Short Story: The Three Beings by R Srinivasan

In this short story, R Srinivasan shares a heart-warming story with a clever narrative and an ending that will leave the reader guffawing.

I wouldn’t call them ghosts or the place haunted. Except for being invisible to the human eye, the three did not have any ghost-like characteristics. They did not make sudden appearances, move or fling objects, create negative energy, or indulge in any such activity normally associated with ghosts. Talking of the place, it was well-lit, airy, clean, and bustling with human activity (at least during the weekdays) for it was a hospital. Not the type of place you would half expect to be a dwelling for such beings. 

The three entities, as we shall call them for the sake of simplicity and without having any prejudice against them, let their presence known to the discerning mind through their measured activities. There was already a general rumour among the hospital staff of unexplained occurrences. As time went by, there were multiple strange occurrences that it was worth raising the issue in at least one monthly staff meeting only to be dismissed quickly by the senior management as being frivolous enough to warrant no action. Besides, the issue at hand was vague with no acceptable countermeasures. Suggestions of inviting a traditional exorcist or their modern equivalents with their gadgets were quickly shot down as it was considered bad publicity for an institution that prided itself on being the temple of sound scientific practise. The higher management of the hospital rightfully stifled any further mention by the issuance of a gag order, with a threat of suspension of service, to anyone who took this issue seriously.