"Welcome to the eighth chapter. In the previous chapter, I mentioned a haunting incident that happened to my grandfather. I told you how, one day while transporting clay on his donkeys, a donkey's leg got stuck in the bushes, causing him to be late and making him a victim of a terrifying encounter. Now, let me tell you what happened next—
In the pitch darkness of the night, my grandfather felt as if someone was standing right in the middle of the pond. Since there was no one else for miles, seeing that figure terrified him, and he increased the speed of his donkeys. He lit a cigarette while keeping a watchful eye on that shadow.
However, this time it wasn't just a feeling; he became absolutely certain that someone was standing in the center of the water because the shadow began gesturing with its hand, calling him closer. When grandfather was telling me this story, I questioned him, 'Grandfather, why did you think it was a ghost and not a human? It could have been a thief or a dacoit with accomplices hiding nearby, waiting to rob you. It's also possible the man wasn't in the middle of the pond but hiding near the edge, and in the darkness, you misunderstood the situation.'
Grandfather replied, 'Son! One should always ask questions and apply logic. You should never believe any statement or incident without questioning and reasoning.' He praised me for my curiosity and continued, 'Son! Logic is born within people when they are well-educated; the mindset to question develops with knowledge. But I want to tell you one more thing—
If a person hasn't been able to get a formal education for some reason, it doesn't mean they lack the ability to reason or ask questions. Such a person is not inferior to you. If such a person begins to apply logic, it's possible that all your academic questions might pale in comparison.
Son! You possess the wealth of education; never let the layer of superstition cover it. Always think first, ask questions, and apply logic. Even after getting an answer, do not jump to a hasty conclusion. Reflect on that answer with your mind, and only when you feel that the answer is truly correct, should you believe it.'
When I challenged my grandfather with logic, he gave me such a great life lesson after praising me. As I have told you before, my grandfather possessed a scientific temperament; he was the only educated senior citizen in the entire village. He further explained how he became convinced that the figure standing in the middle of the pond was truly there and was not human.
Terrified and mounted on one of his donkeys, grandfather had barely moved a short distance away from the pond when he heard a sound—
He suddenly looked back toward the dark shadow and found that it had vanished. Instead, he heard a loud splash, as if someone had jumped forcefully into the water, causing ripples to spread across the entire pond.
Many questions arose in grandfather's mind. A thought struck him—could it be that someone was actually standing near the pond asking for help and perhaps their foot slipped? Grandfather immediately stopped the donkeys and called out, 'Who is it? Who fell into the pond? Do you need my help? Give me some sign!'
The moment grandfather spoke those words, that dark shadow reappeared, standing in the same spot, and began gesturing for him to come closer, just like before.
Seeing this, grandfather was convinced that he too had become a victim of a supernatural event that night. He knew that if he went near that figure, he might not live to see tomorrow's sunrise.
Another similar incident happened to my grandfather, which I will discuss in the next chapter.
Thank you!"