Daughter of Kali- Awakening

by Shiulie Ghosh

  "Mum, can we just get out of here?" I said. "Em's in shock, and we need to report Miss Smith to the police. She killed a man!" Finally, both of them turned to me.

  "You're right, Kalpurna, we need to deal with this." She tossed a glare at Ed again. "You can go now."

  "But... aren't we going to take him with us?" I asked, confused. Mum shook her head.

  "He found his own way here, he can find his own way back."

  "But..."

  It's okay, Kaz." Ed turned to me, his expression unreadable. "I'll see you later."

  "But we need to report this to the police..."

  "Your mother will take care of it. She'll take care of everything." He turned and started walking away from us, the low sun in my eyes making him hard to see.

  "Kalpurna, get in the car." I turned in sudden fury.

  “Stop calling me that! It’s Kaz!”

  She looked at me steadily.

  “Kaz. Get in the car.” I gave in.

  Em stared out of the window as we drove, not saying anything. I couldn't tell if she was in shock, or just thinking. You never knew with her. Once, she hadn't spoken to me for six hours, because she was mentally working on a computing problem.

  I thought bitterly about poor Ed, having to walk home by himself. How dare Mum blame him? It had been my idea.

  The thing that had been nagging me about their conversation came to me. I frowned. They had been talking as if... as if they were two equals. Not a schoolboy and a pissed off adult.

  I finally found my voice.

  "Why are you here? How did you know where we were?" Mum stared at me in the rear-view mirror, her eyes glittering darkly, but she didn't answer. We drove the rest of the way in silence.

  As we walked into the kitchen, Em finally came out of herself. She looked round, as if surprised to find herself in my house.

  "Where's Ed?"

  "He went home," I said shortly. I didn't want to say he'd been abandoned on the roadside by Mum.

  "Mrs Deva, what's going on? Have you called the police?"

  "Let's just wait a moment," Mum said, looking ill at ease. "You've both had a bit of a shock. What you saw..."

  "What we saw isn't possible," Em said. "I've been going over it in my mind. Even if that woman was on steroids, she couldn't do what she did."

  "But we saw her!" I objected. "She held him off the floor. That man must have weighed a hundred kilos easily. And her jaw... " I trailed off, the memory of that crunching sound reverberating in my head.

  "Girls, I'm sure there's an explanation, you both need to calm down," Mum said. "Let's just..." I interrupted her.

  "You still haven't told us how you knew we were there. What were you doing there?"

  "Never mind that," said Em impatiently. "Shouldn't we be phoning the police? We saw a murder being committed." She dug out her phone. "Shall I ring my Dad? I can call him right now..." Mum whipped out her hand and grabbed the phone. Em and I stared at her in astonishment.

  "Mum? What's going on?"

  "You can't tell anyone what you saw," she said. "You have to trust me."

  "Trust you about what?" I said, bewildered.

  "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

  "You're not making any sense! What's going on?"

  "I can't tell you."

  "What can't you tell us?"

  "Dammit, why won't you listen to me?" Mum smacked the table with her hand, and in the sudden silence we all stared at each other.

  The tension was broken by the sound of her phone beeping. Mum fished it out of her back pocket and glanced at the screen. She bit her lip.

  "I've got to go out. You two stay here. Don't move."

  "But..." I began.

  "I mean it! Stay right here, both of you. We'll talk when I get back." She strode to the door, grabbing her car keys on the way out. Em and I didn't say a word until we heard the car start up.

  "Well, that's weird," I said. "Are you okay? You looked a bit green earlier."

  "I nearly puked my guts out. But now I'm just wondering why your Mum doesn't want to report this to the police. And why has she left us alone when we've just seen something as horrible as that?"

  "Yeah. She goes mad when I watch horror films, now we see the real thing and she's not freaking out? What's up with that?"

  "And she's taken my phone. I wanted to text Ed to see if he was okay." I handed her mine.

  "Use this."

  Em typed a message, and waited.

  "No reply. I hope he's alright."

  "Maybe he's rung the police," I said hopefully. "Maybe he's talking to them right now."

