Tales Around the Fire - Short Story Collection

TALES AROUND THE FIRE

Tales Around the Fire Short Story Collection

DISCLAIMER:

We do not own the images used in this book. The image credits go to the rightful owners.

12th January 2023

Everything you can imagine is real.

~Pablo Picasso

Acknowledgement

This book is the final result of a team effort. We gratefully acknowledge everyone who contributed to this task at different levels and capacities.

TM Chandima Gayan, the President of the Siyane Toastmasters Club, thanks a lot for the support and encouragement to implement this project.

We thank all the authors who penned their beautiful thoughts. Your effort laid the foundation of this creation. Your dedication, courage, and discipline are highly appreciated.

We owe a huge thank you to all the judges of the "Tales Around the Fire" Short Story Competition who took the time to read these stories and gave their valuable decisions.

Also, we would like to recognise the editors who polished and primed the stories to bring out the best.

The editorial and proofreading team: TM Shanika, Ranasinghe, TM Chamin Athauda and TM Roshini Perera

We honour the creativity and dedication of the book designers in making this story collection a beautiful book.

TM Ravindu Mirihana, and TM Sanduni Eriyagama, we value your efforts. Thank you very much.

We recognise TM Gamunu Jayasundara for his unmatched support and encouragement in making this project a success. Thank you very much for everything.

Last but not least, we gratefully appreciate every member of Siyane Toastmasters who showed interest in the project, participated in the workshops and helped in every possible way till this book is finally ready for the eagerly waiting eyes.

Foreword

Once upon a time, long before language existed, primitive humans started storytelling in the form of cave art. The Chauvet cave in France is believed to be the oldest representation of storytelling found thus far, dating to 36,000 years ago. Ever since storytelling has been an innate human need. The art of storytelling, which started as pictorial depictions, later evolved into oral tradition, handwritten manuscripts and later, after the invention of printing in 1450 by Johannes Gutenberg, took the form of books.

Humans put the foundation of their lives on stories. The stories we hear on our mother and grandmother's laps, the bedtime stories that lull us into sleep, the stories we learn at school and the stories we create nurture us into adulthood.

Storytelling brings people together. It is an effective method of communication and has benefits beyond mere entertainment and enjoyment. There is nothing like a story to stimulate the imagination, which is a mighty tool against many problems.

Stories help us explore and understand different cultures and to live a thousand lives that we will never be able to live in reality. This experience exposes us to different situations and lets us walk in the shoes of a million people, starting from an emperor to a labourer to a homeless man. That is how the most crucial element of empathy is developed.

Writing a story also gives us ample opportunities to explore the world out of curiosity. The literary devices, vocabulary, perspectives and all the language-related information we come across during the story-writing process are significant advantages in language learning. The outcome is better knowledge.

Also, to sit quietly for a period, think , and pen one's thoughts take discipline. It strengthens the focusing power of the mind. The person who masters this skill will achieve so much in life. A person who listens to, reads, or writes stories is better at all these virtues . That is how storytelling makes a better person.

Also, to sit quietly for a period, think , and pen one's thoughts take discipline. It strengthens the focusing power of the mind. The person who masters this skill will achieve so much in life. A person who listens to, reads, or writes stories is better at all these virtues . That is how storytelling makes a better person.

This world needs more storytellers. Storytellers who know about the world, nature, the universe and the fellow humans. Storytellers who can take us across time to other dimensions, imagine better worlds, and predict the future. Storytelling will be a good starting point if anyone wants to change the world, make peace, and create a better society for future generations. It will teach the world to be sensitive to each other's emotions and needs. It will teach the world that the same thing can be viewed from different angles, and each perspective is correct from the given angle. It will show the power and beauty of imagination and words well-chosen

Tales Around the Fire, Short Story Collection is such an effort by the members of Siyane Toastmasters. This book is the result of the amalgamation of imagination and well-chosen words of some beautiful souls who dared to take the challenge. I invite you to read their stories and see where a simple picture can take the human mind wandering. Between these pages, you will walk through mystic dales and abandoned castles, meet mythical creatures from unknown dimensions and mysterious people with strange eyes.

Writing

It all started with a, A wooden wall

A gaping slit, and A curious little boy

Turn the page and enter the magical and mysterious universes they created just for you. Enjoy!

“It is just a field of grass? Why would anyone build a wall setting it apart? Point- less since there are many fields of grass. Why did this have to be hidden? Who did it? Why?”

Nemeilumine and Mystic Dale ShanikaRanasinghe

What is behind that wall?” he wondered while his knees ached from the pressure, and his back protested for a break. A bleak wall of wooden boards, cracked and paint faded at the bottom. It is a question he got no answer from any adult.

“

Jason Hilton, ten years old, was in his home garden, out of sight of the house. He was kneeling and half bent, gazing intently in front of him. Since he was five years old, he had wondered about that wooden wall, what was behind it, who built that wall, and why; but no answers came to his questions. As a toddler with his grandparents, he had seen it, smiled and dimpled at it; as an infant with his parents, he had started questioning it; as a boy of seven, eight, and nine, with various family members, his questions continued, but, unfortunately, without answers. No one knew about it. “It is just a wall made of wooden boards, son”, the answer was so clichéd. He couldn’t tell why the wall intrigued him so much, but it did. It aroused his curiosity and made him mope about at home. Since noticing a crack through which he could peep inside, he spent hours kneeling near the wall, trying to have some little clue as to what could be behind it. But he couldn’t find anything.

