Midnight Shadows: A Haunted Camp's Dark Secret

"Kids, come on down you are going to be late for the camp," said a wearied-looking father of three children. While waiting for his kids to come down he thought. Parenting is the most beautiful thing, however; it comes with a lot of responsibilities and working these out is like treading a thin path with raging fires on both sides. One thing gone wrong and not only relations with kids are fraught in the long-term but also the kids' character is damaged and it retains odd habits for the rest of their lives.

While such an attitude during childhood, against another person, might be treated as an ignorable matter, however, once childhood morphs into adulthood. Then, things might take a worse turn, particularly, when the court of law is involved. It is an inherent risk because to children it does not matter what they do, all they want is to enjoy, and do in contrast to what is being told them. After all a growing and developing mind is supposed to act, push the limits to determine how far until the line is crossed over from the position of right and wrong. However, several things are needed to direct children behaviour and two are fundamental. *****Firstly, the children must believe that they could trust parents under all circumstances. Secondly, giving emotional support when needed, the parents must appreciate or negate their habits giving logical explanation. Until her death, his wife had been doing that, and with a shooting pain, he realised that she had done it all wonderfully. Only after her death, he realised that he had not been there with her to unburden her. He had even dismissed her difficulties by calling them her tantrums. Well, what is done is done and lamenting would not help her or him or the kids. Although it was not easy, yet, he was thankful because Allah despite taking his wife away from him had given him health and the necessary wealth. He could use both to make the best out of life. Health beyond all other gifts is the most respectable gift. Without it, a person, whether rich or poor, cannot operate as wholly as the person should be operating. He was also grateful for the loving parents, who loved their grandchildren as if they were their offspring. Besides complete health and a loving family, he was also appreciative of the fact that in times when owning even a small flat or a tiny home was a dream for many well-earning people. He lived in a two-story house that had a grassy lawn in the backyard. This lawn was a source to children for venting out their negative and pent-up energy in a positive manner. *****As this thought came to him, he even realised that his kids were well behaved than even most of the adults... kids, he thought and looked around, while he was been mulling all this over within his mind. His kids had come quietly down the stairs with their bags and were sitting and waiting, at a table for their breakfast, watching him. He turned around, his smile faded and replaced with bewilderment and for a moment, he stood rooted to the spot blinking as his eyes fell at one girl and two boys. Next second, he felt two mixed feelings; concern and amusement at his children's wit, Ashar; the youngest of them all was dressed like a girl and was even wearing make-up that no doubt his brothers had painted upon his face. That, was a concerning part. Although kids had used water-paint and he knew, it was going to come off. Nevertheless, the act reflected taking advantage of a person weaker than oneself and making them do whatever one pleased. Ahmed asked, "Who are you supposed to be?" Ashar replied with a haughtiness that surprised Ahmed for a moment, "I beg your pardon. Who other than whom I already am, am I supposed to be?" Ahmed said, "I was hoping you would be my third son." He took off the wig and then said "Assalam Alaikum" After a pause Ahmed said, "Why are you dressed like this?" Ashar pointed at his brothers and replied, "They told me girls aren't allowed in the camp..." "And by acting like one you thought you would be spared from going there." Finished Ahmed Ashar's large eyes looked at him reproachfully for a moment before his gaze faltered down. Ahmed then turned to his two other kids and asked them, "Why do you people have to bully people younger than you just for the fun of it?" Ayan and Daniyal with sly looks replied, "Firstly, he has to learn what it is going to be like in the camp, we are not going to be running around looking after him all the time. Secondly, he has to prepare for worse because only then he shall fend people off when we would not be around him." *****Ahmed sighed, and was thinking over words to berate his kids in a meaningful manner when Ayan added, "Why do we have to go to the camp for summer? It is not as though it is an ideal setting, odd rumours are circulating about it as well do you not like us and therefore want us dead?" Ahmed pointed at the food storage pot that lay on the table. He took his time in answering them, kids, Ahmed thought, well, it is in their nature to resist things that to them might matter later in life yet not now. Their cognitive and other mental processes were underdeveloped and therefore, they could not analyse the situation rationally, not because they could not understand, but rather because their skills were underdeveloped in childhood. That is why perhaps they were not seeing the logic behind his decision regarding camp. He had two reasons. Firstly, Mr. Nanak a well-educated and good-natured person managed this camp. Secondly, he was a strict disciplinarian and believed in a simple life. According to him, a person must not have an aura of richness that should make less privileged people feel worthless and demoralised. A depressed person may then be goaded into taking extreme action. *****Ahmed had thought that sending the kids to such a place for a week would teach his kids the virtues of empathy and humility that are important for leading a successful life. After all, to a successful person is not it important to prepare for a life hereafter, and, as a Muslim this achievement shall be permitting his kids to reduce the risk of causing verbal or physical harm to fellow human beings. However, he must alleviate his kids' fear of the camp it was understandable after all as a child he used to be afraid of the haunting too. That is why he must justify his authority, over the kids. He must answer their questions responsibly. While he was synchronising his thoughts, they were interrupted by a grisly crime that had taken place a long time ago at the lot the camp had been built. He now remembered only