Days passed.
Jackson's ghost didn't show up again.
The villagers slowly returned to their routines.
The tension?
It was still there—
Like that awkward fart no one admits to.
But Rudra wasn't relaxing.
He had his eyes on one thing.
The Mansion.
One afternoon, Rudra marched to Nandan's house.
The old village head was sitting on the verandah, sipping herbal tea, wearing a veshti and a calm expression, as if he were the final boss of a temple trust committee.
Rudra approached with a diplomatic smile.
"Nandan sir, I heard the Jackson mansion is in your custody. I'd like the key—"
Before he could finish—
"No."
Nandan's reply was firm, flat, and immediate.
Like a judge slamming a gavel.
Rudra blinked.
"At least hear me ou—"
"No means no. That place has bad energy. Even our goats don't graze near it."
"…Sir, ghosts aren't allergic to keys."
"Neither is my heart. But you won't get it."
Rudra sighed and walked away.
Sigh~
"____"
Meanwhile… in a completely different genre…
Satya had given up.
Not on the ghost hunt.
On love.
Forget Jackson. Forget logic.
Forget criminal investigation.
The real mystery now was:
"How do I impress Viji?"
From wearing better shirts to suddenly developing an interest in jasmine flowers, Satya was trying everything.
He was still holding a notebook titled "Operation British Ghost,"
But now it was filled with doodles of hearts and awkward poems.
Mani, being the full-time sidekick and part-time hype man, added fuel to the fire.
"Bro, this is your chance. Strike while the saree is bright. Ask Nandan for her hand!"
Satya's jaw dropped.
"____"
"Marriage!? That fast?"
Mani nodded like a guru.
Nod~
"It's been ten days, bro. In village time, that's like two years in city relationship speed."
Satya gulped.
Gulp~
"But what if he says no?"
Mani gave a mischievous smile.
"Then we blame the ghost. Now go. Go propose. With spine."
Satya took a deep breath, fixed his collar, and looked at himself in the mirror, taking a deep breath and strengthening his resolve to confront Nandan.
Nandan's house...
Satya arrived at Nandan's house.
His shirt was tucked in, hair combed, moustache carefully aligned —
The man was ready.
"Today… I ask for her hand."
He walked through the front gate with the confidence of a man proposing peace between two kingdoms.
But as soon as he stood face-to-face with Nandan, the village chief's intense stare drained half his bravery like a dying mobile battery.
"Sit, sit,"
Nandan said calmly, nodding to a servant.
"Bring coffee for our city officer."
Satya sat down.
"____"
The chair creaked under his weight and his pressure.
"So,"
Nandan said, sipping his own coffee,
"Any update on the Jackson ghost?"
Satya blinked.
"____"
"Uhh… the investigation is… maturing. Like a pickle. Some… spice is still left."
Nandan raised one eyebrow.
Satya cleared his throat.
Cough~
This was the moment.
He leaned forward, trying to gather the courage to ask for Viji's hand in marriage—
SLAM!
The main door burst open like it was a heroic entry in an action movie.
A man with a puffed chest and owl-like eyes stepped in dramatically, scanning Satya like he was looking at a stolen mango.
"____"
"So this is the guy?"
"THIS is the man you want Viji to marry behind my back?"
Nandan's face darkened.
"____"
"Why do you always come through the back door, Veera?! What are you, a raccoon?!"
But Veera, completely unfazed, gave a sneer that was meant to be intimidating, but looked more like he had a stomach ache.
Sneer~
He marched in and stood before Nandan like he was in a courtroom drama.
"Uncle,"
He declared,
"Don't forget… I've loved Viji since the day I saw her in the 6th-grade sports day running race."
Nandan buried his face in his palm.
"That was 15 years ago! She doesn't even remember you!"
Satya watched the drama unfold like a live reality show.
But now, it was time to assert dominance.
With slow confidence,
Satya took his service pistol from his belt and placed it on the table—
Click.
"I may be from the city… but I protect people for a living."
Veera, not to be outdone, snorted.
He reached behind the door and pulled out a massive sword—
A full-on village-temple-guard-level blade.
"And I… protect this village. I may not wear a uniform, but I carry responsibility."
There was a long silence.
"____"
"____"
Even the servant paused mid-sip of coffee in the background.
Nandan sighed deeply and stood up.
Sigh~
"Both of you, get out. Take your weapons, your hormones, and your midlife love drama with you."
Satya and Veera blinked.
The love war was postponed… but not cancelled.
The tension in the room was so thick.
Veera and Satya stood like two roosters ready for a village showdown, arms crossed, weapons still on the table.
Nandan let out a long sigh and slowly turned toward the grand photo of his father hanging on the wall.
Sigh~
"____"
Below it, on the shelf, sat an old wooden box—
Dusty, weathered, and clearly untouched for years.
He picked it up, placed it on the table with a thud, and opened it.
Thud.
Inside… was a single, ancient iron key.
The room went silent.
