Do you believe in Ghosts?

Venkat was watching the four boys sitting around the Ouija Board from a fair distance
One of them was looking crestfallen.
“I will help Krishnan speak to his Dad”, another cocky young boy was seen telling the other two.
All the boys were looking quite scared.
Soon he heard a voice from behind.
“Do you believe in Ghosts?”
He looked around and shot back, “Can I know who you are”
“Does it matter? You are still sticking by your identities”
“Don’t talk like a Saint; you must be having a name atleast”
“Ok, why get angry? I am Ajit.”
Venkat also saw a young girl sitting at a distance.
“Who is she, has she come with you?”
“No one comes with us or goes with us; she has come on her own.”
“No more preachy stuff please”, Venkat raised his voice
Ajit laughed at him.
The young girl smiled at both of them feebly.
“I am Asha.”
“Isn’t it strange, we stick to our names, identities and try to address ourselves?” Ajit said, though he knew Venkat may not like what he says.
“Look at that poor boy Krishnan, he desperately wants to speak to his dead father.” Venkat said.
“Poor boy, he does not know that his father may not be dead at all.”, said Ajit
“What do you say?” asked Venkat
“I have been here for some time hearing the boys. The father of that poor boy just did not return home one day leaving that boy and his mother alone. It has been five years since, and his mother has presumed him to be dead. She is in affair with her office colleague and wants to move on.
But the boy is deeply attached to his father and wants to know whether his father is dead or not.
His friends brought him over here, and they are trying to make contact with his father, in case he is dead.” Ajit concluded.
“Oh! What a pity.” Sighed Venkat
“What made you come here?” asked Ajit
“My children are married and well settled, elder daughter, somewhere in North India and younger one in the US. They used to contact me as long as my wife was with me. It has been one year since she left me, I was left alone. My children did not even bother to contact me and I suffered a heart attack. My last wish was to meet my children at least once and am trying to locate them. The innocence of that boy Krishnan reminded me of my own son in his younger days. Can you tell me, how come you are here?”
Ajit smiled at Venkat and said, “I am a social activist and a sort of atheist. I love to ask questions like, “Do you believe in God” or “Do you believe in Ghosts”. I knew only the language of humanity and did not even marry for I thought it would shift my priorities in life. It was evident that many bayed for my blood as I tried to fight for order in the society. A bus stop in my locality was used for parking two wheelers and rickshaws. Beggars used them as their temporary homes, a woman even pitched her hut permanently at the bus stop. I was surprised to see the commuters – children, women and men, patiently bearing their filthy abuses and trying to catch their overcrowded buses. I stood on a hunger fast along with moun vrat (vow of silence) for three days to highlight this menace. I felt happy to see the same people supporting me with candles in hand. The bus stop was soon cleaned up, but I could not see the other day as some ruffians took me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me away to darkness. I feel my mission for society is unaccomplished, but I am helplessly roaming around as I can’t do anything.”
Ajit and Venkat looked at Asha. Her eyes were moist.
She said, “I am looking for my brother.”
“Why, what happened to him.” Ajit asked.
“My father was working in Railways but was a drunkard, he always used to abuse my mother. My mother could not bear with his abuses and committed suicide at my young age. Since then, my brother took care of me. Two years ago, my father passed away and my brother got the job on sympathetic grounds. But life became more of a hell for me after that. My brother got married, and I was used like a maidservant in my house. But his wife felt that I am a burden for them. So, once when we were traveling in a train, my brother nudged me at the door and started screaming around faking accident.”
“So, why are you still searching for your brother” asked Venkat
“I want to kill him, this boy Krishnan looked like my brother.” Said Asha
”Can you do that Asha? We are actually nothing, and I don’t know for how long we are going to be around like this.” said Ajit.
“But looking at this young boy Krishnan, I feel how I wish I had a brother like him!” cried Asha.
“I feel like having a son like Krishnan.” Cried Venkat
“He is still a young boy with his innocence intact. God knows, what will happen to him tomorrow”, said Ajit.
Meanwhile the boys kept themselves busy
“Come on, just give it a go,” one of them was heard saying to Krishnan
“I don’t know” Krishnan said
“It’s harmless”
“Okay, no messing about and faking you’re the devil or someone else,” Krishnan said.
“Is anyone here” Krishnan said, as his stands started shaking
The glass beneath their fingers was shaking.
“Is my father alive or dead” Krishnan asked slowly
The glass gave a shudder and slid across the Ouija Board nearing the “No” symbol.
Suddenly, Venkat, Ajit and Asha were taken aback when someone rushed ahead.
Now, the glass started sliding near the “Yes” symbol.
The boys were terribly frightened, but kept hold of it.
“Aren’t you joking” one of the boys was heard muttering
The glass shot off to the “Yes”
“This is crap!”
Then the room’s lights went out
The next moment the room’s lights came back on.
“Do you believe in ghosts” the expression in Krishnan’s face, the one that his friends had never seen before, was of pure anger.
“I do not believe in humans. My wife killed me to live happily with her lover.” Krishnan roared as his friends ran for cover and he rushed out of the house like a man possessed.
Ajit got alerted, “Hey Venkat and Asha, we have got to save that poor boy” and rushed behind Krishnan.
Venkat looked at Asha
“I too do not believe in humans anymore” cried Asha as she rushed out behind Ajit.
Venkat was left standing looking around pondering helplessly.
Of course, ghosts exist. They are harmless souls without bodies. It is humans who do not want even ghosts to live in peace.