by Prakash
He had also given some holy water to her in the pot and asked her to keep the pot in their bedroom. Father Agnel also assured her that the sheer presence of the cross in each of the room would ensure that Patrick may be troubled by someone but wouldn’t be harmed anyway. Ursula felt reassured by Father’s statement. She thanked him and left for the home. She had hidden the holy water pot in her bad so that her mother shouldn’t notice the same.
After coming home, Ursula put the holy water pot in their bedroom near the night lamp. Cross and holy water presence was enough for her to boost her morale. She did not spoke about her visit to the church with Patrick either.
That night Ursula ensured that the cross and holy water pot is kept at Patrick’s side near the table lamp. Patrick through still on psychotropic drugs was trying to catch up with sleep. Yesterday’s event was still in his mind and as such he was unable to sleep. Ursula could also sense that Patrick was uncomfortable. In the middle of night Patrick thought someone is knocking the door. He could hear 4 to 5 knocks in a row. He was sure Ursula was not able to hear the knocks otherwise she would have woken up by now. Like yesterday he kept himself awake in the bed and was watching carefully all over the bedroom. He was determined to resist any abuse planned by the evil or the so called sinner today.
Suddenly he saw a big streak of bright ray piercing through bedroom wall and in few microseconds a hole appeared on the wall. Patrick got surprised as well as frightened to see the eerie light and the whole happening in few microseconds. Next thing made him dumb and he almost went into a shock. He wanted to scream and called Ursula for help but his voice trapped in his throat only. His eyes became wide apart .He could see a hand which looked like an animal claw moving towards him.
The hand cum claw was ugly with multiple joints or appendages. The hand was wrinkled and with long white hairs all over. The nails were looking long blackish and looked like stained with blood. The hand cum claw was almost near to him. He tried catching the hand with all his might but he was taken aback by the foul smell of old flesh and the sheer size of the claw cum hand. With all his might he jumped from the bed and ran towards light. By now Ursula was also woken up and he could see nearly shaken Patrick wet all over the body and trembling in fear. He was trying to speak but he could not. It seemed like he had lost his voice due to the shock of the events. He was still staring at the wall.
Ursula knew either Patrick experienced some horrendous thing or at least he had seen some worst dream. She however kept quiet. She took his arm and asked him to sit down on the bed. She had offered him water and asked him to relax, nearly for next 10 minutes Patrick was trembling with fear. He was trying to speak but it was all in blurred voice.
After half an hour ‘Patrick could regain his composure.
“Honey … are you alright? “ Ursula asked worriedly.
“No dear not this time “Patrick was still fearful.
“I had experienced the worst so far…” Patrick added.
Patrick narrated in short what he had seen and the chain of the event. Hearing the description Ursula could find chill going through her spine. So far the incidences were limited to the feeling but this time Patrick was claiming to saw something very ugly, dreadful and ghastly enough to take someone’s life.
She however comforted Patrick that the cross and the holy water by his side would protect him against any evil. The Evil could trouble, play pranks, create fear but wouldn’t be able to do the bodily harm to him. To assure him, she took the cross and asked Patrick to put below his pillow. This simple suggestion by Ursula gave Patrick a huge confidence and he had fallen asleep.
In the morning Patrick woke up late. He was looking pale and exhausted. Ursula checked his hand could sense he is running the fever.
“Patrick, I suggest you take an off today. You need rest “Ursula suggested.
“No this is minor. I will take some flue tablets “Patrick replied.
“Besides as they have given leave permission for 15 days trip, I could not afford an off in between “Patrick replied.
Patrick hurriedly prepared himself and left for the factory. In the factory also Patrick somehow managed to complete the allocated work. All the while he was thinking about the horrendous incidence which happened to him the night before. He was unable to decide whether it was mere nightmare or an actual experience. His mind was considering different hypothesis and was either supporting it or rejecting it. He somehow completed his work in the factory and left for home. Only one thing which was solace to him was that of his sanctioned leave of 15 days which was confirmed by his supervisor during the lunch time. He thought probably this break of fifteen days would help him to tide over the current crisis.
As soon as Patrick entered the house he had declared that the leave was sanctioned by the company. Ursula was elated at the news. She was in cloud nine as Patrick was to accompany her for the India trip. This would help her to complete the India documentary without any stress.
Victor and Alice were happy that they would be going to Jersey during the school break with their Grandma and would be able to reunite with their old friends and Pals. They knew beforehand that Grandma would pamper them with lot of chocolates and ice-cream during their stay at Jersey.
