THE DARK

PART 5- A CHAIN OF INCIDENTS

Two bangs were heard. A deathly silence prevailed in my heart, mind, surroundings everywhere. But only for three moments. I pushed the broken door that had fell upon me aside and at a glance at the creature, I went into a celebratory dance. The creature was killed. 

"Oh Sam! You Robinhood!" I exclaimed happily and hugged him tightly. 

"Oh heavens!" exclaimed Nancy sighing a relief, "That was damn scary."

Dr. Cumberbatch limbs were trembling still with fright. But a grin was appearing on his face. 
Everyone got close to get a better view of the 'creature.' But it wasn't a mystical creature as supposed, only a wild wolf. But still it wouldn't have hesitated to pounce on us. Cumberbatch patted on Sam's back and said- "Well done." The bullets have stricken his skull badly. But, who cares? We got out of the cabin, Sam carrying Lucy. 

"She is just fainted, nothing to be frightened of. " declared Cumberbatch. 

"But no sign of David." I said sorrowfully.

"Maybe he is already dead. But let's hope for the best." remarked Nancy.

"He is in that f***ing upper storey for sure."  vociferated Sam.

We were all now walking towards the Richardson's House. How it looked awkward! A wholly deserted beachside with such a magnificent house on it. And this idiotic woods. My every thought was devoted to Kate now. Did she found David? Soon, we reached the gate. Cumberbatch knocked the door. A moment's silence. Then the sound of knob turning. Kate opened the door. She was waiting for us eagerly. And the reason was quickly understood. David has returned! 

I looked in disbelief at that foolish man. Where was he till now? The whole house was gone crazy in search of his. Sam was just behind me carrying Lucy and surely out of David's sight.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"In the woods." was his firm reply.

"What the hell were you doing there at this hour, David?" asked Cumberbatch angrily.

An awkward silence followed this question which lasted for two minutes. Everyone was gazing at David with disbelief. But soon Sam, step forward and was about to say something when David got the sight of Lucy. He looked at her with wide open eyes, as if were in shock and then screamed the scariest scream I have heard in all my lifetime. With this scream, he ran towards his room and locked it from inside. We were quite shell-shocked and stupefied with this action of his. Has David gone mad? But now everyone rushed in another direction. Kate has fallen down. 

I, Nancy and Sam were sitting in Kate's room as she lied unconscious on her bed. I regretted my decision of going out to find Lucy. Had I stayed, situation would have been under control. Lucy was also in her bed, sleeping soundly. David hasn't opened his door yet and Anjakarim was preparing for a ritual for he believed that David has lost his controls to a powerful spirit. Cumberbatch was sitting in the hall's sofa and had till now drunk two bottles of brandy. Yes, he only told himself not to drink because drinking leads to one's inability to think clearly but he was too sad for tears. David, his beloved assistant, which he treated as a son has gone insane. He was less worried about Lucy because David was more closer to his heart and also for the reason that Lucy was recovering well. I looked sadly towards Sam and Nancy. Sam's eyes looked quite drowsy. Nancy's too. But no one was going to sleep. Cumberbatch was too disturbed to check her, so Sam had done it for the first time. He knew about this and had also taught us some first aid tips before we came here. It looked to him that Kate was merely unconscious due to that horrifying scream of David and would recover after she gets a good sleep. I didn't knew when I got slept but soon I was awake. It was 5:46 in the morning. I thought of sleeping more but couldn't. So, I got up my chair and went to my room to freshen up myself. Before leaving the room,  I caught a glance at Kate. She was sleeping peacefully. So were Sam and Nancy. I tiptoed my way towards my room and unlocked it. After having freshened up, I cleaned my room. Nancy  awoke at that time. Coming to my room, she said-

"Damn Lio, Cumberbatch slept on the hall's sofa last night."

"I also saw him while entering my room. Did you checked Lucy?"

"Yeah, still sleeping."

"And David?"

"He is not in his room."

"What the hell is he about now?" I muttered angrily. "This time, I am not going to search for him."

"But Lio.."

"Damn that scoundrel Cumberbatch and his assistants."

"You are worried for Kate?"

"No, he has already done the damage to her. Now, you'll be also in bed."

"But we are a team..." Nancy tried to explain.

"Where is Thomas and Susy? Call them, then we will search."

"OK, wake up Sam." she said leaving.

 But before she was only two paces away from my door, a scream was heard. It came in the direction of Anjakarim's working room. We both, now accompanied by Sam, who got up hearing the scream rushed towards the room. And lo! Anjakarim was sitting by a fireside, enchanting some prayers. David was tied up to a cross. His disciples were sitting by his either side, closing their eyes. Suddenly Anjakarim looked up and saw us. 

