Creepy night

The news of Avi’s disappearance crept through the village like a shadow, unsettling everyone who heard it. His father, consumed by fear, wasted no time. He gathered his friends, and together they headed toward the hill—the Pahadi. The villagers whispered that the Pahadi was no ordinary place. Some said it held secrets better left undisturbed. But tonight, there was no room for hesitation. Avi had to be found.

The night was eerily quiet. As they searched near the farms, even the crickets seemed to hold their breath. The moon hung low, casting pale light on the fields, but the darkness beyond felt endless. Every rustle of leaves, every distant cry of an owl, made their hearts pound harder. Avi was nowhere to be seen.

Back at Avi’s house, Ram sat silently with Avi’s mother, Suman. The weight of uncertainty filled the room, pressing down on them like an unseen force. The oil lamp on the table flickered, casting strange, shifting shadows on the walls. Outside, the village seemed unnaturally still. Even the usual chatter of the stray dogs had ceased.

Then, suddenly, a sharp barking shattered the silence.

At first, it was distant—a lone dog howling into the void. But soon, more joined in, their voices frantic and wild. The sound came from the far corner of the village, a place where the waste was dumped. The barking grew louder, more urgent, as if the dogs had uncovered something they weren’t meant to find.

Suman stood abruptly, her heart racing. “Stay here,” she whispered to Ram, though her voice trembled with uncertainty. Grabbing a shawl, she stepped into the cold night, her steps hesitant yet drawn by the relentless barking.

The noise led her to a dimly lit area at the edge of the village. There, in the shadows, the dogs were gathered, snarling and biting at something on the ground. Suman squinted, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. It was a bag—an old, dirty cloth bag, damp and torn in places.

She stopped a few feet away, her instincts screaming at her to turn back. But the curiosity... it gnawed at her, refusing to let go. She reached for a stick lying nearby and waved it at the dogs, shouting to drive them away. They growled low, their glowing eyes fixed on her, before finally retreating into the darkness.

Now it was just her and the bag.

The smell hit her first—an acrid, metallic scent that made her gag. Her chest tightened, and her hands shook as she bent down to get a closer look. But before she could touch it, a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

She screamed and spun around, nearly falling back.

It was Ram. His face was pale, his breathing uneven. “Maa… what are you doing here? You shouldn’t have come out alone,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Suman clutched her chest, trying to steady herself. “I heard the dogs,” she said, her voice shaking. “Something’s in that bag.”

Ram looked at the bag but said nothing. He didn’t want to know. But Suman, driven by a terrible mix of fear and curiosity, reached for it.

The bag was heavier than she expected. Her fingers trembled as she loosened the knot. The smell grew stronger, filling the air around them. She hesitated, but then, with a deep breath, she tipped the bag over.

Something heavy fell out with a sickening thud.

At first, it was hard to make sense of what she was seeing. But then the realization hit her like a thunderclap. It was unmistakable—something severed, something that didn’t belong.

It was hand a human hand sliced from the wrist covered in dried blood

Suman stumbled back, her scream catching in her throat. Ram froze, his eyes locked on it as if it had cast a spell on him. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

“M-Maa…” he finally stammered, his voice breaking.

Suman couldn’t respond. Her gaze was fixed on the object, her mind racing with questions she wasn’t ready to answer.

And then Ram turned and ran.

He burst into Avi’s house, his voice frantic. “Come outside! Everyone, come outside! There’s something—something horrible!”

The villagers, roused by his shouting, gathered quickly. Lanterns flickered in the dark as the crowd moved toward the spot, their murmurs growing louder with each step.

When they saw it, a collective gasp spread through the group. Someone whispered, “What is it?”

all villagers were shocked upon seeing the hand

The once peaceful village now felt strange, foreign. The familiar faces of neighbors were etched with fear and suspicion. The air itself seemed heavier, as though the darkness had taken on a life of its own.

Ram stood in the crowd, his mind racing. “What if… no,” he thought, shaking his head violently. “It can’t be Avi’s. It just can’t.”

But the fear wouldn’t let him go. It gripped him tightly, whispering thoughts he didn’t want to hear.

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