Ghost breeding

Enter the mysterious village

Jhumjhumi village. The name sounds like part of a sweet childish rhyme, but the reality is quite different. The village, deep in the hills, has roads so narrow and impassable that no outsider has set foot in it for many years. Locals believe that there is another species of ghost living in this village along with humans. But not ordinary ghosts, they breed.

Rahima, a young journalist, became interested after reading the strange stories of Jhumjhumi village on the internet. The stories were so unusual that he decided to go there to check if they were true or not. Her friends and family all forbade her, but Rahima's curiosity could not stop her.

One morning he went out with his backpack over his shoulder. It took two days to reach the destination. As he reached the entrance of the village, he felt a strange chill. A thick fog surrounds the village, as if a white ghost has swallowed it. There is no one on the street, only the pitiful cry of a dog somewhere in the distance.

Suddenly an old woman, bent over and holding a stick in her hand, stood in front of Rahima. Fear in his eyes, "Mom, why are you here? Get out of here! This is not your place!"

Rahima smiled and replied, "I want to stay for a few days. I will do a report on the history of this village."

The old woman's face contorted, "You don't know... Ghosts breed here! They look for new bodies!"

night terrors

Rahima went to an abandoned house in the village. The house is wooden, the windows are broken, the floor is covered with dust and cobwebs. As evening fell, the village fell silent. Rahima was lying on the bed reading a book with the torch lit, when she heard—Tap...Tap...Tap... The sound of someone's feet.

He dropped the torchlight and looked at the balcony—no one. But just then he felt someone standing behind him. Throat went dry, turning slowly to see—a vague black shadow with no face, just a tall figure standing in the doorway.

Rahima screamed, and instantly the shadow disappeared.

He closed the door and lay down on the bed, but could not sleep. Awaking in the night he heard someone whispering, "Come...stay with us..."

The secret history of the village

Next day morning go out to Rahima village. People were avoiding him, only one young man, Shafiq, approached him.

"You're going to be in danger here," said Shafiq, "Ghosts don't just populate this village, they multiply."

Rahima asked curiously, "How?"

Shafiq started the story—

"It is said that many years ago a saint placed a curse on this village. Villagers are not allowed to leave even after death as punishment for some crime. Their souls wander here, and seek new bodies. They enter human bodies and adopt them as their own. That's how their numbers increase."

"Then what shall I do?" asked Rahima.

Shafiq said with panic in his eyes, "Leave as soon as you can. Otherwise..."

last attempt

That night Rahima heard those footsteps again. Not just one this time—many. Peeking out the window, he saw vague black shadows gathering in the yard. Extending their hands, as if beckoning him.

Rahima closed the door and hid inside, but the door handle started moving. Someone wants to come in!

Just then Shafiq came running and gave him a brass amulet, "Take it and run now! They've got you!"

Rahima grabbed the amulet and jumped out of the back window. In the dark he ran and got a car and left the village. Looking back, he saw vague humanoid figures lining the village streets, their arms outstretched.

call back

Even though Rahima returns to the city safely, she feels like someone is following her. At night in his sleep he hears someone muttering, "You can't escape... our family is incomplete..."

Sometimes in the mirror he sees another face standing behind him—himself, but with completely black eyes.

He remembered the old lady of the village—

"Ghosts breed..."

Author: MD Tanvir Hossain