JustUtter 2Min Horror Stories: A Book Series "Bhoota Gappa"

It all started with "2minhorrorstories" on Aug 28th, through JustUtter's Facebook and Insta feed. I started to write the "Shadow", then "Kill", by the time I published "Room: The Lucky Escape", people had started to storm into my page, excited to talk about my next story. There were readers, pinging me asking for the next story, there were readers emailing me their own experiences. I had never thought, that horror stories, will be making me go closer to so many users in the span of just 3 months.(PFA) With my book series - "Bhoota Gappa", I bring you to a story of a woman who fights her inner demons, to become what she finally resonates with. It's a speculative fictional story, of an orphan named "Azagka" and her six siblings, living with an older couple, in a place called "Shikaar Nagar", it's a place were dark can reign for longer if not mitigated immediately. She and her six siblings coming from dispar...

               We had recently moved to a new house in Kali Gali. Our landlord had advised us to avoid one particular room, which we used as a storage room for extra groceries and old furniture. One afternoon, feeling unwell, I forgot to lock the room's door. While napping, I awoke to the shocking sight of an old woman sitting at the edge of my cot, staring at me. I remained motionless, trying to stay calm. Despite my fear, I managed to close my eyes and suppress a scream. I felt a wave of nausea and peed myself. It was as if darkness was penetrating my soul, and my body was trembling uncontrollably. Luckily, the doorbell rang, saving me from the terrifying encounter. My neighbor had come to ask for sugar. Distraction provided a brief respite as the woman vanished. I rushed out of the room and locked the door behind me. That night, my husband and I left for a tour, leaving our helper in charge for a few days. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to ment...

    As children, my cousins and I would spend our summers at my grandparents' house in Bhitarkanika, Odisha. One afternoon, we were playing hide-and-seek in the nearby mangrove forests. I was always the first to be found, so I decided to find a better hiding spot. I ventured deeper into the forest, climbing a large tree with thick branches. From my perch, I noticed a slightly older girl sitting in the highest branches, dangling her feet. Her silver anklets jingled as she swayed back and forth. Suddenly, I felt a tug on my ponytail. "Who's there?" I asked, turning to see the girl. She was wearing a green frock and had silver anklets. She giggled and introduced herself, offering to show me a better hiding spot. As we walked through the forest, I noticed that my cousins were nowhere to be found. It was getting late, and it was her turn to hide. Suddenly, I saw one of her anklets lying near a disturbing sight: a skeleton surrounded by bones, dried blood, and clumps of hai...

 I had been by her side throughout our lives. Now, as a husband confined to a wheelchair, I could do little more than watch as she faded away. It was a dark, stormy night, and the rain had been falling since morning. It was past 11:00 PM, and we had finished dinner hours ago. She had been bedridden for over a month, her voice and memory fading. I would read to her, turn off the lights, and retire to my room. That night, I had a premonition that this was it. She closed her eyes, and I knew she was leaving me forever. A power outage plunged the house into darkness. Alone, I cried and called out her name. Helpless, I waited for the morning, death at my side. As I wept uncontrollably, I felt a gentle touch on my shoulders. It was eerily familiar, like the comforting touch of her hands when I was frustrated. Fear gripped me, and I searched for a candle or torch. To my astonishment, my wheelchair began to move, guiding me to light a candle. I scanned the room, but there was no one there ...

    I had been a sickly child for a long time, spending most of my days either crying in bed or gazing out the window at the carefree birds. As an orphan, I had no memory of my origins, and frankly, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to know. We were forced to attend a Catholic school surrounded by a graveyard. There were countless stories about shadowy figures seen wandering the school grounds at night. During a science project, I felt a sudden pang in my stomach and rushed to the bathroom. As usual, the mischievous students had locked me out. After vomiting from the terrible breakfast, I passed out. When I awoke, it was dark outside. Panic set in as I realized I was alone and helpless. Suddenly, I heard footsteps in the corridor. "Is anyone there?" a deep voice called out. I replied, tears streaming down my face. Relief washed over me as someone opened the door. He was a tall man with a beard, exuding a kind aura. He inquired about my backpack and escorted me out of the sch...

Newly married, I moved to Hyderabad to join my husband, who worked there. Ours was an arranged marriage, and we were complete strangers. He initially stayed back to settle in, while I remained with my in-laws. As our baby's arrival neared, he finally brought me to Hyderabad, citing better medical facilities and the ability to take better care of me. Living together, I discovered his quirky habits: a strict vegetarian who loved idli-sambar, a comedy show enthusiast who laughed in his sleep. One evening, he surprised me with mutton biryani on his way home. To my astonishment, he began eating it with me, sweating profusely and gnawing on the bones. He mentioned encountering a dead body earlier, but I dismissed it, not wanting to dwell on the comment. Later, he asked me to dress up, claiming that the man from the dead body was waiting for us. Panic surged – who would visit at such a late hour? He insisted it was the deceased. Things escalated further. He spoke to someone unseen throug...

