Akhil is sitting in his drawing room, kind of distracted and irritated. He just got up from bed, it’s about 9:30 am in the morning. Normally Akhil is an early riser, but last night he didn’t sleep very well. Today he got up from the sound of his door bell ringing, as his manservant is absent for 3 days he had to answer the door.
He was surprised to see a young woman at his door at 9 am, from her behaviours it is only obvious she is a college student and reached to his door for any apparent reason.
“I came here to talk to you, to know you,” Her first sentence was so casual that Akhil gave up any hope of serious conversation.
“Yes tell me, why are you here? who are you?” Akhil shoots his preliminary enquiry.
“I am here to chat with you, to know you better than your stories.” She replied in a childish tone.
“What’s your name?” Akhil asked.
“Chitra is my name, isn’t it nice?” She replied in same juvenile tone
“Ok Chitra, may I know why are you here to see me?” Akhil asked impatiently.
“I like to chat with famous personalities, it’s kind of a hobby.” She already came in and sat on the sofa.
“I am not a famous person.” Akhil answered in a given up tone, he is so bad at dealing with these spotlight seeking young women.
“Of course you are, I read all your stories, how you solved all the twisted crime occurrences. I am a big fan.” Chitra spoke in one breath.
“Listen Chitra, I am kind of not feeling well today and need some rest, if you don’t have anything important, could come some other time.” Akhil was desperate to get rid of her.
“Oh! But see that’s why I am here, I know you stay alone, I would like to be with you and take care of you.” The reply came immediately.
Akhil is in a complete shock now, what this girl is even saying? These young generation so volatile, is she praying a prank on him? Akhil looked blankly at her. He could only imagine she is telling the whole story to her gang and then laughing and falling onto each other saying ‘OMG that old man actually believed me’.
He tried to be as calm as possible, cleared his throat and spoke” Chitra, you can’t stay here with me.”
“Ok, we’ll decide that later, but tell me something, you don’t look like an intelligent and sharp psychologist like your stories and also I thought you would be taller.” She was speaking continuously.
“Oh! Well how do I look like then?” Akhil asked in a light tone.
“You look like a normal professor of any college, like the physics lecturer of my college, calm and quiet and dislike everything about younger generation.” She was smiling, “why don’t you say something clever and prove you are the Akhil Mitra who solves all those puzzling cases.”
“I don’t give test of my ability, Chitra.” Akhil shook his head.
“Come on, be a sport.” The girl was impatient. “Tell me what you gathered about me so far.”
“Ok, if you insist, my observation about you is your name is not Chitra, I have called your name several times, its only human nature to react spontaneously as someone calls their name, your reaction was late. And the way you said ‘Chitra is my name, isn’t it nice’ sounds artificial, normally people would have said ‘I am Chitra’. You are here not to chat with me but to create a mystery around yourself, the way you suddenly said you want to stay with me knowing very well I won’t approve that.
You have done some research on me but not in very detail, that tells me you are here for a purpose that’s not yours. Someone of whose hobby is to meet famous people are normally research every detail before meeting them, especially females. You are trying to act over enthusiastic, but that’s a part of your acting as I noticed you are getting absent minded sometime during conversation. So I reckon you did not come here by your own will but you are sent by someone.” Akhil finished and looked at her.
First time while having this entire conversation the girl looked a little alarmed and then spoke softly but firmly “You were correct in all account Dr Akhil Mitra. I have no doubt now I came to right person. Could you get me a glass of water, I am suddenly feeling thirsty”
As Akhil came back from kitchen with a glass of water in his hand little did it surprise him to see the empty sofa, she is gone. In such manner she suddenly asked for water it was obvious to Akhil that she was trying to create an opportunity to sneak out.
As he kept the glassful of water on the table a bunch of papers attracted his attention. A buddle of papers neatly arranged and kept, the small statue which was on the table was used as a paper wait. As Akhil took that bundle the very first page shows only two words ‘HELP ME’ written right in the middle of the page.
Akhil suddenly felt bad for the girl, she must be in some kind of trouble and before she disclosed it his indifference drove her out of the house. As he looked through the pack of papers he found they are handwritten, most probably a long letter.
