22
“Shall we go out?” Mridula looked into his eyes.
“Are you sure? What if it can attack us when we are outside? You said it is too powerful.” Rajeev frowned.
“I know what I said. But we can’t sit inside the house all our life. We have to face it.” Mridula had things to do. She wanted to know how she died.
“Mridula I don’t think it is a good idea.”
“Let it come to us Rajeev. We can’t live in fear.”
You are a ghost. Do ghosts have fear?
“I have a body Rajeev.” She replied as if she knew what he thought. He gave her a surprised look.
“I can read you. I understand your feelings and fears. I can know what all things hidden inside your heart.” She chuckled.
“That’s not funny.” Rajeev pouted his lips.
“I am not a ghost now. My spirit is inside a new body and I am very much alive. I have most of my memories back. Now I am really a human with spiritual powers.” She winked with another chuckle.
Rajeev didn’t utter a word. He gave her a long stare. Ghost or human, I want you by my side, always, forever.
“I want to know it, Rajeev. That thought is disturbing me all the time. And I know it has the answer. It is not coming to us, but we have to go to it. I need answers, Rajeev. I have enough powers to protect us.” She tried to convince him, more herself. She wasn’t sure whether she could protect both but she promised herself to keep Rajeev safe.
“Okay, as you wish. How can I say no to you?” He accepted half heartedly.
Rajeev’s eyes were veiled as Mridula never wanted him to see Joyce again. He saw only Mridula. She was his biggest weakness.
Within minutes they were ready. A new motorbike was parked in front of the house. Naanu left it for him when he came to get his leave letter. He has applied a long leave without mentioning the joining date.
“Where will we go first?” He asked Mridula while igniting the engine after she climbed behind him.
“Wherever you take me.” She squeezed her soft breasts against his back and winds her arm around his chest.
Come to the ground. A voice, so authoritative whispered in his ears.
He nods his head and Mridula thought it was for her. His mind was out of his control and she couldn’t know it. His mind was veiled from her grasp so that she couldn’t prevent him from its control.
She looked at the banyan tree standing left to their house. It was surrounding this tree she felt the unknown presence. She couldn’t feel anything now. It is not here. But she suddenly felt a feeble energy closer to her. It was so frail but she couldn’t penetrate through to know what it wants.
The bike raced off to a destination guided by a dark spirit.
*-*
He dug himself into the chair. He went through the reports and statements repeatedly but found nothing worthwhile.
The murder has happened in his limits and as per the reports the girl killed the boy because he ditched her.
Rajendran looked at the fan rotating above his head. He thought even that air is not enough to calm him.
He needs to find her soon. She has committed a murder and she is nowhere to be seen. Her body hasn’t been found yet. They checked the runnels, gorges, railway crossings, lodge rooms and everyplace where one would have used to commit suicide. All railway stations, bus stands and even airport were under thorough inspection; they didn’t want her to run away into some safe house. Yet she was nowhere to be found.
Where the hell is she hiding? Is someone helping her?
Three newspapers of that day were lying on the table. It expressed and magnified the amazing strength of the girl. Tomorrow they will write about police not doing their duty.
She is poking fun at the incapability of the entire police force. He now knew his job is in danger. He called his subordinates to alert them more and to find the girl as early as possible.
*-*
"Sir the nature is too wild. It is risky to follow them." A constable dialed Hameed and informed about the situation.
"I don't understand." He couldn’t comprehend the situation. It was all normal fifteen minutes ago. Alex and Shah already have entered the highway. Whatever is going on, they know.
"You should see this. It’s thunderstorm across the highway. Wind is blazing like crazy. Sky is shadowy like dusk. Rain is pouring heavily. And the pellets pummeling down is dark like blood." He signaled another constable to record the threatening nature while yelling through the phone.
"Are they still in the highway?” He heard the sound of cloudburst and thunder along with his subordinate’s yell. He was concerned. He wanted them safe. Whatever be the reason of these murders he shouldn’t want more victims.
“Yes sir. They must not have gotten out. My guess is they will be driving back." He yelled again.
"How sure are you?" Hameed want confirmation.
"Hundred percent, sir." He shouted.
"Okay. I am on my way." He disconnected the call and raced towards the highway.
The constable looked uninterruptedly towards the highway to spot them. After sometime he had a sight of the car returning through the highway.
As he looked he saw a huge tree getting uprooted and tumbling on top of the car. To his surprise the whole atmosphere went silent.
"Call an ambulance and a fire engine." He shouted to the other policeman.
*-*
“Alex, stop.” Shah screamed.
His right leg pressed hard on the brakes. “What?”
“Can’t you see the change in nature? The sky is raining blood.” He was panicking.
“I can see that.”
“And still you are driving. Are you out of your mind?”
“What else can we do? We can’t stop until we do what are here to.”
“We can leave him here. If he is here he won’t be able to survive this tempest. In the mean time we can search his house.”
“Do you really think he will be at his home? Call our boys and tell them scan everywhere.”
“What if it is worth a search? We need to find him and know why the hell he is after us. Those lads haven’t seen this man. Only I know. No one knows where this bastard’s house is located.”
Alex shook his head. He changed the gears and took a u-turn.
You can’t go without my permission. A sinister growl thundered through the air. It spread the entire highway. Cries of thousands of infants screeched through the atmosphere. The whole nature surrounding the highway turned red and violent. Winds rattled the entire region. Even the huge trees tilted vigorously with the blow.
Alex slowly moved the car and suddenly a huge tree fell on them.
In that moment even the nature stood stunned. And then everything went back to normal.
******-------******