Midnight Shadows: A Haunted Camp's Dark Secret

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 thi

t 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,