A Sew Through Time [Banbudh And Budbak]

18: Ghostbusting gone wrong

No entities show up in the sunlight. The darkness must consume them in order to appear more ghastly to living beings. That's what Khushi had said on their way to the ruins. Surprisingly the ghosts seemed to be acting too demure that day, the three felt exhausted, the glass jar in Budh's hand remained empty.

"If you break that then my mummy would break me" warned Badri who was busy clearing the hedges, feeling his feet sinking in the soft mud.

"Why?"

He stood up and replied, "That's supposed to be her sewing jar"

Budh turned the jar around, scratching off the remaining sticker glue clean.

"No ghosts here" Khushi declared once she returned from the mossy pillars.

Their adventure had turned stale. First they went to the old godown near the temple, finding it closed. Badri tried to kick down the rusty lock but watchman on guard chased them away. The 'haunted' house was locked for weeks, when the duo remembered the empathic old man who was its owner. Walking to the abandoned park, they continued their search when a pack of stray dogs tried to hunt them down. At last, the ruins disheveled their remaining hopes.

It was six in the evening. The kids decided to rest in the nearby park. Glancing at a snack stall made them feel hungry.

Budh turned towards them and inquired, "Want some Bhelpuri?"

Badri licked his teeth and agreed. He noticed Khushi zoning out and nudged her elbow.

"Oh! Yes yes!" She glanced up.

Lack of change had made them buy four instead of three. Finding a comfortable bench, they rested there tired legs peacefully. There was still light, the park was filled with children playing on the slides and monkey bars, some standing and hooting on the swings. Their parents followed them around. The elderly took rounds of strolls and the men smoked or had chai from the stalls.

The cool breeze made them feel sleepy.

Khushi put on an excited air, "Maybe next time there will be ghosts, dangerous ones!" She had failed in her quest, there was no lab nor signs of a possible time machine in the town.

There must be some places still left for investigation, she thought.

"Ghosts, they exist in our class, not here" Budh giggled while chewing the spicy puffed rice.

"Yeah, they would be terrified if Jeeva was here!" Badri humoured.

She sighed, watching him emptying the contents of the paper cone in his mouth.

"Aree don't be sad, smugface. We'll go to ghost burst some other time" Budh gently patted her shoulders.

"What are you three doing here?" Said some known voices, almost together.

They looked up.

The triplets stood infront of them with a ball and bat.

"You guys?!" Budh exclaimed.

Badri rolled his eyes.

"Hey why that face, we come here almost everyday" said Mukesh, the tallest among the three while he adjusting his glasses, "And what were you talking about? Ghostbusting?"

"Yeah, Khushi's a ghost buster!" Budh remarked, displaying the empty glass jar to them.

They stared at it for sometime and bursted out in laughter.

"Ghostbusting? You three?!" Ganesh, the smallest triplet, laughed while wiping a tear off his eye.

"What's so funny?" Budh retorted.