MIDNIGHT RIDER PART 7

She was in a familiar place.The rusted joints rankled loudly,owing to the swishing wind-piercing the omnipresent silence.The trees swayed eerily,nightfall making them as enigmatic as they were ghastly.The stream constantly struck the pebbles,as it slinked beneath,adorned with the silvery reflection of the moon,which enchanted her.

''I knew you would come.''hissed an ancient ,cold voice as if the Earth herself yielded those words.

She turned around but there was no living soul whatsoever.

''I'll take you too.''It seemed that the wind itself was the carrier of that disembodied voice.

''I'll avenge.''It was almost a whisper.

She was being sucked ,pushed into an abyss,incapacitated against invisible cords.She thrashed with, yet strangely couldn't move a muscle,not even to blink.

''I shall have my revenge.''the billowing wind whispered,buffeting her like a rag doll.She couldn't breath,something was chocking her,blocking her mouth and nose....

''Ahhh..''Roha sat up on her bed with a startled gasp.She looked around groggily for her attacker only to find herself in the hotel room.

                                                                                          Moon was sifting through the bay windows,dancing on the carpeted floor,even as millions of stars winked at her merrily.

                 She cussed her subconscious for dredging the tale up,yet howsoever hard she tried to pacify herself,she couldn't get rid of that annoyingly persistent premonition. 

Thoroughly ,she put on her ear phone,concentrating with every fiber on each note.The exercise succeeded as the soft song soothed her frayed nerves like a lullaby.Soon she fell into a peaceful slumber.

 

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART 6

Mrs.D'souza crossed the length of the garden quickly and towered over them,her spectacles glinting fufiously,giving a foreboding .

''Having a cozy,little soiree,are we?''Trying to engage your tiny,little brains in codswallop!''her voice was dangerously soft.

''Its really a nice change to see the replacement of that deadpan look,which you all specifically save for classes.STUPIDS!Get inside for supper this instant and woe betide you if I ever found any one of you paying attention to such rubbish.OFF TO DINNER NOW!!'' she shrieked.

                                                                                    Cowering they all scuttled away, leaving the poor guide at Mrs.D'souza's mercy.Dinner was a silent affair and soon everyone called it a day, gladly seeking an escape from 'The Hitler's' jaundiced glare.

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Just a few kms away, several men were meeting discretely in a desolate,macabre room.Moonlight filtering through the broken window was the only swathe of light, cutting the darkness.

''So...we've our guest-of-honour here''ensued a commanding.cold voice from the unpredictable gloom.

The man whimpered in anguish and fear as others laughed sickly at his plight.

''I am sorry...I didn't mean to.Please don't kill me.I have served you loyaly for so many years.Atleast for that sake leave me.I promise to never to repeat the blunder again....Please have some mercy.'' he fell on the ground at his feet.

The Murderer stood up,a sense of cruel loathing filled him.

''I never give a second chance.You shall pay.''he pulled the trigger of his gun and the man slumped on the floor soundlessly with a mundane finality.

''I condole his death.'' he rasped ,his voice now possessed with a delinquent, savage glee.

''Throw him away and let the animals have their gala time.''

He watched,satisfied as his men picked the limp corpse from the ground and marched off.Murders were always invigorating for him-an essential nourishment for him - a deadly killing machine , lethal and potent,complemented by a powerful physique.He took pride in ruthlessly squishing the necks of his troublesome allies and foes alike.

Nobody gets to me.I am invincible,the unproclaimed Emperor of this dark world.

He thought smugly.He turned to his men.

''Next consignment will be here shortly in a day or two so be prepared.Off you go now and remember the protocol.''he dismissed them.

As the last man slinked out of the room,closing the door behind him,he sauntered -pulling nexus of cobwebs-to his catacomb like domain,brimming with unfathomable secrets.

                                  The murderer entered the anteroom,serpenting between numerous crates.His fingers impatiently prodded the alcove,pushing it gently.The grubby,dust-covered wall gave way with a soft mettallic clank,that richocheted in the room,to reveal a vault-like chamber.

                                                                 The Murderer padded in the chamber like a panther anticipating a large,juicy meal and ran a reverent fingure on his most cherished baubles,a manic glint in his eyes,

''I rotted in purgatory for years,you are my reward.''

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART5

''What do you mean?''Roha demanded.

Pratap singh flushed and gave an impish look'

''Probably said more...don't know what I was thinking.....should get going.''he mumbled.desperate to avoid the onslaught.

''Wait''

''You can't go.First tell us what did you mean.''

''Exactly!''