“Patrick, our visas for India are through. We will start for India next week “Ursula announced at the time of dinner. Kids clapped at this announcement. Grandma was also happy as she was to get the company of her grandchildren for almost 2 weeks in her own home in Jersey.
From the next day, Ursula started their preparation for the India trip. She had made an elaborate list of the items including clothes, food items, Patrick’s medicines, her books and the notes. She had checked the suitcases and bags available with them and found that she would have to purchase a new bag to accommodate Patrick’s clothes and other essential items. In the afternoon she and her mother went to the market square and purchased a new suitcase.
Ursula’s mother also started packing for the kids and herself. The kids were happy to spend the next 2 weeks with their Nanny in Jersey. They were also helping their Nanny in packing. Patrick had already made air travel arrangement for his mother in law and kids.
Next day air tickets and hotel bookings in India for Patrick and Ursula were received by post. All was now set for India travel.
On Saturday morning, Grandma and Kids departed for Jersey while Patrick and Ursula left for Newark to catch their flight for India.
The house was now vacant except the holy cross and the holy water guarding it from the sinister forces.
Chapter 11
Curious Turn
Still there were 3 days left for Ursula and Patrick’s travel to India. While Preparation for their Indian tour and packaging was going on, Ursula had taken few hours off to chase rag Peter.
Though the house cleaning was done, Ursula had some apprehensions in her mind .She was not sure that the house cleansing would be able to stop Patrick’s trouble.
She was determined to expose rag Peter.
Next day after the house cleansing by the father, in the afternoon she has ventured out for a trail of rag peter.
From the fence of the house she could observe that rag Peter sitting under a tree in the shed. She decided to wait till he made his moves,
When she came back to the house fence after an hour, she could not see Rag Peter there. She now decided to go out and check for his whereabouts.
She had told her mother that she is going to the town for some shopping and set out. While her had car reached the main road she could she rag Peter walking alone in fast pace along the road. She had slow down her car and started following him.
“Is he going to the town at the same place or somewhere else?” Ursula started thinking.
Rag Peter seemed to be in a hurry and increased his speed of walking. From the car she was wondering how a 60 year old could be so fit and agile. She was following him slowly
When he reached near the cemetery, rag Peter looked around to check if s
omeone is nearby and observing him. He stood there on the road for few minutes. Cars on the roads were going on the speed. There was hardly anyone who was walking on the foot. Assured that no one is observing him, he slowly moved towards the cemetery after 5 minutes. He was not aware that barely few meters away, Ursula was watching all his movements.
It was around 5 pm by now and still it was quite dark. The clouds in the sky had made it darker than the normal. Ursula waited nearly for 10 minutes after rag Peter entered the cemetery.
” What he do in the cemetery daily? Who is the person whom he meets almost daily there? What do these two do there? Chain of questions was rushing through Ursula’s mind.
She knew she had only 2 days in her hand before leaving for India for her assignment with Patrick. She still had a firm doubt that all the Patrick’s trouble is due to this old fellow,
She started her car again and slowly started moving on the road. She parked the car few meters away from the cemetery and alighted from her car. She covered her head with a scarf.
With care she started towards the main door of the cemetery. She knew from the wall she could at least watch what is happening inside the cemetery though hearing the conservation was not possible.
Like last time she had taken shelter behind the wall near the gate of the cemetery and started watching from one of the makeshift hole in the wall.
She could see three persons inside the cemetery discussing something. It was difficult to identify who the other two were from such a long distance and the darkness. She could not even figure out whether they were males or females.
Some discussion among the three was going on. The gestures were suggestive of some difference of opinion among the group. From his torn coat and hat, Ursula was able to identify rag Peter but other two were strangers for her.
The two strangers were seen taking something out of the bags carried with them. All of them were now sitting on the ground. Some conversation was going on but from such a long distance Ursula could not hear to the same.
One of the people put a mat on the ground and started arranging some objects on the mat.
“Are they doing some ritual like last time? ‘ Ursula asked herself.
This time they did not light a candle. Instead she could see they were using a small torch.
She could see the trio doing some sort of ritual in the light of dim torch. They were having some objects arranged on the mat and they were doing some strange actions around each of the object. Ursula with her eyes wide open was trying to apprehend what was going on but it was tad difficult to understand.
The rituals continued for at least next 30 minutes. The group seemed to be in a hurry to finish the same.
While the group finished the rituals, she could observe some heated and animated discussion among the group. Though Ursula was not able to exactly hear the words she could sense that some sort of difference of opinion or exchanges is happening among them.
The group suddenly became calm. While Rag Peter started towards the main gate of the cemetery, the two other persons went in the opposite direction. Probably there was another gate to the cemetery from the other side,
Ursula immediately rushed to her car and waited for rag Peter to come out. After he started back towards the community she slowly started chasing him.
