Horror short fiction: A group of college students summons spirits to the mortal world

Santanu was a bright young man in his late twenties, studying in Calcutta’s prestigious Presidency College. His subject was physics, and his professors had espied in him a questing mind combined with an intellectual daring that saw him tread new paths of thought in his chosen field. They foresaw for him high honours and were practically certain that he would get a full scholarship at one of the world’s best known ivy league colleges.

Santanu’s elderly parents were very proud of their son. He was their only child, and they had always known that he would make it big in the world. Santanu’s father was the retired VC of a well-known university in the city and his mother had been a teacher of English at a prestigious girl’s college of Calcutta University, but had taken early retirement some years ago. They were a family of academics and it seemed only natural to his parents that Santanu should excel in intellectual pursuits.

Santanu’s days were spent between his classes, meetings with his professors and library work. The only other activity he indulged in was joining the gatherings at Coffee House, just across the street. It was an iconic landmark on College Street, going back...

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