Today is another such day when he couldn’t control his curiosity anymore; he couldn’t mope about at home anymore. Ready to be disappointed, as always, he leant even closer, ignoring his protesting back and aching knees, and for the first time ever, placed his face against the crack. All he saw was little green blades trying to stand straight against the gentle wind which ruffled them. “It is just a field of grass? Why would anyone build a wall setting it apart? Pointless since there are many fields of grass. Why did this have to be hidden? Who did it? Why?” Questions whizzed around his brain. He longed, more than ever, to be out there. “Would you like to come in and see?” a soft voice asked. He started, looked around, and saw no one. Excited, he framed his little face around the crack once again, and the same voice was heard, the same question repeated. “Yes, please,” he answered. “Then, place your hands on the twin rainbows on your side of the wooden wall.” “Twin rainbows on my side?!” Sceptical but excited and thrilled, he drew back from the wall, and the first thing he noticed were two little rainbows, glowy and cute, bright with the seven colours, four feet above the bottom of the wall. Rising, he pressed both hands onto the rainbows. The rainbows, softer than downy pillows, moved around his hands, matching the shape of the two little pressed palms, the colours glowing brighter and prettier. A doorway formed, domed and gilded. Jason ran through the doorway to see the calm, quiet field of grass he saw earlier.

“What happened to it? Where is it?” he wondered aloud. He was standing in a woodland, aglow with soft hues of pink, blue, purple and yellow. There were little elves running, fairies fluttering, rows of pretty flowers gently rocking in the wind, with pretty little faces popping out of some, and far off, he saw a gleam of crystal and a strawberry Pegasus stretching and flapping its wings. He wheeled around and saw a wall of thickly-grown ivy, the leaves rainbow-hued.

“What were you looking for?” the soft voice was heard again. Looking sideways, Jason saw a rosy fairy with lovely pink eyes, chestnut tresses and a dress of roses near him. He said, “I saw an endless field of grass through the crack in the wall. I thought that is what was hidden by the wall.” “That is what you would see until you are ready to see the real magic, Jason,” the fairy said. “My name is Rosebud,” she continued, and they shook hands. “How do you know my name?” He was surprised. “Since your birth, the fairies have kept watching over you, and your name is not unfamiliar to fairy folk.” Rosebud beamed; her pink eyes danced. He returned her radiant smile, and hand in hand, Rosebud and Jason walked to explore the mystic land.

In Mystic Dale, they saw Flower Fairies, fairies born inside flowers and dressed in fairy dresses the colour of the flower petals. They offered Flower Pops and Flower Cups to Rosebud and Jason. He popped a blue Flower Pop into his mouth, and it was a cupcake flavoured with bluebells. Flower Cups were full of an amber liquid which tasted of bees’ honey and mint juice. Thanking them for the refreshments, Rosebud and Jason continued the walk, the hues of Mystic Dale shining on their faces. Elves and pixies were busy with chores, helping each other; robin redbreasts and doves weaving through the trees, and every now and then, helping the fairy folk of Mystic Dale. On and on, Rosebud and Jason walked towards the gleam of crystal. Drawing nearer, he understood that it was a lake in the woodland, Mystic Mer Lake. Mermaids, mermen, and water fairies danced and sang, cuddled dolphins and swam. Jason could see a bunch of moving rainbows further ahead. His jaw dropped open when he understood that the moving rainbows were actually Pegasi and centaurs with varied body colours, cantering and stretching their wings. Unicorns trotted about, their horns glistening in the hues of Mystic Dale, silvery, golden and rainbowy, and munched the lush green grass. Now and then, a fairy would come by, pet and play with a Pegasus or a unicorn. The strawberry Pegasus he saw earlier trotted up to Rosebud; she fed him apples and rested her forehead on its slender one. Jason drank all the beauties around and, spotting an easel with paper, brush and paint, started painting the different landscapes.

Hitherto, the ambience was warm, bright, cheerful, and cosy; the air was filled with birds’ songs and mermaids’ singing. Suddenly, far off in the distance, a horrible wailing started. Goosebumps popped up on the skin, and shivers ran up and down at light speed through his spine when Jason heard it; it was a death wail. Thunder cracked ahead, and lightning flashed, but no drops fell from heaven. Everyone stopped their work and huddled together. A depressing chill engulfed Mystic Dale while the soft hues of the woodland diminished. Bluebell, a fair fairy with lovely blue eyes, flaxen tresses and a dress of bluebells, flew over with Lilac, another fair fairy living true to its name; both extremely pallid. “We have terrible news! Finchyes is hobbling along towards our woodland, and Kreeyes hasn’t stopped her wail either!” The fairy folk gathered around were shocked at the news Bluebell and Lilac delivered. It made no sense to Jason, who asked: “Who are Finchyes and Kreeyes?” “Finchyes is the ugliest and most wicked hag alive, who detests us fairy folk, and Kreeyes is a banshee, whose wail foretells imminent death”, Lilac explained. “After her wail, Kreeyes definitely visits Mystic Dale. If Finchyes and Kreeyes both visit together, it is terrifying.” Jason paled like the fairy folk. “What shall we do?