She chased him till the neighborhood but nothing happened in between. Rag Peter straightway went to his makeshift home.
Ursula was dejected. She could chase Peter find out the details but she was unable to find out the persons he is meeting, what the group is doing in the cemetery and who he is meeting in the town?
While entering her house Ursula was still in deep thoughts. Who is this group meeting in the cemetery? Are they doing something which is related to Patrick’s trouble or it is something different? How to get to the roots?? She was in her thought process.
“Honey, where were you? “ Patrick questioned as she entered the house.
“I went for some shopping for our tour but could not find the things “Ursula replied.
The family went to the bed after dinner.
In the middle of night, Patrick’ sleep got disturbed. He could sense some crawling sensation on his body. He tried to feel it but was unable to do so. Suddenly he was feeling breathless and as if something heavy was put on his chest. He started taking a deep sigh. Ursula on the same bed was however in deep sleep unaware of what was happening to Patrick.
The weight on Patrick’s chest started increasing. He wanted to scream but was unable to do so. However with all his strength he reached the cross kept near to his bed, The moment he touched the cross on the table , the pain and breathless vanished,. He was still sweating profusely.
Patrick decided not to wake up Ursula. He put the cross on his chest. Within Few minutes he was fast asleep. Father was right .With Cross in his side no negative force on earth can harm him.
Chapter 12
“Lion “Mystery
Next day early morning, the neighborhood of Mandeville woke up to the sirens of the police vans and the ambulance. This community which was peaceful and calm for years together, first time saw such an incidence. Police vans especially were especially seen in the locality nearly for the last two decades,
The early risers in the locality could see the police vans moving in flashing their yellow and red lights accompanied by noise of horns One while ambulance was also seen entering into the neighborhood. The onlookers were clueless on what was happening. Most of them were on their early morning walking trails. Many of them assumed to be a routine police operation. They were right also , this neighborhood was devoid of crime for years together.
The three police vans and the ambulance stopped near the incidence spot. The cops immediately alighted from their vans and cordoned off the area with the customary “do not enter “signs.
Sargent Tayler and the police detective Bob alighted from their van. They slowly moved towards the incidence spot.
“Oh God… someone had mercilessly butchered this fellow” Sargent Tayler commented.
“Calm on Bro “ Detective Bob suggested. He was a seasoned player in the force and lacked the emotions.
“Summon the fingerprint team and the photography team “Bob told Tayler.
Tayler contacted the fingerprint team and the police photography team to arrive at the scene
Meanwhile the onlookers had started to gather near the crime scene. The police team was asking them to stay away.
Bob was trying to have a close look at the scene and was recording his observations in his diary. He was waiting for the fingerprint experts and photography team to arrive at the scene before proceeding further on collection of evidences and clues.
The Fingerprint and Photography team arrived at the scene almost after 35 minutes. Curious onlookers were still hanging around the scene.
Detective Bob had asked the fingerprint team to collect and record fingerprints on the various objects nearby and on the Victim’s body.
He had asked the photography team to take photographs of the victim’s body and the crime scene from various angles. Bob from his experience knew that multi angle photographs many times helps to analyze the crime objectively.
“Poor fellow. Check for his family members or close associates “Bob asked Taylor.
“ There is no paper or photo identity found.Difficult to check his relatives or associates” Taylor replied.
Tayler was clueless at this point so he just noted the instruction.
After the finger print and photography team has finished their work, the victim’s body was put into the ambulance and sent to the city public hospital for the postmortem.
After the ambulance left, Sargent Tayler and detective Bob were busy in inspecting the crime spot and collecting the various evidence from the scene, few policemen were assisting them.
“Look at this big stone “detective Bob alerted Tayler
“This must be the murder weapon, as it had blood stains on it “Bob added.
Tayler was not much interested. He was irritated as this case had erupted when his duty was just about to end. Now he was forced to spent few hours extra to his normal duty hours.
“Yes, I also suspect the same “he supported Bob.
They carefully collected the big stone and placed in the plastic bag.
Bob was busy in carefully analyzing the crime scene
“There are some tyre marks of the two vehicles almost 100 meters away from the crime scene “Bob shared his observation.
“But Bob ...There are many vehicles which ply this neighborhood “Tayler commented.
“Tayler .You are right. But why should regular neighborhood vehicles come in this area. It is almost on end side of the community “ Bob remarked.
Bob was right. The neighborhood used to be silent after 10 pm. The victim’s abode was in one of the corner. So it was but natural that those tyre trails were probably of those who were the possible the culprits.