The tinkering stopped and I took a deep breath. The very thought of a ghost in my room made my heart palpitate fast but my mind refused to accept the logic. I had read many scientific reports which had dispelled the hypothesis of ghosts but the films and serials portraying them as real and wicked mystified them.

Sleep was by now miles away from me as I decided to keep the lights on and be awake. As if to challenge my resolve the curtain rod on my window came clanking down along with curtain. I sprang to my feet rushing the window shouting ‘who is there? Who is there?’ but to no avail. I was by now exasperated and hysteric with fear and apprehension. Glancing towards the wall clock I saw the needle indicating two a.m. there was still three more hours for daybreak. I prayed fervently to god to get me through this ordeal and save me from the clutches of the ghost which I was sure was haunting me.

The next three hours were indeed painful as I sat on my bed dosing on and off to sleep occasionally waking up with a start. I was glad to see the day break and got up stretching my limbs which were by now sore. I went to the adjacent room to find the splinter of glass strewn on the floor in one corner of the room which were the remnants of a bulb that probably had caused the explosion.

I switched on the t.v just as the news broadcast commenced. The newsreader began ‘lucknow experienced a mild earthquake measuring four to five in Richter scale leaving a trail of destruction…..’. the words of the announcer subsequently did not seem to register as suddenly the mysterious happenings of the previous night dawned on me. I thanked god for his grace in sparing me from the more disastrous consequence.