15
“She was unharmed. No rape attempts, no external injuries but only shock.” Adam recalled the doctor’s words.
“The policemen found her hidden behind the bushes. She was completely drenched which says she was there all night. She was unconscious and when she woke up she was trembling. That’s what Hameed told me.” Adam said. Today we will find out her details and how is she related with this man. She has all the answers, I know it.”
“At least we have finger prints and it is clear case of homicide. We have a motive.” Leo supported him.
“Well that’s a start.” Adam shrugged.
Subramanian’s phone rang suddenly. “It must be Hameed.”
It was. He attended the call. They talked for a few minutes. After disconnecting the call he turned to his friends.
“There is another gruesome murder. His head was smashed and ruptured. It is now unrecognizable.”
Adam’s phone vibrated and he noticed a text message from Hameed. He opened and read it. Adam, we have got a serial killing group. Our highway victim's friend has been murdered. Another horrendous murder. You better come here.
“I need to go.” Adam looked at the guys sitting at the table.
“Wait.” Subramanian stopped him. “I have another case which might be of interest.”
Adam gave him a puzzled look. How did you know? Did Hameed message you also? Is that what the call was about?
“It is another murder. Cruel, unbelievable and unreal.”
Adam didn’t take his eyes off him. I know Subru, I too received the message.
“A girl in her early twenties threw a man onto the ceiling fan. Well, you can guess what would be his condition. It was cold-blooded and his friends are witnesses. They say she had inhuman strength. She was unstoppable.”
“Inhuman strength, that’s absurd. Are we dealing with ghosts here?” Adam scoffed. This one is new. Adam thought. At least there is a killer.
“Everyone has seen the girl. If you find her and the links between these murders, I guess you can solve it.”
“I didn’t know about this murder.” You don’t need to tell me how to work on a case.
“It is not in your station limit or Hameed’s too. You can call S.I. Rajendran and get the details. They haven’t found the girl yet. It happened yesterday evening at his wedding party and the body came to my table for postmortem though it was only bits and pieces. I don’t understand why people are becoming so violent and demonic. Joseph must be still working on the autopsy. I will tell him to share the details once the reports come.” If they want to kill why not a simple murder by stabbing or slicing the throat. Why do they enjoy the torturing?
Adam shook his head. There is something mysterious happening here. Three murders and an unexplainable way of doing it!
“Adam, be careful.” Subramanian’s concerned voice followed him as he walked out of the door.
He started his motor bike and rode off. Again the same feeling haunted him. Someone or something sitting behind him. He could hear heavy but muffled breathing. It was ethereal.
The feeling of being watched made him sick. Someone is always ahead of him. He has to find him. He didn’t want to lose.
He has fingerprints of someone; he knew a girl committed ghastly murder. He could guess the motive; organ smuggling. He now has a good lead to follow. His mind was determined. He was confident of nabbing the culprit as early as possible.
Suddenly a transparent mist enveloped him. He heard a heavy sigh. Black fumes swiveled around him.
Don’t come in my way. An unearthly tone echoed around him. It felt like heavy inhalation.
The wheels screeched and the vehicle skidded on the road. It was like someone pressed the brakes but he was sure he was in control. How the hell the disc brakes were applied or by whom?
He fell of the bike. After a few minutes of grunting the engine came to a halt. He looked around but only could see the dark smog. The darkness inside was getting heavy and he found the scarcity of breathable air. He wanted to run out of it but his body was getting weak.
Revenge is divine. You are just a mortal and you cannot stop it. Another gush of wind voiced a fresh echo. He felt that the voice is scathing through his flesh.
“Who are you?” finally Adam spoke. “Why are you doing this?”
They killed me before I was born. A deeper echo voiced followed by a muffled growl.
He was slowly losing his conscious. The last he saw was two fiery yellow spheres staring at him.
*-*
He opened his eyes to a familiar environment. He looked around and saw he is in his bedroom.
How did I reach here? His head was aching deeply.
He saw Fr. Abel sitting on a chair near the bed watching him. His face looked concerned.
“What happened to me?” Adam opened his mouth. He tried to think about the last moments before he passed out. He could recall two fiery eyes staring at him. He was going to meet Hameed. He remembered Hameed had informed him of a new murder.
“You were attacked by a dark force.” Fr. Abel said in a calm tone.
“A dark force?” His eyebrows bent like rainbows. “You mean a ghost.” His words were full of disbelief.
The priest shook his head. “It’s a devilish force.”
Adam scoffed in reply.
“I got it. You are finding it hard to believe.” Abel smiled.
“This is twenty first century father, devils and ghosts are just imaginations. There are no such things. Those mythical things are extinct.” Adam replied with puckered eyebrows. This is nonsense.
“Well, not to me. I believe in God and do believe in demons.” The pastor asseverated.
“I don’t believe in both.” He sighed and looked away.
Abel stared deeply into his eyes. “Do you remember anything?”
“I saw two yellow eyes. They were burning and fire coming out. They weren't eyes but two balls of fire.” Adam couldn’t believe what he was saying. It is something unhappening that he is uttering, beyond imagination. He thought he had hallucinated at that moment.
Fr. Abel closed his eyes and thought for a while. I never heard about such a thing. It seems like it has came from beyond the realms of life. This is twenty first century but Gods and demons exist. It is a tough task to make a non-believer believe but he has to try. The mysteries were always there, the secrets remained in plain sight but invisible to the ignorant eyes and minds.
“How would you explain that?” Abel questioned him. What you just said is beyond your belief.
“I don't know. Maybe something unearthly. There has to be some scientific explanation or it was my crazy thoughts.” He didn’t know what happened and how to describe his experience. It was all of a sudden and heard susurrations. He felt powerless as he saw those yellow balls of fire. It was draining him inside out. Something warned him that he is in between reality and illusory, his mind was in a state of belief and skepticism. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to believe it.
“We call those unearthly forces as dark forces with negative energy or simply ghosts or devils. They live among us waiting to strike and spread evil in our hearts.”
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