The House of Shadows

At the edge of the village stood an old house. Surrounded by dense jungle, the trees were so thick that sunlight barely touched the ground. The house had been empty for years. The locals said it was haunted. No one dared to spend the night there. But Rahim wasn’t afraid. He had come from the city, studied science, and didn’t believe in ghosts.

Rahim’s parents were villagers. They had sent him to the city for his education. Now, Rahim had returned after completing his engineering degree. The villagers were happy to see him, but Rahim had one question—why was everyone so afraid of that house? He asked the locals, "Has anyone ever gone inside?"

The villagers replied, "Many have gone, but no one has returned. A zamindar (landlord) used to live there. He was a cruel man. One day, the villagers banded together, killed him, and buried him inside the house. Since then, his spirit roams the house."

Rahim laughed and said, "These are just stories to scare people. I’ll spend the night there."

The villagers tried to stop him, but Rahim didn’t listen. As evening fell, he stood at the door of the house. Pushing it open, a cold breeze brushed against him. Inside, it was pitch dark, with only the shadows of the jungle trees falling through the windows onto the floor. Rahim turned on his flashlight.

The house was filled with old furniture, a broken mirror, and books covered in dust. Rahim sat in a corner and began reading a book. As the night deepened, he started hearing strange noises. Sometimes, it sounded like someone was knocking on the door; other times, it felt like someone was whistling through the window. Rahim thought it might just be the wind.

Suddenly, the flashlight went out. In the darkness, Rahim’s breath caught. He fumbled with the flashlight when he heard someone standing behind him. He turned around and saw a dark shadow moving toward him. Rahim screamed, but no one heard him.

The shadow slowly approached Rahim. It touched his shoulder, and then everything went silent. Darkness enveloped Rahim’s vision, and he lost consciousness.

The next morning, the villagers found Rahim lying unconscious at the doorstep of the house. When they woke him, he only said, "They scared me. They’re all here." From that day on, Rahim never looked toward the house again.

The villagers said, "A zamindar used to live there. He was a tyrant. One day, the villagers killed him and buried him inside the house. Since then, his spirit haunts the place. Anyone who enters is scared away."

Rahim’s experience made the villagers even more fearful. They said, "From now on, no one will even look at that house." But Rahim had a question in his mind: "Why was the zamindar so cruel? Why did the villagers kill him?"

Rahim went to the elders of the village. They told him, "The zamindar’s name was Radhamohan Roy. He was very strict. He collected excessive taxes from the villagers. Those who couldn’t pay were tortured. One day, the villagers banded together and killed him, burying him inside the house."

Rahim thought, "This isn’t just a story. There’s some history behind it." He went to the village library and started searching through old documents. After much searching, he found a diary. It belonged to Zamindar Radhamohan Roy.

Rahim began reading the diary. It said, "I love my people. But I’m under pressure too. The British government demands high taxes. If I don’t pay, they’ll take away my zamindari. What should I do?"

Rahim realized that the zamindar wasn’t a tyrant. He was only collecting taxes under pressure from the British government. The villagers hadn’t understood him. They had killed him.

Rahim called the villagers and said, "The zamindar wasn’t cruel. He was only collecting taxes under pressure from the British. If we want his soul to rest in peace, we must give him a proper burial."

At first, the villagers refused. But Rahim convinced them. Finally, everyone agreed. They began digging inside the house. After much effort, they found the skeleton of Zamindar Radhamohan Roy.

Rahim and the villagers gave the zamindar a proper burial. After that, no strange incidents occurred in the house. The villagers said, "The zamindar’s soul has found peace now."

Rahim thought, "There’s no such thing as ghosts. There are only restless souls. If we give them peace, they won’t haunt us."