The group study

Human beings claim the lands and call it home. Animals claim the lands unclaimed by humans and call it home. But what about the paranormal entities? What do they claim? Where do they live? I asked the question, but my friend Ravi had the answer.

Ravi was my colleague. He narrated a story from his college days which still brings a chill down his spine. Ravi was born and raised in an overcrowded metro city. He believed that ghosts and ghouls exist only in remote villages and deep forests. But he found out in an unusual, unexpected way that not only living beings stay in the metro cities.

The dreaded incident took place when Ravi was studying in the third year. It was a crucial academic year. Ravi and his friends used to often study together. During tbe daytime, they would study at the college library, while on weekends they would have group study sessions at any friend's house.

One weekend, the group study session was planned at his friend Sagar's home. Sagar lived in the outskirts of the city where the atmosphere was quiet, that was more suitable for study. Ravi was packing his bag when he received a call from Sagar.
"Have you taken the chemistry journal?" Asked Sagar.
"Yes and also the organic chemistry book from the library. Anything else?" Ravi asked.
"That should be all. When will you come?" Sagar asked.
Ravi checked tbe time. It was 6 pm. There was still time to leave, "I will have dinner and leave by 8. I will be able to avoid the traffic if I leave a little late. I should reach by 9," Ravi told while calculating the estimated time.
"Okay, listen. How are you coming? Are you going to ride the bike?" Sagar sounded cautious while asking.
"Yes, do you want to get anything? Snacks or biscuits? I can bring them," Ravi responded.
"No, I don't want you to get anything. When you take the service road from the highway, do not take the shortcut. Take the longer route. That shortcut is not safe at night," Sagar spoke softly, almost whispering.
Ravi could not understand why Sagar was being so cautious. Ravi had visited Sagar's place several times but he never asked him not to take the shortcut. All his visits were during the broad daylight. But why today he insisted on not taking the shortcut? "Maybe it gets too dark at night. I never saw lights on that route. Also it is like a dirtroad. Maybe it is not safe at night. Maybe there would be stray animals", all possibilities started to appear in Ravi's mind.
He decided to follow his friend's instructions. It was a crucial college year and he did wish to take any risks that could jeopardize his future, "got it. I will take the longer route. Then I will reach by 9:15 pm. Don't start studies without me", Ravi joked.

At 8 o'clock Ravi was on his bike and he had already hit the road. He was glad to see that the traffic had frizzled out. He left the highway and took the service road. Lost in the thoughts, he forgot what Sagar had told him. He took the shortcut without realising.

That one shortcut was about to change Ravi's life.