shaking legs were missing! She was surprised. She shouted at the top of her voice and then something strange shook her mind. She saw the shaking legs once again. She screamed closing her ears. Just then Mr. Joseph, the girls' dad arrived and hearing Rinu screaming he rushed up along with Granny, Grandpa and Naina. And they held Anu. Rinu related all what happened. Crazy Girls Joseph went to the dilapidated hut straight away and everyone laughed holding their stomachs and rolled on the ground. The dad said the truth is the ghost's an old feeble beggar residing there wearing a Red shirt and Red trousers which according to Anu was Blood. Everyone was laughing at the crazy girls who were at least able to enjoy two days at Nilgris. A great adventures it was. Farwin Farook, Grade 10 B (Eng. Med.), Muslim Ladies College, Colombo - 04.
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