Negative Power(Horror Story) Poem by Sankhajit Bhattacharjee

‘Science believes in mathematical logic, hardly in any emotional approach', Subodh, a physics teacher of Nurul High School commented. Mr. Deb extended, ‘My son is always correct'. But Mrs. Deb exclaimed with utter anxiety, ‘No, they won't believe in science, something supernatural is happening to Titli. They are in search of a Tantric'. ‘Don't go to any Tantric', Mr. Deb cried. Mrs. Deb exclaimed with utter dissatisfaction, ‘Don't speak like this. You always curb my freedom as I am a homemaker. Moreover it is their matter, you must not interfere'.

Titli was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sen. Sumana and Surma were sisters- their bonding was too close since their childhood and had not yet faded a bit. At first Mr. Sen consulted a psychiatrist. Dr. Arun Dasgupta sentenced, ‘This is not the case of hallucination and Titli's nerves are strong enough'. Then Mr. Sen understood that his wife was correct- Titli became the victim of a negative power. Perhaps his one and only brother, Nishan, was doing something out of jealousy. He cursed Nishan.

Let me explain what was happening with Titli? Titli, a private tutor teaching Arts Group to Higher Classes, faced some unexplained difficulties from 10 PM to 11 PM every night. She stayed in her own room, either reading story books or listening to songs. She used to keep a pillow on her lap. Someone was snatching her pillow. At first she thought that she did some mistake. When the same thing occurred for three consecutive days, she expressed to her parents. When she kept the same pillow on her lap in the morning or in the afternoon or in the evening, nothing happened. Another thing she noticed- someone was pinching on her feet. But she noticed nobody. On the fourth day when she felt that someone suddenly sat beside her, she cried out of fear. Her parents rushed into her room but discovered none. On the fifth day Mr. Sen consulted Dr. Dasgupta. On the sixth day Mrs. Sen disclosed the matter to her sister.

On day seven Mr. Sen appeared at Baba Sahib's chamber at Kolhapur, some 30 miles away from his residence in the southward direction. Baba Sahib commented, ‘Take this key and keep it on her table, the crisis will be over'. He never charged any fee. Mr. Sen handed him with a five-hundred rupees note and a one rupee coin- it should not be zero at the end of a number. Yes, the crisis was over. For one week none disturbed Titli from 10 PM to 11 PM. But the negative power hit back to Nishan.

(437 words)