D’ haunted forest hut

Accepted the assignment,

a job in forest department

 Eager, but an area far flung,

no crowd, no noise pollution

Thrilled with new posting,

away from stink of slums

But in den of timber merchants,

officials too scared, reluctant

even for a overnight halt,

in the official forest hut

Heard tales of mafia terror,

yet his zeal didn’t deter

With a forest guard,

 deputy ranger,

he wished to explore

All assembled,

 for a warm welcome,

but wriggled out,

  cunningly gone

Spied on him, servile employees,

escaped making varied pleas

Reverie hurt, wise to retreat

 d' hapless hut, closing in sunset,

 enough reasons to suspect

in league with 
timber thieves of forest!

Don’t stay in this forest hut,

in hunted hut, dwells a ghost

howls as if a wild fox in den,

creates commotion in kitchen

Guard behaved extremely edgy,

night halt idea made him crazy

Wild life migrated from this zone,

smelt it to be ravage prone

Chased, killed by cruel poachers

though hunting’s forbidden here

An intense desire impelled him,

hard work could do something

 time fast running out,

 in a stormy sea,
sinking his leaking boat

The area, mafia controlled,

fact's well known but ignored

Law’s enforced in cynical manner,

timber mafias spread ghost rumor

Reached d’ spot, sun’s about to set,

not lavish, an average furnished hut

Front room fairly large, he occupied,

guard in small room in d’ backyard

A spring flowing close to back door,

heard d’ ripples of rushing water

Guard prepared formal veg. dinner,

finished food, 
reclined on a easy chair

Stars in dark sky, looked so fabulous,

guard prayed to sleep in his room,

for reason obvious

He floated in a different world,

couldn’t comprehend guard’s words

OK, you’re permitted to sleep,

leave d’ lantern on, dim d’ light

Guard heaved a sigh of relief

a casual grant of his wish,

can’t believe

A multilayer racket working,

not sure, if could do anything

Stray thoughts haunted his mind,

heard foot steps,

a groaning of some kind

Who could it be?” he wondered

didn’t wake up d’ guard,

opened d’ door

came out, his big torch in hand

none in veranda,

 but someone ran away

Next a loud thud,

 from other side of d’ hut

guard awake, trembling,

scared of d’ ghost

let's see ,where from d’ noise heard

"stay there, don’t proceed",
 a meek voice said

It must be from kitchen,

kitchen door wide open,

Articles scattered on floor,

"might be a cat or rats", I told

If a timber thief intrusion,

must pass through front room

"No sir, it’s the ghost",

he started to weep

"clean it up and go to sleep"
Next a blood curdling scream
he froze in his chair,
guard missing, he shrunk in fear

Beam of d' big torch,

pierced darkness, did a search

Guard stood near d’ kitchen,

a butcher’s knife in his hand

Blood dripping from it

guard mumbling,

he was baffled,

gone numb his mind

pulled knife from guard’s grip

Guard narrated entire scene

while cleaning kitchen floor,

ghost grabbed me,

thrust a goat on my shoulder

Gave me a knife,

 asked me to slaughter

carried away d’ body

head still lying on kitchen floor

I checked d’ guard’s narration,

scrutinized d’ shabby scene

Blood splattered entire floor,

a detached goat head, in a corner

Earth receding under my feet

from lips a slurred speech

it would be wise,

to leave this place at sunrise

bolted d’ kitchen door,

 rushed to front room

No unseemly happening, that night

left next morning without breakfast

Jeep driver narrated entire incident,

I felt ashamed of that fearful moment

 guard a crook, rightly bashed up

had stolen d’ cut head,

a knife from a butcher’s shop

butcher confronted him

and he got caught

splattered blood, cut head of goat

Remembered d’ haunted forest hut