Lost in the Jungle

[This post has won the first prize in blogeshwar 6.0]

The world moved faster around me as I was running faster, between the trees, rocks and pebbles in the forest. "Someone please help me!" I screamed. I was camping and suddenly saw a bear started chasing me. I had learned that bears are vegetarian but may be my knowledge was wrong. The bear was making scary noises and showing its teeth. Suddenly, my foot got hurt as I stepped on a rock on its curved edge and bang.. I started rolling down in the valley. Now the world seemed to be spinning around me as I started tumbling. After I finally reached the ground I found darkness everywhere. I felt a pang of fear as I heard the bear roaring on the top of the valley. I saw my car lying under the tree. I was wondering where I can spend that night. My family would be worried to find me missing from the camp site and will start searching in the forest.

I wanted to get up and find a place but my body was in pain and it was difficult for me to get up and find a place for shelter. The moment I decided to rest for sometime I heard the crinkling of the leaves. Slowly, the crinkling sounds came closer, closer and louder. Suddenly, I found something crawling on my neck. " Oh my god.. " I shouted and opened my shirt and found some kind of insect trying to suck blood from me. Panic struck to me right at that moment. I was all alone and lost in this forest. I had to run from that place since it wasn't a safe place anymore for me. My heart was pounding fast and I was short of breath. My mind was running in all the directions and sweat beads were popping on my forehead. I somehow managed to get up and start walking faster. To my surprise I found a house in the valley and the lights in the house were glowing. I felt relieved but my heart sent a sudden shock to my brain - Is this a haunted house?

I have heard about haunted houses before. They are more than just being scary. They are creepy, disturbing and terrifying as well. I went near the house and opened the gate. It made that same old cranky sound as they show in the horror TV serials. I stepped inside the lawn, there was nothing. The trees were deserted without leaves or flowers. It was a decent size house. The lights were on but no one was there in the house. I knocked the door twice and with the cool breeze blowing outside the door opened with a swing. "Alright, be brave you have seen lot of TV serials" I thought.

"Is someone in there?" I started shouting. But there was no answer from anyone. The sounds of the bats hovering around the house was disturbing. I wanted to shut the door but it was a bad idea. I saw a massive stair case that was circular. I don't know where it ends but there were hallways and rooms. I checked the room near the steps but there was no one. The bed was nice made and the color of the cushions and the bedsheets were exactly like those of mythological serials where a King sleeps in his big bedroom. I got tempted but scared as well. So, I decided to climb the stairs. I checked the first hall way but there was no one. The stairs made a weird noise, may be they were too old! Fear gripped me from all the directions. My only interest at that time to find someone in this house.

I saw that light on one of the rooms were just turned off. The stairs were leading to the attic room. I climbed up and saw the room. The windows of that room were small and the curtains were all frayed out. I turned back and suddenly saw an image created on the wall because of a torch-light. I screamed to my top of the voice but saw a lady appearing from the darkness. She giggled and said " Who are you?" I was frightened and she could sense that. I narrated my dreadful incident of bear following me in the Jungle and how I ended up coming to this horror house. She said " You are in the state of panic and shock together. You need to calm down". Her soothing voice comforted me.

I asked her " Are you stuck here like me?" "No, this is my ancestor's house. I came to get this painting." She showed me the portrait. We suddenly heard some noises from outside. I got scared. She suggested to go to the cellar immediately. Since no one will know if there is a cellar. Hurriedly, we reached the cellar door. She slid the door and there was a staircase again. She stepped into the cellar first and she started stepping down through the stairs. There was a yellow fluorescent shade lamp glowing in the cellar. Meanwhile, the distinct voices became more clearer to me. It was my family who were in search of me. Before I could go to them the lady started saying "come here I am stuck. Lets go out together." But I thought of bringing my family here first so that they don't get lost in this mysterious house.

"Are you alright Rajiv?" My mother asked me. "yes mom, thank god you all came here. I thought I will die with fear and paranoia." "By the way how could you all find me here?"

My mom told me that they were worried since it was night 12.30 and I didn't return to my campsite. So, they contacted the forest security guys. They told her that a wild bear was chasing people around in that particular part of the jungle where I was taking some night pictures. From there, they understood the story and immediately came to this house. I asked the officer about the story. He said "Long time ago, there was a family living in this house and it used to be a vacation house for them. One day, their daughter Percy was going to come from London. But on her way back she was attacked by a bear and she was injured. By the time she came home she found her family dead. There was a terrible earthquake and that killed them when they were partying in the cellar. She was living in this house for quite sometime but she died because of illness. Surprisingly, the house looks good even though the earthquake took lives of the people. But the lights in the house is always illuminated. So, this happens every year and someone who is attacked by the bear appears to be coming to this house and never coming out of it."

It suddenly stuck me now the whole story about the girl and why she was calling me to the cellar. We rushed out of the house as fast as we can and we sat in the jeep with the security officials. After this incident I am always afraid to go to any forest. But those spine chilling memories are always fresh in my mind. The bear chasing, dark jungle, haunted house and of course 'Percy' too. I see Percy in my dreams sometimes.

This post is written for Blogeshwar and Anubhooti.