Akhil left out a long sigh, it’s been a while he read a long letter from someone.
**********************************************************************************
“Dear Akhil Sir,
Hope you’ll pardon me for creating a little drama, I wanted to attract your attention towards me. You must be thinking who is this crazy girl and what is her intention. Let me tell you first, I am a big fan of yours, I read all the stories published about you, the great Akhil Mitra.
I never saw you, I know you don’t do interviews hence I have no video clip or even a snap of yours, so I made an imaginary appearance of yours in my mind. As all of the stories about you are not written by you but someone else I am assuming you must be different from how you’ve been portrayed, as writer often exaggerate about their main protagonist’s capability. Nonetheless I am sure you are a sharp and intelligent person. You must be wondering who I am and why I am so keen about your personality and appearances. Well I am just trying to find the real Akhil Mitra of blood and flesh not the one portrayed by the writer.
This is where probably I should be introducing myself.
Name: Aparichita (A fake name, I hope you’ll find my real name soon)
Age: 22 years
Hobby: Reading, Chatting and doing nothing
Passion: Getting wet in the rain, Watching the moon on a full moon night
I know you are a busy man and if you are reading this long letter of mine, I am sure I made some curiosity in your mind. Let me come to the point now, there are incidents happening around me from my very childhood and I don’t get surprised or shocked anymore. I have accepted as they are, but after a long time I felt if anyone could help me, it must be you.
My mother died when I was very young, my father who is a rich and powerful man of this city (I will not disclose his identity but I am sure at some point you’ll find it out) was driving the car when it met with an accident and my mother died on the spot, astonishingly me and my father survived without a scratch, I was so small during that accident and I have no memory of it.
After that my father got remarried after a year or so, my new step mother came into my life. You’ll be surprised to know I used call her new-mom. As it happens, my new-mom couldn’t accept me with open heart, she was tiny and petite but got a hoarse voice. As I started to grow up everything about me became nuisance to her, the way I dress, the way I play or as she used to say making the whole house dirty etc etc. I have my own room and to avoid her I started to spend more time inside my room, my dad was always busy but whenever he used to get sometime he tried to spent them with me which was the only silver lining.
My new-mom was jealous type of woman, she always was suspicious about my dad and that led to a lot of heated arguments and fights, dad started to drink a lot. Then one day the news arrived, my new-mom was conceived, I was kind of happy hearing the news of a step-sibling coming to our world, the behaviour of my new-mom was also changed towards me, she was treating me better those days.
As things always go haywire in my life, there was no exception in this situation either, my new-mom lost the baby in a freak accident. She slipped and fell off the stairs, she was rushed to the hospital, father was out of the country that time, as he heard the news he came home immediately.
After she regained her sense in hospital she straightway accused me for the accident. According to her I only made those stairs slippery by pouring water on them. My father knew about our relation, so he simply ignored her words. When we took her back home she was hysterical, she even denied to speak or even see my face. Day by day the situation was deteriorating, I was getting worried about my father as I clearly see him becoming almost an alcoholic.
Then one day it all ended. The maid discovered new-mom’s hanging body from the ceiling fan in her room. Dad was at his work place and I was at school. As I said my new-mom and dad’s relation had become so bitter after the accident that they used to live in different rooms. In the morning we both left home without seeing her, the post mortem report indicated that she committed suicide in the early morning.
**********************************************************************************
After reading this much Akhil closed his eyes, he can feel his brain is palpitating, unlike others he read everything very attentively, and so he can’t read at a stretch. While keeping his eyes closed he tried to arrange everything like a Jigsaw puzzle.
It’s still could be a prank of a young girl. So far he read almost 2 pages and there were no spelling mistakes, it only happens if someone is very good at writing or literature or had rough copy then make it a fair one. Akhil checked the handwriting, it looks continuous and without any break, no change of ink either, normally it’s tough to write a letter so big at a stretch without any mistake. That makes it certain that the girl might copy it from a rough. The handwriting is also neat and clear, Akhil is not a graphologist or else from her handwriting he could have analysed her.
