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Case 4 # Listen.....to mommy!

University

"Professor, what exactly happened on that Highway?" One student, eager and eyes wide, finally broke the silence.

"Yes, Professor! Please! Tell us more about that Highway!" Another student chimed in, their voice brimming with excitement.

Professor Jenny, however, remained unfazed. Her expression was stern, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I only know that... there is a legend behind that tree," she began, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Which is very dangerous to talk about in between our studies time. So, skip this topic and complete your exercise!"

The students erupted in a chorus of groans and protests. "This is not fair, Professor! You're being rude today!" they complained, their voices rising in unison.

Professor Jenny sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is not a playground," she reminded them firmly. "We have a syllabus to cover. Now, please, focus."

But the students were already distracted, their minds filled with the forbidden legend. Whispers rippled through the classroom, fueled by curiosity and a hint of fear. The Highway, the legend, and the mysterious tree – these were now the only things that mattered.

Professor Jenny watched them, a flicker of concern in her eyes. She knew the allure of the unknown was powerful, especially for young minds. But she also knew that some stories were best left untold, their secrets buried beneath the weight of time and superstition.

Professor Jenny, perched precariously on the edge of a student's desk, chuckled sweetly. "Maybe, I can give you something... which will make you quiet for the moment!" she said, her voice a conspiratorial whisper.

She leaned closer, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "My grandmother told me... when I was a little kid. Many years ago, there was a village near that highway... and that highway was earlier an unpaved road, which went towards the city via that village. It is said that there lived a strange man in that village who never talked to people. But whenever any child in the village used to do mischief..."

She paused, letting the suspense build.

"...So that man used to pick up those children and take them away. And then all those children were never seen in the village again. Everyone said that he used to eat children."

A shiver ran down the spines of the students. They exchanged uneasy glances, their imaginations already running wild.

Professor Jenny, sensing their growing fear, pressed on. "Some years later... a half-burnt boogeyman holding a tuning fork that was on fire..."

She dramatically gestured with her hand, as if conjuring the image.

"...With the help of that weapon (tuning), the boogeyman used to search for naughty children and then satisfy his hunger by eating them!!!"

The classroom erupted in a mixture of gasps, whispers, and nervous laughter. The students, thoroughly captivated by the chilling tale, had forgotten all about their initial protests. Professor Jenny, a mischievous glint in her eye, had successfully diverted their attention, and perhaps, even planted a seed of fear that would keep them on their best behavior for the rest of the class.

The girl who had asked the question, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination, shrank back in her seat. "Naughty children! Which kind of naughty children?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Professor Jenny, enjoying the effect of her story, leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Children who ignored their mother's warnings!"