"Come here!" he commanded and we obeyed like good children. 

"What are you doing to him?" asked Sam.

"Taking out the spirit from his body."

F***ing foolish old sage. As if he was the Pied Piper of Hamelin, he will sing Justin Bieber's song  (It seemed more like an scowling of an foolish dog) and the ghosts (as though were his fans) would come to his feet and say "Sing that scowling prayer." I don't doubt Christianity. It is the source of the development of a human being. But he is a donkey among all the fathers of churches. He didn't never say any prayer loudly. Only grunts like a pig. And now he is performing circus. He has tied David to a cross. He has only come here to earn quick money.   

"There's no spirit inside him." I revolted trying to save David.

"No, there is and you'll just see now." and by saying this he began to chant the prayers loudly for the first time. David shrieked. 

"Now, you'll will see.." Anjakarim uttered under his breath, "If this cross turns black, a spirit is there. And by saying this, he threw a handful of sand on him. Suddenly all the candles and the fire ceased as if someone blew them with a mouth. Even if the cross turned black, we weren't able to distinguish it from the surrounding darkness. I turned on the lights. But the cross hadn't changed colour. 

"I told you there is no spirit. He has got simply out of mind. Open the ropes." I declared.

"You don't see, son Lionel. The spirit blew all the candles out so that we aren't able to see any difference. Besides the change in colour of a cross can be observed by only 'holy light.' 

"Go to hell." I muttered under my breath. 

As soon as David was freed, he ran outside the room. Again we found ourselves standing in the same position as we were standing, stupefied. 

After two hours, Lucy regained her strength. Kate was still sleeping though she had woke up at 8:07 and asked for a glass of water. So, all my worries were almost over and we decided to keep a team's meeting today itself at 6:30, surely after dinner. One thing also happened which caught my attention was that no caretakers arrived as mentioned by Cumberbatch. But that was only a matter of little interest as it came to the conclusion that they were quite afraid to come here. Anjakaim was quite upset after his ritual's failure, so to speak, that he scolded Thomas a good deal for not keeping the correct amount of candles in the holy square. (The required was 51, he kept one less.) David was still locked in his room, and Cumberbatch too weak to get up from that sofa. Our team (with the exception of Kate) decided to interrogate Lucy. She told that she just saw David going out of the house and decided to follow him. Suddenly, he turned towards the corner and started going to go towards the tower. But when Lucy turned the corner, he wasn't to be seen and suddenly somebody stroked her head with a stick, which led to a scream by her and got unconscious only to wake up after an hour to discover herself in the cabin room of tower. After this discussion we ate our lunch. Two meals had been served to us yet we don't know who is delivering them. Cumberbatch had made his mind up to ask the delivery boy about the caretakers but he failed to do so. He kept telling that he was checking every minute through the window, yet he didn't caught the sight of the delivery boy. This matter came to the conclusion by Lucy that he was too drunk and tired and it might be possible that he lost the sight of the delivery boy. Kate was able to regain strength and she also came to the table for lunch. Only David didn't come. Lucy was quite afraid when his name was mentioned. After lunch, as I entered my room and slammed the door behind me, I found a man sitting at my chair with his face towards the opposite wall. He was David! I kept my hand on the knob and was about to run away when his clear and distinct voice was heard.

"Please don't run away. I assure you no harm in any way."

I stopped dead. He continued-

"You are the only one who trusted me and are of the believe that no spirit is haunting me. You are quite right in it, I am very much fine. "

I was just listening to him intently and was thinking what he will say next.

"Listen, Lucy is a ghost. Don't believe a single word of her. She has already killed someone."

"Who?" This word escaped out of my mouth unintentionally.

"That I don't know but I will show you the remains of that body. I was just disturbed at the very sight of it. So, I was behaving like that. Sorry for that scream that harmed your friend."

How did he know that Kate was harmed?

"Now, let me come to the real topic. I will take you to that place in the woods where that body is. But we can't do it during the day as Lucy will be spying on me. She is a ghost, I know she can get us anytime, even now. I will take you in the night. At 1 in the night sharp. Please come for you are the only one whom I can trust. " With saying this words he left the room, leaving me with questions. He thinks that night is safer than day. Wow! But should I go?, was the main question. 

"OK, I will think about it later." I muttered to myself and went to a good sleep for I knew that the night was going to be longer today.

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