27
“Check the rooms; I think one of them will be dead by now.” Adam was calm.
Iqbal, the fifty year old constable looked surprised. He could feel the silence of the hospital but never assumed a death at this hour. The silence was horrifying. He was only concerned about the safety of his senior officer and that was why he was posted here. But as a police officer he was bound to his duties and should protect the wealth and life of the people around him. The cop ran outside and went to check both the rooms. He saw Alex sleeping in his bed and his wife reading some book besides him but Shah's bed was vacant. He saw the washroom door open. He looked in there but it was also empty. There was no sign of him or his wife. The hospital allowed only one bystander for the night.
They must have gone out for a walk, or for a tea break. He thought.
He came back to the room and informed Adam.
“Call Hameed, immediately.” Adam looked at the constable.
He was quick in action; his hands went into the pocket and took out his mobile phone. He searched and selected the number and placed the call. Even before Hameed attended the call, he handed over it to Adam. He went outside again and asked the other constable to go and check at the canteen.
“Yes, Iqbal.” Adam heard Hameed's voice.
“Hameed it's me, Adam.”
Wrinkles formed on Hameed's forehead. He just shrugged.
“It was here, moments ago. I think next murder is about to happen.” He said as he stared at the lights.
“What?” Hameed shouted into the phone. He couldn’t fathom the news about the next murder. How do you know?
“Yes. We had a power failure and now Shah is missing from his bed. I think he has gone to the ground.”
Hameed couldn't believe that. He looked into the prison cell and saw Abel sitting on the concrete floor. How could that happen, the suspected murderer is here?
“Hameed, be quick. You should save him.” Hameed cut the call and quickly called some of his subordinates. I do not trust you completely but let me check.
Adam looked at Iqbal. He gave the mobile phone back.
“Iqbal I need to talk to Alex. I want to know what's happening. I am sure he has all the answers.”
Iqbal stood reluctant.
“Get me a wheelchair.” He ordered.
Other policeman came and informed. “I saw his wife but he is nowhere to be seen.”
Iqbal signaled the other policeman to bring a wheelchair. They both transferred the superior officer into the chair and took him into Alex's room. Alex opened his eyes and saw the three policemen looking at him. His wife was equally surprised.
“Alex why is it after you?” He started.
Alex acted ignorant. “I don't know what you are saying.” I will get him before you could. I want to kill him with my own hands.
“Cooperate with us Alex. Shah is missing from his room. He might have gone to the ground. We can save him if you help us. I don't know why it is so angry but it also attacked me just because I was handling the case. It said it was killed before it was born. What does that mean?”
What Mohan said is true. Alex thought. He was now sure Shah will also be murdered. Why the hell did he went alone? Only Shah knows the person now.
“It is not a ghost.” Alex said. “It is a human.”
Adam remembered everything about his attack and he was sure he never saw a man. Alex gestured to Adam to get everyone out of the room.
Alex told him everything about that wretched day and what they did. He knows he will be the last one and he didn’t want to die. He wants the murderer to be caught before anything happens to Shah and rot the rest of his life in jail. He would later make arrangements to finish him inside the prison.
“So you think that man is committing the murders.”
“Yes. There is no other possibility.”
“Why is he after you? What relation do you have with him? Where can we find him?”
“I don't know. We thought he may be at the ground but were unable to reach. While returning a tree fell on the car. The next I knew was I was in a hospital. I think he might a relative of that girl, even husband and that is why he is trying to kill us.”
You did a gruesome crime and you deserve this. Adam thought. I now understand why it stopped me from getting in its way. Now Hameed is trying to stop it. Fear filled his heart. He was not sure whether it was human or a ghost. Hameed is in danger. He called Iqbal inside.
“Call Hameed and say he is in danger.” He commanded.
Constable tried the call but the message was he is out of coverage area.
“Try again and again till you connect him.” His voice panicked. I sent him into the mouth of death.
*-*
Shah was floating and he didn't know anything. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping. After some time he reached the center of the ground. He fell down with a thud which brought him back to senses. He looked around. Where am I? It was all dark around him. He suddenly realized that he was at the ground. He was lying on the ground where he remembered had a grave. He jumped up.
I was at the hospital. How did I get here?
He saw two incandescent balls staring at him. It was yellow and looked like fireballs. Black fumes surrounded it and he saw the possessor of the fireballs. A dark silhouette stood in the middle of the fumes. It slowly moved towards him. As it came closer he saw the face. He recognized him. The killer who slayed his friends ruthlessly.
“You took me here?” He questioned him.
“Yes. I want to torture you for killing me.”
Shah was shocked to hear that. “I didn't kill you. I never did.”
“You set me ablaze even you know I was alive.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I have only seen you at Mohan’s house. Why should I kill you? I barely know you.”
“You put my burning body in a grave.”
Ignoring what he was blabbering, Shah said. “I am going. I don't want to hear your bullshit.”
He took his eyes of the black man and saw thousands of fetuses lying around him. They were covered in blood, moving and scrolling. Whimpers filled the air. Shah thought he was in a dream. As he watched he saw fire engulfing them and it surrounded him like a sheath. He knew he can't go without the fire settles down. Loud painful screams filled his ears.
He saw a hand coming towards him. It was black and husky and it had long sharp black nails. It grabbed his neck and tightened the hold. Already afraid, he struggled for air. That day came into his mind. He saw everything in front of his eyes and what he did. He now knows what is trying to get him. He twisted in its grab to escape but the hold was tight. His lungs longed for oxygen and eyes slowly protruded out and he knew he was about to die when the grip released. He coughed hard and tried to inhale chunks of air.
The dark hand pierced into his chest and he screamed his heart out. Pain was at it’s exalt. A heavy blow hit his face disturbing its features. Bridge of his nose broke and his ears were humming. Blood squirted out from his chest as the hand was taken out.
One of his legs was grabbed and he knew he was being raised and hammered down rapidly into the ground. His shoulder was smashed and his bones were broken. He screamed louder and louder. Pain erupted inside his arteries; his brain cells sent continuous alarms into the nervous system. He lay on the ground panting and groaning.
Fire has stopped around him and he heard soft whimpers again. He saw thousands of fetuses again. They grabbed his hands and legs and started pulling towards each direction. He screamed again in pain as his skin tore and ligaments broke. He was unvoiced with agony that the unassumable torture has brought him. He pathetically looked at the figure standing tall in front of his eyes.
“I think you are enjoying like you enjoyed that night.”
He lay there like a dead meat, but suffering every bit of the torment. There wasn't a single cell in his body that didn't felt the pain. He felt his limps broke off from the main body as the pulling became stronger. He wished he was dead, at least unconscious but it was far possible. His breaths were heavy. Blood puddled around him flowing out from every parts of the body. He could feel the lukewarm liquid under his own body. Deafening scream filled his ears and he saw fire once again around him. It slowly circled him and the round became shorter. Heat touched his skin and soon became unbearable. He knew his skin melting as the fire started to embrace him while a hand pierced through his chest and pulled out his heart.
******-------******