Hush

Prologue 1: 10 years back

It was dark, but Cindy could still see the narrow road ahead. These hills were like a second home to her. She has been hiking since she was 7. First it was with Dad, then as she grew old, she would come here alone and now for the last few months, it has been with...him!!!

Him!!!

Yes. The one who swept her off her feet the very day she met him.

Cindy, still wonders at times, what makes him so attractive? What makes him so different than all the guys she has been with before? Is it the calm demeanour? That innocent smile? Those blue eyes? Or the mere feeling of excitement of being in a relationship which is forbidden as per social norms?

A faint sound of footsteps distracted Cindy from her thoughts. She turned back. There was no one!

"Silly me!! Who would come here at this time of the night!" Cindy murmered to herself and started walking again.

It has been 6 months now that Cindy has been seeing him, although, in a small Canadian mountain town like Lake Whisper, it's not so easy to keep a secret. Here everyone knows everyone else. So one small mistake and bang!! Your life will be the latest topic of discussion all across the town.

Hence, this secret midnight rondezvous!! When the entire town is in deep slumber, Cindy texts him in his cellphone & waits for his reply. If he texts back saying yes, she sneaks out of her bedroom window and hikes for 15 minutes to reach the Sunset Point to be with him, just for some time. First it was once a week. Now it has become more frequent. Both of them realize that it is becoming more and more difficult to be close yet so far away from each other.

Footsteps again!!!

Cindy was sure this time. It was not her imagination. She turned back immediately. But what she saw startled her!!!

There it was!!! A black, hooded figure! Standing just a few steps away from her. Silently!!

Cindy was scared to death. She could hear her own heartbeats now.

"Who...who's there?" Cindy could barely speak.

The silhoutte didnot answer. Instead, it took one step ahead.

"I said who is it?" Cindy's voice was trembling with fear now.

"Ssssshhhhh......" The hooded figure put a finger near its face.

"Alex? Ben? You guys...stop messing around...its not funny!!" Cindy uttered the words almost with a choked voice.

"Sssshhh...." The hood murmered again and took another step ahead.

By now Cindy can only think of one thing - run...run as fast as possible. So she did.

She turned around and started running...frantically.

But she was not alone!!

The hooded figure also followed Cindy, running towards her.

"Help...somebody, help me!!!" There was a sense of desperation in Cindy's voice. Because she was sure now that this was not some prank and her life was in real danger.

The sound of the two sets of footsteps echoed all over. Cindy was running as fast as she can. But the hood was catching up!!

Cindy could feel that she was going out of her breath, but she knew she couldnot stop. She shouted again - "Help....somebody...please!"

Suddenly Cindy felt a push on her back. She fell down on her face on the stony
road.

It was the hood... who now has put its foot on Cindy's back.

"Aarrghh"!!! Cindy could taste the blood, dripping from her forehead and nose. She could also feel the spikes of the hood's boot, slowly pressing against her back...more & more.

"Please...leave me...let me go...please...why are you doing this to me!" Cindy could barely speak.

Cindy's desperate plea had no effect on the hood.

Instead, it reached out the belt and brought something out.....

It was a 7 inch long steel hunting knife!!!

The hood put its left hand on Cindy's mouth who was now struggling desperately to free herself and then...without uttering a single word, plunged the knife deep into Cindy's back!!!

Cindy's struggling body became still for a second. But started shaking vigorously, in one final attempt to be free.

But the hood didnot let go. It took out the knife from Cindy's back and plunged it deep into her again!!

The stabbing continued until Cindy's lifeless body laid still on the stony road!!

The hood got up, slowly, in a calm manner, as if satisfied with what has happened, then threw the knife away in a nearby bush.

It stood still for a while, staring at Cindy's lifeless body...then slowly turned back and started walking away.

Behind laid the lifeless body of 18 year old Cindy Cross - one of the prettiest & most popular girls of Lake Whisper, a loyal friend, a good daughter, a student with a promising career!! Who, till her last breath didnot know why this happened?

Who killed her?

Why?