Babul is a student of class eleven.  He lives in Malda. Giving bluffs, doing adventures and eating more than average are his chief area of interest. 

When his father asked him if he could go alone, to his uncle in Siliguri to reach an important document, he agreed immediately; he accepted that assignment as a boon.

 He loved performing such duties; primarily because it would prove him to be a man of work and chiefly because he would get chance to enjoy delicious dishes prepared by his auntie, especially for him and on top of that there was Bulti, his cousin reading in class eight, who would relish his unadulterated bluffs and the last but not the least; travelling all alone, so long, was almost like an adventure. 

Securing a seat in a government bus bound for Siliguri, Babul set out to become a man of work. Talking with the bus conductor he came to know that he would be at Titanic, the name of his uncle's apartment, by evening. Thus his mind filled with joy anticipating evening tea with snacks followed by sweets of his own share and to help his sister, he would consume her share too. Auntie would get heavenly pleasure by observing him eating nicely. Babul wishes to be a source of joy for everybody. 

"His journey seemed to be quite smooth and simple. No matter, there may not be any smell of adventure but his rest two aims are going to be fulfilled shortly." Babul felt and became very happy. Thinking thus he entered into a sweet daydream. 

Finding his bus in a standstill position quite for some time, he had to put a break in his daydream and listening to his co passengers, he came to know that there was a big hurdle in between Raigang and Siliguri ; namely an enormous jam in Dalkhola. 

After some time, the bus started moving slowly creating passage through stranded trucks and other vehicles. Babul became surprised observing the exceptional skill of the driver. It was very difficult to understand if he was driving a bus or a war tank. Though its speed would cause envy in the heart of a tortoise, but still it was moving. 

Some passengers along with the conductor decided to walk simultaneously for a change as it was a long a tedious journey for them. Anyway all unusual or usual happenings brought endless joy, fun and entertainment for Babul. 

Finally his colourful and unforgettable bus journey came to an end by 10:30pm as having crossed Dalkhola, the bus had to stop in a garage for repairing its stepney and beyond Islampur they took a tea break of about half an hour which was supposed to be of fifteen minutes but one passenger got a long call of nature and the entire bus had to show solidarity. 

Babul was lucky enough to get a rickshaw who agreed to reach him up to Titanic, his uncle's apartment at Rabindranagar. Night rickshaws were very rare and expensive in Siliguri but that rickshaw puller said, “Since you are going to Titanic , I Will charge only fifty rupees; do you agree?"

Without thinking anything Babul nodded his head as he didn't like to miss him (the kind rickshaw puller).

Babul became surprised finding the Hill Cart Road almost empty. Shops were closed and road lights seemed to be too dim, unusually dim almost like faint moonbeam.

“Is it a moonlit night? Does the municipal corporation switch off street lights after eleven to save electricity?" Babul muttered the questions in his mind. 

“No Babul, it is a new moon night, ha! Ha! Ha! They say new moon but actually no moon night." The kind rickshaw puller replied unasked. 

Babul got puzzled.

“He knew rickshaw pullers were by nature talkative but how did he know his name? Was he expert in thought reading?  But one has to see his face to read his thinking." Babul thought so without losing confidence. He knew the self-confidence to be the only useful tool in the hour of crisis. 

“Yes, my little master I can see your face clearly and read them too." The man replied again unasked. 

That time Babul discovered the man staring at him and pulling rickshaw uninterruptedly. By that time the rickshaw entered into the famous bridge of Mahananda river in Siliguri. 

Babul casualty asked, “Where do you live in Siliguri?"

The man replied pointing his finger towards the river bed adjacent to the burning ghat where his grandfather was cremated. 

Just then Babul found another rickshaw was coming from opposite direction and was about to hit their one leaving the wide road aside, Babul became relaxed as he accepted the other rickshaw as his rescuer.

But strange! The man stopped that rickshaw by extending his hand of about ten feet and instantly awarded two tight slaps to that drunken rickshaw puller and advised him not to mix drink and drive in future. 