"This…"
Nandan said, voice dramatic like a movie narrator,
"Is the key to Jackson's bungalow."
Satya's eyes narrowed.
Veera squinted like he was staring at his exam paper.
"You both want to marry my granddaughter Viji?"
Nandan asked, glancing between them.
"Fine. Let's see how brave you are."
He pointed at the key.
"Stay in that haunted place for seven days. Survive… and the one who does, will earn the right to marry her."
There was a thunderclap in the distance. (Perfect timing.)
FLASH!
Veera let out a dramatic chuckle.
Chuckle~
"Seven days? I'd stay there seven years for her."
Nandan gave him a deadpan glare.
"Please don't. The village doesn't have that much rice."
Satya, still processing the challenge, gulped.
Gulp~
His confidence flickered—
But seeing Veera puffing his chest out like a rooster, he stood up.
"Challenge accepted,"
Satya said, voice steady.
"For justice… and love."
Jackson Bungalow...
The wind howled.
The sky was covered in thick clouds, casting a grim shadow over the road.
Satya stood in front of Jackson's Bungalow.
The towering iron gate stood like the jaws of a sleeping beast.
Rust covered its edges.
The once grand lion emblem on top was now corroded and barely visible.
"____"
Satya adjusted his collar and muttered to himself,
"Just a house… bricks and wood. Nothing to be scared of."
He took one step forward.
Then another.
His hand reached out slowly…
Trembling slightly…
Toward the rusty gate—
CLAAAANG!
A sudden scream echoed.
"LEAVE… THIS PLACE!!"
A British soldier's ghost, dressed in a full redcoat uniform, with half his skull visible and eyes glowing blue, appeared from the mist and shouted right into Satya's soul.
Satya froze.
"____"
Eyes wide.
Mouth open.
Heart stopped.
"A-aaaaaAAAAHHHHHH!!"
He turned to bolt.
Only to find—another ghost standing behind him.
An Indian British officer, in old British uniform, holding a whistle in his mouth and pointing a rifle.
"YOU DARE STEP INTO HIS PROPERTY?!"
Satya screamed again.
"NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!"
He turned again, dashed off the road, tripped on a stone, rolled once, scrambled to his feet like a scared goat—
And ran all the way guest house without looking back.
Later that night…
The guest house was calm.
Everyone assumed Satya had gone to his room to rest.
But inside—
Satya lay in bed, wrapped head to toe in a quilt like a terrified burrito.
His eyes darted around the room, only the tip of his nose sticking out of the blanket.
A soft creak came from the wardrobe.
He jolted.
Grabbed the bedsheet tighter.
"This isn't worth it… Not for marriage. Not even for Katrina Kaif…"
He shivered. Somewhere,
A lizard clicked.
Satya gasped.
Gasp!
"____"
Fade to black.
Next Day...
Morning sunlight crept through the dusty windows of the guest house.
Birds chirped.
Chirp~ Chirp~
The tea kettle whistled.
Whistle~
And in the middle of the hall…
Satya sat shivering under a thick blanket like he'd just come back from a horror movie marathon inside a freezer.
"____"
His eyes were wide, his lips trembling, and a thermometer stuck awkwardly out of his mouth.
Rudra, Ravi, Mani, Tarun, Rohit, Isha, her friend, and Viji stood in a circle around him, staring like doctors examining a rare illness.
"He saw two ghosts and caught viral fever."
Ravi muttered, shaking his head.
"It's not fever,"
Satya croaked, voice hoarse.
"It's trauma."
Mani raised an eyebrow.
"You literally sprinted past me screaming 'Mummy save me!' last night."
Rudra chuckled.
Chuckle~
Viji, on the other hand, rolled her eyes so hard they almost did a somersault.
"Oh, please,"
She said, arms folded.
"Ghosts, seriously? That was just our village people playing dress-up."
Everyone blinked.
"____"
Satya peeked out from the blanket.
"D-dress up?"
Viji nodded confidently, walking toward him.
Nod~
"Yep. My dad used to do it all the time. Publicity stunt. Old British bungalow, spooky background, ghostly rumours—bam, tourism! You really think there's a real ghost with a British accent yelling at you for trespassing? Come on."
She turned to the others and gave a quick wink.
Wink~
They all caught on.
Ravi, ever the actor, gasped.
Gasp~
"Ohhh, now I remember! Didn't we use ketchup once as ghost blood for a short film?"
Mani added,
"Yeah, and that soldier ghost was definitely Ramu Kaka from the tea stall. He loves putting on costumes!"
Tarun and Rohit nodded like parrots in sync.
Nod~
Satya blinked… once… twice… and slowly… stood up.
"____"
The colour returned to his face.
"So... that wasn't real?"
"All fake,"
Viji said sweetly.
He let out a sigh of relief.
Sigh~
Then suddenly—
"I knew it!"
He threw off the blanket like a Bollywood hero rising from injury.
"I wasn't scared, okay?! I was just acting! Tactical retreat!"
