It was Leena’s birth day. It was the day which she was waiting for the past one year (actually a day less than a year). She was waiting to receive that year’s book from her father. She was crazy on reading. Every year her father gifts her a book and this year she was gifted the book titled A HAUNTED BOOK. She was very excited as she loves horror stories. She couldn’t stop reading the book... she opened the hard bind cover of the book which had combination of red and black colour. She slowly opened it and started reading it... The lines went on...

I got up in the middle of the night, I was sweating profusely...In my dream... an old man... The old man came in my dream. Yes the one whom I saw today morning, the one whom I met on the way to school. He was looking very terrifying and haunted. His face was very pale and grey which had many wrinkles and wounds. His toes had lots of cracks and were bleeding. His lips were grey and even a bit reddish which was because of blood which came from the cracks. His eyes were bulged with red coloured veins running all over which gave him more terrifying look. His hands were rough and wounded. His hair was greyish brown and same was his beard with pests running around. And his clothes which were torn and dirty added up to his disgusting look.
His face came in front of my eyes again and again. Today was the first time I saw him but he made such a deep impression in me that even after trying so hard I was not able to forget him.
I repeatedly heard his coarse voice which told or WARNED me that
YOU ARE IN A DANGER. SAVE YOUR SELF again and again.
I also had a strong feeling that I know him very well but I was also very sure that, that was the first time I saw him.
I tried my level best but I was neither able to sleep nor able to forget his face.
I thought I would better study for my upcoming test so that my mind gets diverted. I went near my table to take my math book. Accidently a newspaper fell on my head.
I am basically a very poor newspaper reader but astonishingly on that I opened the newspaper with such a curiosity I never had before even for reading my novels. Unconsciously I opened page number 13 – sports column which still then I’ve never opened in my entire life. In the right corner I found a black coloured dust kind of thing covered a portion of the newspaper. I gently rubbed that and I was very shocked to.........

“Leena look your friends have come to wish you. Come out and join them.” Leena heard her mother and with a heavy heart closed her book hoping she will open it soon...
After the birthday party and dinner she went to bed and opened the book with lots of curiosity and enthusiasm. She went back to the last line she read...

.........I gently rubbed that and I was very shocked to see the picture of the very old man whom I saw in the morning. The same face, same hair. Same eyes, lips, and toes everything was just the same SAME. It was neither a misconception nor imagination. I was damn sure that the one who was in the picture was the same old man. There was no information related to the picture except for two lines which were
YOU ARE IN A DANGER.
SAVE YOUR SELF
I wanted to share it with someone, may be my parents but I did not want to disturb them in this odd time and above all my mom is such a scared person that she gets scared for every small things so I really did not want to disturb her. I thought to keep the paper in my bag so that I can share this with my friends.
I somehow managed to sleep that night.
Next morning I went early to school and on the way I was looking for that old man but I nowhere found him. As I went early to the school there was no one exempt for me in the class. Just then one of my friends entered. I searched for the paper to show her. It was only then I realised that I did not bring the paper. Luckily I found two other copies of the same day’s newspaper on a desk.
I opened same page-13, right corner. BBBUT...

“Why didn’t you sleep yet? Tomorrow you have to wake up early as we must catch train at 5a.m. So you better take the book along with you and read it in the train. And now sleep well. GOOD NIGHT.” Leena’s mother told her. Leena with both disappointment and hopes closed the book wishing that night should pass very fast so that she can once again start reading...
Next morning when she got up the first thing she did was to open her novel and start reading…

I did not see any old man but only a photo of a famous athlete holding a trophy. With a great fear I opened the other copy of the newspaper and found the same athlete. I did not know what to do next. I checked few other copies too, all were the same. My eyes were filled with tears…
And my friend who did not understand anything was first starring at me and sat next to me and asked me what happened. I told everything from the beginning and when I finished all she did was to LAUGH very loudly as if it was the funniest JOKE in the world. I tried my level best to explain that I was not joking but telling the truth but all in vain… I tried telling about this to two other friends of mine and I got the same response…
Now all I wanted was an ear to hear me and BELIVE me which I was deprived of. I wanted to tell this to my mom and dad but if I do that, in the name of protection they will do all the possible experiments with me and I neither wanted to scare them. So I thought to deal with this all by myself.
That day when I went home with such a hurry and I directly went to my room and then to my drawer and searched for the newspaper. I did not find it. My fear had no bounds. I then searched in my shelf, cupboard, and book racks, under my bed, cot, and pillow, even in the dustbin. It was only then I realized that I did not check in the tray in which I keep all the paintings of mine and others, but I was sure that I didn’t keep it there but still why to give a chance and so I opened the tray which was closed with a cloth coloured in black and red. I found it there but I did not know how it went there but I was not in the mood think HOW and so I opened the paper. Page 13 – right corner – ouch…

