The Camp ........ they died long ago but never left!

A Story by bobby bansal

A true spooky horror story narrated in a conversation form.....hope you enjoy reading!

Previous Version
This is a previous version of The Camp ........ they died long ago but never left!.

Part 'A'

On my journey to Punjab I heard from a friend about an abandoned refugee camp, some 121 kms away from Chandigarh City on the Chandigarh " Jallandhar Expressway, which is believed to be a haunted site. It caught my interest so I decided to pay a visit on my own. The camp was set up during the India-Pakistan partition in 1947; Muslim refugees were accommodated here before being sent across the border but many did not make it. Just to learn more about this place I spoke to a few people I met on my way to the camp:

Here are some of the excerpts from my voice recorder (Translated to English from Hindi/Punjabi):

Note: In the (brackets) between the conversations, expressions have been captured.

Time: 10: 20 a.m

Gurjinder - A local I met on the bus: “There’s nothing there to see, why do you want to waste your time and money? It was a camp set up for Muslim refugees during the partition. But these people were subjected to hideous acts, including murder in the name of religion: rape, torture and extortion, by the so-called patriotic Hindus then. Hardly anything is left inside, the houses are in ruins and there’s only overgrowth of trees and forest everywhere. Anyway, get off the bus after two stops and take the bypass road on your right and walk for another 15 minutes to get there.”

Harjeet - I called out to him just after getting off the bus: “Walk straight and take the bypass, it’s not too far. But no one lives in that jungle and I must warn you that it’s not safe to go there alone.”

PART ‘B’

Prakash Singh Bhamra " Bumped into this old man on the bypass road: “So you already know the history of this place. Yes it’s true, it’s not safe here. They say that the people who were tortured and killed during the partition still live in those houses. You came alone but leave by noon for sure, and in the night time you must not even think of coming around here. You guys from big cities never listen, call us superstitious and illiterate, so did the camera-wala NRI (Non-Resident Indian) from the UK. Guess what! He went in there sporting a scarf around his neck but came out with a rope around it ………dead. (Sighs).”

Amarjeet (Mr.Bhamra’s son): “Yes, it’s true. This NRI from the UK came some time during the winter 2006 to this place, just like you, and went to see the camp. We ourselves never go there. Our village is situated on the same road, but it’s further ahead, even the villagers usually avoid this road in the afternoon, night time and particularly when alone.”

Sidhu " Was standing with his friend ‘Rakesh’ at the camp gate: “I sometimes go in there with my friends for a walk. You can go in if you wish, but don’t go too far. Who told you about the cameraman’s story? Rakesh saw the video tape himself, his cousin is in the police (smiles).”

Rakesh Bains: “Yes I saw it myself, the NRI was a mad person. He was shooting his own video with the handy-cam.The video recorder was found close to his decomposed body after many days. I remember everything on that video ….. very clearly. He (The NRI) went on like …….

Video content:

’Hello!! Hieee…I am Victor from the UK. The time is 12.15 in the afternoon and I am at the gate of the refugee camp which is on the Chandigarh-Jallandhar Highway. Let me tell you something serious (whispering) this place is haunted (then laughs). Crazy village people, welcome to India! It is almost 30 minutes now, I think I am close enough now to the main camp area. What you see on my right is a house that was once occupied by traitors of this country (laughs, mimicking the sound of a monkey)…hmm…that thing looks like a well; water in the jungle huh, how unusual (laughs again turning the camera towards himself). Now let me take a still picture on the handy-cam. Now back to video recording mode….the trees you see on that side with ropes….you see them….that is where those Pakistani’s were hanged, bloody s**t-eaters!....this looks like a good place to take a quick nap…see you in a bit…. (The recording stopped…..it resumed at 1 in the night, the only sources of light were his torch and the moon-light) Hello!! This is Victor ‘the great’ again (laughs). I am back, but where the hell was I all this time (on a serious note)...hmm…can’t remember anything (mild irritation in his voice). I am feeling very tired....hmm….what was I doing….damn! damn!...I just can’t remember anything…oh this bloody headache is killing me…..Wait…..was I dancing?....hmm....wasn’t I?…hmm….well, maybe…but why do I not remember?..I don’t know…but does it matter...who cares....anyway? Now I am going to climb that tree…I love climbing trees. Let me place the camera and the torch here on this rock (angled towards his direction)…Hello Smarty Boy…there you go.’

“You see I told you that I remember every bit of the video, I saw it many times. No one else in the village had the privilege, but we must leave now. We are going to the market. You can speak to those guys sitting inside…over there….if you wish.”

Baljeet " After Rakesh and Sidhu left : “Sirji, even I saw the video, he simply claims that only he saw it…he’s a bloody psycho….didn’t you see his face. Yes all that is true, but did he tell you that in the video he (Victor) took of himself, the house in the background was set on fire. The police claim that he set it on fire, but we don’t think it was him, it was them…You know what I mean?”

Inder: “Yes, he’s absolutely right. Even I saw that picture and also the video. I couldn’t believe it at first, it was really scary. Also let me tell you something more about the video. The UK-wala was dancing late in the night, maybe around 12:30 or 01:00. There were small fires lit up all over the place and he was running around them…like a mad dog…screaming and chanting something...don’t know what the hell it was…as if he was doing some tantra-mantra (black magic). There were also many small pieces of cloth tied to the huge banyan tree he climbed. I wonder how he got up there in the dark! The villagers say that something got into his body…..some evil spirit...God knows.”

Baljeet: “Rrright!!….and after that, the NRI climbed the tree and put a rope around his neck…he then jumped….the video was not clear because of the darkness…. but it could be seen. His body was partially burnt from the flames below… and his luggage was found dumped in the well. Something got into him I am sure….Anyway, are you going further now?”

ME: “What time is it?”

Baljeet: “It’s twelve!”

THE END THE CAMP THE END THE CAMP THE END