In reply the drunken rickshaw puller said, “Actually my customer is in a hurry, he has to avail a night bus bound for Kolkata, otherwise I never pull my rickshaw like a car. Please forgive and forget me."

The strange man or phantom asked, “Where is your customer?"

That time Babul too noticed, in the dim light of the night, no passenger sitting in that rickshaw. 

The drunken rickshaw puller wept bitterly and said, “I am robbed once again. This is the third day, my customer left me without paying money. Here only, on this bridge I am robbed again and again. "

The strange man consoled him and said, “Don’t cry I will arrange for your money. Babul, would you mind paying me in advance?

Like a puppet Babul took out a fifty rupees note and when he was going to give that to that man, the man signalled him to hand over that money to the drunken rickshaw puller. Getting money the drunken rickshaw puller left that spot happily leaving Babul on his own fate. 

Leaving a sigh of anger, the man or the phantom  said, "Babul, You are a wise boy. I hope you have identified me. Actually I am not good in hiding my identity. As you know there are both good and bad people among you; similarly among us. I want to teach the cheater ghost a befitting lesson. He should be stopped or else he will spoil our reputation. Would you mind helping me?”

What more Babul could do? He agreed willingly; so that the ghost might not take any offence.

To convince Babul he again explained, “As you people can't fight against a rude or bad man without proper weapons; I too need your help to counter that nasty ghost.”

Babul should feel proud for his utility but in vain he just could ask, “What I have to do? I am not a bold boy."

The ghost assured him, “You don't have to do anything. You just allow me to enter into your body, the rest I will do."

Saying so the ghost vanished and Babul too lost his confidence and sense as well.

The following events took place within few seconds. Babul was seen pulling rickshaw and a man, who was in reality a ghost, came running after him and asked for a ride, Babul agreed and the ghostly journey started. 

After sometime the ghost said to Babul, “Brother I am well aware about your mission. Why don't you make me your assistant? Please take me there."

Babul asked, “Where?"

"In Titanic.  I know there are so many empty flats. We can live there happily. Like you I too can't bear the dirty smell of night soil released by the uncountable slam dwellers at the river bed of Mahananda, our ancestral home. Please brother, I will be your slave for ever." The ghost made an earnest request. 

Babul asked being thoughtful, “Can you smell like a living being?"

"No no , psychologically I become sick living in that dirty environment." The ghost argued. 

In the morning when Babul got up having been disturbed by the bright sunlight, he took some time to understand his geographical position. Within no time he realised that he was laying down at the bed of Bulti in Titanic. 

“Are you feeling well Babul?" Auntie asked him being inquisitive. 

As he nodded his head to give positive signal, she seemed to become thoroughly relaxed. She informed, “Thank God, you became senseless falling on your uncle's shoulder. We became so scared but doctor De, our neighbour, assured us and said  that it was due to over work and lack of energy. Why didn't you eat anything on the way? Who asked you to walk so long?"

In the meantime Babul's uncle rushed into the room along with Bulti and instantly he took the charge of the entire investigations. He asked two fundamental questions. 

The first one: "Did you come on foot or hire a rickshaw from the bus stand?"

The second:  “How do you come at our door step while two gates were locked? And as I checked our flat’s CCTV footage, you aren't visible before any gate. So without giving bluffs, just narrate your entire journey up to the door step. "

Babul became speechless as he knew nothing about his ghostly journey from Mahananda Bridge to Titanic. He decided to act to be a dumb for buying some time to cook a believable story. 

In the meantime auntie took her entry into the scene and boldly countered uncle saying, “Are you a man? Why do you torture him? Don't you feel his situation? Don't ask any question to Babul? For next few days he will eat and sleep comfortably. He needs rest badly. This is my order. "

Babul used to be very much scared of his uncle but uncle too used to be scared of auntie. 

Pondering over the entire encounter keenly, Babul realised, “Ghost too leaves clue.”