Shavam tho Prayanam (Remake)
Journey with a Corpse
Setting: NH-163, rainy night (Karimnagar).
In English: Journey with a Corpse. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
Journey with a Corpse
Last month nenu Karimnagar nunchi Hyderabad ki late ga drive chesthunnanu. Manair Dam dhaati, NH-163 midha inka 150 km cover cheyyali. Varsham light ga padutondi, wipers low speed lo. Aa 11:20 PM time ki oka chintha manasulo ki vacchindi — 2016 lo nenu degree second year lo unnappudu, maa mitra Harish raasina "Shavam tho Prayanam" ane oka chinna blog post chadivanu. Athadu rasindhi rendu paragraphs matrame. Kaani aa rendu paragraphs, 10 years tarwatha kuda, naaku gurthu unnayi. "Ah route lo night vellina vaallu chaala mandhi chanipoyaru" ane oka line, athadu use chesadu. Ippudu nenu chesthunna route kaadu adhi — kaani Telangana rural highways anni oke smell, oke silence ichesthayi. Aa smell emito nenu oka manishi tho share chesthe, athadu yepudo chanipoyina manishi avuthadu. Ee katha adhe. Nijam ga jaragaledu. Kaani ee katha cheppakapothe manasu shanthi ga vundaledu, so raasthunnanu.
Sravan ani oka abbai. DeccanStack Labs ane oka Hyderabad startup lo backend engineer. Vayasu 28. Swagramam Karimnagar Bhaktaraja Colony. Prathi Friday amma Saradamma kosam intiki velladam, prathi Sunday rathri Hyderabad ki thiragadam — last three years ga ee routine break avvaledu.
Aa roju January second week. Sankranti sambaralu mugisi rendu rojulu aindi. Sravan intiki vellinappudu amma oka plate pongali pettindi, chethilo oka small silver chain pettindi — [SARADAMMA] "Ee chain nee nanna gari di. 1998 lo pellikaani rojulu nunchi. Hyderabad lo neck lo vesuko, car driving lo ee road midha." Sravan navvadu. Chain jeans pocket lo pettadu. Drive cheyyadaniki neck chain ekkuva, antha seriousness ledu ani manasulo anukunnadu.
Sunday rathri 9:30 ki Karimnagar nunchi bayaludheradu. Plan prakaram 1 AM ki Miyapur flat lo undali. Petrol bunk daggara 10:20 ki oka tea aagadam, malli pickup. 11:00 ki Manair Dam daati, 11:30 ki oka chinna village outskirts.
Varsham start aindi akkada. Heavy ga kaadu. Kaani road lo oka opaque layer pettindi. Headlights 15 metres kanna ekkuva kanipinchatledu. Sravan speed 50 ki taggincchadu.
Oka kilometre tarwatha, left side chaitanya lo oka manishi nilabadi undadam gamaninchaadu.
Aa manishi chethulu saachadu. Lift kaavali ani.
Sravan car aapadu, window digincchadu. Rain aa manishi face meedha padutondi, kaani athadu kanuu aarchadam ledu. White dhoti, tellati laalchi, cheyyi lo oka small cloth potla. Age sumaaru 70 pai. Thala meeda tuvvaalu padutondi varsham ki.
Musalayya: "Babu, Siddipet varaku lift ivvagalava? Maa ooriki velthunna, last bus poyindi."
Sravan: "Siddipet 40 km undi thatha. Kuuchondi, nenu velthune unna."
Athadu door open chesi passenger seat lo koorchunnaadu. Door close chesinappudu okkasari fresh tamarind chekkala smell vacchindi, chinnatannam lo intlo ugaadi pacchadi chesthe vasthundi kadha, aa smell. Varsham lo yenduku ee smell? Sravan aa prashna adigadu kaadu. Car malli start chesadu.
Silence five minutes. Vipers rhythm matrame.
Musalayya: "Nuvvu Karimnagar pillavaadivaa?"
Sravan: "Avunu thatha. Bhaktaraja colony. Mee ooru?"
Musalayya: Musalayya chinna ga navvadu, kaani aa navvu lo emotion ledu. "Maa ooru ippudu papers midha ledu. Ori pakkana Lingamchenu ani oka thanda undedhi. 1994 lo government vallu resettle chesaru. Kaani nenu inkaa akkade untunna."
Sravan ki konchem anumaanam vacchindi. Lingamchenu ane pere athadu chinnappudu nani cheppinappudu vinadam gurthu undi. Oka relative aayidhi migachi poya ani. Kaani athadu village ipudu ledhu ani cheppukoledhu manasulo. Just nodded.