She told her pseudo or fake name as Aprichita, which means stranger(fe.) in Sanskrit. She also gave the info about her age, hobby and passion. Is this for some particular reason?
Akhil kept the bundle on the table started to walk towards kitchen, he defiantly needs some tea.
Next day as Akhil was getting ready to start for the university he couldn’t keep his mind away from the letter, he decided to carry it with him, so he can read it during recess and off periods. Surprisingly he completely forgot about it once he reached in university and got busy with his class, lectures and students. As he came back, after his supper he remembered it altogether. He took it out from his bag started to read from where he left.
**********************************************************************************
“You must be tired reading this nonstop nonsense and wondering why don’t I just come to you with my problems, why don’t I meet you face to face, I will Akhil sir, trust me, but before that you got to read this whole letter of mine, think that it is a childish demand of your ardent fan.
So as my new-mom left us I became lonely again, as usual dad was always busy in his work, I started to become a lonely kid, the servants were instructed not to enter my room as I love my space, I kept my room clean and organized as I want. As I never saw my real mother (We don’t even have a photo of her in my house) I started to imagine my demised new-mom as my companion. You must be wondering how but it was very simple.
I started to imagine my new-mom as a compassionate, sweet and nice lady who is my companion, I used to ask her to do something as the I used to do that myself, something like an imaginary companion, you might ask me why my new-mom, I would say during her pregnancy I saw the nice side of her and which was overwhelming. Let me give you an example how I used to imagine and play with her, suppose I have to get something from the table, I used to ask new-mom to get that, then I myself used to go and get it, and thanking my new-mom for that. The whole part was imaginary, and I knew it.
Then one day, I had high fever and doctor instructed me to have a complete bed rest, dad was out and servants are working downstairs. I was lying on bed, my eyes were closed when I felt a touch on my forehead, as I open my eyes I saw my new-mom was sitting next to me on bed. She looked just the same I remember her, but eyes were filled with love and compassion, something I hardly ever experienced. It was so normal that I wasn’t scared or shocked.
I am sure at this point your psychological mind started to analyse my situation, a lonely kid, during feverish state experiencing her dead step mom whom she kept imagining, it must be case of hallucination or delusion of a feeble child’s mind, especially when she’s ill. Well, you psychologist come to conclusion very quickly, with frowned eyebrows you easily declare what is real and what is imaginary, is it that simple? Let me tell you, I have already met a few psychologists, not because I want to but my dad forced me to. Why I’ll tell you later.
Akhil sir, are you getting irritated, or you have already made up your mind that I am actually insane, especially after telling you I have been to different psychologist. Let me tell you then, none of them were able to find anything wrong with me. I need your help, please help me, don’t throw away this letter thinking it’s just few incoherent sentences from a mentally sick and unstable girl.
You must be wondering what kind of help seeker I am, not giving you any details about me, not meeting you and let you ask your questions to me and expecting you to solve my problems. Well let me at least give you my phone no, “I already gave it you”. Ok, not the last digit maybe, you can try your luck.
Let me come back to my story, so it became a regular event of my new-mom visiting me every now and then, I am sure your investigative mind is restless to ask few questions about this ghostly appearance, I am guessing them and trying to answer them.
- What she used to wear?
- Normal Saari, different ones on different days
- How she used to appear and disappear?
- Nothing unusual, she used to push the door of my room and come and same way used to pull the door and go, I never followed her to where she used to after go out of the door.
- Did anybody else saw her or heard her talking?
- No. As I said I used to stay in my room alone and servants weren’t allowed, dad hardly comes to my room.
- She used to come and visit you as you wished to see her?
- No. She used to visit me as she wanted, in daytimes or nights.
I am bored of these questions answers already; I don’t know if I could answer you better if I were in front of you.
My life was going on as usual when one day again it was about to change. I was taking an afternoon nap when I felt a hand touching my head, I thought it’s my new-mom, as I opened my eyes I saw a beautiful and elegant lady was sitting next to me.
“Did I wake you up?” She asked in an embarrassed tone.
“Who are you?” I was surprised to see her in my room.
