Jinns, ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and other supernatural creatures have long been regarded as classic figures of the occult, each embodying the fears, mysteries, and beliefs of their time. In the old ages, when science and technology were still in their infancy, we humans often turned to the supernatural to explain phenomena that seemed beyond comprehension. Strange illnesses, unexplainable deaths, mysterious sounds in the night, and even natural disasters were attributed to the workings of these otherworldly beings. These entities served as a means to personify the unknown, giving shape and form to the intangible fears that haunted the human mind.
For example, jinns, believed to be invisible beings of fire, were thought to inhabit desolate places and were often blamed for sudden misfortunes or inexplicable events. Ghosts, on the other hand, represented the lingering spirits of the dead, embodying humanity''s struggles with mortality and the afterlife. Ghouls, with their association with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh, mirrored fears of desecration and the macabre. Vampires, seductive yet deadly, symbolized the anxieties surrounding death, disease, and forbidden desires.
But most of these thing have logical explanation, like The chupacabra, which is a legendary creature in Latin American folklore, meaning "goat-sucker" in Spanish, comes from its alleged habit of attacking livestock, particularly goats, and draining their blood through small puncture wounds. Descriptions of the chupacabra vary, it is often depicted as either a reptilian creature with spines or quills along its back or a hairless, canine-like animal. The chupacabra is said to be nocturnal, stealthy, and predatory. They''d such their prays blood dry with it''s teeth. But in reality chupacabras are actually dogs or coyote-dog hybrids affected by mange, a disease that causes hair loss and a thick buildup of skin. Others have suggested that the chupacabra is a Xoloitzcuintle, or Mexican Hairless dog, which has large bat-like ears and a long neck.
So these supernatural beings were not just products of fear but also served as cautionary tales, moral lessons, and even entertainment. They provided a framework for understanding the world and coping with the uncertainties of life. Over time, these entities became deeply ingrained in folklore, evolving with cultural shifts and continuing to capture the imagination of people across generations.
As a guy who is doing masters in mathematics and living in 21th century i believed all these occult things are made up by our minds like religion to keep up in check.
Yes i said believed....
As a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics and living in the golden age of science, I prided myself on being a rational, logical thinker. Numbers, equations, and proofs were my tools for understanding the universe. I believed that all so-called occult phenomena—ghosts, cryptids, UFOs, spirits, and even religion—were nothing more than constructs of the human mind, created to provide comfort or control over the chaos of existence. To me, they were modern myths, no different from ancient gods or legends, designed to keep humanity in check.
I openly mocked the idea of anything supernatural. Trinkets sold by charlatans, people who claimed they had seen ghosts or UFOs, and religious zealots preaching miracles—none of it held any weight for me. I saw myself as above such beliefs, standing firmly on the foundation of science and reason.
My friends often teased me about my skepticism. They’d share ghost stories or tales of haunted houses, hoping to get a reaction. I’d laugh, roll my eyes, and counter their anecdotes with logical explanations. "It’s just pareidolia," I’d say when they described seeing faces in the dark. "Confirmation bias," I’d argue when they claimed a psychic predicted their future. I was the guy who could take the magic out of any story, and I wore that badge proudly.
I thought most of the people who have this types of tales are mentally disturbed or coping with emotions.
And then, I met him.
That day shattered the carefully constructed worldview I had built around myself. It wasn''t just a fleeting encounter or a misunderstanding, mental disorder. What I experienced defied all the logic and reason I had so stubbornly clung to. It wasn’t something I could dismiss as coincidence or delusion. This wasn’t a ghost story told by someone’s grandmother, nor a blurry photograph of a UFO on the internet. It was real tangible, undeniable, and utterly terrifying.
The encounter turned my beliefs upside down and sent me spiraling into questions I had never imagined asking. Was everything I had dismissed as superstition or fantasy actually rooted in some deeper truth? Was the universe far stranger than I had ever allowed myself to consider?