Is there any way to bind them forever?” he asked. They all said no, but then, MerBlue, a water nymph with silver-blue curls and a dress of ocean blue, appeared from the lake and said, “There is a way to bind Finchyes forever so that she cannot bother us anymore. This silver-blue crystal must be brought in contact with a rainbow horn of a unicorn for one hour. Then, Finchyes should keep it on both her palms for twenty-four hours while someone chants the Nemeilumine spell to safeguard fairy folk and their lands from hags. At the end of that duration, Finchyes will be whisked away without any remembrance of Mystic Dale and bound forever so that she cannot return. For Kreeyes, a potion has to be given. The potion ingredients are cloves, button mushrooms, marigolds, sunflower seeds, honey, mint leaves, gold fairy dust and silver pixie dust. These should be mixed and boiled for eight hours while someone chants the Nemeilumine spell to safeguard fairy folk and their lands from banshees. After drinking the potion, Kreeyes will be whisked away, without any remembrance of Mystic Dale and bound forever, so she cannot return either.” The fairies, delighted, promised to do as MerBlue said. But she shook her head. “No fairy can do this. Then Finchyes and Kreeyes will feel it and cast a dark spell on the fairy. It has to be Jason, whose actions will not be felt by Finchyes and Kreeyes. Jason, will you help the fairy folk and Mystic Dale?” Jason was stunned. To be chosen like that to save a mystic land belonging to the fairy folk, he was speechless. The fairy folk turned as one to look at him, their expressions fearful at his momentary silence. Then, he nodded. “Of course, I will. I love to help the fairy folk and Mystic Dale,” he smiled.

Hope came back to their hearts. Jason said the potion must be brewed first of all so that it will be ready first. Then everyone can think of a way to trick Finchyes into holding the silverblue crystal in her palms. They agreed and flew in all directions to find the ingredients. In a quiet spot in Mystic Dale, Jason lit a fire with pinewood while ten elves brought a bronze cauldron from Mystic Mer Lake. While the cauldron heated, the fairies brought the ingredients in baskets and crystal jars. Jason added them in the order MerBlue said and started mixing and boiling while chanting the spell for Kreeyes:

“

Loa gazeni juncema elrojofo pollonilla él óv notiraumeer

Pir endejo erdbienig minzojol abemendue da ol cornausozen

Aso ollimi honzemmer petikehchos unifeenschnio om si saffeenstaer”

Through the chill of the death wail and rumble of thunder, Jason’s voice rang out with the

Nemeilumine spell like a soft ray of light. Incessantly, for eight long hours, the potion boiled, coloured and bubbled, stopping with a teal green hue and a mint odour. They covered the cauldron and hid a tall crystal phial nearby. Jason had just taken the silver-blue crystal to his hands when Bluebell flew over, pallid as a white bell. “Finchyes is here! And Kreeyes is coming as well! She is still far but definitely coming.” Rosebud, then a shivering white rose, whispered, “The potion for Kreeyes is ready. Jason is about to start crystal holding.” At that moment, the death wail was heard again so close at hand that Jason spun around to see Kreeyes standing beside him. But no Kreeyes was there, and it was just her voice ringing through Mystic Dale. Kreeyes had come to Mystic Dale!! Rosebud, Bluebell, Lilac, Peony, Sunflower, two centaurs, and five elves huddled closer, hiding Jason from view. Then, a grating, cackling soprano voice was heard, ordering pixies to chop up logs and elves to carry bags of black gold across seven lunar distances. Bubbles, a water fairy, flew towards the group and said their lake was freezing, and Flower Fairies’ flowers had started withering. “They will soon wither and droop, and Mystic Mer Lake will freeze, destroying aquatic fairy folk.” It was shocking news. Jason and the fairies felt nothing could be worse than that when Sandy, fairy dust-keeper and Shimmer, pixie dust-keeper, came running. They looked like they were about to faint. “The glow of pixie dust and fairy dust has dulled, becoming a dark black, because of Kreeyes’ wail.” The listening fairy folk turned marble white. “Fairy folk cannot exist if fairy dust and pixie dust become leaden. And Mystic Dale will be destroyed since everyone draws strength from fairy dust and pixie dust!” It sounded the end of the pretty fairyland he had found that morning. Jason felt his eyes welling up with tears. He tried to regain his courage to help his friends. He felt the fairies looking at him, their eyes pleading mutely to save their homeland. It hurt him. Just then, Aster and Forget-Me-Not came flying and said, “Finchyes ordered all the fairies to warm crystal water for her bath and to wait on her while bathing. Oh, what can we do? She is so scary and ugly.” The fairies near Jason shook with anger and fear. To be slaves to the most evil hag! The thought is fearful and loathsome. Jason’s head drooped in despair. He saw the silver-blue crystal clutched in his hands, glowing faintly. The death wail still ringing through Mystic Dale, the sudden climax of things overwhelmed him. Praying for a solution, he gazed at the crystal in his hands. All of a sudden, he knew what should be done. He looked around and saw the fairies crying and shaking. Hugging them all, he comforted them: “Please don’t cry. I have a plan.” They looked at him, amazed, wondering. He asked whether they have bath sponges or loofahs, and

the fairies said they use gossamer loofahs when bathing. “They are soft as down or silk, Jason. All fairy folk use those.” “Nice! Can you all find twenty such and two bathtubs now?” asked Jason. They replied in affirmative. “All right. Then listen up, quickly,” he said. He detailed the plan. Everyone gasped. The centaurs, wise and foresighted, agreed with Jason’s plan. “It is the only way. They will suspect nothing,” the low bass voices said. The fairies also agreed and, leaving the centaurs and elves with Jason, went to put the plan into action. Jason asked an elf to call a unicorn with a rainbow horn to him.