Everyone exchanged glances.
Ravi whispered to Rudra,
"He cried like a baby last night."
"Shhh,"
Rudra smirked.
Smirk~
"Let the man have his moment."
With newfound energy, Satya declared,
"Let the investigation resume! I, Officer Satya, will uncover the truth behind the Jackson Bungalow!"
He marched to the door with the pride of a man who had just defeated his inner demons… not knowing the real demons were just getting started.
After a few hours...
Jackson Bungalow...
The Jackson Bungalow stood like a haunted monument of forgotten times.
Crows flew across the sky in slow motion.
A random chill swept through the wind.
And the iron gates groaned open… as if they too were trying to say
"Turn back."
Rudra, Satya, Ravi, Tarun, and Rohit stood before it with their bags, while behind them,
Mani waved like a worried mother.
"Call me if anyone gets possessed,"
Mani yelled.
"With what signal?"
Ravi shouted back.
"Run network… they always pick up!"
Mani replied with a straight face.
Isha and Viji were standing beside him with packed food and extra blankets.
Viji started to tell Ravi how to ask for help when they encounter any trouble inside.
"Remember, we're just outside. If anyone screams louder than a banshee, we'll assume it's Ravi."
Ravi looked confused.
"Why me?!"
Suddenly—
BHAANG! BHAANG! BHAAANNG!
Loud dhol(Music Instrument) beats echoed as Veera made his grand appearance.
"____"
He was standing near the gates with three of his cronies,
who were dancing like it was a wedding procession.
Veera was wearing sunglasses (at sunset), had a whistle around his neck, and was shaking his hips with far too much confidence.
"WELCOME TO MY PALACE!"
He declared, blowing the whistle dramatically.
Satya blinked, confused.
"____"
Rudra muttered to Ravi,
"Why do I feel like we walked into a street play?"
Veera stopped dancing and pointed his whistle at Satya.
"You brought your whole family, Officer? Scared to stay alone, ah?"
Satya tried to reply with pride.
"They're here to assist me in the investigation."
Veera laughed and gestured to his cronies.
"See these guys? My loyal soldiers. Also DJs. We brought a speaker, divine ash from a powerful temple, and my guru ji's secret fighting techniques."
He opened his pouch and showed a packet of divine ash, like it were a secret weapon.
Veera whispered to his guys,
"Once I apply this and do that Trishul pose… no ghost can touch me."
What Veera didn't know was—
His "guru ji" was last seen selling pirated DVDs of new movies and mango pickle at the city fair.
Ravi smirked and leaned toward Satya.
Smirk~
"Want to bet how long before he screams and jumps into the well?"
Satya rolled his eyes and turned toward the mansion.
"Let's just get inside before someone breaks into song."
Everyone walked toward the door.
As they stepped in…
The door creaked open like it had been waiting after Satya opened it with the key given by Nandan.
Veera kept dancing in the background, completely unaware that Jackson Bungalow was not just about rumours.
Inside, something… had started watching.
Inside the Jackson Bungalow…
Dust floated in the air like confused spirits.
The floor creaked louder than a thief with joint pain.
And a chandelier above blinked… just once… for dramatic effect.
Satya dragged his trolley bag inside.
"Trrrrr… trrrrrr…"
The wheels rolled over the old floor.
Suddenly—
"KYYAAA!"
Veera jumped, nearly throwing his lemon garland in the air.
He turned around in a panic, eyes wide like a cartoon owl.
"WHO—who's behind me?!"
Everyone froze.
Rudra blinked.
"…It's just Satya's bag."
Veera looked down, saw the trolley wheels turning innocently, and cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem. I knew that. Just checking reflexes."
Ravi whispered to Tarun,
"Yeah, his reflexes are working fine. Ghosts won't even need to scare him—he'll faint just from mosquito bites."
Veera quickly straightened up and pointed to the rooms ahead.
"This one's mine! I'll stay alone. Jackson ghost or not—I fear no one!"
Rudra raised an eyebrow.
"We were thinking of staying together. Big rooms, easier to manage, safety in numbers."
Veera scoffed.
"Tch! I don't need protection. You all can huddle like scared ducklings. I'll be in my private chamber."
He walked away confidently…
Accidentally smacked into a dusty curtain…
Screamed a little… then pretended to cough.
Ahhhh~
"Dust allergy,"
He muttered.
As his door slammed shut dramatically, silence filled the hall.
Ravi looked at the closed door, then at Rudra.
"Bro… 100 rupees says he screams before midnight,"
Tarun joined in.
"200 says he tries to escape through the bathroom window."
Rohit smirked.
Smirk~
"I'll bring snacks. This is gonna be better than horror movies."
Satya just sighed, already regretting agreeing to this whole seven-day dare.
"If this house doesn't have ghosts… We'll still die. From secondhand embarrassment."
The candle flickered.
The wind howled.
And somewhere… Veera locked his door four times…
Then slept with his lemon garland and sword beside him like it was his teddy bear.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?