Chereads / The MAD medium / Chapter 5 - Mad cresent

Chapter 5 - Mad cresent

Moksh runs into his home through the front gate.

Moksh: Mummy!! Where are you?

Suddenly he could hear a rushing sound of footsteps coming closer. He looked around in fear but found nothing. The negative energy inside the house was a like a thick fog that almost rendered him blind. He takes a step forward and hears a teeth clicking sound over his head. He looks up and sees a lizard like ghost on the ceiling which pounces instantly on Moksh, he quickly dodges it and begins to run towards his mother's room calling her out. The ghosts get together chasing him through the house. The callings and running echoed through the house giving an idea of a rumble inside. Alpana could hear it all, sitting stiff at her place, looking at the ghost preying at her. Moksh pushed and kicked the ghosts as he ran through the floor. One of the ghost grabbed his collar from behind and tried to drag him into a dark room but he rolled around and pulled himself away from the grasp crawling to gain his balance and then ran towards her mother again. He threw at the ghosts whatever he caught on his way and those actually hit the entities. He reached the room his mother was in and peeped through the crack to confirm it.

Moksh: (peeping) Mummy, I am here.

Alpana: (Noticed) No, son, don't come here.

Moksh: (tackles the door continuously to break it open) Don't worry. I am going to save you, mummy. I... (tackles) will.

The ghosts reached Moksh. Alpana could hear the ghosts creeping in on her son.

Alpana: (weeps) No, Moksh, get out of here. Don't come, I beg you.

Moksh swings his arm and pushes one of the ghosts away throwing him on the others. Many slide out from behind and grab Moksh pulling him away from the door. Moksh grabs the edge of the door frame through the crack and tried to pull himself in.

Moksh: Mummy! Just a little more...

Alpana saw her son struggling through the crack and being dragged away by the ghosts. Her sphere began to shrink further as she crawled a little towards her son with tears in her eyes. The curse ghost began opening his monstrous mouth to swallow her head. It became visible to Moksh then and he lost all power in his arms and failed to maintain his hold on the frame. He was dragged away as Alpana saw it through the crack, the remaining sphere of her imploded. The curse ghost reached for her head. The house went pin drop silent. No movement, nothing. Alpana sat there looking through the crack of the door, waiting for herself to be gobbled up. Suddenly a torn body part of a ghost flew across the crack of the door followed by a quick cackle.

Alpana: (Surprised) Moksh!! Son!!

Soon, a series of crazy cackle echoed along with shrieks of the ghosts outside. The body parts of the ghosts outside flew across the crack baffling Alpana inside wondering what was going on. The negative fog begin to subside, like something was sucking it out. The curse ghost stopped for a second by the happenings, but again proceeded for Alpana's head. Before he could reach her, the door breaks open and the laughing boy lunges at him taking him away and smashing him into the wall. Alpana failed to understand what just happened. It went so fast, she only just saw the collision of both, the ghost and her son into the adjacent wall.

Curse ghost: (double voice, screams terrifyingly) You bastard child. I will kill you.

Moksh, with a wide grin on his face, punched it into the face with his big shining eyes like he was enjoying it. Alpana was shocked to see that side of his son. Suddenly her sphere began to come forth again. She could now see her sphere too, shining a divine light, growing and growing.

Alpana: (gets up and steps forward in an attempt to reach it, but the barrier moves forward with her) What is this? This light, it is so... so soothing.

The ghost swings his big claw hand at Moksh, he step backs dodges the swing, then grab the wrist and slings the ghost on to the surface of Alpana's barrier. The ghost screams in agony as it finds itself in contact with the barrier. It tries to step away, but Moksh with a big grin, grabs its head from behind and begins smashing it into the barrier causing great agony and damage to the ghost.

Alpana: What is this domain around me?

The sphere glowed more brightly. The ghost pushes Moksh away and flies up to the ceiling. Moksh, like a superhuman, runs vertically on the wall behind and lunges towards the ghost grabbing it's tail, cackling. He then pulls him and smacks him down on top of Alpana's barrier. Alpana looks above at the ghost stuck on her barrier and scenes of all the ghost encounters where everything would go normal on her arrival begin to pop up before her eyes.

Alpana: I see now, this is what it was. (Joins her hand) Oh! God of gods, Mahadev, thankyou. I am such an idiot that I failed to realise of such a wonderful boon you gave me. Forgive me, lord.

Moksh drags the ghost down and grabs his upper and lower jaws with his hands and begins applying pressure.

Moksh: (Grinning) You touched my mother, now don't mind if I touch you. (Whispers in its ear) Say, "Ram naam Satya hai".

He rips the curse ghost by his mouth in two and throws his body away.

Alpana: Moksh!

Moksh: (Walks to her)

Alpana: (crouches down and wipes his face)

Moksh: (smiles vanishes, goes normal) Mummy, I protected you.