Meanwhile, in another part of Mystic Dale, the fairies had put Jason’s plan into action. After finding twenty gossamer loofahs and filling two bathtubs with warm crystal water, they, pleasant and welcoming, invited Finchyes and Kreeyes to have a bath while they waited on them both. Surprised, Finchyes and Kreeyes accepted and got into the bathtubs. The fairies waited on both like court ladies waited on their queen. After bathing and dressing in their clothes, freshly laundered by the fairies, they were escorted to two separate elf houses. Chairs of the softest heather gave them rest and relaxation. The fairies continued waiting on them and entertaining them, waiting for the finale. Jason, dressed as an elf, first visited Kreeyes, carrying the tall crystal phial filled with the teal green potion and mint leaves perched on the brim. Curtsying, he presented the potion to Kreeyes, who accepted with pleasure and gratitude. She drained it and laid the phial down. For a fleeting second, her eyes went blank, and the next moment, she vanished as if caught in a hurricane. Sandy and Shimmer, at their posts, sent an elf to deliver the good news: the glow of fairy dust and pixie dust had returned. Bubbles appeared in a bubble and delivered good news from Mystic Mer Lake and Flower Fairies’ flowers. One part of the plan is over. Now for the second and the hardest. The fairies were frightened. Jason, in his disguise, visited Finchyes with the silver-blue crystal. Curtsying, he said, “Madam Finchyes, I have brought a gift for you. This will give your youth and beauty back to you if you keep this crystal on both your palms for twenty-four hours, while I shall entertain you for the entire duration by reciting a Gaelic lyric that will soothe and calm your weary spirit. Would you allow this?” Finchyes, surprised and thrilled, cackled, “Yes, Elfin, of course. You may do so. Now, place the crystal on my palms, and I will wait and listen to you for twenty-four hours.” “You are most kind, Madam Finchyes, generous and considerate.” Jason slowly rose and placed the silver-blue crystal on both of Finchyes’ palms. Then he chanted the spell for Finchyes:

“Imo knopse unioceno haduenda perojoti ón ín sareflieer

Ein palozu moploilla fedelel maneeung be en keschasos

Kol roteno triaguia miliella fliglommer im de mefrinze”

His voice, soft, childish, and varied in tone, gave a poetic beauty to the Nemeilumine spell. Hours passed, and Jason varied his voice to dispel the monotony, and the familiarity of the words. Hours ticked by, and the sun set and rose outside. Finchyes still held the crystal and listened to Jason chanting the spell. Twenty-four hours completed; momentarily, Finchyes’ eyes went blank, and the next second, she vanished as if caught in a hurricane. The fairy folk sent a cheer and hugged Jason, who was breathless and hoarse.

“You saved us and Mystic Dale, Jason. Thank you so much for all you did and your friendship!” He was hugged, clapped on the back and cheered. He felt so blessed by their love and friendship. A fairy feast was set, and everyone enjoyed it. The fairy folk danced, the mermaids sang, birds chirped, unicorns, Pegasi, and centaurs galloped and munched the grass. Jason loved the feast and the memories and resumed his painting.

The revelry over, Jason had to go back home. All his new friends gave a souvenir to him to remember them by, and a portfolio embroidered by fairies for his paintings. He went to the wall of rainbow ivy, and pressed his hands into the middle. The gilded, domed doorway appeared; he saw his home far off in the distance. Loth to leave, he turned back, shared a final many-armed bear hug, turned and faced his home. He walked on, blinking back his tears, the souvenirs and the portfolio hugged close to his chest. Back at home, he wondered what to say about his absence for two days. A surprise awaited him. The grandfather clock in the visiting room said it was still afternoon of the same day he had discovered Mystic Dale.

“

It was a very narrow slit, a crack in the wall. I peeped through it. Behold. The rabbit was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a large mansion standing in the middle of a large garden.”

Eyes

HansaneeSenevirathne

Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever encountered a ghost? These may seem like strange questions to you, but it’s very important to answer them before moving on. And if you are confident that there are no ghosts in this world, you might have to rethink your idea after reading my story. Even after fifteen years, the memories of that day still give me goosebumps. Alright, without further waiting, let’s see what I have to say about ghosts.

It all started one Sunday afternoon. I was just ten years then. Short-haired, wearing jeans and fancied by horror movies. We, my parents and I, had just moved into the countryside because my parents had finally decided to run the farm that they had inherited. I didn’t like the idea at all because I loved life in the town, the school, friends, neighbours and everything in it. Now I’m not going to meet my friends or eat the chocolates I really loved. But mom said, “You will love this life, honey. Just wait and see.” I didn’t believe her at first, but when we entered the countryside, I was enchanted by the beauty of the surrounding. There were long fields covered with green grass and a lot of wildflowers. I couldn’t believe their range of colours; yellow, red, orange, blue, purple, pink; shades and shades of them.

“Honey, that is our farm. Peep your head out and see. Isn’t it beautiful?”

My mom said to me cheerfully. It was actually beautiful; a vast land of greenery surrounded by a white fence from the front. There was a beautiful white-washed house in the middle of the field. I had already started to love this place, but I didn’t want to show it to my parents. So I maintained the sour face that I had throughout the journey.

After unloading our belongings, mom wanted me to go out and play. She said that would cheer me up. I went out to explore the land. I remember the back garden needed much clearing at the moment. Unlike the front, this part was secured with a huge wall made of red-coloured wood. It stood a bit far from the house. I went near that. It was so tall that I couldn’t see the other side of it. I tried to find a place just to glimpse what was on the other side of that wall. But I was so small, so I had to give up.

