Kundan | Nani Ka Ghar | A True Horror Village Story

"My name is Kundan, and I was then in my grandmother's village. There was something eerie about the place, and missing person posters of Master Ji were stuck all over the village. The villagers would mutter that Master Ji was last spotted at our home. This agitated me, always thinking—had he stepped out of our house, then where could he have gone? To find an answer to this, I wanted to speak with my aunt.".

'Masi,' I asked, 'Do you know Master Ji?'

'Which Master Ji?' she asked, 'The one whose missing posters are everywhere?'

'Yes,' I assured her.

'Yes, I knew him. He was a friend of your grandfather's and would sometimes come to us. But after your grandfather passed away, he visited more often.'

'Why was that?' I inquired.

'He liked staying with us,' she said, 'and maybe with your grandmother also.'

'With Nani? Why?'

You see, after your grandfather died, your grandmother became terribly lonely. She wouldn't speak to anyone and spent all day immersed in books. Then, one day, she brought Master Ji home, and gradually she began to open up again. It was like his presence had driven away the loneliness. Master Ji also liked being here and began coming here every day.". He treated us with great care and even took the time to teach me music when he discovered that I loved to sing and play instruments.'

'He was a good man, then?' I asked, curious.

'Yes, indeed. He was extremely kind and generous.'

'So then what became of him? People report that he was spotted at our house for the last time.'

'They're correct,' she conceded, 'but as for what became of him, I don't know.'

'What are you saying?' I pushed on.

'On the night of Amavasya—the new moon,' she started. 'As usual, Master Ji arrived. At about 7 in the evening, he got up and said, "I think I should be off now."'

'So early? Why?' I interrogated him.

'It's almost dark, and I don't feel comfortable walking by the garden tonight,' he said.

I attempted to comfort him, 'There's nothing wrong with the garden. It's just superstitions.'

But Master Ji did not seem to believe me. 'Haven't you heard?' he said. 'Lots of people have disappeared there, and some corpses were even discovered close to that accursed garden.'

I dismissed it, insisting, 'Don't overthink it. Stay for dinner, and I'll walk you home afterwards if you're scared.'

He reluctantly consented to remain. As we talked to him during dinner, I saw my grandmother in the kitchen writing on a sheet of paper. She appeared to hold the paper against the wall again and again, as if presenting it to someone. I was unable to understand what she was doing.

She took Master Ji out after a while. When she didn't come back for a long time, I went out to find her. I saw them standing by the garden path. Thinking they were just chatting, I returned indoors. But I never saw Master Ji again after that night.

'So, did he also disappear in the garden?' I asked, confused.

'I don't know. If anything had happened in the garden, your grandmother would have said something to me. But she never mentioned a word about it.'

'Then what do you think became of Master Ji?' I asked, still inquiring.

She shook her head. 'No one knows. But the villagers are sure he disappeared in that garden.'

I couldn't get out of my head the mystery of Master Ji's vanishing. Why had my seemingly fearless grandmother never mentioned anything about it? And what was she doing with that strip of paper in the kitchen that evening?"