Chapter 3: The Black Ooze

It was the midnight hour—a black wedge driven into the heart of the night. In the profound silence of the jungle, only the faint, incessant chorus of insects could be heard. One house, nestled deep within the thick, impenetrable darkness, glowed faintly.

Inside that house, Suman slept, innocent and unaware, while his parents, Priya and Prasad, argued over his fate.

“You won’t understand until something happens,” Priya said, her voice sharp with a fear he refused to acknowledge. She stood up abruptly and left the room.

“Priya, try to understand my situation!” Prasad pleaded, his voice following her, lost and unanswered.

In the ensuing silence, Suman’s bedroom was empty save for the boy.

Outside the window, a nameless, unsettling silhouette—a man-like form of pure shadow—watched.

It began its slow, impossible invasion. The figure slid the window open with a whisper of glass on frame. Then, it stretched, its dark neck elongating, its upper body following in a smooth, horrific extension, creeping toward the sleeping Suman.

The figure reached. Closer. Closer.

Suddenly, the night dissolved.

“Suman, time to wake up!” Priya’s urgent shout cut through the darkness, pulling the boy back from the brink of sleep.

Suman roused himself slowly, heavy with slumber. He rubbed his eyes, yawning widely, then scratched his head and the back of his neck. His fingertips immediately recoiled from a sticky sensation. He brought his hand into the light and saw a black, viscous liquid coating his fingers.

Disgusted, he called out, “Amma! Look here, something disgusting is stuck on me!”

Priya’s reply was instantaneous and dismissive. “Are you making excuses not to go to school again?”

Suman instantly fell silent, his small protest quelled by his mother’s impatience.

He sat down to eat his breakfast. Prasad, dressed and ready for work, emerged from his room. Priya shot her husband a pointed look, gesturing for him to talk to Suman. Taking the hint, Prasad sat opposite his son.

“Suman,” he started softly.

“Yes, Nanna?”

“How are your studies going at school?”

“They’re going well, Nanna.”

“Are you behaving in class?”

Suman grinned mischievously. “I’m the naughtiest one in the whole class!”

Prasad frowned, shooting Priya an annoyed look—what did you expect?—before turning back to his son.

“Do you feel lonely at home sometimes?”

“Yes, I do.”

“But Ruchi Akka is here, isn’t she?”

“Ruchi Akka won’t always play with me. Yesterday, she kept getting scared. She said she saw something.”

“What did she see?” Prasad asked, intrigued despite himself.

“She said she saw some kind of animal in the trees.”

“And you were fine, right?”

“I didn’t see what she saw, Nanna.”

“Okay, okay. Hurry up and get ready. You’ll be late for school,” Prasad said, already losing patience.

“Nanna, Amma said we’re going out this Sunday!” Suman reminded him eagerly.

“Of course, we are,” Prasad confirmed with forced enthusiasm.

He turned immediately to Priya. “What exactly is going on? What did Ruchi see?”

“I don’t know, dear. Ruchi hasn’t told me anything.”

“Where is Ruchi? She should be here by now.”

“She hasn’t arrived yet. Yesterday she was very late because of me.”

“And if she doesn't come today, then what?”

Priya’s tone softened, pleading. “Please, listen to me now. Let’s look for a different house.”

“Give me some time, Priya. I’ll look into it.”

A few minutes later, Suman stood impatiently at the gate, calling out to his parents inside. “Amma, hurry up! I’ll be late. They’ll close the school gate!”

As he shouted, a strange, guttural cry echoed from the jungle across the road. It was an animal sound, but unlike anything Suman had ever heard. He stared intently at the treeline. The cry came again, louder this time. Curiosity overcoming him, he slowly opened the gate and started to step toward the woods.

He jumped in fright as a hand touched his shoulder from behind.

It was Priya. “What are you doing, Suman? Why are you opening the gate and walking off without us?”

“Amma, there’s something in the woods!”

“Yes, dear. A deer, I told you.”

Suman was confused. He’d never heard a deer make a noise like that. Maybe that’s what a deer sounds like, he thought, and reluctantly let it go.

Prasad, rushing out behind Priya, asked, “Has Ruchi arrived yet?”

“No, dear. She hasn’t. She’ll probably come after we leave. She was delayed yesterday, remember.”

“So how will she get in?”

“I’ll leave the spare keys under the mat. I’ll tell her.”

“Fine. Let’s go, we’re running late.”

In the car, Suman kept his gaze fixed out the window. Prasad noticed this and, wondering what had captured his son’s attention, glanced toward the woods. He saw nothing unusual and dismissed it.

Suman, however, was still looking. Through the gaps in the shifting leaves, he saw a black figure—the same shape from the night—standing and watching him. There was no fear on his face, only a potent, deep curiosity. He was determined to find out what it was.

In the classroom, Suman was distracted. Ramesh and Suresh nudged him.

“What’s wrong? What are you thinking about?” Ramesh asked.

“I think there’s something in the woods across from my house,” Suman whispered, his eyes wide with wonder.

“What is it?” Ramesh’s voice was full of apprehension.

“I don’t know.”

“What does it look like?” Suresh asked.

“Just a black shape, like a shadow.”

“I’m scared, Suman. What if it’s something bad?” Ramesh worried.