Alpana: (smiles with tears rolling down her eyes) Yes, you did, my dear son.

Moksh: So, am I a man now?

Alpana: (hugs him) Yes, you are a man now, a real man. You freed me from my suffering. Just like you did when you were born.

Moksh: Just like uncle Dharmaraj said I would.

Alpana: What? Uncle who?

Moksh: Uncle Dharmaraj, he taught me how to destroy the ghosts and save you. He is huge and has a huge moustache like this (moves his fingers under his nose).

Alpana: (Hugs him and laughs in satisfaction) Uncle Dharmaraj, huh! I know who he is.

Moksh: You do. Then you know how cool he is right. Let me tell you about him.

He kept babbling. Ritika walks in and sees that the house was a mess and Alpana was hugging her son. She gave a sigh of relief.

The next day everyone was shocked in school seeing an active Moksh smiling all over the place.

Teacher: (Gestures Ritika to come over)

Ritika: (Arrives) Yes mam?

Teacher: What happened to your brother? Is he all right?

Ritika: Yes mam. Why do you worry?

Teacher: Cause till yesterday he was all grumpy and mumbling, and today he is cheerful and all. He doesn't look...all right to me.

Ritika: Mam, his mother, means my aunt said he is alright. I believe her.

Teacher: If you say so.

The ghost were peeping in through the windows at Moksh. As his smile transitioned into a wide grin, he looked at the creeping ghosts giving them the chills in return and they vanished. The child sitting near the window noticed Moksh grinning at him deviously and avoids to make eye contact with him trembling in fright.

The madness ensues...

The corridor ghost, escaping in a hurry, hovering through the corridor. Moksh, catches its tail, pulls him back shoves his fist through its chest cackling madly.

Game period, the other kids looked at Moksh shadow fighting in the corner with awe.

Kid 1: Woah! That is crazy.

Kid 2: Is he learning kung fu?

Kid 3: Look at him go.

Kid 4: Hey, I actually saw someone fight like that on the TV.

Moksh, shadow fighting, well that is what appeared to others but, he was actually smashing down his pursuers into the ground, with a grin on his face, enjoying the thrill. Grabs the arm of the ghost, absorbs it's negative energy making himself stronger, swings the ghost and smashes it on the ground over his neck and rips the arm and shoves it in its skull. The ghost fades away, Moksh flips up in the air, dodging a ghost dashing at him, touches its forehead and flips back hinging himself by its head and drop kicks drilling through its chest. A ghost grabs his neck pushing him back choking. Moksh gasps as he absorbed its energy and converted it into positive energy. Pulling the grin on his face, he grabs its boney arms and pulls them forcefully breaking them and shoving them back one in each ear.

Kid 2: It seems like he is fighting real people.

Kid 3: What do you know about real fights?

Kid 1: He is scary. But that looks fun.

Kid 4: Should we ask to play with him? Maybe he will teach us those moves too.

Kid 1: I am going (runs towards Moksh followed by others).

Moksh: (Rips off and throws away another ghost).

Kid 1: Hey Moksh, can we play with you?

Moksh: With me?

Kid 4: Yes, teach me how to jump like that.

Moksh: I don't know that myself. How can I teach you?

Kid :4 Please, it was so cool.

Moksh: Well, let's see.

The alley of the bald ghost, the ghost was munching on another ghost this time. Chewing on his meal, he quickly turns his head back 180 degrees behind sensing someone was watching him. Moksh, standing at start of the alley with a huge grin on his face, gazed at him for a while then ran away cackling crazily. The ghost had a moment of uneasiness. He turned to get back to his meal. But before he could start again, the crazy cackle began to echo through the alley. He turned to his side and saw Moksh standing beside him with a devious grin. The another ghost the bald ghost was eating was missing its eyes. The eyes were still in the bald ghost's mouth. The sudden appearance of Moksh halted its chewing. In response to the surprise, the ghost drew out eyes all over his body and his main protruding eyes popped further out. He slowly stood up, showing its saw shaped teeth in order to intimidate Moksh but his grin did not shift a bit. He gazed at the ghost who was double his size with a mad expression and punched right through his gut. The ghost screamed in pain and stumbled backwards leaving Moksh's hand behind. The punch drilled a hole through its gut. In agony and anger, the ghost jumped at Moksh with his teeth spread ready to bite his head off. Moksh slips through between his legs and runs on the wall behind flips backward, grabs his head by his both hands and digs his finger into his eyes, pulls it down with his body weight and smashes it into the ground with tremendous force. The face of the ghost splattered like a black ink on the surface. Moksh puts his left foot on the lying ghost's shoulder, pulls his skull by his dug fingers and rips it off of its shoulder and throws it away. He walks away smiling while the ghosts spiritual form disintegrates behind him slowly. He steps out of the alley and Ritika yells from behind.

Ritika: (Huffing) Moksh! Why you! Aunt told us to stay together after school. What are you doing running away like this, idiot?