“I am your Vibha aunty.” She answered me in a hesitating tone.
Well, soon I came to know Vibha aunty going to me my next step mother, my father was about to marry her. Akhil sir are you thinking bad of my father? Thinking what kind of a guy he is who’s keep getting married to different ladies? Please don’t think ill of my father, he is a great guy and the best father, I mean it.
So Vibha aunty came into our life and then she discovered my little secret, my meeting with my dead new-mom. I am feeling so tired now, can’t write anymore. But you can read on as I am sure you have all the pages I’ll be writing to you.
**********************************************************************************
Akhil finished reading the page and put the letter down on the table. Leaning on the sofa Akhil thought this girl is a bright one. The small riddle of her phone number, it was an easy one.
“I already gave it you”. All he has to do is to take the alphabets in serial order which has single numeric value, ignore the alphabets having double digit numerical value
I ALREADY GAVE IT TO YOU
9 1 514 71 5 9
As she said the last digit was not given, it mostly be zero as the last 2 words are null, so it might be
91514 71590
Akhil decided not to call this number, if she wants to maintain secrecy he will let her. It’s already late at night, Akhil walked into his bed room, he needs a sound sleep, then tomorrow he will finish the letter.
**********************************************************************************
Next day Akhil skipped his duty and requested one day leave from the dean. He wanted to finish the letter. So with a glass of orange juice in the morning he continued.
“Akhil sir, life is so strange, isn’t it? Sometimes you just ignore every flaw of someone whom you love so much, though you know they are wrong and they need to be stopped.
So as it happened Vibha aunty came into our lives. She was truly a wonderful woman, in all account, she was everything just opposite to my new-mom was. First time in my life I was enjoying motherly love and care, she used to take care of me like my own mother, she fed me with her own hand, bathed me, tied my hair, helped me with my school homework. But she never let me call her mother, she insisted me to call her Vibha aunty, and I had no problem with it.
I was in my teens and was growing fast, my dad now was getting busier day by day, he might have sensed that I was in the right hands of Vibha aunty, she was also getting busy with new found passion, boutique business. Then she only suggested to appoint someone as my very own care taker.
We are rich and it was only within our capacity to engage a maid only for their teenage girl, back in days Princesses used to have hand maidens, similarly I got one. Vibha aunty only chose a girl who was in her early twenties after much scrutiny. Her name was Farzana, she was from a nearby village next to the city, from a poor family.
Oh! Did I forgot to mention that my new-mom stopped visiting me? As Vibha aunty came into this house she stopped seeing me. I am sure at this moment you are smiling, thinking it’s just a simple case of hallucination, or is she schizophrenic? She must be imagining a mother figure all her life and as soon as she got one her dead step mother stop coming into her life. Maybe you’re right.
Farzana and me became fast friends, though we had an age gap of 5 to 6 years. She was a timid yet talkative girl, normally quiet when dad or Vibha aunty was around. My world was my home and school, since I came in touch with her I started to learn about the real world, the ugly, dirty yet the actual world where normal people live. I learned about poverty and desperation, how her drunkard father beats her mother every night for no reason, how her mother doing odd jobs to keep ends meet, how one of her elder sister died without any medical attention and younger one gone missing. Now it’s her and the youngest brother.
I am sure I am getting you bored by all these details, but I wanted to tell you, maybe for no apparent reason.
So one day I was back from school and found Farzana was sleeping downstairs, I came to my room and…… I saw my new-mom sitting there. Surprise, surprise! Tell me Akhil sir, did you expected that? I am sure you must be thinking “Is this girl just making up stories after stories?” Please trust me.
So after such a long time when I saw my new-mom I don’t know why I just froze there, suddenly I was scared of her, after all these years why she is here?
“Chitra, come here, sit next to me.”, my new-mom called in a calm tone.
See Akhil sir, I have disclosed my real name after all. Don’t worry, you were right, the girl came to meet you was not Chitra. I am.
So I slowly went next to my new-mom with scared steps, she held my hands and made me sit next to her.
“Chitra, you know Farzana is not a nice girl.” New-mom spoke in a strict tone; I nod my head in fear.