  "It still doesn't explain your Mum's weird behaviour." Em tapped a finger on the kitchen table thoughtfully.

  "Where's your laptop?"

  I ran to get it from my room. Em looked at it in disbelief.

  "You get online with that? It looks like it's powered by steam!"

  "I usually just use my phone!" I said defensively. "Why do you want it anyway?"

  "I'm going to hack your Mum's phone and find out what that last message was all about."

  "Oh. Okay."

  Em downloaded a program and inputted Mum's mobile number. Within a short time, a list of texts and numbers scrolled down the screen. We looked at the last one.

  Received 19:47: MB ftry Named on site

  "It doesn't even make sense," I said. "What's MB?" Em rolled her eyes.

  "Mallow Bottom, stupid. I think it means the old factory off that main road, the one that closed down years ago."

  "Okay, but what does 'named on site' mean?"

  "I don't know. But your Mum is definitely up to something."

  I made a decision.

  "If we cut through the park, we can be there in twenty minutes. It's less than two miles away."

  "Hey, I'm not a sprinter like you! I don't do running..." But I'd already grabbed her by the arm and pulled her through the door.

  It took us closer to thirty minutes. The park was dark, and Em was no jogger. I kept having to wait for her to catch up, and then listen to her complain under her breath. Once or twice she insisted on using my phone to ring Ed, but he never answered. I cursed Mum for making him walk home alone. I hoped he was okay.

  We grew quiet as we reached the fence surrounding the industrial ruins. An old battered sign warned trespassers they would be prosecuted, but the fence had so many holes in it, it was a matter of moments to find a place to get through.

  It had been a wool factory in the days when sheep farming had been more common in Mallow Bottom. As the town became less agricultural, the factory had fallen on hard times, then closed altogether. Shortly after that, a fire had gutted it - for the insurance money, ran the rumour. Now nobody came here, except occasionally local kids looking for a place to skin up or do a bit of underage drinking. The ruined walls had long since been covered over by ivy and shrubs, and the roof had vanished altogether.

  Em and I crouched in the bushes, looking towards the husk of the old factory. It was partially hidden in shadow. The trees dampened any noises, and there was no sound, not even from the main road nearby. It was as if the whole place was holding its breath.

  A roar split the night, a deep bellow, as if an animal was in pain. We looked at each other, wide-eyed.

  "What the hell was that?" said Em.

  "Let's get closer."

  "What? Did you hear that thing?"

  "Yes, and Mum's in there! What if she's in trouble?"

  I didn't wait for an answer, but ran, crouched over, to the factory wall to get a better look. I found a small hole in the brickwork and peered through. A flashlight lay on its side on the ground where it had been dropped, throwing a beam of illumination into the factory. I could see two figures circling each other. But beyond that, none of it made any sense.

  Mum was being attacked by a giant wearing a scary mask. At least, that's what it looked like. A huge figure towered over her, so heavily muscled it made the Incredible Hulk look skinny, with the face of a gargoyle to
pped by the coiled horns of a ram. Mum looked like a dwarf in comparison.

  The torchlight suddenly flickered, and I wondered briefly if the battery was failing. Then I realised I was seeing shadows again. They curled at the edge of my sight, laying a dark patina over the scene in front of me. I blinked and shook my head, trying to clear my vision.

  The giant lunged at Mum, clawing at her face and barely missing her. I opened my mouth to call out, but at that moment Mum raised her arm and I saw with mounting disbelief that she was carrying a sword. She ducked the gargoyle's flailing arms and jabbed the blade at its exposed torso. It threw its head back and bellowed again, in pain or rage, I couldn't tell.

  "What's going on? Jesus, is that your Mum?" Em slipped quietly next to me. She hardly ever swore, but her face went white as she took in the scene. "What the hell is that thing?"

  I didn't answer. I was watching Mum. She was wielding the sword like she was born to it, her movements lithe and precise. The blade flashed as she thrust and parried, whirling from her opponent with the strength of a gymnast and the grace of a ballet dancer. Her final move brought her singing through the air feet first, knocking the giant backwards as she landed on top of him, blade raised high above her head.

