bad luck

It was a Dullahan…

And if what he’d just heard was true— Why was it watching me?

As if reading the thought off Rajeev’s face, the old man leaned forward.

“The Dullahan... he’s no messenger of peace, lad. He doesn’t guide the soul gently like you hear in other tales. He chooses. When he shows up, it means death is near — and not the kind that comes slow in bed, surrounded by kin.”

He looked at Rajeev then, eyes dark.

“It’s sudden. Terrifying. A force that can’t be reasoned with. A soul ripped from the world before it’s ready.”

Rajeev swallowed hard.

“So… it’s not natural?” he asked.

The old man gave a slow, almost pitying nod.
“Not natural, no. Not like the way life’s supposed to end. There’s no calm to it. No control. Just a moment — one breath — and then gone. That’s why people feared him. He doesn’t bring death... he is death. And once he says your name, there's no turning back.”

3.1

The friends had just returned from another round of adventure, their clothes dusty, their faces glowing with laughter.

Rajeev sat quietly on the floor, eyes locked on the ceiling, his expression unreadable.

“Hey!” Sameer called out playfully. “You didn’t piss yourself again, did you?”

The others chuckled, but Arti immediately frowned.

“Don’t say things like that. It’s rude and hurtful,” she scolded.

But Rajeev didn’t react. His gaze remained fixed on the ceiling, lost in thought.

“Yu ded?” Veeru asked.

“Me aliv,” Rajeev muttered dryly, slowly propping himself up with one hand on the floor. Then, with a deep breath, he added, “I’m about to die…”

The room fell silent.

Sameer turned to look at him. Arti did too.

“…nice, you look ugly anyway,” smiling.

Rajeev shot Veeru a glare. “That wasn’t a joke, idiot.”

Sameer raised an eyebrow. “What happened? You hit your head last night or something? Or did aliens abduct you?”

“That’s not funny either,” Arti snapped. “Rajeev, you’re not dying. Don’t say things like that!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever…” Rajeev waved them off lazily and laid back down. “Just leave me alone.”

The others exchanged glances and, seeing he wasn’t in the mood, quietly left him be. One by one, they went off to rest.

But Veeru stayed behind.

Rajeev noticed. “What now?”

“I trust you, tell me everything.” Veeru said, his voice softer than usual. “You don’t say weird things unreasonably. Maybe it sounds absurd, but if you say it… I’ll believe it.”

Rajeev gave a small chuckle. “You really are my best friend.”

He sat up again, leaning against the wall. “Fine. I saw him. The headless man.”

He told Veeru everything he knew about a Dullahan. Arti and Sameer, who had quietly returned, listened too. They didn’t interrupt. They had no proof, but they couldn’t deny the concern blooming in their chests.

Eventually, they all agreed to forget about it—for now. Sameer insisted it was probably nothing. “Even if it was a ghost, we haven’t seen it again,” he said, trying to sound casual.

Later, they set out on another exploration—this time together, in a different direction. They laughed through the woods, climbed rocks, and slipped in the mud. Rajeev took a tumble and scraped his elbow, and the others couldn’t stop laughing at how he flailed like a startled bird. Rajeev laughed too, not minding the jokes for once.

For a while, everything felt normal again.

The night fell quietly.

Nothing seemed off, though Rajeev did feel a slight stomach ache and a dull headache as he lay in bed. He brushed it off, thinking it was nothing.

---

The next morning...

Rajeev stepped out of the inn, stretching and yawning. The moment his foot hit the ground, he slipped on a banana peel and landed flat on his back.

"Ow! I felt that..." he muttered, rubbing his backside.

Sameer burst into laughter behind him.
"Did you find the ghost at night?" he teased, still chuckling.

Rajeev didn’t respond. He was used to Sameer’s jokes—two years of them, in fact.

“Let’s go to the river today!!” Arti suggested cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Yep!” Veeru chimed in supportively.

“Your call,” Rajeev shrugged.

3.2

They headed toward the village river. Laughter and casual chatter filled the road until—
“Ow! What the—” Rajeev winced and slapped his arm.

A wasp.

He stared at the swelling sting in stunned silence, lips slightly parted, face blank. The others paused, unsure whether to laugh or worry.

“You okay?” Veeru asked.

Rajeev didn’t answer. He just nodded, muttered something under his breath, and kept walking.

---

The road stretched on through scattered trees and grassy slopes. Eventually, the glimmer of water appeared through the clearing. The river, wide and calm, sparkled under the golden light. An old, knotted tree leaned over the bank; its roots twisted like frozen serpents.

They spent a while playing around, splashing water, skipping stones. But around 3 hours later, chaos struck.

A sudden splash.

“RAJEEV!!” Arti’s voice cut through the air.

He was drowning.

Even though he knew how to swim, his legs thrashed wildly. Something had snagged his foot—a strip of cloth caught around his ankle, buried in the silt. His arms flailed, eyes wide in panic as he gasped for breath.

“Hold on!” Sameer dove in.

Arti reached out from the bank, grabbing Rajeev’s hand. With a final pull, he broke free and coughed violently, sputtering on the shore.

“What are you doing?! Be careful!” Arti snapped, more shaken than angry.

Rajeev forced a laugh. “It wasn’t my fault,” he said, breathless. “Something... grabbed me.”

He didn’t join in the games after that. He just sat on a rock near the shore, arms around his knees, watching his friends with a distant look.

What the hell’s happening to me?
This isn’t just bad luck… right?

Veeru eventually sat beside him, quiet at first. Then he spoke.
“That’s the third time something’s gone wrong today.”

Rajeev nodded slowly. “It actually started at midnight. Out of nowhere, my head and stomach started hurting. Didn’t think much of it... but now?”

A bead of sweat trailed down his temple.

Veeru’s tone turned serious. “Maybe it’s not random. If it’s the Dullahan… we should try to find gold. Isn’t that what the old man said? That it’s his weakness?”

Rajeev didn’t argue. “Yeah... let’s try.”

---

Four hours later…

They were making their way back when a sharp crack echoed through the woods.

A thick branch, heavy and jagged, broke off the old river tree above—and came crashing down.

Rajeev barely turned in time.
Thud!

“Ahhh!!” He cried out, gripping his shoulder, pain flaring through his arm.

“RAJEEV!!” Arti sprinted over, eyes wide with horror. She dropped to her knees beside him, checking the wound.

Even Sameer stood frozen. No jokes. No smirk.

“…Maybe,” he muttered, “it’s just a bad day…”
His voice trailed off.
“…Or maybe it really is a Dullahan.”

No one spoke after that.

Only the wind through the leaves answered them.

---

Author's Note:

Hey there, thanks for reading!

This story might feel a little unusual at times and might be fast paced — and that's okay. I'm still very new to writing, and English isn't my first language. I'm learning and growing with every chapter, and this story is a part of that journey.

If you notice anything odd, or if something stands out — good or bad — I’d genuinely love to hear your feedback. Every comment helps me improve and tells me someone out there is listening.

Thanks again for giving this a shot. Hope you enjoy the ride.

— TheDipanshu