The Augustine

CHAPTER-14

    The bell rang and I walked out of my class and wentto the staff room. Barney was not there in the staff room. I asked the otherteacher, he said that barney went to his home after the end of the first hour."May I know his address?" I asked. He gave me the address. It was quite farfrom my home. When I came out of the staff room I found Jacob coming from theplayground. He was breathing heavily. "Where have you been Jake?" I asked him."Huh....wash room" he replied. Shushant joined us. I told Jacob and Shushant that I was going tomeet Barney. They asked me the reason. I told them the story that Barney toldme the other day. They all watched me surprisingly. I apologized them for notsaying them this. "Ok... But why do you wanna meet him now" asked Jacob. I said"If Barney is here for only a couple of years, how does he knew about a guy whowas forgotten by the folks of this town for more than a decade ago?" "Yeah!! You are right" said Shushant."Ok..Come on..Let's go" said Jacob. All of us hired a cab and we went toBarney's home. His house looked like an old one. We knocked the door. No onecame. We knocked the door thrice, but still Barney never showed up. Jacob wentto the backyard. "Hey guys..there is a door here..its left open" Shouted Jacob.We all rushed to the backyard and entered inside the house. The house wastotally dark. Shushant switched on the corner light around the table. We gotsome light. We searched for him everywhere. Then we all went upstairs. Ientered a room and I saw two luggages packed up with all of his clothes. Isuddenly called Jacob and Shushant. They saw that. "Looks like Barney is goinon a vacation!" said shushant. "No...he is leaving the town" I said. "What....noway..why would Barney leave the town all of a sudden?" asked Jacob. "What willthe cops do if they suddenly catch Edmund calvin?" I asked them. "Whoa....theywill sentence him to death for killing so many innocent children" repliedShushant. "Yep...that fits in..." I said. "I don't get you" said Jacob. "Guys....whodo you think he is? He is Edmund Calvin" I said. Everyone looked at mesurprisingly. "You've gotta be kidding me Alice...how is that even possible?" aksedJacob. "Don't you see it Jacob..everything fits in... look...when Barney said abouthimself, he would have realized that I would get a doubt like this. So hethought that I might reveal his true identity to everyone and he decided toleave town immediately without even informing anyone. But he has gone somewherenow. I don't know what he is up to? We are staying here till his return." Isaid. "Yep..we are staying" said Jacob in a firm tone. We sat on the stairswaiting for Barney. After a few mins, we heard the door creaking open. But itwas not the main door, the sound came from upstairs. I stood up and Jacob andShushant were not there. I was alone. I called out their names but there was noresponse. I went upstairs and heard a sound of a glass breaking. I suddenlywent inside the room in which Barney had everything packed. In that room I sawthat man standing near the window looking out. There was absolute silence inthe room. I moved a step backward. I knew he wants me killed. He slowly turnedhis head half way to the side, and I started running. I slipped near the stairsand fell on the floor. I got up on my knees and he was right there in front ofme. I thought he will throw me, but he didn't, he just walked pass me. I wassurprised.