“You should not be mixing with these kind of females. It’s bad for you. I don’t want her here anymore, would you tell your Vibha aunty and get rid of her?” I shook my head, “But I like her.” I replied in a scared but firm tone.
“You are not old enough to know what’s good and what’s bad for you.” She spoke those words and then left. I was sitting on my bed, scared and numbed.
After a while I heard a knock on the door and then Vibha aunty came in pushing the door open. “Oh it was such a tiring day, how’s my sweetheart doing…..” she suddenly stopped and started to sniff something. “Somebody was here? I smell a strange perfume. Are you using any?” She kept sniffing.
I didn’t reply to her, she stood there for some time and then left. That night I was scared to sleep alone, and I did not want to ask Farzana to be in my room, I had a strange fear that my new-mom might want to hurt her. I asked Vibha aunty instead, she happily agreed and I went to her room to sleep, dad was as usual at work.
Me and Vibha aunty were lying next to each other, suddenly, I don’t know why I asked her, “Vibha aunty, can dead people come back?” She heard the question and there was a pause, “why are you asking this question?” She asked me. “Simply, ok, good night, I am sleepy.” I turned the other way.
Vibha aunty got up from bed and switched on the lights and then came and sit on the bed, “Listen girl, tell me what’s going on, don’t keep any secret from me, what is it? Tell me clearly.” She spoke in a firm crisped voice.
And I told her everything, starting from my new-mom’s death, her frequent visit to me and about her last visit today afternoon. I thought she will laugh at my childish imaginations, but she didn’t, she held me tightly next to her, we didn’t switch off the lights that night.
After few days I found Farzana was not around, I asked Vibha aunty about her.
“Her marriage is fixed, so she went home.” She replied with a dry tone.
“Does that mean she won’t work here anymore?” I asked with curious note
“I am not sure, let’s see.” She replied again with the same dry voice.
As it turned out she was really getting married, and her mother came to us with the invitation. From there conversation I learned Vibha aunty is taking care of all the expenses of her marriage, I was surprised and yet proud for her.
But as it turned out Farzana’s happiness was short lived, she came back after 3 days of her marriage as her husband was demanding dowry and refused take her back till she pays.
Vibha aunty was really angry listening to all these and she immediately summoned her husband. He was garage mechanic.
“Do you know I can hand over you to the police, taking dowry is a criminal offece.” Vibha aunty asked him in an angry voice.
“You people are rich and powerful, whatever you say is the law. But I am a poor mechanic, I need money to survive, why should I take her back if there is no benefit of mine from this marriage.” He replied in a shameless indifferent tone while scratching his neck.
Vibha aunty threatened him for another half an hour and then agreed on his terms. He wanted a bike and 50,000 cash. Vibha aunty promised she will think about it.
“And after all these if you ever again throw her out of your house, you will be in jail, I promise you that as well.” Vibha aunty was shouting at him, but he hardly showed any concern.
I went to farzana and condoled her, “Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”
“He won’t take me back, he knows, he knows.” Farzana spoke with weeping voice and trembling lips and broke down. Farzana’s husband promised he will take her back as soon as he gets his bike and cash he will come and take her home.
That night again I saw my new-mom, I was studying when I heard the door open, I didn’t look up as I know it was her, something in me already told me.
“Chitra, why did you tell your Vibha aunty about me?” She asked.
“She wanted to know.” I replied.
“I thought it is our secret. You shouldn’t have told her about me, now things have become complicated.”
I looked at my new-mom, “How?”
“And Farzana needs to go from this house, she must leave this house.” New-mom was looking scary, her hair was open, eyes were red. I closed my eyes, I was so scared. I ran to Vibha aunty’s room. I did not want to sleep alone that night as well.
Next day Farzana’s dead body was recovered from our back yard, her head was smashed with a blunt instrument. But that wasn’t the biggest news, Vibha aunty had gone insane, she was repeatedly screaming the words “I killed her, I killed her.”