“Why are you scared of everything? Suman isn’t scared,” Suresh taunted.

Ramesh turned to Suman. “Tell me, Suman, didn't you feel afraid?”

Suman paused, thinking back to the dark shape hovering over his bed in his half-waking state. “I was scared at first,” he admitted. “But the fear is gone. Now, I’m just more curious. I need to know what that thing is.”

“You’re awesome!” Suresh exclaimed. “Ramesh is just a coward.”

“Hey! Don’t go, Suman! Who will bring you home if the maid doesn’t show up?” Ramesh pleaded.

Suresh cut him off. “I have an idea. Let’s make it a challenge. If the maid doesn’t come today, Suman has to go into the woods and find out what’s there. What do you say, Suman?”

“I’m in,” Suman agreed instantly.

“No, Suman, stop this!” Ramesh begged.

“Relax, nothing will happen,” Suresh assured him.

When school ended, Suman got onto the bus. As he approached his stop, he stood up.

“Remember the challenge!” Suresh called out.

“Don’t go, Suman, please!” Ramesh cried, but Suresh clamped a hand over his mouth, forcefully encouraging Suman. “Go, you’ll be fine!”

Suman stepped off the bus and looked down the long, empty road leading to his house. It was four o’clock, and no one was in sight. He waited, hoping Ruchi Akka would arrive.

Four-thirty. No Ruchi.

He bravely took two steps down the road, then his courage failed, and he retreated to the bus stop.

By 5:15 PM, he was muttering to himself. “Why hasn’t Ruchi Akka come? She always comes by now. If I wait any longer, it will be completely dark.”

He took a deep breath, braced himself, and started walking the desolate road alone, singing a song loudly to ward off the silence.

He hadn't walked far when he sensed movement alongside him in the trees—a presence keeping pace with his steps. As his pace quickened, the unseen presence matched him, the fear and anxiety escalating within him.

Suddenly, a massive, terrifying roar, a sound far worse than the one he'd heard that morning, tore through the air. Suman stumbled, falling hard. He looked back, seeing nothing clearly in the gloom, but sensing a large shape moving rapidly toward him from the end of the road. As it drew closer, the shape became clearer, terrifying him completely.

He scrambled up and began to run, screaming, convinced something was chasing him. He tripped and fell again. He looked back—the road was dark and silent once more. Slowly, he got up, turned, and sprinted the rest of the way to the bungalow.

He fumbled with the gate lock, rushed through, and was running toward the front door when he felt something brush against him from behind, knocking him down in sheer terror.

He spun around. At the edge of the gate, near the trees, was the black, strange figure.

Suman slowly got to his feet, staring. The figure was utterly still. Then, slowly, it turned and retreated back into the blackness of the jungle.

Suman remained rooted to the spot, watching the direction it went. A deep, persistent pull of curiosity drew him forward. He started walking toward the jungle, following the path the figure had taken.

The next morning, Ruchi was standing silently in the foyer, being relentlessly interrogated by Prasad. Priya stood beside her husband, watching Ruchi with a cold expression.

“Why didn’t you come yesterday? What is your excuse?” Prasad demanded, his voice hoarse from shouting.

Ruchi remained silent, her eyes downcast.

“What are we supposed to think when you just stand there?” Prasad bellowed.

Prasad gripped his head, his anger spent. As he quieted down, Priya spoke calmly. “Ruchi, what happened yesterday?”

Ruchi finally spoke, her voice flat. “I had to admit my mother to the hospital yesterday. It was an emergency. I couldn’t come.”

Priya walked slowly to Suman, who was sitting nearby. “Suman, where did you find this dog in your hands?”

Suman was holding a large dog, which he petted carefully. “I want this dog, Amma. I want to keep him.”

Priya knelt down. “Sweetie, that’s difficult. You’d have to look after him all day, every day.”

“Why can’t I? I need someone to play with! You and Nanna never play with me properly, but he will. That’s all I need.”

Priya looked helplessly at Prasad. Seeing the matching desperate, pouting faces of his wife and son, Prasad simply nodded his reluctant approval.

Suman instantly beamed, hugging both his mother and father tightly.

Prasad quietly addressed Priya. “We still have one issue to resolve.”

“What is it?”

“What do we do if Ruchi fails to show up again?”

“Prasad, looking after Suman is our responsibility. We have to be here. I will try to leave work early starting today. You need to try, too.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. Now, it’s time for Suman to go to school.”

Suman immediately requested, “Amma, can I stay home just for today and play with the dog?”

“That’s not possible.”

“Please, please?”

“Stop arguing.” Priya firmly ushered Suman out the door.

Inside, the dog watched Suman leave, its head tilted in a look of profound sadness. Suman couldn't bear to see the dog’s sad face. “Amma, look how sad he is! I want to stay!”

“Suman, please. You can play with him all you want after school. I’ll come to drop you off this time, okay?”

“Fine,” he sighed, slumping into the car. He looked back at the dog, who was still wearing a forlorn expression.

As they drove through the jungle, Suman stared out the window. The black, shapeless figure was there again, watching him pass.

Suman’s face was still a mixture of awe and curiosity.

He slowly began to roll down the car window. Priya, seeing the movement in the rearview mirror, asked, “What are you doing, Suman?”

He didn’t answer. She looked out at the trees, but as usual, saw nothing.