Moksh: (Smiles and starts running again) Catch me sis,hurry.

Ritika: (Chases him, angry, yells) Moksh!!!

The peeping ghost hiding behind the tree in the park saw Moksh running by at a distance followed by Ritika. They vanished as the ghost kept peering from behind the tree. People were walking around in the park behind the ghost, small children were running around blissfully playing around with balloons and toys. The ghost was still looking Moksh's way when suddenly it realised there was something or someone on the tree over its head. She quickly looks and sees Moksh stuck on the trunk. He grabs the ghost's hair using his left hand and bangs its face into the trunk again and again.

Ritika: (looks up at him angrily) Moksh!

Moksh: (lets go of the ghost and it falls flat on the ground) Sis!!

Ritika: You evaded me only to come here and climb a tree like a monkey.

Moksh: (grins) I felt like it.

Ritika: Felt like it? Ah! And if you fell like this, you will hurt yourself. Come down slowly.

Moksh: Ok (jumps from his position).

Ritika: (Worried) Arey!

Moksh: (Drops on the ghost's face and crushes it, joins his hand in praying stance, whispers) "Ram naam Satya hai".

Ritika: (swats on his head) I told you to come down slowly. I am gonna tell aunt about this.

Moksh: Tell her, she is gonna praise me for it.

Ritika: We will see.

Moksh: Yes, we will see.

Ritika: (pulls him along) What has gotten into you? Just two days ago you were the quietest kid in the neighborhood and now you won't stop smiling.

Moksh: (Laughs) I have gone mad.

Ritika: Shut up, you.

Few days go by, Moksh's father returns from his expedition.

Vishwas: (Knocks)

Alpana: (Opens the door) Come, Vishwas Babu. How was your expedition?

Vishwas: (Walks in slowly lowering his shoulder bag) Haaah! It was alright. More than that I missed you all.

Alpana: (Smiles) Really! Well, I missed you too love.

Vishwas: ( Walks into his room followed by Alpana, sees Moksh and Ritika playing with toys on the ground).

Moksh: (Looks at his father and gives a wide smile).

Rikita: Uncle, you are back!

Vishwas: ( Looks around the room) Hey Alpana?

Alpana: Yes dear.

Vishwas: Did you rearrange the room?

Alpana: I had to.

Vishwas: Had to? What does that mean? Did something happen while I was away?

Alpana: (Smiles gently) Oh something happened alright. Something amazing, something divine.

Vishwas: When are you gonna tell me about it then?

Moksh: ( Comes and grabs his father's pants) Papa, I am a man now. A real man.

Vishwas: Huh!

Alpana and Moksh walked through the street for the market. The neighbour Aunty was coming their way. Moksh ran leaving Alpana behind and grabbed her leg.

Neighbour: (Surprised) Oh my! Little Moksh, what is this affection for your aunt today?

Alpana: (Giggles) Looks like he is not afraid of you anymore.

Moksh: (Looks at her face and smiles then stumbles away waving his hand around in air like he is pulling something).

Neighbour: (Laughs) Oh such a cute little boy. Dancing like that.

Alpana: He is happy to see you.

Neighbour: Well I am always happy to see you two too. So happy that my shoulder ache vanishes every time I see you two.

Alpana: Oh so sweet of you.

Neighbour: Heading for the supermarket again I see?

Alpana: You guessed it.

Moksh slowly drifts closer to his mother pretending to pull something. Vishwas was watching all this from the window of his home. Suddenly he felt the curse ghost creeping on him from behind. He turned quickly in panic to confirm but found Ritika standing behind him.

Ritika: Uncle, you alright?

Vishwas: (smiles and pats her head) I am alright love. I was just watching your aunt and brother (turns back to look at them).

Ritika:( Comes forward and looks out the window too) I see. You know, they have been acting different since that day.

Vishwas: (Shocked) Wha? What day?

Ritika: That day, when everything in the house was sabotaged.

Vishwas: Sabotaged you say.

Neighbour: (Laughs) Your boy is so cute playing like that.

Alpana: I see your shoulder pain did not go away yet.

Neighbour: Well, I don't feel it at the moment. But I will say it did not.

Alpana: I see, don't worry. It will go away this time.

Neighbour: I hope so. Thankyou Mrs Anand, for your concern.

Alpana: Always.

Alpana had shrinked her divine domain around her. Moksh ran around her to the back pulling the snake ghost with the human head he got off of the neighbour into the domain. The ghost shrieked in pain but Moksh kept pulling it in purifying it giving it intense burns. At last only the head of the snake was in the hands of Moksh. The ghost was terrified not by the pain it suffered but by the view that was before him. Moksh stood there holding the head with his both hands, with a smile that resembled the crescent phase of the moon, stretching to both sides of his face. The last thing the ghost head heard as it disintegrated entering in Alpana's domain was "Ram naam Satya hai" exposing the mad crescent on Moksh's face.