Well she couldn’t as she was with me the whole night and the post mortem report suggested that Farzana was killed between 12 to 2 pm in the same night. The post mortem also revealed that she was 3 months pregnant. Police were unable to find the murder weapon.
Farzana’s husband was arrested in suspicion but he had a strong alibi that he was at home that night. He in turns accused the unknown person with whom Farzana had a relation and apparently carrying his child.
As our reputation was at stake, the money and power came in for rescue and the whole incident was hushed up. But Vibha aunty’s condition was deteriorating day by day. She had gone completely insane, she used to laugh or cry and scream the same words “I killed her.”
Dad has consulted many doctors but everything was in vein. To me it seemed like she is possessed by someone or something. During her end days she was used to locked in a room, the same room new-mom lived and died. Once I went inside the room and saw she was sitting on the floor, hairs open and with red eyes, she just looked so much like my new-mom, I ran away from there.
Her hanging body was found in the room one day, the same way my new-mom committed it, with a rope, from the ceiling fan. The mystery was though how she found the rope, as per doctor’s instructions everything that might be used for such thing was kept away as she was suspected suicidal and the door was locked.
Akhil finished reading the page and throw the bundle on the table. He doesn’t need to read the whole letter. He knows exactly what’s going on. Akhil dialled Inspector Dubey’s number, he needs few details.
**********************************************************************************
Next two days Akhil became busy with his university and students, on Thursday evening Akhil’s phone rang with a familiar number on the screen.
“Akhil speaking.” He answered the call.
There was a short pause from the other side and a very sweet voice replied, “So you read my letter?”
“Oh no I did not finish it.” Akhil spoke. The voice on the other side sound hurt, “Was it that long and boring?”
“I did not because it wasn’t necessary, I already have solved it.” His firm and quiet voice had quite an impact.
“Oh I see, but if you did not finish my letter how you know what I wanted from you?” the curious tone from the other side was shooting continues questions, Akhil felt little annoyed.
“Chitra, if I can meet you at your home, I guess it will be better.” Akhil replied.
“Alright then, Saturday at 10:30 am morning? And the address is….”, Akhil interrupted, I already have your address. I will see you then.” And the call went blank almost immediately.
**********************************************************************************
Saturday 10:40 am, Akhil car stopped in front of a gigantic bungalow situated in one of the poshest area of the city.
As Akhil came out of his car and walk towards the huge main gate, he saw the watchman looked at him with a curious look.
“Dr. Akhil Mitra saab?”, watchman enquired, “Yes” Akhil replied. Watchman immediately gave a salute and opened the gate.
As Akhil walked through the path leads main door, he saw the gardens on the both sides, its spread around the bungalow, in a keyhole design. Akhil pressed the calling bell, the golden name plate above the calling bell is glittering, Sushobhan Chowdhury, Doctorate of Law, PhD in Philosophy and so many other degrees are marked below the name. One of the renowned High court judges of this city.
The door opened within 30 secs, a girl wearing light green color churidar was standing, a calm and round face, short in height but long hairs till her waist. Her appearance was nothing special but her deep dark big eyes definitely extraordinary.
She didn’t say anything and made way for Akhil to come in, Akhil quietly walked inside and took his seat on one of the fancy single sofa in the drawing room.
“What would you like to have? Tea, coffee or something cold?”, Akhil showed his hand, “I had my breakfast, where is your dad?”
“He left a while ago, for airport, he is flying to national capital for some work.” The girl replied.
“I am sure you know why I am visiting you. Also you know how I guessed what you want without reading your whole letter.” Akhil paused, “But before all that, I want to see something, do you have any photo of Farzana?”
“I might have; I have taken few in her marriage. But I have to search. Why?” Chitra asked.
“Okay, was there any resemblance in appearance between you two?” Akhil asked his next question.
Chitra laughed, “A lot of people who don’t know us, like visitors often mistaken her as my elder sister. But I guess that’s a normal occurrence when there are two girls live in the same house of with not much of age gap.”
“One more question.” Akhil asked again, “I see you have few servants and maids working here, anybody stays or sleeps here in the night?”
“No, they all leave by at max 8 pm. They don’t stay here for the night, except watchman.”