Ee 20 minutes lo musalayya chala cheppukunnadu. Aayana pelli 1968 lo, bharya 1989 lo poyaru ani. Oka koothuru undi, America lo, last time call chesi 11 years aindi ani. Oka thota undi, mango chettlu. Prathi summer aa thota lo ardha rathri paalkuri kotthukuntaaru — Sravan ki aa scenes kallaki kattinattu explain chesadu.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Kaati Kaalu
Aa kathalu vinagaane Sravan ki edho chinna warmth vacchindi. Grandfather lanti feeling. Musalayya cheppe paddhathi — slow, measured, prathi padham weight tho — aakali lo unna voice la undi. Kaani voice itself chaala steady ga undi.
11:50 PM. Sravan petrol bunk daggara car aapadam kosam slow chesadu.
Sravan: "Thatha, oka chai tisukuntara? Dhaba undi akkada."
Musalayya: "Vadhdhu babu. Nenu ekkuva time undalenu. Yekkado platform midha oka chinna bell mrogutondi, naaku vinipisthondi. Adhi aagipoyedariki nenu ooriki cheralanni undi."
Sravan a vishayam ni ignore chesadu. Petrol bunk lo tea tagaledhu, just restroom velli vacchadu. Return vachi car start chesadu.
Drive continue aindi. Siddipet outskirts vacchayi. 12:30 ki.
Musalayya: "Ikkada digipothanu babu. Ee signal daggara."
Sravan car aapadu. Musalayya digadu. Rain konchem taggindi. Sravan athadi vaipu chusi —
Sravan: "Thatha, meeku ippudu velle saadhanam undha? Inta thakkuva lights lo ela velthaaru?"
Musalayya: Musalayya Sravan vaipu chusi chinna ga navvadu. "Ori Lingamchenu ki oka road undi ippatiki kuda, kaani papers midha ledu. Naaku aa road telusu."
Athadu chaithi meeda chethulu pettinaadu — Sravan intlo namaskaram la. "Nee kosam okkati cheptaanu, babu. Nuvvu ee roju oka rusaaavu ni ticharulyam chesinavu. Aa rusaavu naaku ripaayi. Takkuva manushulu ippudu ilantivi chestharu. Anduke nenu chinnodilanti vaadini kaani, neeku oka maata ivvalani unnanu."
Sravan: "Yenti thatha?"
Musalayya: "Pocket lo nee nanna chain undi kadha? Manchi manishi aayana. 1999 lo maa thanda daggara oka accident aythe, aayana chusi oka ghanta aagi vaipu chadivinadu. Saradamma ki ippudu cheppakapoyinaa kuda, ippudu cheppu, idhi naa nijam."
Sravan ki body cold ga aindi, goosebumps forearms meedha leechayi. Nanna 2008 lo chanipoyadu, Sravan ki appudu 13 years. Nanna Karimnagar lo primary school teacher. 1999 lo ey accident? Aa story ni nanna lekapothe amma lekapothe Sravan ki evvaru cheppaledu.
Sravan mouth dry aipoyindi. "Thatha, meeku nanna gurinchi ela telusu?"
Musalayya: "1999 lo aa accident lo nenu digina lorry driver. Saradamma ki cheppu. Ippudu velli rest tisko, babu."
Musalayya vennu chupinchi, road side nunchi left vaipu nadichadu. Akkada oka kachha road undali, Sravan ki teliyadhu. Headlights turn chesadu, kaani left side edi ledhu. Just weeds, ground, fence. Road ledu.
Musalayya mundhu unna 10 feet, aa tarwatha kanipinchaledu. Disappear aindi ani cheppalenu — just, dhaati chinna poyaadu darkness lo.
Sravan 20 minutes car lo aa signal daggara koorchunnaadu. Manasulo 1994 Lingamchenu, 1999 accident, musalayya cheppina mango thota — anni rotate avuthunnayi.
Cell lo network oka bar vacchindi. Amma ki call chesadu.
Sravan: "Amma, nanna gari photo intlo eh dabba lo undi?"
Saradamma: "Emi rey ippudu? Rathri 1 aipoindhi."
Sravan: "Chepu plzz. Aa photo ki pakkana emaina papers untaya?"
Saradamma confused ga arata-pedadu lopali gadi lo vellindi. Almiraa lo oka black polythene cover teesindi. Lopala oka news paper clipping, Andhra Jyothi, March 1999, Siddipet district edition. Headline small font lo: "Lorry overturns near Lingamchenu, driver critical, local teacher assists before ambulance arrives." Teacher peru: Nagabhushan Rao Pandrala. Lorry driver peru, Ramulu, Lingamchenu, 68 years, passed away in hospital three days later.