My family moved to a house near a small town on the outskirts of the city. As a government doctor, my father had the house assigned to us, and fortunately, it was always clean and furnished. My brother and I, being kids, eagerly explored the spacious house and backyard. One night, as I gazed out my window, I noticed an old, dusty chair on the patio. It looked like an antique piece. Feeling thirsty, I got up to get some water and was startled to see someone sitting on the chair. Exhausted, I dismissed it as a dream and went back to sleep. The next day, I asked my father if any of his colleagues or patients had visited late last night. He said he had fallen asleep early. That night, I asked my brother to sleep with me, but he was fast asleep. To my dismay, I saw someone sitting on the chair again. Gathering my courage, I approached the window and hid behind the curtains. It was dark outside, and fog had settled over our patio. The person remained motionless, sitting on the chair. I cauti...

   As I write, my dog comes and nudges my hand and with that jerk my pen falls down. I look below the table, and it's dark in there, I probably don't want to wake up my family at this hour. I am getting a bit thirsty, so I blindly start searching for my pen, with my bare hands, digging inside the plethora of dust. I suddenly, find a pair of hands holding my hand, I move back, and fall down with a thud on the bed stand. While those eyes from down there stare back at me. There is a black shadow, beneath a lot of dust, moving around, but I  remember the eyes. It was his eyes..... Many people ask me why I've suddenly turned to writing horror. I believe that darkness resonates with me deeply, and I want to reciprocate by listening and paying attention to the shadows of the night. If you haven't already, I encourage you to explore my "2 Min Horror Stories," which I publish daily on "JustUtter." This Halloween, I'm excited to launch the first installmen...

 I rushed to the train station to catch the last local train home at 2:00 AM. A client meeting had run late, and I was among the few passengers returning from a late-night shift. Mumbai, a city known for its bustling energy, can sometimes feel strangely empty at such late hours.    As I exited the station, I planned to walk home since my apartment was only a 15-20 minute walk away. The station was nearly deserted at this time. Just as I stepped outside, I heard a distant scream that startled me. It sounded like multiple women screaming at once. Gathering my courage, I continued walking slowly.    I often met my transgender friend, Radha, at the station. She had been a great help during my early days in Mumbai, assisting me during rainstorms, power outages, and even navigating the ticket counter. Our friendship had grown over time, and I always made sure to greet her with a warm smile and give her a ten-rupee note, no matter how late I was for work. In return, sh...

It was a cold winter night, shrouded in a dense fog that clung to the deserted street. Despite the late hour, 1:30 am, a full moon provided a welcome beacon on my bicycle ride home. It was election week, and our newspaper had managed to snag some crucial insider information. Naturally, our cautious editor delayed the printing until the very last minute before closing time. As a 21-year-old from a poor family, I had recently landed a job at the newspaper printing press, located about 30 kilometers from my village. On regular nights, the presses ran until 8 pm, allowing me to return home by 9:30 pm. But that night, something unexpected occurred on my way back. I spotted an old lady sitting by the roadside, weeping uncontrollably. Seeing her alone in the middle of nowhere startled me. Perhaps, I thought, her family had abandoned her. Moved by her plight, I stopped my bicycle and inquired about her village and if she was alright. The lateness of the hour weighed on me, so I decided to offe...

  It was just past midnight, and with a power outage, I decided to sleep on a cot on my grandparents' terrace. The moonlit night was beautiful, and I enjoyed the swaying coconut trees and the gentle breeze. Suddenly, I heard the jingling of bangles and wondered who could be strolling at such a late hour. The highway, bustling with trucks all night, was right next to our entrance pavement. The other side of the road was dimly lit due to intermittent streetlights. From the edge of my terrace, I could barely make out a woman walking by, likely the one wearing the bangles. The next day, I asked my grandmother and the caretaker about the woman, but they couldn't provide any information. They said they hardly knew any newly married women in the neighborhood and were surprised that anyone would walk on the busy highway at that time of night. The following night, I considered shouting to the woman, but she seemed to be in a hurry, and her bangles jingled quickly. Around 4:00 AM, I was ...

"As a bachelor, I found this surprisingly affordable one-bedroom apartment that was hard to resist, especially as a new employee in need of basic necessities. However, my early morning shift hours forced me to adjust to a new sleep schedule. Before my alarm could go off, I was startled by the sound of a nearby door opening. This was strange because the landlord had assured me that the adjacent rooms were empty and there wouldn't be any noise issues. Within seconds, I heard another door creaking open and the sound of footsteps, but there were no voices. It seemed like people were entering their rooms at this unusual hour, but they were neither talking nor turning on lights. It was a moonless night, and even the streetlights were out. Something was definitely amiss. As I wandered around, my heart pounded when a shadow appeared beside my door, ready to enter. I tried to grab a broken broom from the closet, but my door was already wide open, and there was no one there. I rushed ou...

  "I was walking when I felt something following right behind me. At first, I thought it was just my shadow, but it felt so real. As the road grew darker and the moon disappeared, I began to feel a sense of dread. What was it that was following me, despite my efforts to escape? I couldn't speak, and my armpits were soaked with sweat. I could almost feel it sniffing my hair, but I forced myself to resist looking back. Finally, I turned onto a street with a few flickering streetlights, hoping for a chance to confront my stalker. As I turned back, a shadowy figure flew across the street and clung to a tree branch like a bat. I didn't dare approach it, but it looked eerily human, staring back at me as if I had startled it. That night, I couldn't sleep, constantly checking my windows and doors. From then on, I preferred taking a taxi rather than walking." *story inspired  by an experience shared by author's father