26
It is still watching. She could feel its invisible stare. It is back again. Her mind became alert. The thought instigate fear inside her.
She looked back and saw a dark mist formation not too far away from them but it was keeping a safe distance and following them. She tried to communicate with it.
Who are you? There was hardly any response. She waited for the reply.
What do you want? Again there was no response.
She concentrated hard to connect with the dark force and she got the vibrations that it is listening.
What do you want from us? She asked again.
Blood. She heard a distant voice rumbling in her head. Her heart skipped a beat.
You can't do that. Just leave us.
I won't.
Why are you after us?
It remained silent. She looked carefully at the dark mist and alarmingly realized it was moving towards them swifter and the distance between them alarmingly decreasing.
Her panicked voice entered Rajeev's ears. “It's coming towards us.”
“What is coming?” He was still in those precious moments which he had earlier with her and was reliving those memories.
“The dark force which abode on the banyan tree in front of our house, it is coming after us.” Her voice was eerily disturbing.
He was back in senses. “You said it wasn't seen anywhere and that's why we are out having some fresh air.
“I think it purposely stayed invisible to lure us out.” She could not think otherwise. Something must be stopping it from entering the house.
“What do we do now?” He was afraid to every cell of his body. I will fight to protect you.
“We should outrun it and reach our home before it gets us.” She said gently so that Rajeev should not notice dread in her words. Little did she know that it could even enter the house also. It was waiting for the perfect time.
He changed into top gear and accelerated and the engine revved with high speed in a hope to outpace the unknown entity. Mridula clutched her right arm tightly around his waist.
She looked at the mist and in front of her eyes it vanished. A sudden burst occurred in the sky way ahead of them and the rain plummeted down followed by a deafening thunder. A flash of lightning rayed down and blinded them for a few seconds. When they were able to see again the dark cloud had already enveloped them. The motorcycle went off balance and out of control and ran off the road into the woods.
*-*
Abel was patiently waiting while Hameed entered the cubicle.
“Hameed I need to go to the hospital soon. I need to know what Adam was searching.” His worried request skittled through his lips.
Hameed smiled in reply. “What is the matter that you need to go in such a hurry?” He has to extract some vital information from him to solving the case. “I will tell you what Adam was searching. I am in charge of that case now.”
“You know he has been attacked and it may come back again.” Abel looked eagerly at him while Hameed absentmindedly seated in his chair.
So this is why you are back to see off your brother once and for all. “Why do you think he will be attacked again?” Hameed looked at the priest sitting in front of him with curiosity. They were sitting on opposite sides of a table. He rubbed his palms together. Abel was restless, he want to get out of there immediately. It seemed that Hameed doesn't want to leave him soon. He has found some common traces of a culprit.
He has to give an apt explanation to satisfy the policeman to get out of there but he only has a ghost story. “I don't know exactly but it has something to do with the case he is involved now. Only if I know I could do something.” He paused for a second and asked. “Do you believe in Ghosts, Hameed?”
Third time I am hearing this question. And I have only one answer. “I know that father.” He said calmly. He knew that he was close to solving the case. Audio recorder of his mobile phone was on and recording their conversation. “I don’t believe in manmade ghost stories, father. But do you know Alex Thoppilan?” Hameed looked deep into the padre's eyes to see any hint of glitch. There was nothing.
“I don't know.” The answer was immediate. For me knowing this demon is more important.
Surprised, he asked another question. “Does the name Amnon ring a bell?”
Abel’s eyes lit up. “Yes. He was my close friend.” Abel didn't know why he wants to know about Amnon. Amnon was killed years before and he heard that some family disputes led to the murder. The case was closed as police wasn't able to find any suspects or any clues. What this has to do with Amnon?
“You don't know Alex but you know Amnon.” Hameed stated. Abel nodded. “Alex is Amnon's brother, who we believe has some hidden involvement in the murder.” That was a new revelation for the reverend. But he wondered why has this come now and what has he to do in that.
