Every night, I would hear this particular sound. It was the one sound I was really terrified of. It was the sound of a really heavy, wooden log hitting the ground and then being dragged along on the road. It would happen around the same time every night.
I would lie awake, imagining a terrible monster who had large, wooden logs for legs, walking along the street, looking for little children to carry away and eat. Then I would crawl up to my parents bed and sleep in between my mom and dad, hoping that I wouldn't be carried away. After all, which 8 year old would be strong enough to fight this monster and triumph.
This carried on for a few months and my night terrors got worse. My parents were, at that time, trying to get me to sleep independently. But I would end up in their bed, almost inevitably. It was worse on days when the power went out.
One day, I was home sick and missed school. It was just after lunch and I was reading a book in the balcony when the bell rang. I ran to open the door. There was a man I had never seen before who said he had come to collect his fee. He had a lathi with him and was in a khaki dress, much like a security guard. My mom came and gave him the money in a manner of habit. He exchanged a few pleasantries with me before he left.
I later learnt from my mother that he was the night watchman who would stroll down our street at night with his lathi. And this was the sound I would hear every night. My night terrors stopped all of a sudden, now that I could put a friendly face to this monster.
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