The next few days, we were very busy arranging the house. I almost forgot the back garden and the huge wall behind it. After about a week, I was wandering towards the back garden. The garden was so beautiful in the morning, and I thought of collecting some wildflowers on my way to the back garden. Suddenly, a rabbit was under a huge tree I didn’t know the name of. The whitest, fluffiest rabbit that I have ever seen. I went closer, I wanted to touch it, feel the velvet touch of its fur. But it ran. I followed it. Then, it went through a small hole at the bottom of the wooden wall. It was a very narrow slit, a crack in the wall. I peeped through it. Behold. The rabbit was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a large mansion standing in the middle of a large garden. I was stunned. A sudden chill ran through my veins. It was a magnificent house. But it looked mysterious at the same time. I couldn’t figure out why I got so attracted to it. Maybe it’s because of the magnificent look, or was it really curiosity? It looked abandoned for a long time. The garden and the house needed a lot of maintenance; the old and rusty gate, the long-neglected front yard, the broken windows, and the garden full of weeds. It was like a mystery house that I had seen in horror movies. I stared at it for a long time.

“Martha, where are you? Come inside for tea.” I was startled. It was my mother’s voice which dropped me back into reality. I rushed into the house. Even during tea, I was still thinking about that house I saw through the hole.

The very next day, I peeped through the hole again. I wanted to have a better look at the place. I wondered whether there was anybody in that house. My little mind was filled with many thoughts about that house. I wondered whether I would be able to see a ghost there, like those in horror movies. But I saw nothing. It just stood so quietly in the middle of the field. But

still, I remember the scary feeling I got when looking at the mansion. Suddenly, I sensed like someone was watching me. I looked through the house, but there was no one. Frightened, I ran inside to the safety of my room. That night I wondered about the people who might have lived in that house. I decided to get to know more about it to quench my curiosity.

After a few days, I got a chance to talk with the milkman, who came to our house early in the morning on a regular basis. He was a kind, old man. During the conversation, I asked him about the mysterious house next to our farm. He looked at me with a huge question mark on his face.

“Little miss, why do you ask about that house? What do you want to know?”

“Is anybody living there?”

“Oh no. There had been nobody living there for a long, long time. People say that it is a haunted house. You better keep away from it.” He had a look of warning on his face which made me frightened. I slowly backed off into my room.

From that day onwards, I thought of staying away from that house. I stopped playing in the back garden and stayed inside the house for a better part of the day. My parents were busy running the farm, so they didn’t notice my changes. But at the same time, I realised a growing desire to explore that house again. I wanted to have a closer look at it. My little mind was filled with a lot of questions, and couldn’t stop thinking about them. “Just one look only”. I told myself. But the milk man’s warning look, with his large eyes, always came in, and I gave in.

That Sunday, I was in front of the hole in the wall. I just wanted to see. “Just one look, and I’m off.” I told myself. A sudden chill ran through my veins. I was looking through the hole. The grand mansion was there with its mysterious, frightening look. I looked carefully at every detail of the house. It was so quiet. Suddenly, I felt someone’s eyes on me. I looked at the windows. It was on the second floor. A face, a woman’s face, was looking at me. I was frightened to death. I felt numb. I closed my eyes for a few seconds. When I opened them, she was gone. I ran like a cheetah straight away into the house, sweating and shivering with fear.

I remember being in my bed. I couldn’t forget those eyes. I still felt like she was looking at me. I might have fallen asleep.

When I woke up, it was evening. The setting sun was brightening the western sky. I was walking towards the small shop near our farm. I was never sent out alone at this time of the day.

But that day, I was all by myself. When I was passing the mansion, I felt that strange chill inside my body again. I decided not to look at it, but I failed. I stopped in front of the rusty, broken gate, looking at the huge building. It was frighteningly quiet. Then I found myself stepping through the gate towards the house. I felt like I was attracted to it by a magnetic power. I went onto the front porch. The wood creaked under my feet when I stepped onto it. I touched the doorknob. It opened, and I was in a large living room. There was no furniture except for an old armchair. There was a staircase to the left side. I climbed it, even though I knew that I should be going home by now. I wanted to run away, but was unable to do it. It was like the house had the power to control me. At the top of the staircase, there was a long passage. I decided to turn left. When I did, I felt those eyes behind me. I turned back, and there she was, wearing a long white frock and a candle in her hand. I was stunned, unable to move. My eyes were ready to pop out from my eye sockets. Then she smiled, showing her blood-smeared teeth. I wanted to scream, but no sound came from my mouth. She was coming towards me. I must run, but I couldn’t move my feet. I stepped back, once, twice. I was in the air, falling from the staircase.

When I opened my eyes, I was on my bed. Mom and Dad both were beside me. I was wet with sweat.

“Honey, what happened? You were screaming, and we got really scared. What happened?”

“She…she… came to bite me… she wanted to kill me…!”

“Who? Who wanted to kill you?”

“How… How did I come here?... I …I … Was in that mystery mansion. There’s a woman there, and she came to kill me!”

“You are in your bed, darling. You didn’t go anywhere, and nobody came to kill you. Now go back to sleep. Mama is here with you.”

Was it a dream, then? No, it wasn’t a dream, I’m sure of it. I don’t know how I went into that house or why I went there. And also, how I came back to my bedroom is still a mystery, but I know what I saw.

Even after fifteen years, I can still see those frightening eyes and the bloody smile when I close my eyes.

“Luckily, I saw a small hole down the fence near the ground. I bent down to sneak-peak through the hole to see what was going on with aunty Monica’s house.”

I believe no one can survive the thunder ghost. This insecurity disappointed me about the world. I know how I suffered my entire childhood because of this bad curse. This ghost should not exist; that was my childhood dream. Someone should destroy this monster. Then we will be able to play, run and dance in the rain freely.

One day, my mother went to work. I was taken care of by aunt Monica next door. Her house is separated by a wooden fence from our house. That house was an old one. But it was well maintained. Aunt Monica grew various types of flowers there; she swept the ground and watered her flowers for hours every day. She was a nice lady.

