"This Story is related to my family and I have written it to the best of my remembrance"....
Curiosity is always an annoying aspect ...whether liked by others or not.. and it is a common factor for all of us at young age..
I had an inkling for long time to explore the ATTIC in the mezzanine floor of our old house at Thenkasi..but never been allowed because of my young age.. By that time I was around Ten/Eleven years old.. and scared of some insects..some unknown devils lurking at the corners of the attic as told by my Mother..
Father never used to tell me about the contents in the attic ...but he himself entered that room only occassionaly .. to keep/remove some unwanted 'things'...My dream of exploration became reality when my cousin from Madras droped-in for summer vacation once..He was around 4 years elder to me and when I told him about the attic..he readily agreed to take me with the consent of father..So our venture started with my cousin obtained permission to search for some old books..which were in plenty.. as per my father..
Entrance to the attic was only through a trap door provided in the hall wooden ceiling and both of us climbed with the help of a ladder into the attic..The light was very dim from the small bulb provided there and we were greeted by the penchant smell of stale-air...Fortunately my cousin brought a Torch-light with him and he started to search for old books kept in some old trunk-boxes..After getting adjusted with the available lighting.. my eyes started rolling in seach of some un-known... including the ghosts as told by my mother..There was nothing attractive to me except the wooden rocking horse which I enjoyed in my early age…Some old furnitures were there and infact I was disappointed as I expected and imagined all these days something spectacular..Cousin had taken some old books like Sherlock homes collection , English Dictionery etc .. Father kept all the books neatly paked in plastic covers and the trunk boxes were having suitable quantity of tamrind powder..so the books were not damaged.. With full of dust in dress and hands .. my imaginary adventure in the attic almost ended in a fiasco…When we were about to get down ..I have noticed something like a stick kept in the corner and there was slight light reflection at the bottom of stick..which made me to notice..I have pointed out this to cousin and he immediately took it out to see.. It was indeed a stick but curved at the top like walking stick and the bottom was made of some metal in two parts..Somehow I felt it was diffirent from the normal walking-stick which I have seen used by old people in our street..We left it in the same corner and got down..
As soon as Father returned back cousin showed him the book he had taken from the attic and Father asked me what I had…I said none..but gone with cousin only to have a look inside the attic ..[ I didn’t tell him about my disappointment..] Then I casualy I asked Father about the stick kept in the attic…
So you have seen that..asked my Father and I said yes..You know we kept it there because it belongs to your GrandFather … there is a story behind it..and it is not an ordinary Walking stick …said my Father…Since I was curious to know about it … pleaded with him to tell me more about that walking stick..Father asked my cousion to get–into the attic again and fetch that walking-stick..
After dusting done by my Father ..I could see that walking-stick more closly…It was in wooden for the top portion about 1’ lenth with beautiful carvings in the handle and the bottom was in two piece metal and made with steppings like a telescope..but on the whole it was slightly thicker than the normal walking-stick. .Now watch ..said my Father and started to push the bottom portions into the wooden portion..To my surprise both the metal parts slid into the wooden portion one behind the other and only the 1’ lenth of walking stick was visible..[ like modern day foldable Umbrellas ].. Now see this…Father showed me and my cousin a small latch provided at the bottom of the handle..He held the wooden stick in one hand and pushed the latch inside with other hand…
Suddenly with a ‘click’ of sound ..a KNIFE of about 6 to 7 inches length came out at the bottom of the stick…!!
Sudden projection of a sharp knife from the bottom of that walking stick shocked and stunned myself and my cousin…That Knife was not exactely a knife..but it was like sword ..sharpenned in all sides and very menacing..With the shortened handle..the walking-stick resembled a Dagger with a straight blade..
My Father pushed the latch in the handle again and the knife retracted inside with a click sound…He said..origionally the metal parts had a leather jacket..but worn-out in due course..and the knife can be extended without sliding the metal parts also ..but to our relief ..he didn’t demonstrate it… When I asked about the story.. he simply smiled and said ..wait till Sunday..and I didn’t have courage to insist..
So..Myself and my cousin had to wait for two days…No doubt I must have had enough horror dreams of that ‘walking stick’ chasing me with the extended KNIFE… on those days..!!
TVK
