Long ago, kings relied on messengers. Riding horses across forests and deserts, they carried secrets and commands. Later, pigeons flew with messages tied to their feet. Sometimes the notes reached safely, sometimes they never did.
.jpg "The Haunted News, A banner image showing the journey from royal messengers to a haunted modern reporter.")
Time moved forward. Telegrams, telephones, and now the internet made news instant. But not every message wants to be delivered. Some are cursed, waiting for someone foolish enough to open the door.
This is the story of Arnav Sinha, a reporter who learned that some news is not meant for the world.
The Restless Reporter
Arnav was the star reporter of a popular news channel in Lucknow. He was brave, ambitious, and obsessed with being the first. His editor trusted him with the toughest assignments—crime scenes, riots, haunted places.
But for weeks, Arnav had been uneasy. During live broadcasts, he noticed shadows in the camera display. Sometimes, a figure stood behind him. Yet, when he turned around, there was nothing.
“Stress,” his colleagues said. “You need a break.” But Arnav couldn’t shake the feeling. At night, his flat echoed with strange noises. His TV turned on by itself, showing static. His phone rang at midnight with empty calls. Still, he ignored the fear. He had a job to do.
The Strange Message
One night, while editing notes for a political story, an email appeared in his inbox. No subject. No sender.
The body of the mail had only one line: “Deliver the news… or the news will deliver you.” A video link was attached. Curiosity stronger than caution, Arnav clicked. The video opened to an ancient fort. Its broken walls looked lifeless, covered in moss. The silence was suffocating. At the bottom of the screen glowed a timer: 12:00 AM.
Then, a shadow appeared. A woman in white, her face pale, her eyes completely black. She walked toward the camera. Step by step. Closer. And closer. Until her face filled the screen. The video went black. Arnav stared, heart racing. Then he glanced at the clock on his wall. It was 11:50 PM.
The Cursed Fort
The next morning, Arnav searched online. The place in the video was Gaurigarh Fort, about 40 kilometers from the city. Villagers called it cursed. Legends said people who entered never returned.
Naturally, Arnav decided to investigate. A haunted fort was the perfect story. When he reached the nearby village, the locals gathered around him. “Don’t go there,” an old man warned. “The queen’s spirit still walks those halls.”
Arnav smiled politely, brushing off their fear. Reporters don’t run from ghost stories—they chase them. As he stepped inside the fort, a cold wind wrapped around him. His phone lost signal. The camera blinked and powered on by itself.
On its tiny screen, he saw the same video again. Only this time, he saw himself standing inside the fort.
The Dead Messenger
Exploring deeper, Arnav entered the underground chamber. The air was damp. Dust coated everything. He found broken swords, torn flags, and something stranger—piles of pigeon bones. Hundreds of them, scattered across the floor. On the wall, written in dark, dried blood, were words:
“The message that never reached, turned into a ghost.” Suddenly, footsteps echoed. Arnav spun around.
A man stood there, dressed like an ancient royal messenger. His clothes were torn, his eyes hollow, and in his hand was a copper scroll.
In a voice like dry leaves, he said:
“I was the king’s messenger. The queen’s cry for help never reached him. My soul is trapped. And now, so is yours. Carry my message, or be buried in silence.”
The Heavy News
Arnav’s throat went dry. “What message?” he whispered. “Tell me. I’ll deliver it.” The messenger extended the scroll. When Arnav touched it, visions exploded before his eyes. He saw a battlefield drenched in blood. Soldiers screaming.
Then, a queen dressed in red, her face twisted in grief, shouting: “Give me back my child!” The scroll burned in his hands. Written in trembling letters were the words: “Queen Gauri’s infant is stolen. Punish the guilty.” Arnav gasped. The truth slammed into him.
Centuries ago, Queen Gauri’s baby was kidnapped. The king never knew, because the messenger never delivered the news. The queen ended her life in despair. Her spirit never left the fort. And now, anyone who entered became part of her curse.
Midnight Live
Arnav realized the choice before him. Either deliver the message, or be trapped forever. He set up his camera. There was no signal, no network. Yet the “LIVE” button glowed red. The air grew heavy. The woman from the video appeared behind him—Queen Gauri’s ghost. Her eyes black holes, her voice a shriek. “Deliver the news… or become the news.”
His hands shook, but he spoke into the camera. “I am reporting live from Gaurigarh Fort. This fort hides a story buried in time. Queen Gauri’s child was stolen. The king never knew, for the message never arrived. Since then, this fort has been cursed…”
The moment he finished, a violent wind swept through the chamber. The torches lit themselves. The shadows vanished. The queen’s ghost gave one last piercing scream… and disappeared.
The Terrifying Truth
The next morning, Arnav returned to the channel office. Everyone stared at him with shock. His editor rushed over.
“Arnav! What the hell was that last night? Your broadcast—it went live on every channel feed. We saw you. We saw her. And we heard the screams. Tell me it was some trick.”
Arnav’s lips trembled. “It… wasn’t a trick.” The editor leaned in. “And here’s the strangest part—our servers show no internet, no signal, no uplink during that hour. Then how did your broadcast go live?” Arnav had no answer.
Epilogue
Since that night, Arnav was never the same. He reported news with extreme care. He respected every whisper, every rumor. Because he now knew— some news is not just information… but the unfinished cry of restless souls.
Viewers still claim, whenever Arnav appears on TV, a shadowy figure can be seen behind him. A woman in white, with hollow black eyes.
Maybe Queen Gauri finally found her messenger. And maybe, Arnav will carry her story forever.
💀More Haunted Stories
💀Frequently Asked Questions — The Haunted News
Q1: What is the story of "The Haunted News" about?
The story follows Arnav Sinha, a modern TV reporter, who discovers a cursed message in an ancient fort. His attempt to broadcast it unleashes a ghostly messenger and a deadly queen’s curse.
Q2: Is "The Haunted News" based on real events?
No, it is a fictional horror story. However, it draws inspiration from old legends of cursed messengers and haunted forts in India.
Q3: What makes this story unique compared to other horror tales?
Unlike traditional ghost stories, "The Haunted News" blends modern journalism with ancient curses. It shows how some news should never be delivered.
Q4: Who is the ghostly queen in the story?
The ghostly queen is a spirit bound to the cursed fort. She punishes anyone who tries to reveal the forgotten secrets of her empire.
Q5: Why does the cursed message play such an important role in the story?
The entire horror begins when the reporter decides to broadcast the ancient message. It symbolizes how some truths are too dangerous to reveal.
