The Cursed Shell

18

Josh was still six hours away from India. He was losing hope of saving the girl before the killer reaches her.

'The killer must've reached India till now', he thought, impatiently.

Inside the Headmaster's office of Aryabhatta Orphanage was a brown bearded bald man in a brown blazer sitting in front of the headmaster.

"You want to adopt Ms Krystene?" the old headmaster asked.

The assassin replied in affirmation.

"She's a sixteen year old teenager", the old headmaster reminded.

"Does that matter?" the assassin asked.

The massive man looked too eager to adopt Krystene, so the headmaster thought to fool him for a better business, just like he did with a young man who adopted Brute Coyle.

"Yeah," the Headmaster exhaled. "The more the age of the child, the more the money you'll have to pay."

"So you measure a child by money?" the assassin gave an exhaling chuckle.

"That's my business", the Headmaster sassed.

The assassin started laughing loudly. The Headmaster laughed too.

"By the way, she's Indian, right?" Stephenson Mal asked.

"Yes," the headmaster nodded. "She seems Indian by her physical appearance."

"So why does she have a name like Krystene? It doesn't seem to be an Indian name", asked the assassin.

"Well..." the headmaster exhaled. "This is an orphanage. Almost everyone who comes here is nameless. We just don't think much about names before naming!"

The assassin stood up and went away from his chair, still laughing. The Headmaster controlled his laugh when he realised that the massive man was locking the door from inside.

"What're you doing?" the headmaster snapped.

Before he could even realise what was happening, the assassin bolted towards him and inserted the sharp blades of a stun-gun into the old man's neck. The old man felt his body lifeless and he fell semi–consciously on his chair.

The assassin grinned wider. He took out a pen-like stick with a small red bulb at its end. He pointed the bulb towards the face of the old man.

"Don't worry," the assassin said, "it doesn't hurt."

The red bulb on the stick started glowing. A ray of red light came from it. The assassin ran the red light all over the old man's face. When he was done, he pushed the stick back in his pocket.

"Wanna know what I did right now?" Stephenson Mal the assassin said. "I just took a scan of your face."

He took out a thick white sheet. "Do you know what this is? You dunno, right? Okay, so let me tell you. This isn't paper. This is kinda fabric which can be easily stitched by hand only. And yes, I'm very good at stitching!"

The headmaster couldn't speak, but thought to himself, 'Who are you? What do you want? Why're you doing this?'

"I've already scanned your face," the assassin said, walking towards an inkjet printer beside the headmaster's chair, "now I'll print your face on this fabric."

He inserted the thick sheet of fabric at the place where papers are inserted in a printer. He connected his pen like device with the printer via an adaptor. The printing process started. The assassin walked back to the headmaster. He pointed a pistol with silencer towards his forehead. "Thank you for your face, Mr Headmaster!"

The gun shot. There was a horrible pain for one–third of a second before the headmaster's body turned into a corpse.

Krystene was in a lime T–shirt and a pair of blue denims. She was walking downstairs towards her classroom when a massive hand fell on her shoulder. She turned back to see a massive brown bearded bald man behind her.

"You're Krystene, right?" the assassin asked.

Krystene nodded in affirmation.

'I got her,' the assassin thought. 'Only a few last minutes of her life are remaining!'

"I don't know how to say it," the assassin acted like he was nervous. "How cruel your parents were that they left you at the gate of an orphanage. I mean - you're such a pretty child."

"Thanks," Krystene smiled. "But what do you want to say?"

"Ah," he sighed. "I want to say that...you are not an orphan anymore. I've adopted you!"

Krystene widened her eyes in shock. She couldn't believe her ears. She was adopted! Like most of the orphans, she wished to be adopted too. And now her dreams had come true! She was no more an orphan. She had a father. She had a family!

'Poor girl,' the assassin grinned and thought, 'she's expecting me to give her a better life. But I'm here to bring her life to an end!'

Krystene still couldn't believe. "You're not lying, right?"

"No!" the assassin said. "I've just completed all the legal paper-works and now you're my daughter! The headmaster wants to congratulate you. I'll be waiting for you inside the Benz standing at the parking area." He pointed towards a Mercedes standing at the parking area.

'I've got a rich father!' she thought. 'Cool!'

The massive man patted on Krystene's shoulder. She smiled to him and started walking towards the Headmaster's office.

"Go girl," the assassin whispered to himself, "and come back for death!"

Krystene was over–excited. Although one of its reasons was that the guy who adopted her was rich, the main reason was that she was going to have a family!

"Umm...Sir, may I come in?" Krystene stood outside the closed door of the Headmaster's office.

"Come in", an old voice replied. Krystene was familiar with the ascent. It was the headmaster's voice.

Krystene pushed the door open and stepped in. She saw a weak old man with white fuzzy hair and beard. As always, he looked like a sheep to Krystene. Yes, it was the headmaster.

"Oh, Krystene, congratulations!" the headmaster exclaimed. "You're adopted and all the legal paper-works are done too! I hope you've met your new father?"

Krystene replied in affirmation.

"You will always have our best wishes with you. Have a good life ahead!" the Headmaster wished.

They both bid each other goodbye and Krystene walked out of the room. As soon as she stepped out, the old man stood up and pulled his face-mask out. It was Stephenson Mal, the assassin. He was wearing a mask made by printing the Headmaster's face on the thick fabric recently stitched by him. Speaking in the Headmaster's ascent wasn't difficult for him as he had already spoken in different ascents in different missions. He gazed down at the headmaster's corpse below the headmaster's table. The assassin gave a soft chuckle and started stepping towards his target.

Krystene was now standing beside the Benz, but couldn't see her new father anywhere around.

"Krystene", the massive hand of her new father fell on her shoulder.

She gazed up at his face.

"C'mon, lets go home", the assassin smiled.

Krystene smiled back.

The assassin opened the door of the car and Krystene sat at the backseat. The assassin sat at the driver's seat.

"What should I call you?" Krystene asked. "What is your name?"

"Just call me dad", the assassin smiled wider.

"Okay dad," Krystene smiled too. "So where's our home?"

"I'll take you somewhere else before going home," the assassin said. "You'll never forget the place in your entire lifetime." The assassin thought, 'As it would be the last place you'll ever see.'