Desi Horror Stories

Free Ride

The two teenage boys had had their fun of the day. The Goa sun had set now, and the sky was filled with cloudy darkness. Niket and Manuel were making their slow progress to their homes; there was absolutely no hurry. The plan was to walk all the way.

But that plan of walking in the crisp twilight breeze met with an abrupt end, as the first of the unexpected raindrops fell on the boys. When the flash of lightning tore the sky apart and the thunder boomed overhead, the boys knew they were trapped. The road was lonely; the rain drove away even the few people on the streets. All of a sudden, the raindrops turned as large as bullets and they fell with a ferocity that threatened to demolish the roads.

The boys, dressed in mere T-shirts and knee-length shorts, had no protection. They ran up to a tree, but that was of no avail. Within minutes, they had to wring out the water from their clothes, only to get soaked within seconds.

"This rain will kill us," Manuel said. "There's not even an auto in sight."

"W-walking was not a good idea, after all," Niket said, shivering because of the cold. "Oh, my head hurts... I think I'll get pneumonia."

Manuel, the older and larger of the two, stepped on the middle of the road. "Let me try to stop someone," Manuel said. He was fortunately wearing a white T-shirt and was hopeful someone would spot him. There was still doubt in his mind because the rain had turned as dense as curtains.

Then, amidst the roaring of the rain, he heard the distant sound of a vehicle approaching. The headlights became visible, two blurry spots faded out in the rain. Niket stepped into the street too, and the two boys jumped and hollered for the car to stop. The vehicle was a black minivan, and it was approaching fast. For a split second, the boys thought the vehicle could not see them and would run them over, but then it came to a screeching halt just a few feet away from them.

"We want a ride, sir," Manuel said.

"There are two of you? Where do you want to go?" said the driver, his eyes scrutinizing them over. He was a bearded dark-complexioned local guy whose teeth glittered as he spoke.

"Godwin Colony," Manuel said.

"Hop in," said the guy apprehensively. Another hand then pushed the door of the minivan—a female hand—and the boys stepped in without wasting another moment. As soon as they were in, the same hand closed the door, and the boys looked around in surprise. "Don't be surprised," said the driver. "There are no seats. Our business is transporting boxes. This is our carrier minivan. You'll have to sit on the floor."

The boys sat cross-legged on the floor of the minivan, grateful that they were out of the murderous rain at least. They could not see anything outside; the rain was so thick.

"I am Vinnie and this is my girlfriend, Cynthia," the man said. "We'll be there in ten minutes. What were you boys doing out in the rain?"

Thus began a conversation, an almost friendly one, where the boys spoke about how they had gone to the beach that evening and had a blast. They had smoked, drank, and even chased a girl for a while. A few minutes passed with such casual talk when Niket slowly tapped on Manuel's thigh.

Manuel looked up to see Niket covering his nose. That was when he became aware of the stink too. There was a distinct smell of rotten flesh in the car.

"Don't mind the smell," Vinnie said, looking at the boys through his rear-view mirror. "It's our business."

"Fish," Manuel mouthed knowingly at Niket, without saying it out loud.

"Dead bodies," Cynthia spoke for the first time, in a cold voice. "This vehicle is a hearse."

Manuel and Niket almost jumped. They were sitting on the floor where coffins were placed. In fact, they could now see a pair of coffins lined up in the corner.

"Oh my God! Are there bodies in there?" Niket said.

"Yes," Cynthia said, "we have to deposit them to their bereaved."

Vinnie laughed. "Cyn, you'll make these boys piss their shorts!"

"We are not scared," Manuel said bravely, even as he could visibly see his legs shaking because of the cold and the fear.

But when the coffins moved slightly but with a pronounced creak, the boys practically jumped.

"Wh-what was that?" Niket screamed.

"What?" Vinnie asked.

"The box! That coffin! It moved!"

"Don't mind that!" Cynthia said. "This is a hearse. We have ferried five hundred dead people to their graves so far. Those are coffins with dead guys in it. Creepy things are expected in our vehicle."

"Y-you are not scared?"

Both Vinnie and Cynthia shrugged.

"Why have we not reached home yet?" Manuel cribbed. "We have come so far."

"It's the rain..." Vinnie said. "Drat! I think I missed it."

"Drop us here," Manuel urged. "We don't care for the rain. Stop the vehicle."

In tandem, the top coffin slid a little more.

"Good Lord!" Manuel screamed. "Stop! Stop the vehicle now!" Upon that, both Manuel and Niket held Vinnie's arm. Cynthia screamed at the sudden turn of events. Manuel yelled something about giving him a moment to apply the brakes safely. The car spun on its wheels as he abruptly pressed on the brakes, took a sharp and very dangerous turn, and then skidded to a halt. Even before the car came to a full halt, the boys pulled the door open and ran out of the vehicle.

Vinnie and Cynthia sat dazed for several moments. Then Vinnie breathed a long sigh and started reversing the car. As they looked back, Cynthia observed it first and spoke, "Oh... the coffins have opened. Should I take care of them?"

They got out of the van in the heavy rain and opened the back door. It was Vinnie who made a strange clucking sound first and said, "When did this stop affecting us?"

"What?"

"The ghosts of the dead we carry."

Cynthia said, "Who remembers? But they do invariably come, don't they? Maybe to see their own bodies for a last time."

"And yet, these boys were strange," said Vinnie. "Poor chaps. Drowned in the sea. Afraid to see their own bodies. Well, at least they had a blast on their last day."

As he pulled the lids on the coffins carrying the corpses of Manuel and Niket, Vinnie saw their ghosts running away into the distance. He held Cynthia's arm and said, "Now."

Cynthia turned and looked. Almost as if on cue, there was a blinding white flash of light. When it faded away, the ghosts of Manuel and Niket were gone too. Vinnie sighed and shut the lids on the coffins and mumbled a prayer for their young souls.

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