Akhil leaned back, “Chitra, sit down in front of me, let me tell you a story.”
**********************************************************************************
Akhil started in a low but firm voice.
“There was a married couple, A man and his wife, they both had a healthy conjugal life but still they did not have any kids. After a thorough medical check-up, it was found that the man is incapable of having any child.
They both decided to adopt a kid, a girl who happened to be from a poor family. The child’s mother gave up his daughter to this childless couple thinking it will make her future better.
But fate had something else in its mind, after few months there was a horrible car crash and the wife died, the husband and their adopted daughter survived though.
The man decided to marry again for the sake of the child, but he kept silent about his condition for whatever reason, maybe he was ashamed, maybe it’s his male ego. The second wife was not kind towards his daughter though she didn’t know the daughter was adopted.
Then after few years the 2nd wife conceived, her husband knew it cannot his child but he kept quiet, at least he tried to, but the rift between them was growing. The adopted daughter was significantly intelligent, above average, she always doubted she isn’t her father’s daughter. As the fights grew to limits the man at last confessed his incapability and accused his 2nd wife of infidelity, in turns mocked cruelly by her.
Though the daughter was always suspicious about being her father’s real daughter, nonetheless she loved her father dearly. She decided to take revenge on the wife, of all the ill treatments, of her being unfaithful to her father and humiliating him. A simple plan, a stairs full of soap waters, she tripped and fell and the accident caused her to lose her unborn child, she already knew it was the daughter, but she had no one to believe or had no support from her husband for obvious reason.
The man and his 2nd wife was now growing apart, he was climbing up in his career and he fell in love again, this time with a junior, who knew about his inability but didn’t bother anyway. The man was already fed up with his 2nd wife, she was not ready to divorce him either and humiliating him every day for him being incapable of fathering a child. The daughter decided to end it all.
As the husband and wife were living in different room, the daughter chose the early morning time before the servants turn up, she quietly sneaked in to her step mother’s room with a rope, strangled her with the noose and later hanged her from the ceiling fan. Then she quietly left for the school.
The man got married to his junior, his 3rd wife and the girl’s next step mother. She was kind and understanding, she urged the daughter to call her aunt as she had a bad experience with her last step mother. Meanwhile both the daughter and the 3rd wife knew she was adopted. But their life was blissful, at least for few years. The daughter was lonely as both husband and wife became busy with their profession and they have no other way of being parents again naturally. So her step mother decided to track down daughter’s real family, and appointed her actual elder sister as her companion, but she did not disclose it to anybody, not even to their daughter.
But as I said the daughter was very smart, she found out and felt grateful to her new step mother. Both sisters were growing close and the daughter shared a few secrets about the past life, about her last step mother’s death.
The elder sister was a person of poor judgement which led her into trouble and she conceived unwantedly with one of her lover. The wife was upset nonetheless she arranged a guy to get her married to, which was her biggest mistake.
The man whom the elder sister married to was a thug and criminal, the elder sister trusted and told him all the secret revealed to her by the younger sister and he saw an opportunity of blackmailing.
He sent back the elder sister accusing she is carrying the child of her master. The wife was furious but also scared as it was the question of reputation, either disclose the inability of her husband which might open a lot of unwanted chapters including his 2nd wife’s death or gave in to that criminal’s demand which she did. He decided to keep it low and extort them slowly.
That night as the elder sister came back and confessed to her sister that she spilled all her secret out. Later there was an ugly fight and spat between her and the wife about the whole situation and at rage she pushed her in the kitchen and left from there, while the elder sister fell down and she had a minor injury.
The daughter and the younger sister was fuming after knowing everything, she stepped in after the wife is gone and killed the elder sister brutally. The wife and her step mother accidently saw everything but couldn’t believe her eyes as it was horrible and unbelievable. The daughter cleaned up and destroyed all the evidences and calmly went to sleep. The wife and her step mother witnessed something which was enough to make her lose her mental stability, she was convinced she was responsible for the elder sister’s death as what she saw was not possible.
