"Welcome to the ninth chapter. In the previous part, I shared a haunting encounter involving my grandfather. In this chapter, I will describe another such incident—one that forced even a man as logical as my grandfather to fully believe in the existence of the supernatural.
This was no ordinary event. My grandfather told me how a spirit once spoke to him before vanishing into thin air.
Recalling that night, my grandfather said, 'Son! Sometimes life takes such turns that they shake the very foundation of your knowledge, science, and logic. I had barely composed myself after the incident at the pond when, a few days later, another incident occurred.'
As you may know, in villages, farmers often sleep in their fields on a cot (chaarpai) to protect their crops from stray animals. Grandfather remarked, 'Even today, few dare to sleep in the fields at night because something strange is always happening there. But a farmer is a farmer; how can he watch the hard work of months go to waste?'
He continued, 'One night, I went to sleep in the field. Silence enveloped the surroundings. The weather was pleasant, with a cool breeze blowing. In the darkness, I took out my torch and began scanning the area. Suddenly, to my surprise, the beam fell upon a man. He was about twenty to thirty meters away, sitting on the ground with his back toward me, busy doing something.'
(Now, I know what your mind might be thinking... No, he wasn't doing that. People usually do that in the morning, not at midnight. Just kidding! Let's move on.)
Grandfather said, 'I slowly walked toward him and stopped about ten meters away. Son! In deserted places, one should always maintain distance during the first encounter with a stranger. Until you understand who they are, that distance acts as your protective shield. It's not that everyone you meet will be a ghost; in today's world, we are often in more danger from humans than from spirits.'
I asked him—"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The man remained silent. Perhaps he wanted me to come closer. I lit a cigarette and took three or four steps toward him. I asked again, louder this time—"Who are you? Are you looking for something?"
Suddenly, he spoke in a very strange, eerie voice—
"Chaudhary! Go, I spare your life today. Go and live your life. Today is a lucky day for you, but remember—if we meet again, it will be your last."
The man didn't even turn around. He stood up and started walking away. I only saw two or three of his footsteps before he vanished into nothingness. Even as he walked, I kept shouting—"Who are you? Why are you threatening me? What enmity do you have with me? No one in this village is my enemy. Show me your face!"
He didn't answer. After he was gone, I went to the spot where he had been sitting. I noticed with my torch that the soil there was very soft—so soft that if anyone stepped on it, their feet would sink deep.
But to my utter shock, there were no footprints. Not a single mark. I returned to my cot and spent the whole night wondering how this was possible. Was he really a man? I questioned myself, applied every logic, but I could never reach a conclusion. My mind only says one thing—whatever it was, it wasn't human. It was a spirit that challenged me and left.'
I didn't have a logical explanation for this incident back then, and I don't have one now.
What does your logic say? Was it truly a ghost? If you have a strong logical explanation, please let me know. I am eager to hear it.
Perhaps you'll say, "Grandfather was just imagining things; in the dark, he must have seen something else. At an old age, eyesight weakens, which could be the reason."
If that is your logic, then hear my answer—
"My grandfather's eyesight was perfect; he was very conscious of his health. Even at his age, he didn't need glasses. Moreover, he was a man of math and science; he always double-checked everything to ensure he hadn't made a mistake. He searched every inch of that soft soil where footprints should have been, but he found nothing."
So, if you have any other logic, please do share.
In the next chapter, I will describe a haunting incident from the childhood of the person closest to me. I will be waiting for your logic.
Thank you!"