flashes of the report produced by the authorities then. The murder of not one but three young teens in one night was inked on the front of one newspaper. *****A recently hired house cleaner was found involved said a line that was splashed across the front of the second newspaper. According to police reports, the accident had caused the death of two more children along with their father. As per records, just a few weeks before this hideous murder happened, two older teens had come from another town to settle in this sprawling neighbourhood. Another newspaper has found that back then the town in particular had become an attractive place to people coming from several parts of the country looking for a job, the jobs for house cleaners, drivers, and housekeepers. Ever since this heart-breaking death of four kids, the parents have doubled their efforts in protecting their kids. *****Ahmed too has not been lax and unbeknownst to his kids, a few weeks ago; Ahmed paid a man to install the location-tracking system. He had even convinced his children to wear smart watches. The next second, Ahmed was jolted out of his imagination and brought back into reality by Ashar saying, "Do you know what a boy in my class told me? He was nearly killed by a child-like ghoul for merely peeing in the woods." Ahmed smiled and said, "Now now, let us not be hasty in jumping to conclusions, firstly I love you all and have your best interests at heart..." Daniyal blurted out, "Then prove it by not sending us there." Ahmed said, "All right, you do not want to go to that camp, I understand that it is fine but then tell me shall the three of you be comfortable living next to that house all alone." Ahmed looked at the house that stood beyond the window and he saw his kids gazing at it and then gulping and looking at each other. Ahmed said, "Now, then, you see I had no other option, yes Daniyal what option, your Grandparents? Well, they are still holidaying for ten days from now they cannot take you in. I, on the other hand, cannot skip my business trip even if I am afraid of facing people at the office." *****"Yes, feeling afraid is okay boys but what is not normal is to stay away from facing fear. I am going to the office too am I not? What then shall I do if I am afraid? Does not going to the office sound good? Consider the consequences my decision shall yield?" Ahmed looked at them, and Daniyal said, "It is your duty." Ahmed looked down at him for a moment and then said, "Yes Daniyal, thank you for answering the question yourself. It is my responsibility to do what I have been assigned to do, and...I am glad that you brought this part up. So are you telling me that you have none?" Ayan asked, "What are you saying?" Ahmed smiled and said, "I am asking what your duty is, I think you are too smart to be telling me that your job is to be afraid of fear and sit back in one place. Is not that a bit dumb?" Ahmed said, "So my boys have you a better idea?" His boys merely gazed at him. *****He took advantage of their silence and said, "No, here is one then, and it is going to be answering your question about that kid. Now, answer me this, have you forgotten about what has been told by our Nabi Alaihimussalam." His children stared at him. Ahmed said, "Remaining pak at all times, not going to the loo without reciting dua and covering your head and most importantly going unaccompanied in the jungle at night." *****Ashar said, "Oh, I have forgotten about that." Ahmed said, "I thought so and another thing, in my opinion, you must spend your free time in a setting designed by learned people." However, Ahmed knew that the argument was not over yet because Daniyal was biting back a retort. Ahmed knew what was coming to his head. After its development five years ago, the camp inhabitants have heard teens screaming and running away while trying to avoid flying stones. Older people, loitering near the camp, had been slapped by some unseen and even odd-looking beings. Ahmed's case was also weakened when he realised and recounted the number of caretakers that had left the camp for good so far. Nevertheless, he heartened as he recalled the current caretaker. Not only the person was religious but also looked after the kids staying at the camp as if they were his own. He told the kids about wars that he had fought, and he shared stories about contentions between Crusaders and Muslims. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, though very old himself, he was like a child at heart and knew how to make them laugh. Daniyal said, "What about caretakers? So many have left and they have never been seen again." Ahmed said calmly, "Khan Sahib has been there for three years now, why then something bad has not happened to him?" Daniyal mouthed soundlessly for a moment and then looked at his brothers, both of whom were looking thoughtful. That was a fair point the kids thought. *****Funnily, now they remembered that every time a scene that has entailed a supernatural activity has involved either a bully and a weak or najasat. The kids looked at each other and felt that they had neither. They looked at their father, who was smiling, and thought that his points were legit. The house next door to theirs was even more severely haunted than the camp itself. What's more, Khan Sahib has a gun and is competent in karate too, and he is not a rambling sort of old baldy, he rather tells good stories. This fact meant that he was not going to be boring them off with the usual talk that people of that calibre are used to doing. Furthermore, while being at the camp, they could also meet their old friends, make new friends, and thus have a good time, discussing their homework and learning new techniques for solving math problems. "All right, we shall go to the camp." Ayan, Daniyal, and Ashar said together. *****Ahmed walked to his kids, put eggs on their plates, hugged each of them, and said, "I am glad to hear you say it, I promise you that you are going to thank me for my decision when you grow older." He paused and looked at them for a second. Ayan asked, "What?" Ahmed smiled and said, "I am appreciative of your consideration too thank you." Thus, without further debate, Ayan, Daniyal, and Ashar busied themselves with breakfast while their father set about doing last-minute packing. Ahmed was just glad that his parents had agreed to stay and watch the kids while he visited for his work. He looked around at his kids, he had not told them that their grandparents were not very fond of children, as he watched them laughing and joking, he felt that his kids would stir their Grandparents' hearts.