Grace Flower

By Miss Faria

Carl is travelling by train with family from his city to get married. Everyone is very happy. But moments later, a black owl creates fear on the train. It stays with them everywhere. Even after Carl's marriage, the owl still reaches their house. It possesses his wife, Grace. Every passing day becomes unbearable for Carl and Grace. In order to save Grace from this calamity, his uncle Frederick, the priest, performs an exorcism. But he failed; instead, due to the owl, he became so sick that his body filled with wounds, emitting a foul smell. The life circumstances   are out of control. Now the question is how to regain their happiness and love. But that mysterious power breaks their spirits.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Faria
• Release date: Jun 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223254577

Miss Faria

Farkhanda Bakht Awan here. I write fiction & non fiction under the pen name Faria, and I'm a driven woman with a Master's in library science.  My main areas of interest in literature are mystery, horror, and adventure. Writing short tales, novellas, and novels that immerse readers in intriguing settings filled with suspense, spine-tingling fear, and heart-pounding thrill brings me great joy. I try to hold the attention of my audience and pique their curiosity. My ultimate goal is to provide readers an unforgettable reading experience because I firmly believe in the ability of narrative to amuse, inspire, and elicit thinking. I eagerly welcome constructive criticism in order to develop as a writer, and I also hope to have a solid and devoted readership. I long for favorable feedback from readers who value my innovative narrative writing, and I hope that my work will have a long-lasting influence on their life. I am motivated to persevere in the face of new difficulties by my love for writing and my family's continuous support. As I dig further into the worlds of mystery, horror, and adventure one compelling story at a time, I invite readers to accompany me on this thrilling literary voyage.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Black Owl

It was a chilly night in December. The moon was shining brightly. The deep fog had engulfed the moon of the fourteenth. Darkness had spread across the houses in the neighborhood. The flickering lamps had gone out. People were finding comfort in their blankets, escaping the restless daytime life. They were busy dreaming in this delightful night. The clock struck twelve.

Outside the neighborhood, in the jungle where the railway passed, an owl was sitting on a tree. It was the only one awake on this chilly night, not just awake but sitting confidently with its wings spread as if it were not December night but a night of March.

This black owl was certainly not feeling the cold. Its big bright eyes were fixed on the railway tracks. While other animals in the jungle were curled up in their own hideouts, all were asleep, the entire atmosphere was filled with deep slumber.

Then, from a distance, it heard the sound it was waiting for. It was a train. It was still far away. Its faint sound was reaching the owl's ears. Then its sound grew louder. Then, in the darkness, a spot of light appeared. The train was coming closer. The rhythmic thud of the train and the glow on the forehead of the engine, both were audible and visible. In a few moments, the train was passing by the tree. At that moment, the owl opened its wings and stood up, fixing its gaze on the engine.

At that moment, the train started applying the brakes. The driver noticed several people lying on the tracks, covered in white sheets. They were lying with their heads on the same level as the track, and they suddenly appeared. The fog was so dense that even nearby objects appeared hazy. When the driver saw these people lying on the tracks, the train had already reached their heads. No force in the world could save them from being crushed under the train.

Nevertheless, the driver quickly applied emergency brakes, and the train passed by those white bodies. The last compartment of the train stopped in front of a tree. Jumping off the tree, a black owl landed in the guard's compartment. The guard was taken aback as he had not expected anything after guarding the train. He raised the window and looked outside. There were no signs of any nearby station, and according to his calculations, there was still an hour left to reach the station. Then, where did the train stop?

Guard quickly put on his cap, lifted the lantern, opened the door, and peered outside. Despite the moonlit night, nothing was visible except for darkness. He climbed down from his box to go to the driver and assess the situation. Just as he put his foot on the last step, he heard a rustling sound in his ears. The guard was astonished to see the black owl appear in this dark night. He turned the lantern towards the black owl and took a closer look. Suddenly, he moved forward, driven by fear, towards the engine, but before he could go far, someone with a torch appeared running towards him. It was the driver, running with the light of the torch towards the train. The guard stopped when he saw him.

What happened? Guard recognized the train driver and asked.

Has someone pulled the chain? The guard inquired.

No, I stopped the train myself.The train driver replied, trembling and shivering.

But why? Is everything alright? The guard's forehead creased with concern.

Everything is not alright, sir. I am sure they all must be dead. The train driver said in a distressed tone.

Who must be dead? What are you talking about? The guard asked, startled.

Come with me, and let's go ahead and see for ourselves. The train driver said in a worried accent.

What happened? Tell me something, the guard asked.

"Believe me, I deliberately didn't hit them. They suddenly appeared in front of me, and when they did, the train had already reached their heads. The train driver said.

Who were those people in the deserted night, and what were they doing in such a jungle? The guard continued shining his flashlight under the train with increasing speed. There were several of them, lying down covered in white sheets, with their heads placed on tracks. That's all I saw, I replied. The train driver informed, Now they reached to the engine. Until now, they hadn't seen anyone there.

There is nothing here, the guard said while looking into the distance with his flashlight. Sir, move forward a bit more and have a look, the trembling train driver suggested. Then, stepping forward, the guard grabbed the train driver's hand and said, "Buddy, use your brain. Who would lie down with their heads on pillows in this