A Village Shrouded in Mystery and Darkness
Goa, with its lush hills and tranquil villages, harbors secrets that whisper through the night. As the moon casts an eerie glow over the landscape, shadows stretch and twist, concealing ancient mysteries and malevolent spirits. The transformation of a quaint Goan village from a handful of scattered houses to a bustling development has done little to erase the dark legends of the past. Under the black, star-studded sky, the village breathes an air of foreboding. This is the tale of one such night, a chilling brush with the supernatural experienced by Amul Naik.
Amul Naik’s Solitary Summer
It was the summer of Amul’s college internship, and he was home alone, his mother having gone on a holiday. Their house, perched at the angle of two roads at the foothill, was enveloped in an almost otherworldly silence. The village lacked streetlights and telephones, and when night fell, the darkness was absolute, punctuated only by the brilliance of a thousand stars. Amul reveled in this solitude, often retreating to the terrace to lose himself in the night sky.
One such night, after switching off all the lights save for a dim bulb, Amul settled on his favorite ledge of the terrace. The absence of his neighbors heightened the stillness, creating an atmosphere both serene and unsettling. His dog, a loyal companion who roamed freely around the area, was not home, adding to the isolation.
As Amul sat absorbed in the silence, his peace was disturbed by the flicker of light on the road and the silhouette of a man. Their village had its share of late-night wanderers, often returning home after a few drinks. One such familiar figure was a man who lived atop the hill. He was tall, muscular, and often shirtless, his bloodshot eyes giving him a menacing appearance. Amul’s dog, always accompanied by a few other dogs, held a special animosity towards him, barking madly whenever he appeared.
However, this night was different. The man on the road carried a fire torch instead of his usual battery torch, and his gait was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic. Clad only in a loincloth, he walked with an elegance that was unsettling. As he drew closer, their eyes locked.
His handsome face was marred by those same bloodshot eyes, and a chilling smile played on his lips. He stared at Amul, and he found himself unable to look away. His voice, soft and commanding, beckoned in Konkani, “Come.”
An inexplicable urge to obey him overcame Amul, and he was on the verge of leaping from the terrace when a sudden thought broke through the trance: “Where is my dog?” At that precise moment, he felt two paws on his back. The sensation was like a bolt of electricity, snapping him back to reality. The man turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the darkness. Amul collapsed, clutching his dog, tears streaming down his face. Relief washed over him as he realized the man was not the familiar villager he had thought.
For days, the incident haunted Amul. It was only after speaking with an elderly neighbor that he learned of the “Devchar,” a mythical being said to dwell in the forest. The Devchar lured unsuspecting individuals, who were later found either dead or alive but with no memory of their ordeal. Those who survived were often discovered far from home, bewildered and lost.
Years later, during a visit home, Amul’s mother recounted a local tragedy. The sister of a school peon had gone missing for months, only for her skeleton to be discovered on the banks of a distant canal. The circumstances of her death remained a mystery, with theories ranging from postnatal depression to foul play. The eerie parallels to Amul’s own experience sent shivers down his spine.
Amul’s faithful dog has long since passed away, but on that fateful night, he saved Amul’s life. The encounter with the Devchar remains a chilling reminder of the unseen forces that linger in the shadows of their village, a tale that continues to send shivers down the spine of those who hear it.
As their village evolves, the mysteries of the past remain, lurking in the darkness, waiting to be rediscovered. Each star-filled night, the silence speaks of secrets, and the air is thick with the unknown. Beware the Devchar, for he may still wander the roads, his eyes bloodshot and smile haunting, waiting to beckon the unwary into the abyss.
