Usha goes for shopping
The wooing wind blew from the Himalayas over the hills and trees. It passed the haunted hill and reached the village, on the slope of the next hill. It tried to blow away the tin roofs, doors, windows, chimneys and clothes even on sunny days.
Usha, her brother Suresh and her friend Binya spread their clothes out to dry, firmly holding them by rocks. They rested awhile there. Usha planned to go for weekly shopping. Binya could not go with her. Suresh was willing but he had to help Grandpa. He was worried about how she would return alone in the dark passing the Haunted hill.
Grandfather told a story about an English family which lived on the Haunted hill a hundred years ago and the family members were killed by lightning. Grandfather had seen the two children of the family often playing in the moonlight near the ruins even now. This frightened them.Usha went for weekly shopping passing the fields, hill, ruins and valley. The ruined house had crumbling walls with wild flowers, a wild plum tree in the floor of the large hall, lizard on the stones and singing bird on the empty window.
She went to Aunt Lakshmis house for tea and when the clouds gathered for rain she hurried home after collecting her mother’s slippers from the cobbler.
Storm on the haunted hill
The clouds and thunder were threatening to rain. So Usha hurried to reach home before dark. She did not have an umbrella but only a shawl and a scarf. Now the raindrops came faster. It was dark and lightning. Usha ran to the ruins to take shelter from the heavy winds and rain. She moved sideways to reach the corner of the old roof for shelter but touched a wild cat and was frightened. It was dry and more sheltered at the old fireplace opposite, but she did not know the way in the darkness. Her clothes and long black hair were soaked. The sound of the tin sheets and the storm blotted out all other sounds.
The lightning and thunder were often, Usha remembered grandpas story about lightning killing the English family and prayed it would not strike her. Suddenly when the lightning flashed again, Usha saw two small figures at the opposite wall near the disused fireplace – they could have been the children.
A night at the haunted hill
Usha wanted to leave the ruined building after seeing the two ghostly creatures. As she rushed out she bumped on something and screamed. There were reply screams and it was of Suresh and Binya. They had come looking for Usha in the stormy night. They were surprised, relieved and happy. They decided not to go home in the dark, thunder, lightning and rainy night when the paths also had fallen. Together they had warmth and confidence and stayed in the ruins all night, till the morning. They left the ruins on the top of the hill as the rain had stopped, birds began to sing, the sky was pink and bright and Suresh was hungry. As they were climbing down home, Usha saw a hand waving at them from the brow. Binya said it was the sway of the plum tree. But Usha also heard voices on the wind saying ‘Good Bye’. Usha wondered if it was just the wind.