That day she was with me in our house. We chatted and watched cartoons. After a while, she asked me to come with her to their house as she had some household chores there. But I didn’t want to miss my favourite cartoon. So I refused to go to her house. Therefore, she asked me to watch the TV until she returned in a few minutes.

After some time, aunty Monica left. I was obsessed with the TV show and enjoyed a lot of it sitting on the couch. Then, suddenly after minutes of her leaving, my TV screen got stuck, and all the pictures on the TV got blurred. I hit the remote and tried to fix it. But it got worse. I thought to go to the TV and have a look. Therefore, I got off the couch. Suddenly I heard a loud voice, like what we heard when it used to rain!! I panicked!!! "Oh, my God! No, no, no, don't start raining", I mumbled. If it starts to rain, definitely, the thunder ghost will appear.!!! And I was all alone at home.!! Unfortunately, I heard that sound for the second time. I wanted to reach the couch, but I was afraid even to move! I felt an instant anger with aunty Monica. Why did she have to leave me!! I had no time to worry about these things! I should think of a way to protect myself from the thunder ghost!! Before everything, I managed to reach the couch. Then what.? There were thousands of thoughts running inside my mind. I prayed that aunty Monica would come back soon before it started to rain. Otherwise, how can I survive such a devil? I closed my eyes and prayed to God and kept on saying, “please protect me until aunty Monica comes.”. I heard that thunder again and again. Why is she so late? I was shivering. I thought that I had to take action immediately before it got too late. Otherwise, the thunder ghost will come and tear me into pieces. But first of all, I have to find aunty Monica. If she is here by myside, It will be a big strength for me. First of all, I thought to call her via telephone, but on

second thoughts, I just remembered - if I touch an electrical or iron device, the thunder ghost will surely be able to find me. I should not let him find me. So I had to be careful not to get caught. But then, how can I reach aunty? I thought a lot. If I call her by shouting her name, surely she will hear me. But how? If I shout from our house, no one will notice me. I have to go outside for that. But it's too risky to go outside. I should not let the thunder ghost catch me. But again, I thought if I wanted aunty Monica back, I should be able to manage my fear somehow. I decided to take that risk and be adventurous. I stepped out of the house. But I was afraid to go to the main gate. It was too risky to get close to the main gate, as it was iron. I should be more cautious. Otherwise, the thunder ghost would win. Either he or I. The decision was in my hands.

Suddenly I got a good idea!! I remembered the wooden fence over there. But it was too high to climb. I ran there and searched the entire fence to see if there was a way to reach up. Luckily, I saw a small hole down the fence near the ground. I bent down to sneak-peak through the hole to see what was going on with aunty Monica’s house. I tried to see through her window, but it seemed there was no one. I was frustrated and saddened. I thought about giving up on my life. But soon I saw a figure moving around on the top of aunty Monica’s roof!! Who would be there? No one would be brave enough to be on top of a roof in this rain except for the thunder ghost.!! If my guess were right, it would be a disaster! He would take our lives sooner or later. I stared at him. Yeah, I was right. He was big, full of muscles and had a full beard. He walked straight and had a big bag. He might be using them to kill people, no doubt! Definitely, he is the thunder ghost. His look freaked out my little heart. But why was he on the top of the roof? Surely he must be checking whether there are children nearby to eat.. I should be brave. Otherwise, he would take me like that girl. It was the most appropriate time to take revenge for the thousands of lives he had taken away. I was still lying on the ground, thinking of a way to get rid of him. Suddenly I saw a ladder there. Maybe that's the one he used to climb up the roof. When I was thinking about it, I got a pretty good idea. If I remove that ladder, the thunder ghost would be stuck there. As he can't get off the roof, he’d die there. How brilliant I was. But first, I should step into aunty Monica’s garden secretly. Then, I saw a tree. Its branches were huge and spread out to aunty Monica’s house from here. If I climb it, destroying the thunder ghost will not be a big deal. So, I started climbing it. I heard my own heartbeat. But if I kill the thunder ghost, everyone would be grateful. That thought made me strong. So I climbed the tree silently and got into aunt Monica’s garden. Half of the mission was complete. But then, the most dangerous and important part remained. I had to remove the ladder before he came down to take

the children's lives. I stepped silently near the ladder. First, I tried to take it out, but it was so heavy as I was a little one. After a few attempts, I managed to push it aside. Then I ran into a nearby bush and hid there for a few minutes until everything settled. I heard the thunder ghost's startled screams, and I was happy. My mission was complete, and I sighed in relief. Now I should find aunty Monica and tell her not to be afraid of the thunder ghost anymore as I had killed him. But suddenly, I was shaken by a thought: what if the thunder ghost managed to get down from the roof and catch me? Just because of that, I thought that was not a good time to meet aunty Monica as I should escape from this danger zone as soon as possible. So I ran to my home, fast, at the first chance I got. I got inside my house unharmed and thought to go to bed as I believed it to be the safest place where the thunder ghost could never reach, according to my parents. I laid down on my bed and took a breath of relief. I felt proud of myself as I could catch this dangerous monster and felt very happy as well. With that safe and happy feeling, I calmed down and immediately fell asleep in peace.

When I woke up, the rain was gone, and my mom was next to me. I remembered that terrible incident in a moment and hugged her tightly. "Mom, where is aunty Monica?" I questioned her slowly. "Ah, she was at her house. We went there as soon as we arrived to thank her for taking care of you. She said she had to go home early as it started raining and her house had a broken roof. She was so scared that her house would drown, but luckily nothing bad happened. Were you afraid without aunty?” I was happy to hear that aunty Monica was safe, but I couldn't say about my heroic deed to mom because she would be mad at me to know that I went out during the thunder.

