ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE GOT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AS HE HEARD SOME PROMINENT SOUND AS IF SOME GLASS BROKE SOMEWHERE. HE SEARCHED THE ROOM TO FIND THE ORIGIN OF THE SOUND. WHEN HE REALISED THAT THE SOUND WAS OF THE DOOR BOLT, HE WAS SHOCKED. HE REMEMBERED THAT HE HAD BOLTED THE DOOR SECURELY BUT NOW THE BOLT HAD COME OFF AUTOMATICALLY. THE DOOR STARTED OPENING SLOWLY, AGAIN AUTOMATICALLY. JAGANNATH WAS CONFINED TO THE PLACE WHERE HE WAS, THERE WAS A VERY OLD MAN STANDING AT THE DOOR. HE WAS TOTALLY BALD, NOT EVEN A SINGLE HAIR ON HIS ABNORMALLY LONG HEAD. HIS FACE WAS OVER WRINKLED. THE HIGH CHEEK BONES WERE VERY PROMINENT. HIS BODY RESEMBLED A SKELETON. BUT HIS EYES, THEY WERE SPARKLING AS IF LIKE FIRE. THE OLD MAN LOOKED INTENTLY AT JAGANNATH. JAGANNATH SCREAMED LOUDLY, BUT TO HIS SURPRISE NO VOICE CAME OUT. THE OLD MAN GESTURED HIM TO FOLLOW HIM. JAGANNATH STARTED WALKING. HE DID NOT WANT TO BUT HE HAD LOST ALL CONTROL OVER HIS WILL POWER. HE WANTED TO GATHER ALL HIS STRENGTH, HE WANTED TO RUN AWAY, BUT HIS LEGS WERE NOT OBEYING HIS MIND. WHERE WERE THE TWO LEADING? RATNAKAR MATKARI TAKES HIS READERS TO A NOVEL PLACE, TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL SIGHTS; HE TAKES THEM TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION; TO A FEARSOME, MYSTIC, ANONYMOUS LAND. THE READERS ARE EQUALLY THRILLED. THEY KEEP ON READING PAGE AFTER PAGE HAUNTINGLY.THE STORIES HERE WILL SURELY HYPNOTIZE THE YOUNG READERS.
मध्यरात्री त्याला अचानक जाग आली, ती कसल्यातरी ‘खळ्ळ्’ आवाजाने. अंधारातच त्याने खोलीभर नजर फिरवली. आणि एक गोष्ट लक्षात येऊन, त्याच्या छातीत धस्स झाले! आवाज झाला होता, तो दरवाजाच्या कडीचा. त्याने पक्की लावलेली कडी आपोआप निघाली होती. —आणि दार सावकाश उघडू लागले होते.... जागच्या जागी खिळल्यासारखा, जगन्नाथ ते दृश्य पाहत राहिला. दारात एक जख्ख म्हातारा उभा होता. बोडका. लांबुडक्या डोक्याला तुळतुळीत टक्कल पडलेले, चेहरा सुरकुत्यांनी मढलेला. गालाची हाडे वर आलेली, आणि अस्थिपंजर शरीर. डोळे मात्र निखाऱ्यासारखे चमकत होते. नजर जगन्नाथवर रोखलेली होती. जगन्नाथने किंकाळी मारली, पण ती ओठातून बाहेर फुटलीच नाही. त्या बोडक्या म्हातायाने त्याला आपल्याबरोबर चलण्याची खूण केली. जगन्नाथ चालू लागला. खरेतर त्याला जायचे नव्हते, पण स्वत:च्या इच्छाशक्तीवर जणू त्याचा ताबाच राहिलेला नव्हता. ....सर्व शक्ती एकवटून तिथून पळून जावे, असे वाटत होते, पण मनाचे सांगणे पाय मानत नव्हते. कुठे निघाले होते ते दोघे? अगदी नेहमीच्या वास्तवातून रत्नाकर मतकरी आपल्या वाचकाला एका अद्भुत प्रदेशात घेऊन जातात. गूढ, भयप्रद, अनामिक. त्यांचे बोट धरून वाचक झपाटल्यासारखा पानांमागून पाने उलटत जातो... तरुण मनाच्या वाचकांना संमोहित करणाया, मतकरींच्या वैशिष्ट्यपूर्ण आगळ्यावेगळ्या गूढकथांचा संग्रह.