Leena’s mother just entered the room and seeing book in her hand started scolding her to close the book immediately and told her that she may read it in the train as she was already getting late.
And the book was closed once again with a heavy heart.
In the train after settling comfortably without even waiting for second she opened her book.

Page 13 – right corner – ouch there was neither an old man nor those two lines but it was only the same athlete just like the other copies.
I was really left blank and did not know what to do next.

“Ouch” Leena heard a shout and she quickly raised her head from her book and notices that her mother has cut her hand accidently while she was cutting an apple and was groaning with pain.
Leena with giving no notice turned to her book.
She continued…

That day it was raining very heavily with thunder and lightning which added to my fear. I was shivering because of both the cold and fear. I was trying very hard to sleep. I found something very uncomfortable. I even heard a hissing sound. I was feeling very thirsty. I got up to drink some water, luckily I didn’t get up fully I just partially lifted my head and found a black and red coloured thing on me and I wasn’t able to recognise what was it.
I starred at it and latter found it to be a SNAKE red and black in colour surrounded me. I was stunned. I did not dare to move, I was waiting for the snake to move first. It slowly crawled on my body. I was stilled like a statue. It slowly crawled on my face then my head and lastly my hair and moved near the window pane. Luckily I had my windows opened and it crawled out of my room.
I went near the window to check whether the snake was gone or not. The snake was gone but…

“Leena here your mom is groaning in pain and you are so interested in that book” her father was shouting “close it right now or I’ll have to throw it out. It was only then she realized that her mom had cut her hand and luckily she had a first-aid kit with her.
After finishing the first-aid her father turned to her asked her hand over her book to him and to take it back after a week. And she with tears filled eyes gave the book.
And that day night when they reached Leena’s granny’s house her eyes were fully red after crying a lot for her book. Her mom felt very pity and asked her father to return the book back to her but her father was so stubborn that he didn’t.
That night her father who came to drink water got scared after seeing a soul roaming in the house with her loose hair flying, bulged red eyes and pale skin. Her granny who too came there certainly knew that something was wrong. Granny went near it and found it to be Leena roaming unconsciously. Next day morning when they were about to leave Leena’s granny gave her a sacred leaf and asked her to keep it under her pillow every day before she goes to sleep. Leena found that very funny.
That same day in train she somehow managed to take the book back from her father and continued…

The snake was gone but I found a figure which was looking very familiar to me. I tried very hard to recognise the figure but I couldn’t as there was no light exempt that of the lightning which was for very short period. An idea flashed in my mind. I quickly got my camera and tried to take a snap and took one too but it was fully black due to the lack of light. But my second try was perfect.
It was the very old whom I saw yesterday. But… but he did not have an HEAD. Yes he had all his bulged eyes, tangled hair and his weird beard but not his cheeks and chin portion.
By the time I could turn to him from my camera I did not find any one there. I stretched my neck through the window to check whether he had moved away but I did not find any one from the starting till the end of the long road.
I thought if I upload this picture in the computer and mail it to my friends I can prove that I was not JOKING but was telling a fearful truth.
I connected my camera and opened the image and …
…And found no man in the picture. The man was disappeared… I turned to my camera to check the image and found it to be in the same way. Just then I looked my watch to check the time and found a skull glowing in bright red colour.
I do not remember what happened after that. All I remember getting up from the floor next morning and found stains of blood but still now I am not sure whether that was an imagination or reality because I did not find it after I rubbed my eyes for a better look.
I got ready and left for my school. In the school even after surrounded by so many of them I felt very lonely. I needed an EAR to HEAR my FEAR which of deprived of. I moved out of the class sand sat on a bench in my school corridor. That was when I felt a hand on my shoulder which was warm and gave charm.
I turned towards the person and saw one who was looking prettier than a fairy, whose eyes showed me only love and kindness and...
Her beautiful smile,
Removed my sorrows for a while…

“Leena we have reached our stop, keep your book inside. You may read it once we reach home.” said her mom. And Leena did so.
After finishing the dinner Leena went to her bed and opened her book and started…

