One of the first and earliest memories I had was when I was in 3rd grade . I used to go my grandfather house who was retired officer of that state bank of Pakistan even before 1947 as CEO , and used to live about 20 minutes away bike ride from my home .
Mr Younas Khan was grandfather was the oldest graduate or Islamia college university since the British Raj and he was my maternal grandfather
He was previous head CEO, since the British times before 1947 chairman COOP bank and then later one of the founder of the state bank of Pakistan .
My Grandfather was triple Master degree holder in double Maths , Arabic . And he used to spend his time teaching Arabic and Quran meanings at his home in spare time he had to people as service to community.
Since my mother was medical doctor and used to do her medical job as Senior medical officer at a PAF hospital Peshawar , that was Pakistan Air force hospital at Peshawar Air head quarters, which is now been downgraded to Peshawar Air base in 1980,s after the Air head quarter was shifted to Islamabad .
The Hospital was just opposite to our house and about 2 KM from my grandfather house .
I used to Bi-cycle daily from my house to that my Grandfather house so that I could learn the Quran by meanings , as i was lucky as most of my age group student did not have the opportunity as they would be taught by mullahs of Madrisahs and who would just tell them how to read Arabic and not tell them meanings .
My mother and grandfather had provided me good opportunities to be learning Quran by meaning as well and also understand it from the beginning .
The second resson I was so found of going to my Grandfather house was that he had a very nice new TV that was better then the one I had in my house.
In those days there was only one channel on air that was Peshawar TV known as PTV, or Pakistan Tele vision .
There was no cable TV yet and in 8 PM this channel would telecast a Hollywood TV series called the "" Six million dollar man "" '
Which was Steve Austin late staring TV serial that would show a Robotic man who was turned into sort of a super man and he would use this technology to fight crime . I used to love that TV drama from USA.
Usually, I would be coming back quickly to home and seeing it on my TV but at that day I wanted to see it on my Grandfather new TV that had very nice colors.
I stayed back and also had very nice dinner with white rice and also daal that was cooked by My grandmother and I loved that dish and also used to meet my cousins who lived next door and we all watched the TV together some times in the big lush lawn and open Air .
After the TV series finished it was 9: 30 PM and I started off and during my journey back I used to pass this house which was abandoned for a century almost , it was rumoured to be occupied by some English gentleman who was serving as Army officer in British East India company under lord curzon .
He was known to commit suicide in this house and since then nobody has been able to touch or construct anything on that place , and incredibly even today that place is lying vacant and nobody has touched or done anything there.
This haunted house is a novelty in Peshawar that almost all the places has been encroached even the grave yards and the places of worship or even any abandoned house but that mysterious house is still as empty as ever and makes me wonder of what happened that day , although I passed a hundred times in front of it but noting happened in day time .
That day was different , it was a full moon and also it was night and that of winter , and in Peshawar in winter it would all become so lonely on the streets that would not find anybody . And when I started I was going as fast as I can .
Right in front of that house while paddling past it a I saw something really white and like a haze . In front of me , it was blocking my route and was suspended in the air.
when I approached near it , my Bi cycle wheel suddenly jammed . I could not paddle . I quickly glanced back and I could not see anything at all holding me back, and it was very dark all around me , panic started to grip me and my heart was pounding and I could hear the heart beat in my ears , and I was totally afraid and panicked .
I started to push with all my force on the paddles , as if fighting for life and I was pushing so hard I could feel the paddle tilt and bend .
I stayed to crying help and nobody was around to hear me and it was only silent and there was haze and fog in the Air all around .
Crying loudly and suddenly I remembered to recite the Quran verses of Qul and what ever I knew to ask help of God , suddenly I heard a voice just besides me , strangely there was big black bi -cycle besides me and big man with a hidden face in the dark , who's face I could not see.
clearly saying to me ""Follow me "", , ""and don't be scared "" In a calm and re assuring tone a few momments back there was nobody there and yet he was there in his strong voice urging me not a afraid and to follow him . Suddenly. The bike and its wheels were not jammed any more and my feet were not heavy as before and the bike was moving fine. It was a complete relief .
I did follow that tall bike and mine was small red one , and when I reached near my house , the man said is that your house ?
I said yes , he said go there I am watching you , I want further and looked back and there was nobody and no man or his bi cycle there it was so strange to suddenly that man disappearing and I could see the whole road far and away and away and there was absolutely nobody there .
I had no time to think just went as fast as I could to my house and tell my mother of what had really happened ,
My father and everybody came out to find the man and thank him but there was no body out there .
To this day , this mystery of that day remains with me and at first I thought it was just figment of my imagination but to this day that mysterious and abandoned house in over populated country remains a mystery.
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