  In that moment, I saw her eyes glowing silver. It could have been mistaken for a reflection from the torch, but I knew better. She brought the sword down, decisively. There was a final bellow, which ended abruptly as a burst of orange light and black ash exploded outwards.

  Then silence. Beside me, Em clamped both hands over her mouth, as if to stop herself shrieking.

  Mum touched one hand to her ear and said a single word.

  "Clear."

  In the darkness, Em and I looked at each other, our eyes wide. Mum wiped off her sword and slid it into a scabbard slung over her back. She reached into her pocket and fished something out. They were a pair of glasses, but the lenses looked red. She put them on, and turned slowly through three hundred and sixty degrees. She touched her ear again.

  "No more hotspots. We're done for the night."

  Em leaned in close.

  "I don't know what the hell's going on but I think we should go," she breathed. She looked scared, and as confused as I was.

  Mum removed the glasses, and sighed, rubbing the back of her neck wearily. Then she looked directly at the wall where we were hiding.

  "You can come out now," she said. Em and I looked at each other, mouths open.

  "Does she mean us?" mouthed Em.

  "Yes," answered Mum.

  Sheepishly, we both stood up.

  "Hi Mum."

  "Hi Mrs Deva."

  "I suppose there's no point asking you how you knew where I was?" Mum was looking straight at Em, well aware of her technical skills. Em blushed but stayed quiet. "Or asking you to forget what you just saw?"

  "You seem to be asking us to forget a lot," I said pointedly. "We just want to know what's going on. Did you just kill someone?"

  "No." She said this very firmly. "That wasn't a someone. It was a something."

  "What was it?"

  "A demon."

  There was silence. Em and I looked at each other, wondering if we'd misheard.

  "Is that some kind of street-gang name?" Em ventured cautiously.

  Mum shook her head, looking at us steadily.

  "It was a demon. A supernatural, evil, soul-sucking demon. And it's my job to kill them."

  "I..." I struggled to find the words. "Your job?"

  She nodded grimly. The dimming torchlight threw dark angles onto her face, turning her into sculpted marble. She looked watchful, predatory.

  "I'm sorry. Neither of you would be involved in this if you'd just stayed at home like I asked. But now you know, and we're going to have to decide what to do with you."

  "We?" quavered Em.

  Mum put a hand to her ear once more.

  "Control, we have a problem. Civilians on the scene. I'm bringing them in."

  Chapter 6

  Em tried to avoid getting in the car.

  "My parents will be wondering where I am," she started.

  "Text them." Mum's answer was curt. "Tell them you're with me."

  I knew Em's parents wouldn't be worrying - they were away for the weekend. She tried another tack.

  "It's okay, I can walk home. Besides I haven't got my phone..."

  "Here." Mum thrust her phone at her. Em took it, and I saw her hands were shaking.

  "Mum, you're not making any sense. Where are you taking us?"

  "Just get in the car." Her voice was cold. "Now."

  We climbed into the back seat silently. My mind was spinning.

  Shadows. I'd seen shadows, and she said it was a demon. I'd seen shadows over Miss Smith, and then she'd turned into that corpse thing. Was she a demon too? But I'd seen shadows before, when I was young. The doctors said I was ill, that they weren't real.

  A panicked thought hit me. Was this real? Or was I actually at home and this was a dream? I pushed the nails of one hand into the palm of the other, wincing with pain. Four blood-red crescents welled up. Not a dream then. Unless it was a very realistic one.

  The car pulled off the road and started up a long, bumpy lane. Wherever we were going, we were off the beaten track. Suddenly the car swung round in a circle, and an arc of lights came on. I saw we were on a circular driveway in front of a very imposing mansion, floodlit from all angles. Cameras peered at us from high on the walls, and I noticed red lights flashing in the trees. More cameras, probably with night-sight.

  "Tight security," I murmured to Em. She nodded, looking pale.

  I realised she was terrified. Terrified of Mum? That hadn't occurred to me, but with a shiver I remembered where else I'd seen shadows. Around Mum, the day I thought I'd seen her lift a truck.

  "Get out." Mum issued the order as if we were her prisoners.

