The Final Exit of Bhooth Madam
That evening, Arjun stayed late in his cabin.
Files were open. Mind half working. Half elsewhere.
Ananya stood near the bookshelf, unusually quiet.
After a long silence, she suddenly said,
“You know… I think I found my purpose.”
He didn’t look up. “Please tell me it is not to haunt my coffee.”
“No,” she said seriously. “I have bigger plans.”
He sighed. “Like what? Open ghost consultancy?”
She ignored him.
“I realized something. I can’t eat pani puri. I can’t drink tea. I can’t bang your head properly. And...”
He almost smiled.
She continued dramatically, “So I have decided… I will start scaring random people.”
He finally looked up. “What?”
“Yes. Proper ghost duty. Yesterday I tried.”
“Oh God…” he muttered.
She came closer, whispering excitedly.
“There was one small boy in your colony. He was refusing to drink milk. His mother was shouting. So I stood behind him and made scary face.”
“And?”
“He looked straight at me… and said, ‘Aunty, your makeup is bad.’”
Arjun choked.
“What?”
“Yes! Then he drank milk peacefully and went to sleep. I think he thought I am some cartoon.”
Arjun tried not to laugh.
She continued.
“And one uncle… I tried to scare him in lift. I floated slightly.”
“And?”
“He said, ‘Beta, do yoga properly. Your posture is wrong.’”
This time Arjun burst out laughing.
Full laughter.
Loud.
Uncontrolled.
For the first time since she died.
She placed hands on her hips.
“See? Even in ghost life nobody takes me seriously.”
He wiped his eyes.
“You? Scary? Impossible. You talk too much to be a ghost.”
She pretended to be offended. “Excuse me! I am premium category ghost.”
He shook his head.
“No. You are… just Ananya.”
For a moment, both went silent.
She looked at him carefully.
“No anger?” she asked softly.
“No,” he replied. “Just… peace.”
She nodded slowly.
“I think… I understand now. I was not here to scare you. Not to disturb your life. Maybe I was just stuck. May be traffic jam to go heaven or hell, Or may be server problem in registering the candidate for heaven or hell.. Uff so much of population.. Here also long queue.. I need wait for my turn here also .”
He did not interrupt.
She smiled — the same playful smile, but lighter now.
“You know what? I don’t need palace. I don’t need welcome party. I just needed you to laugh one more time with me.”
His throat tightened slightly.
“Well,” he said gently, “mission successful, Bhooth madam.”
She saluted dramatically.
“Thank you, Officer sir.”
The cabin lights flickered once.
She stepped backward.
“This time I think they are really calling me,” she said, looking upward. “Hopefully proper welcome party has been arranged. With pani puri and many good eatables are ready,..… even if I can’t stop myself to take that party...”
He smiled softly.
“Go,” he said. “And please… don’t scare children.”
“No promises,” she grinned.
And just like that
she faded.
Not painfully.
Not dramatically.
Like a joke that ends at the right time.
The chair was empty again.
This time, completely.
Arjun sat alone in his cabin.
But he wasn’t afraid.
He picked up his bag, switched off the lights, and walked home.
At the gate, he paused for a second.
“Bye, Bhooth,” he murmured.
Somewhere far beyond sight
a welcome party probably began.
And if there was laughter in heaven that day,
it definitely sounded like hers.
The End.
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