Saradamma aa clipping phone light lo chusi, voice vanikindhi. "Itni raathri ki yendhuku ippudu? Aa Ramulu thatha pothoo, nanna gaari meeda 'nuvvu naa praanam kaapaadav, idhi naku rinamu' ani aayana cheppindhi. Nanna ki 'no rinam, praanam saamaanya Kartavyam' ani cheppaaru. Aa matta aaayana chanipoyey mundhu cheppara. Nenu ippativaraku neeku cheppaledu."
Sravan phone pakkana pettadu. Pocket lo nunchi chain teesadu. Silver chain, plain, chinna pendant. Pendant ground ki hold chesi chusadu, lopala oka chinna engraving, 1998 lo nanna pelli rojulu. Aa chain ippudu chethi lo warm ga undi, ardha rathri, bayata varsham, AC full blast lo chevula daggara cold, kaani chain chethi lo warm.
Sravan car start chesadu. Hyderabad ki drive continue chesadu. Naatuo night lo evvaritho matadaledu. Miyapur flat ki 3 AM ki cherukunnaadu. Bag drop chesadu, bathroom kelli face wash chesadu. Aayana Saradamma ki malli call chesadu.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Rathri 3:33 ki Pilupu
Sravan: "Amma. Nenu Ramulu thatha tho velli vacchanu ippude. Siddipet nunchi. Aayana ki ripaayi cheppinattu cheppadu, nanna kuda aa rinam ni free ga anukunnaaru. Ippudu naku tho malli ripaayi chesinattu aayana feel avutunnaru."
Saradamma: Silence, phone midha varsham sound bayata. "Nuvvu ella chesav babu?"
Sravan: "Lift icchanu amma. Just lift. Inka emi cheyyaledhu."
Saradamma aa matala tarwatha konchem sepu voice ledhu. Aa tarwatha —
Saradamma: "Nuvvu aa lift icchinappudu, nee nanna oka chinna kitiki tarcherisinadu babu. Nuvvu choodakapoyina, varshamlo aa road midha nee pakkana nilabadi unnarandi. Enduku ante, Ramulu thatha inni years chelai poyinaa kuda, oka cheyyi tho mattiki ekkaledu. Ipudu ekkadu. Manchi manishi nuvvu."
Sravan phone pakkana pettinadu. Balcony ki velli varsham chudatam modalettinadu. Manair Dam gate daggara aa lorry accident chinnappudu school lo class lo vinaalsina oka chinna chapter la undedi, "Good Samaritan" ane oka moral lesson. Aayana nanna prathi daily lesson gurinchi intlo cheppaledu. Adhi aayana paddhati kaadu.
Balcony lo chain meda lo vesukunnadu. Thanda lo mango chettlu undi, kuuka pakshuli paata patadam, oka musalayya tonelo "adhi aagipoyedariki nenu ooriki cheralanni undi" ani cheppina. Aa bell — inkaa ekkado mrogutondi. Ramulu thatha aa bell kosam, oka 25 years waited.
Hyderabad lo varsham inka padutondi. Sravan bedroom lo velli laptop open chesadu. Maa old family almira lo unna aa clipping ni saradamma photo tisi pampinchindi. Sravan aa image ni save chesadu oka folder lo — "Nanna_1999_Ramulu".
Folder pakkana oka new document create chesadu. Title — "Shavam tho Prayanam". Type chesadu: Aa roju raatri manishi nenu digumati chesina. Aayanaki 25 years aindi chanipoyi. Na paapu ade cheyyaledu — nenu call cheyyaledu ambulance, nenu ambulance ki pilavaledu. Kaani saripodu. Manishi aayana telisina adhi vere vaati.
Save chesadu. Light off chesadu. 4:18 AM.
Balcony side varsham ippudu aagindi.
Author's note
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Telangana
Ee katha fiction, kaani okkaati nijam — 2016 lo Harish ane oka friend blog lo "Shavam tho Prayanam" ane title tho oka rendu paragraphs raasaadu. Adi inkaa complete cheyyaledu. Aa story ni last 10 years nundi nenu manchi lo pettukunnanu. Ippudu Lighted Tales lo aa title ni malli teesi, Karimnagar-Hyderabad NH-163 midha nenu chesina real late-night drives lo kalgina feelings tho kalipi, ee katha ga rasaanu. Manair Dam road ardha rathri lo driving chesinappudu, varsham padithe smell edho chaala specific ga vasthundi — aa smell naaku ee katha raayadaniki cue ichhindi. 2024 January Bonalu lo nenu Karimnagar velli vacchinappudu, oka thatha bus stand daggara lift adigadu — nenu direction different ani cheppi velli poya. Aa roju raathri intiki cherukunnaaka edho miss aipoyinatlu anipinchindi. Aa guilt ee katha ga marchaanu. Meeku kuda ilanti incidents jariginda? Comments lo share chesondi.
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.
Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.
Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales
Comments
Post a Comment