Her beautiful smile,
Removed my sorrows for a while…
She gently came near me and asked me why I was tensed. I told her what ever happened but only after she promised me that she’ll not laugh once I finish.
Once I finished she did not laugh but instead made me lie on her lap and patted me gently. I was feeling as if I was in heaven. Just then a thought stuck in my mind that I’ve neither seen her nor heard about her ever. But at that situation I was neither ready to spoil my mood with all those useless thoughts nor willing to miss that heavenly feel.
After passing fifteen minutes of golden time she told me that I can meet her any time at this same place to share my fear and sorrow with her. By this time we were well introduced to each other and even shared our numbers.
It was time for home and on that day my cycle was damaged, so I had to go by walk all alone. Luckily a woman with a red and black dress accompanied me on the way. As she stopped responding to me in mid of the way I turned back to see her.
I found her…

Leena was feeling very sleepy and tired and so she closed her book and slept. Next morning as soon as she woke up as usual she opened her book...

I found her burning in the fire... Her body slowly melted down and appeared a Red coloured skeleton. I just ran from there and reached my home safely...
Without even talking a word to my mom I directly went to my room. My mom just entered the room and sat beside me. She made me lie on her shoulder and gently covered my cheek with her soft hands she told me “I know very well that you are in fear of something but I do not want you to share it with me as I do not want you to remember that again. And now you go and do some painting and I think that can surely help you to forget this”.
I felt what mom said was right but I was in no mood to paint so I thought of seeing my old paintings so that I’ll get the mood for painting. I opened my tray and took a bunch of paintings and started watching it one by one. Some paintings were known and some were unknown. While I was passing a painting greatly grabbed my attention. I had never seen that painting before.
The painting was some ten to twelve inches in length and eight to nine inches in berth. It was painted mainly with two colours RED and BLACK and other colours too played a very small role. As I was starring at the painting I found few different pictures in it. In the beginning I did not understand them that clearly but after a deep examination I understood them well... It was the picture of those strange men... The old man, the man with no head, and the burnt lady... and a skull...
Without even thinking for a second I took my phone and called her, my new friend. This time I did not even dared to move my eyes from the painting as I knew that the painting would disappear even if I blink my eyes.
Luckily she picked up the call and I without even telling her the reason emerged her to come home. After starring at the painting continuously for fifteen minutes I heard the door bell. I ran and opened the door within a fraction of seconds but at the same time not losing the eye contact with the painting.
It was she and I took her to my room. I locked the room with her inside. I showed her the painting and started crying in fear. She made me lie on her lap and gently wiped my tears with her soft hands and told me “I am there for you”. I felt so comfortable. I heard someone knocking the door of my room and that was my mom who bought milk for me. That was the first time my mom saw my friend. She pulled me out of the room and started enquiring about her and I answered all her question. At last she told me that she was finding something wrong with my friend and asked me to be care full with her. I found it quite funny. I went back my room and locked the door behind me.
I took my place back on her lap and took a look at the painting and found a new image formed in the painting. A girl with a black frock and a red shawl covered her head and fore head. She had an evil smile on her pale face which was brightened with a dim light. And an eye with no eye ball bulged and was red in colour. Her loose hair were flying all over. I had never seen such a scene before that second. I turned towards my friend to show her the painting. And..

“Leena your holidays are over and today you are supposed to go to school and so please close your book and get ready” Leena’s mom shouted from the kitchen. But Leena without minding continued with the book.

And I found her to be in a black frock and red shawl covering her head and her loose hair flying all over... She looked just like the image. Before I could talk a word she poked me with a knife and told me IT IS ALL FATE. And I was dead...

Leena’s mom entered the room and angrily plucked her book and told her that she could get it only next week and threw the book in her room.
After some time the book was opened because of the strong wind. The page which Leena left was opened once again...

... Dead... Now I would like to take you a month back...
...That was my birth day and I being crazy on reading my father gifted me a novel named HAUNTED BOOK...
And now YOU ARE IN A DANGER. SAVE YOUR SELF.

And that was the end of the book...
That day night Leena got up in the middle of the night, she was sweating profusely...In her dream... an old man... the old man came in her dream. Yes the one whom she saw that day morning, the one whom she met on the way to school...

And now the next turn can be yours too…
YOU ARE IN A DANGER. SAVE YOUR SELF.

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