However, I spent the whole night impatiently. Tomorrow will be a new morning to have a great start. There would be no thunder ghost anymore. We could feel the real taste of rain as I had wished before. We could sing, dance and play happily even if it's raining, without any fear of ghost attacks!! How wonderful was that!

When the sun rose the next day, I decided to visit aunty Monica. First, I went near that fence and had an eye on the roof to confirm to myself that everything was fine. Yeah, there was no thunder ghost anymore. It had vanished. I stepped into aunty Monica's house freely as usual.

“Hi, aunty! How are you?” I asked with my giggling voice. It seemed that she wasn't that happy. She was cleaning her floor using all her energy. There were lots of rags here and there. Aunty Monica replied to me with a grunt. "Hello, son, today I have thousands of things to do. As you can see, I am in big trouble with this wet floor. I've had a broken roof for many years. I tried to fix it with someone before the rain started, but I couldn't. After doing this, I have to go to the hospital to see someone." "Ok, aunty, no worries”, I replied to her and came back home because she was busy. I came home happily, keeping my adventurous, happy secret with me as a kid.

“

Suddenly I saw a hole in the wall. I laid down on the ground, where that hole was closer to the base and the ground. It was a surprise. This is a great place to see that litle house porch.”

Pair of Eyes

MukulaanjaleeGunarathne

"Oh, no, today also, that woman is trying to kill that man." Mother said, listening to piercing noise coming from the direction of the next door.

"She is not like a woman, at least a human."

My mother said this not based on a conclusion that she made through an investigation but as an ordinary human with ordinary ears. We have daily experiences like this.

Now, this complaint from my mother is about the harsh conversation between the residents of the neighbouring house, which is separated by a wall from the rented house where we live.

In fact, it was a conversation between the elderly couple in the next house. The term ‘conversation’ is also inappropriate because we never hear a reply, even once, from the old man in that house. He is blind, according to our mother's observation.

"How mysterious that woman is? Scolding the old man the whole day is not enough for her. She needs that old man to wear his glasses all the time. Ridiculous. Even though he's blind, she doesn't want to show it to the world.” “Even if the man is perishing, she wants to show him as a modern gentleman with black shades.” How does mom know every aspect? How can she see beyond this wall? I pondered because mom usually gathers important gossip from the threewheeler drivers or her own friendly group nearby.

But one day, I received the answer.

"Why? My God! have you not walked in this garden? Can’t you see that the wooden wall ends from a wire fence? How do you know? That woman also thinks that no one can see. That is why the man in the front of the house is treated like a dog, and her dog is treated like her husband.” I got nervous. My mother was paying unnecessary attention to the activities of the woman next door. My father, who had been quietly listening to all this until now, also felt the same way. "Don't worry about other people. They will live the way they want. Let's mind our business." Mother calmed down a bit with father's words. She muttered something slowly and fell silent. "Yes, that man is blind and dumb. Maybe he is also deaf. Otherwise, why is he sitting on a chair silently as a rock? Anyway, it’s none of our business.”

However, I was amazed at Mom's powers of observation. I was very curious to find out what she was saying. So I went down to the garden and peeked through the wire fence at the end of the wall of the neighbouring house to look at their garden. When I suddenly looked around, hiding behind the last part of the wall to prevent me from being exposed to that side, it became clear to me how difficult a task mother had done.

Indeed, in front of that house, that old man was lying in a long armchair. He is too small for the armchair. Looking from a distance, I realised he was lying down, not sitting. Behind the house is a large dog kennel. I noticed that the dog could not reach the front of the house. At the same time, the dog sensed me and turned its eyes toward me and grunted.

"Rover... why.?"

The lady of the house asked the dog while opening the back door of the house and started looking around. I continued hiding behind the wall and ran towards our house while many ques-

This is a small, outdated-style house in the middle of a large garden. It is impossible to imagine why this couple, who spend the evening of their lives getting income from dividing the garden into parts with walls and fences and building houses to be rented, has such fights. The old man with a small body is also lying alone in an armchair in front of the house. A pair of black glasses on his eyes. My heart is troubled to find answers to many questions, including the reason why his wife is constantly angry with him. The wire fence limit is not enough to observe all these things, and it is further limited due to the dog.

I slowly made my way along the side of the wall to the front of the garden. Suddenly I saw a hole in the wall. I laid down on the ground, where that hole was closer to the base and the ground. It was a surprise. This is a great place to see that little house porch. Now I owned a wonderful place to closely observe the behaviour of the house members because the shrubs around it made a natural bunker for me. No one suspected. It was not strange for my parents to see me roll over on the side of the garden as a 10-12-year-old boy.

Days turned into weeks. My observations were endless. I can say that I have been lying by this wall for longer than I sleep on the bed at night. Even though I was sleeping on the bed, my mind was engrossed in this problem because I observed various incidents of the woman's behaviour.

The most curious is why the woman keeps trying to make the old man wear a pair of glasses. A blind person wears black glasses to inform others that he is blind or to hide any abnormal nature of the eyes. This man always has closed eyes. So, I am puzzled as to why she is constantly trying to get him to wear glasses.

This pair of spectacles is also an interesting device. It's not wearable on ears as an ordinary pair of glasses. The two temples are connected to each other like a headband and must be worn on top of the head to the eye level like a crown.

"I always say that you MUST wear this. Why the heck did you take it off today, also? Why are you so foolish to do such a thing? Put it on right NOW!"

