Unlike other grandmother’s bed time story mine never had any fairy tale to tell. Her stories never had any prince or princess or fairies from distant land. Most of her stories didn’t even have a happy ending but to top it all… most of them were either true or based on some legends
This story is based on a tragic event that happened around thirty-five years ago. The place in question is Bungalow #127, Mall Road, Mussoorie. Twenty minute brisk walk from our place.
The circumstances of this case are shrouded in mystery, leaving more questions, than answers.
Back in early seventies, a young couple was looking to buy their very first home. The realtor showed them several bungalows, but they were all worth a lot more than they could afford, except for one older home, which was in fairly good condition.
The house needed some fixing up, but the price was just right. One thing in particular, bothered
the couple though, and before they signed the final papers, they asked the realtor, why the fireplace in the basement was all bricked up.
The realtor said he didn't know and maybe he was not lying, the subject was dropped. The newlyweds signed the papers, and were excited to move into their home, to begin their lives together. Young couple got in touch with my grandmother during those early morning walks which still is religiously followed by the town folks of my city.
The first few weeks in their new home, was pretty much quiet. One day around a month of their shifting the young bride had gone down into the basement to stack raddi newspaper, and when she walked passed the fireplace, to get to the storeroom, she heard a baby crying.
Immediately, she bolted up the stairs, and ran to get her husband.
He had tried to calm her down, but she insisted that he go down into the basement and have a look around. So, to appease her, he went down into the basement, with his wife right behind him. He told her that he didn't hear anything strange, but she told him to go over by the fireplace, and when he walked up to it, he also heard the whimpering cry of an infant.
Like any new tenants will do in such cases they informed the neighbors very next day.
That bricked up fireplace, had bothered him even before they moved in handful of curious good neighbors and the terrified couple decided to break down the bricks to the sealed entrance.
After a couple of hours, most of the bricks had been cleared away from the center of the fireplace entrance, and peeking in, through the hole, he saw something laying on the floor, but he couldn't quite make out what it was.
A few hours later, all of the bricks had been broken down, and lying inside, on the soot covered floor, was a little bundle wrapped in plain brown sack, that was tied together with thin cord.
The man reached inside and began to carefully untie the sack, to discover that baby's bones were inside.
The police were immediately called, and the crime scene was processed.
Whose baby it was?
Was the Baby murdered?
Was this an accidental death?
Why were the bones of this infant sealed up inside the fireplace and, who put them there?
My grandmother didn’t answer any of the questions. This case has never been solved and has been discussed last during my grandmother’s bed time story.
The couple has retired and they spend most of their time with their son married and settled in
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