I don’t know if I’ll ever fully understand. But I do know one thing,the world is not as simple or rational as I once believed. Sometimes, the very things we dismiss as impossible come knocking on the door of reality. And when they do, they leave us forever changed.
* ......2 months ago.....*
It started like any other day. I had been working late in the university library, poring over complex equations for a thesis on chaos theory. Ironically, I thought I understood chaos better than most—how it could be modeled, predicted, and tamed with the right mathematical tools. But the chaos I encountered that night was something no equation could quantify.
The burden of daily work to support myself and running errands for the professor under whom I’m doing my thesis is making my life feel like hell.
After my part time job the walk back to my dorm was uneventful. The streets were quiet, bathed in the dim orange glow of streetlights.
It wasn’t a dorm to be honest. The college dormitory was filled to capacity, and as a guy with a full-paid scholarship, I found myself in a bit of a unique situation. The university, unable to accommodate me in the dorms, arranged for me to live in a small apartment near the campus. It was a decent place..clean, spacious enough, and close to all the university facilities. The catch, however, was that I had to cover half of the expenses, while the university would take care of the other half.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
At first, it seemed like a fair deal, but as the months rolled by, I realized the cost of living was quickly adding up. Food, utilities, and maintenance started to weigh heavily on my budget. My scholarship covered my tuition, but the rest was on me, and I found myself constantly crunching numbers to make ends meet.
After weeks of deliberation, I finally made a decision. The apartment, while cozy, was honestly too big for just one person. It had an extra bedroom, and I barely used the living room except for studying or eating. It felt wasteful to keep all that space to myself when I could be sharing it. More importantly, having a roommate would cut my living expenses in half, which would be a huge relief.
So, I took the plunge. I sent an application to the university housing office, requesting a roommate. I made sure to specify that I wanted someone who was in the same boat as me—preferably another scholarship student or someone with a similar lifestyle. I didn’t want any surprises or major personality clashes.
A few days later, I got an email from the housing office confirming that they had found someone. They didn’t share many details, only that the person would arrive soon and had been informed of the arrangement. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I hoped for the best.
That brings me to today. I was sitting on the couch, flipping through a textbook, when I heard a knock at the door.
This had to be my new roommate—the person the university had matched me with. I took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the door. My hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment as I wondered what kind of person was waiting on the other side. Would they be friendly? Easy to get along with? Or would this be a complete disaster?
With a final deep breath, thing already happened so there''s no turning back. I finally opened the door.
The guy standing on the other side of the door was not what I had expected. He was shorter than me, probably around 5’6” or 5’7”. He had a full beard and thick hair, giving him a slightly rugged yet well-kept look. His complexion and features suggested he was a foreigner—maybe Middle Eastern or Arab. There was an air of confidence about him, though he didn’t seem overly intimidating.
I took the lead, as the old resident of the apartment, and broke the ice. “You must be the guy the university sent,” I said, offering a polite smile.
He nodded slightly, his expression neutral but polite.
“Ah, sorry, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I’m Ted,” I added quickly, extending my hand for a handshake.
The guy took my hand and shook it firmly. “Name’s Maaz,” he said, his voice carrying a slight accent. Then, with a small grin, he added, “It means ‘safe,’ in case you were wondering. You know, like a safe place. Kind of ironic, huh?”
I chuckled at his attempt to lighten the mood. “Nice to meet you, Maaz. Come on in.”
I led him into the apartment, gesturing toward the dining room as we walked. “You must have traveled a lot to get here, so why don’t you freshen up first? You’ll probably feel better after washing off the day.”
I pointed to the rooms as we passed them. “This is my room,” I said, indicating the door on the left. “And this one here is yours. It’s empty for now, so you’ll need to buy whatever you need tomorrow. For tonight, though, I’m afraid you’ll have to crash on the couch. Sorry about that—it’s just how things worked out.”
Then I pointed to the door at the end of the hall. “And that’s the washroom. Feel free to use it.”