  Slowly we emerged and stood in front of the large weathered oak door, studded with brass, looking strong enough to repel an invading army. The moon had risen, and an owl hooted nearby. Mum keyed in a code at the high-tech pad on the wall. The door swung open. Mum gestured impatiently, and Em and I stepped inside with trepidation.

  I don't know what I expected to see, but it wasn't a fine-boned elderly woman wearing a cardigan and carrying a knitting basket. She looked as astonished to see us as we were to see her.

  "Mari! Is this...? No, it can't be!" The woman dropped the knitting basket and enveloped me in a big hug. She smelled of mint and lavender, and the scent jolted my memory.

  "Mrs Peters...?" I said hesitantly. Mrs Peters had been my babysitter until I was six or seven, and then she'd moved away. At least, that's what Mum had told me. She hadn't moved very far, by the looks of it.

  "Kalpurna! You're so grown up!" she said, her hands on my shoulders, looking intently at me. "And so like your mother! Really Mari, I don't see her father in her anywhere!"

  Mum grunted.

  "Wait till you see how stubborn she is. You might change your mind. And she only answers to Kaz." She nodded towards Em. "That's her best friend, Emma. Em, this is Violet Peters. You need to watch your computers around her, Violet. I suspect she tracked me through my phone."

  Mrs Peters gave her a smile.

  "Girls today. So clever. Welcome to the Mansion, ladies."

  We were standing in a wide lobby full of wood-panelled walls and floors of rich mahogany. An ornate staircase wound upwards in a wide curve, the wall next to it adorned with large oil paintings of fusty-looking men and women. A large bookcase stood at one end, reaching almost to the ceiling. I frowned as I looked at it.

  "What is this place? Why are we here?" I didn't mean to sound suspicious, but Mrs Peters glanced at Mum in puzzlement.

  "Is there a problem?"

  "They saw me take down a Named One this evening. And they saw the one we've been tracking, the one possessing the dead school teacher."

  "Miss Smith is dead?" gasped Em. Mrs Peters narrowed her eyes.

  "Do
you want me to wipe her memories?" she asked. Em and I stared at Mum. She shook her head.

  "Let's see what Henry says. Come on."

  Henry? Her boss?

  There were doors leading off the lobby, and we walked through the nearest one into a vast room. I heard Em's sharp intake of breath, and I wasn't surprised. This was her idea of paradise.

  The entire room was filled with screens and monitors and things going 'beep'. Every screen had a different location captioned above it: Paris, Nairobi, Beijing, Moscow. The list went on. One screen stood apart from the others, and it was just marked 'HQ'. But the picture on the screen was familiar to me, a beautiful white marble building which many ignorant tourists mistook for a temple. I knew better. It was a mausoleum, the most famous in the world. The Taj Mahal in India.

  At the far end of the room, a man was sitting in front of a smaller computer screen, tapping away at the keyboard. He was portly, with a little goatee beard and a pair of round wire framed spectacles.

  "Henry, we have guests," Mum called. "Are we interrupting you? Are you uploading tonight's mission report?"

  The man looked up and beamed, the eyes behind his specs twinkling merrily.

  "Pah, that's boring. I was in the middle of Angry Birds. Though why they're angry is one of life’s great mysteries."

  Mum rolled her eyes.

  "Girls, this is Professor Henry Danby. Henry, this is Em and...." but the Professor interrupted her.

  "My goodness! I don't believe it! Is that Kalpurna?"

  He moved backwards without getting up, and I saw he was in a wheelchair. I remembered belatedly that Mum’s boss couldn't walk, but that didn't mean he couldn't get around. The chair glided towards us noiselessly, the Professor operating it with one hand.

  Watching his approach, I had a sudden clear memory. I was sitting on his knee. He was speeding round the room, and I was yelling at him to go faster. Mum wasn't amused. I was, what, four? Five? I shook my head, frustrated.

  "I know you," I said slowly. Em glanced at me in surprise. "I know this house." I turned to Mum, suddenly. "Why do I feel like I've been here before? What's going on?"

  The Professor came to stop and looked up at me sombrely.