PARASITE - The Toxic People

📌 Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction intended for entertainment and thought-provoking discussion. It does not promote or endorse any superstitions or paranormal beliefs.

In the quiet village of Bhavlipur, nestled between dense forests and golden farmlands, there lived a man named Ganeshrao. He was known for his wisdom and generosity. His house was always open to travelers, farmers, and wandering sages. But unknown to him, something sinister lurked in his own home.

One rainy night, a frail, shivering man knocked at Ganeshrao’s door. His clothes were tattered, and his eyes had the hollow emptiness of a man who had suffered much.

"Maharaj, please let me stay for a few days. I have no home, no family," he pleaded.

Ganeshrao, being the kind man he was, let him in. He gave him warm food, fresh clothes, and a place to sleep.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The stranger, who introduced himself as Raghunath, never left. He didn’t work, didn’t help, and yet he ate the best food, wore the best clothes, and lived under the same roof as Ganeshrao. Whenever someone questioned his presence, Raghunath would smile and say,

"Why should one hurry in life? The trees give fruits without working, the rivers flow without effort, and I am simply living as nature intended!"

At first, Ganeshrao laughed at his words, but soon, strange things began happening. His fields, once lush and green, began to dry up. His cattle, once healthy, became weak. Even his own strength started to fade.

He visited the village priest, who listened carefully and then whispered,

"You have a Baandgul in your home. A parasite. It does not just feed on food—it feeds on your fortune, your energy, your very life. Such beings do not take—they consume!"

Ganeshrao was shaken. He rushed home and watched Raghunath carefully. He noticed how the man always sat in the shadows, never in the sunlight. How his presence seemed to darken the very air around him.

One night, when the village slept, Ganeshrao entered Raghunath’s room with an oil lamp. He saw something terrifying—Raghunath’s shadow was not human. It twisted unnaturally, moving like a dark mist, slithering across the walls. It wasn’t a man. It was something else.

Gathering all his strength, Ganeshrao threw a handful of sacred turmeric at Raghunath, chanting prayers of protection. The parasite screeched, its body trembling as its shadow began to burn and shrink.

"You cannot escape your fate, Ganeshrao," it whispered, its form crumbling into dust. "There will always be Bandguls in this world… feeding on the kindness of fools."

And just like that, Raghunath was gone.

By morning, Ganeshrao felt lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted. His fields flourished again, his cattle grew strong, and his home was filled with light. But from that day onward, he never let a stranger stay too long… for he had learned that not every guest is a blessing—some are just parasites waiting to feed.