As the 3rd wife’s situation was deteriorating, she was becoming suicidal and started to hurt herself. The daughter decided to end it for her as well, but this one was a mercy killing, to make her be free from her pain and agony. So the daughter sneaked in to her room where she was kept isolated and end her life just like she did to her previous step mother.
**********************************************************************************
Akhil paused and looked at Chitra. She was looking at her feet and nervously digging her nails.
“The man is your father, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd wife are his 1st wife, your new-mom and your Vibha aunty, the elder sister is Farzana and the younger sister and the daughter is YOU!!.” Akhil finished and took a long breath.
Chitra tried to smile but only managed an artificial grin.
“So you mean to say, I killed my new-mom when I was 12 and then Farzana and then my Vibha aunty. How I managed to do all these? Do you think I am physically capable of killing or hanging somebody from a rope, obviously it needs tremendous strength? Do you think a short, thin girl like me can do all these or do you think I have an accomplice?”
“Not in normal state but in some unique circumstances and situations. In scientific term its called hysteric strength. Which human possess at some particular mental situation. You have heard about mental hysteria as in the diseases where human beings have their physical strength increased about 10 times more. You too have that strength but only when your subconscious mind takes over.
‘There was an incident
In 1982, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Tony Cavallo was repairing a 1964 Chevrolet Impala automobile from underneath. The vehicle was propped up with jacks, but it fell. Cavallo’s mother, Mrs. Angela Cavallo, lifted the car high enough and long enough for two neighbors to replace the jacks and pull Tony from beneath the car.
Mrs Carvallo thought the god gave her that strength, but it’s proven that our brain is capable of many miracles if used to its even half potential.’ There are several similar incidents happened accross the world.
I could have suspect your father as well, but he would have just killed his second wife with her unborn child if he had that kind of murderous rage, second to that he is himself a lawman and who has the reputation of being an honest judge must have an incorruptible consciousness. Why would he plot to kill her unborn child and later her?
On the other hand, your description about your new-mom’s visit strikes a chord. Why would a young woman will see her abusing step mother who’s already dead that too with a heavy change in her nature? You yourself said you used enact as your new-mom which slowly took over your subconscious mind. Remember your new-mom said Farzana is a bad girl, your new-mom wasn’t happy as you told about her to your Vibha aunty. Remember you said there was nothing abnormal about your dead new-mom’s visit, it was because you used to imagine and enact her.
When I went through the records, I found when police investigated about her death they couldn’t find the murder weapon, but in strange statement a servant claimed she saw the kitchen floor tiles were broken.
When your Vibha aunty had a heated argument she pushed Frazana on the floor thus she hit her head on the water sink.
Then you entered, with enormous strength you held her up and the smashed her on the floor which shattered her skull from the back and then throw her body on your backyard. In post mortem report there are mentioning of two different injuries in farzana’s head. Your Vibha aunty who almost immediately came back witnessed the entire scene but couldn’t fathom it,resulting her the insanity.”
Akhil was out of breath after speaking continuously
“So you mean to say I have a monster hiding inside me, and it comes out every now and then? But why would I write to you? Why would I ask for your help if I am the murderer, I am the culprit?”
“You only have that hysteric strength when you experience extreme emotions. Like at extreme rage or sadness or happiness. Like when you overheard Farzana and your Vibha aunty where Farzana confessed spilling out the secrets to her husband or when your new-mom humiliated your father or when you saw your beloved Vibha aunty’s unbearable state of insanity.
as I said, you are a very intelligent girl and you suspected that you committed all these murders in your subconscious mind you have no memory of, you wanted a closure and that lead you to me.” Akhil calmly answered.
“So now what? What should I do, where should I go?” Chitra covered her face with her both hands
“It’s upto you Chitra, you turned to me for help and I did.” Akhil quietly walk up to Chitra and kept his hand on her head and spoke in a soft voice, “You should tell your father everything and surrender to police, I am sure law will understand the situation and send you for psychiatrist help.
Akhil couldn’t help his tears as well, seeing her sobbing inconsolably, after all she has done all these to save her foster father who she loved more than anyone.
Akhil slowly walked on his way out of the door.
Poet Ani's Blog 