Hameed resumed. “Two of Alex's friends have been murdered and Adam and I were investigating this case as one happened in his circle and the other happened in my circle. Alex and another friend have met with an accident and we think they are the next targets of the killer.”
Abel listened carefully.
“We strongly believe that Adam was also attacked by the killer to stop investigating the case.” He looked at the priest surreptitiously.
“No, you are wrong Hameed.” Abel screamed. “He was attacked by an evil force.”
Hameed calmly interjected. “You were there when Adam was attacked.”
Abel wondered what he was implying. Am I the murderer?
“We assume that these twin murders were related to Amnon’s death and the most suitable person to avenge him is you.”
Abel stunned in silence. What in the heavens are you talking about? You are making wrong accusations on a priest.
“Be my guest father.” Hameed smiled. Let us see whether your fingerprint and DNA matches.
*-*
Mohini stared at the dark figure in front of her. She looked around. Everyone except her was asleep. She was in the intensive care unit.
Fear not. It said.
Still she was quivering in fear. She was having nightmares of that monstrous night. Doctors said she may not recover soon. She could see that. It keeps visiting her reminding her of that grotesque murder.
You will forget everything of that night. Your memory will be erased. Its voice was so serene and angelic.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Black mist formed a halo over her head and caressed her. She would now fall into a deep slumber while the mist will disappear. She would wake up as a new person and everything happened that night to this hour will leave her memory.
*-*
Visiting hours ended at six pm. Second floor of the hospital was deadly quiet. There weren't much people on the corridor and many of the rooms were vacant. Two policemen stood outside Adam’s private room. They were alerted to see off any intruder that comes their way. They never knew what kind of intruder would come after a police sub inspector and what kind of weapons they would carry. They only had wooden lathis to defend themselves.
Adam felt irritated to be in a bed but he had no other choice. Both his leg bones had cracks and the doctors advised three months of complete rest. His right hand was broken, two ribs had minor cracks and lots of cuts and bruises. He looked up at the fan rotating above him as that was the only thing he could do. He called one of the cops inside. He signaled him to sit in the chair beside his bed. He started a conversation to avoid his boredom.
Adjacent to his room laid Shah. His head had a bandage, a plaster was on his left hand and a few band aids were on several places of his body. He helped himself out of his bed and walked into the washroom to relieve him. Suddenly the lights started flickering and he didn't know why that was happening. After a few flickers the light went off. He quickly came out of the washroom but saw the translucent darkness of approaching dusk already filled in his room. The silence was fierce and he could hear his own breaths. In between he heard another slow breathing.
He looked around and saw one of the corners is too dark as if some shadow has filled the space. He looked sharply and spotted some vapours rising and a silhouette of something moving along.
“Who is there?” His throat was parched, so was his voice. Image of his dead friends filled his mind and he felt dread filling his veins. He stood unmoved still staring at the corner expecting an answer.
Follow me. A whisper breezed into his ears. He felt it was a familiar voice.
“Mohan is that you?” He forgot that his friend was already dead. His eyes remained unblinked and yet he couldn't make out who was at the corner. He could only perceive smoke like movements.
Follow me. Again the whisper came.
The door handle twirled automatically and the door was ajar. He saw black fumes formed into a human form moving out of the room. He followed it as if in a dream. The whole hospital was opaque and it looked like haunted and unoccupied. He felt like floating through the air. He saw no one and nobody saw him. As he was out of the hospital premises, everything at the hospital went back to normal.
Adam stared at the light as if he was in a dream and just woke up. He saw a constable sitting in front of him.
“I feel like I was blacked out.” He muttered still trying to understand what has happened.
“I too felt the same.” The policeman agreed with him.
So the feelings were mutual. I wasn’t in a dream. “What do you remember last before you felt shutdown?”
“The lights were flickering.” He responded immediately.
“It was here.” Adam muttered under his breath.
“It?” He stared at him amused.
“Alex and Shah have been admitted here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Another death awaits.” He prophesied.
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