Maaz didn’t say much in response. He nodded, his eyes scanning the apartment as if he were taking in every detail. He walked slowly, his gaze lingering on the furniture, the walls, and even the small decorations I’d put up to make the place feel homier. At first, I thought he was just getting a feel for his new living space. Maybe he was the type to analyze his surroundings, or maybe he had a touch of OCD. Either way, I didn’t think much of it at the time.
After scanning the room like a detective, his gaze locked onto something behind me. His eyes widened briefly, a flash of alarm crossing his face before he quickly composed himself, his expression returning to normal as if nothing had happened.
Curiosity prickled at me, and I turned to glance over my shoulder, expecting to see something out of the ordinary. But there was nothing just the same mundane room I''ve been living for few months, with no apparent reason for such a reaction.
What on earth could he have seen? My mind raced, trying to piece together his strange behavior. Was he imagining things, or was there something I missed? The way his demeanor shifted so quickly left me unsettled.
"What the hell is this guy looking at?" I muttered under my breath, feeling a mix of unease and frustration as I turned back to face him. His calm facade only deepened the mystery, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this moment than met the eye. I was about to ask him a question but without saying anything he carried his bags into his room, which was completely bare except for a bed frame and a small wardrobe. Without a word, he placed his things down and headed toward the washroom to freshen up.
When he came back, he had changed into a casual t-shirt and sweatpants, looking much more relaxed than when he’d first arrived. I was already sitting on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. He joined me, sitting at the opposite end of the couch.
“So,” I started, turning to face him, “how was the trip? Where are you from originally?”
Maaz leaned back, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, as if he were still studying me. “It was long,” he said simply. “I’m from Amman, Jordan. Ever been to the Middle East?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Closest I’ve been is watching travel vlogs on YouTube. What’s it like there?”
He smiled faintly, his expression softening. “It’s different. Beautiful, in its own way. The history, the food, the people—it’s something you have to experience to really understand. But it’s not all deserts and camels like some people think.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I figured as much. So, what are you studying here?”
“physich,” he replied. “Specifically, astrophysics. And you?”
“ mathematics,” I said. “I guess we’re both in fields that involve a lot of problem-solving.”
He nodded, and for the first time, I noticed a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Yeah, I guess we are. So, tell me, Ted, what’s the deal with this place? Anything I should know about living here?”
I shrugged. “It’s pretty straightforward. Quiet neighborhood, close to campus, decent amenities. Just don’t expect a five-star experience. The walls are thin, so you might hear the neighbors sometimes. And the heating can be a little finicky in the winter, but nothing too bad.”
He listened intently, nodding occasionally. The conversation flowed easily, and before I knew it, we were talking about everything from our favorite foods to our goals for the future.
“We’ll divide everything by half,” I said as we continued our conversation. “Rent, utilities, internet—all the bills. But food expenses are separate. You’ll handle your own groceries and meals, and I’ll handle mine. That way, no one’s stepping on anyone’s toes.”
Maaz nodded without hesitation. “That’s fine by me,” he replied, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.
I leaned back on the couch, relieved that he wasn’t going to make this arrangement complicated. “Good. Glad we’re on the same page. Makes things a lot easier, don’t you think?”
He gave a slight smile. “Yeah, it does. I’m not picky about stuff like this. As long as we’re clear about the rules, I’m good.”
That straightforward response made me feel a little more optimistic about having a roommate. No drama, no fuss—just a simple agreement between two people trying to make things work. I could live with that.
“Well, I guess we’re off to a good start,” I said, offering him a small grin. “Let’s see how long we can keep it that way.”
Maaz chuckled softly. “I’ll do my part. Don’t worry about that.”
And just like that, we had laid the foundation for our living arrangement. Simple, fair, and hopefully drama-free.
By the end of the night, I had a feeling that Maaz and I might actually get along. Sure, he was a bit reserved, but there was something about him that felt grounded and trustworthy. Maybe this roommate situation wouldn’t be so bad after all.