When she sees him without his glasses, these complaints and comments keep coming out of her mouth. When I hear this, I immediately run to the hole in the wall. Most of the time, I see her bend down at lightning speed and grab the pair of glasses and thrust them into the old man's eyes as usual. Then her face becomes very scary to look at. Then she looks around and finds something she's looking for, picks it up and carries it out in a garbage bin.

Even though this hole was only 20 to 30 feet away, it was not enough to observe such strange behaviour, but there was no option but to watch constantly.

Then came a special day. I was doing my usual observation. The old man was also stretched in the chair. There was a sound from a tree branch right above the wooden wall.."

"kohoo.... kohoo.....kohoo.....kohoo...."

That was the new year’s season. So, a cuckoo bird screamed loudly from the branch above. This person immediately sensed it. He took off his crown spectacles and looked up at the bird screaming. That's when I saw his wide-opened eyes. Those eyes glowed yellow and were directly aimed at the bird.

"koo...hoo...koo...hoo....kog....kog... "

The sound of the cuckoo bird became wobbly. Then it fell, beat its wings a few times and fell motionless, covering the hole in the wall. As if an electric wave ran through my body, my mouth opened to let out a loud noise, but I covered my mouth with my hand. Still, a muffled scream escaped. He seemed to turn his face towards the sound, and I rolled away from the hole. A light or a beam of warm air was felt through the hole. An animal whimpered from the other side of the wall. Then there was complete silence. I froze and lay down on our side of the wall.

"Oh, wretch! Did you get it off today, also? WEAR IT!!. Oh, the poor thing...is it dead? You are to be blamed for all these crimes. Wherever you look, there seems to be an unfortunate being!”

The woman came out as soon as she heard the commotion. I felt her footsteps running towards the wall. As the hole was completely covered by the bird, I stepped aside again and held my breath. Coming near the wall, she picked up the bird that had fallen near the hole and hurried towards the house. The view became clear again.

"Poor animals come to pay for their sins. I will go to hell for giving you food and drink to live. There is a child in that house next door. Only God will know what we should do if something happens. This is too much. Stop these crimes!!"

I watched from the hole as she hit the old man with the dead bird and go back into the house in great anger. "But no matter what happens to me, if something happens to my poor one, don't call me a bad person."

Everything was cleared, including this woman’s frantic attempts to prevent this person from opening his eyes. The cuckoo bird had saved my life from those dangerous eyes.

It was fearsome even to go towards the hole in the wall. I used to go to the garden and spend my leisure time there. I felt some change in my behaviour after that incident. There was no appetite to eat or drink. Mother had also noticed this.

A few days later, when I was freely lying down under a tree shade in the corner of the garden, I heard someone shouting loudly. It was the woman next door. I peeped through the hole. With tears pouring from her eyes and mucus running from her nose, the woman next door used her old hands to make a hole in the ground with effort. Her form was scary. She was cursing through her dry lips and digging like crazy. After a while, I saw a bundle rolled with a white bed sheet being carried out from the house, so I thought of going near the wire fence. But since she wouldn't see me here, I waited. She took that big bundle and started shouting loudly.

Her dog was wrapped in that bed sheet which she opened slowly. She gently touched the dog's body and carefully buried it in the shallow pit, and ran home as a monster. I was filled with fear. I went home with trembling legs and sat down on the couch, and closed my eyes.

A few hours had passed while I was sleeping on the couch.

"I told you earlier that woman will kill that man. Don’t you remember? What a crime!" My mother’s voice.

“OK…fine... Now we don't need to worry. Now the police will do the rest.”

“I can't imagine what her desire to kill that man by torturing him was."

I woke up listening to the conversation between my mother and father, and when I listened carefully, I understood what had happened.

"That woman had a murderous desire! Today, a dog had been buried in the middle of the day. The other neighbour’s family had seen it. According to them, she was muttering hateful words like crazy. I think she killed the dog. But God, who can pluck out the eyes of their husband?"

I immediately jumped off the couch and ran towards the hole in the wall.

"Oh, sir, I only did it to prevent further destruction. I am not a murderer, sir. Let me die right here, sir."

"Oh, sir, I only did it to prevent further destruction. I am not a murderer, sir. Let me die right here, sir."

When I heard her wail, I was afraid to look through the hole, so I lay down next to the wall and listened.

"Do you think you can kill people and stay at home?” Policeman said. “Where are the two eyes of this man? Did you bury them? Answer me!"

She remained silent to the police's inquiries.

"Oh, my poor thing... my poor..." She rambled aimlessly.

She had killed that old man. Those terrible eyes were plucked out. The fear disappeared, and I focused my eyes on the hole.

Suddenly my eyes blinked, stopped and froze. I felt as if my body was burning as I saw a bloodshot eyeball staring from the other side of the wall at me. I felt the whole world spinning. I immediately ran home and jumped into my bed. I closed my eyes. The body felt a severe headache and a fever.

Night had fallen while I slept. I opened my eyes to take the glass of water on the table to quench my thirst. No water. Even forgot to wash the cup of tea given in the morning. I felt that there was something in it and turned my eyes towards it.

A gecko... It caught my gaze, and struggled a little bit. Then a deadly calm. My head throbbed.

"What is going on...?"

I immediately noticed a cockroach that passed by the bookcase. The cockroach fell upside down and became motionless.

I am crying. Can't even shout. Images line up and rotate around me. ...Old Man…Woman... Mom...Dad... School… Old Man's Eyes...

I buried my head in the pillow, closing my teary eyes tightly.