By Hima Vemula

Yesterday night, I watched this movie, “The boy in the striped pajamas.” I slept sometime in the middle of the movie. I don’t know what the movie is about or what the end is. But the dream I got later really made me shiver and I’m sure that it will be my worst nightmare for the rest of my life.

Feel the goose bumps

We moved to a new home. Andy was not at all happy; he missed his friends so much and his sweet home. I tried to cheer him up but in vain. He remained silent for most of the day. Mama promised to take him to his favorite museum, if he tries to give a chance at least to the new environment and new people. All he said in response is a weak smile.

“Kathy, stay with him and do whatever pleases him.” Mama said.

I never left him alone but that made things even more badly. My brother is the suffer alone type. 

Days passed by but his sour mood never changed. One night when I woke up to pee, I heard Andy talking with someone. The night air gave me goose bumps. I pulled my bed sheet closer, as if to keep me warm. I turned the knob of his door but it wouldn’t budge. I peered through the key hole. Andy is staring straight at the wall and talking to it. I felt fear gripping over me. He stared straight at me as if he can see through the wooden door. I tried not to panic; he is just my stupid young brother.

Then suddenly the door swung open and I fell on his mattresses.

“Kate,” he screamed.

“I’m okay. How did you do that? I saw you standing right over the wall and your door is locked when I checked. “I mumbled.

“It’s not me. He did that.” He pointed to the wall.

“Show yourself to her or else I’m going to be grounded.” He urged the empty space.

It gave me creeps to see him talk like that.

“Stop it, Andrew; you are making things worse. I’m going to complain to mama about your weird acts.” I shrieked at the top of my voice.

“Kill her…” I heard these words echoing.

“Who is that?” I said with convulsive tone.

I stared at the white wall. Then slowly shadows began to appear on the wall until they formed a black spot. A boy in striped pajamas appeared only he is not a boy but a ghost. He sneered at me.

“Kill her…”He echoed once again.

My heart pounded hard against my chest. What if Andy listens to him? I tried to raise my voice but nothing escaped my lips. The boy in pajamas hovered over me.

Andy gave a quick glance over the room and fixed his gaze at the right corner. That’s when I noticed dad’s gift to him; pen sword lying in the heap of his stuff. 

Oh! Is he really going to kill his sister? The one he loves and cares a lot. I tried to move but is paralyzed by the ghost. 

He raised his pen sword and walked gracefully as if the well trained killers in pictures do.

I jabbed him and tried to run away but he is unusually strong for a kid. He dragged me by hair, back into his room. Luckily, his pen sword slipped through his fingers and fell away during this turmoil. At least he can’t kill me now I thought.

He launched a sharp blow on my head with his hockey stick. The last vision is of the ghost boy's, before I blacked out.

I woke up in my bed. My head hurt. Mama is staring right at me with concerned eyes. 

“Mom, where is Andy? How? What?” I stammered unable to find words to explain all the hell that I went through last night.

“We have to get out of here.” Is all I could say?

We walked in silence before we reached the front yard. Dad is checking the petrol and there he is Andy, staring at dad.

Oh! God, Is he thinking to kill dad too I thought. I ran to him though every part of me ached like hell. While running I picked up the nearby wooden stick.

“Andy…”I hurled the stick at him.

He dodged it off. Beads of sweat began to shower my face when I saw the shimmering form of the ghost boy appear. 

“Watch out.” I cried at the top of my voice.

Andy charged him with his pen sword. Dad parried his blow and threw him across the stones. He got up instantly but dad is quick. He fired a round of bullets at him. I heard distant screams of mama. She ran towards us. Andy lay on the floor for a second and then his body began to twitch.

He shook off the bullets as if they are just thorns, the holes made by the bullets, were still there. If it hadn’t been for yesterday night, I probably would have puked all over. The holes are like brown patches on his skin. They began to close as he walked over with immense strength.

He cannot be killed with bullets than what else could stop him? We are as good as dead now. I looked at my parents for the last time and at my brother’s body with the ghost’s soul. 

Dad pinned him to ground applying all the brutal force. He struggled so hard to keep him pinned to the ground; I know how much strength it takes. Considering the strength of blow I experienced last night.

The sun rays began to filter through the sky. That’s when I understood the intention of dad. I hurried to help him when Andy tried to break free from his grip with all his might. The sun rays ejected white fumes from his body when I felt he was paralyzed we moved back. I closed my eyes; I couldn’t see my dear brother fade away into thin air. He shrieked at the top of voice

"Save me, Kathy." he cried.

I peered at him. He is my brother begging for his poor life. His face is so like him I moved towards him unwillingly, then his black eyes are replaced the blood red eyes of the ghost and with a sneer in them. He caught me by the neck,i choked at his strong grip. I wondered at his strength though he is fading away like mist he still has the strength to strangle me.

Dad launched a blow and he let go off me. I opened to see a heap of black dust all over the ground. I am certain that this vision would haunt me for the rest of the years.