Several voices cajoled him in one go,nearly flattening him to the ground.So Pratap Singh once again picked up his story from where he had left it to avoid being slaughtered by the curious,whacky kids of course!

''Well after the death of Hathway,there were mysterious appearances of a horse rider on that bridge at night.Several people claimed that it was Hathway who had come to seek revenge of his murder,but no one was sure as everyone had seen the person from quite a distance.Then one morning,a local Raja came dashing in the town,looking absolutely spooked.He ran like a maniac and demolished half of the market.Nobody could control him.He kept on yelling things like

'He has come.'

'Hathway will wipe this town of habitation.'

After wreaking havoc for quite a long time,he returned back to those forests crossing the river.People searched for him for hours yet everything was in vain.The next morning,a woman came running telling everyone who would hear that a bloodied corpse lay on the bridge.Everyone rushed to the spot to find Raja's mutilated body lying spread-eagled akin to the way Hathway's was found.

Years have passed after that incident which changed our lives forever and we've lost several people due to that ghost.Ther won't be a single family in this town who hadn't lost their loved ones to it.''he sighed,lapsing into a poignant silence.

''EXCELLENT!'' came a booming,gruff voice,making several people jump a foot in air and clutch each other in a dead grip.

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART4

''Its not good to be here at this time of the night.Lets go''

''But uncle..''

''Lets move.''moaned the aging guide in a quivering voice laced with anxiety and fear.He seemed to be fighting a serious impulse to dash in the other direction  as fast as his legs would support him.But apparently his erratic reactions kindled everyone's curiosity who began to dig him for further information.

''Ok....Ok.''he said wiping his forehead.

''I'll tell you everything.But please move from here.''he nearly grovelled.Since the poor man looked like he was going to have a massive heart attack,so everyone agreed.

            As soon as the group entered the Hotel premise,they dragged the poor man to the garden,sitting around him in a circle.

''Now tell us what was that?''Saima queried to general approbation.

''That was the Hathway's bridge.''began the guide reluctantly.

''During the time of colonial rule,there lived an officer named Sir Edmund Hathway.He loved this place and spent his free time here in the lap of nature.He lived on that side of the stream in a huge mansion.It was considered one of the most royal building of its time.Money was spent like water on it.

                                                                                                            But akin to those 'white skin' Hathway too treated natives like muck on his shoes.He was a sadist,torturing people without any reason in the most gruelling condition imaginable was an inseparable part of his tedious routine.In fact its said  that he made the fiery pits of Hades look very welcoming and hospitable.Hundreds succumbed to his tyranny,which gradualy filled people with fury.Then one day,in a fit of rage on some petty issue he brutaly whipped a boy,who later died due to his injuries.The people had had enough.The next morning his bloodied corpse was found on the bridge,on the very same spot where he had whipped that innocent boy.Though rumours were afloat that o group of natives had killed him,nothing was ever found.The enquiry was closed concluding that he was attacked by some wild animal.Since Hathway loved this place,he was laid to rest in the backyard of his house.His family left for England to never to return back.That was the end of his tyranny and everything related to him.His house is in ruins now.''

The guide concluded staring around impressively at his keen listeners.As soon as he made to get up ,Rachna dropped the bomb .

''Can we go there tomorrow?I wanna see his mansion.I have never been to a place like that ever.please?''

BOOM.That was louder that Hiroshima and Nagasaki put together.

''NO!''yelled the frightened guide looking scared out of hell.

''Don't ever go near that dratted bridge even with a 10ft. long bamboo stick,not if you want to die a very painful death.''

His ominous outburst was greeted by a startled silence as every face once again got glued to his pale.panic-stricken one.

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART3

After taking a nap,the group set out to explore the town.They had a gala time,despite the constant string of reprimands from Mrs.D'souza.They hired a local guide,Pratap Singh who filled them about the town and its residents.

                                                                                                                              The natives had successfully resisted the domination of princely states for centuries under the leadership of valient,local chieftains until the advent of the British who snatched the territory.After that it became one of the favourite destination of colonial officers for leisure.There were several impeccably sculpted old temples and edifices,some even dating back to nine centuries.Then there was the local market,which had every imaginable sort of assortment-absolutely fascinating.The varied hues that the place provided ,despite its size,rendered them wishing for eight eyes to be able to look in every direction,lest anything should miss.

                                                                                                                           The time slinked by and sooner than they had liked,the sun crossed the horizon gradualy giving way to the velvety darkness.Twilight in Jalna was even more glorious as soft moonlight bathed every surface,endowing a silvery sheen.Laughing and pulling each other's leg,they started for the hotel,enjoying the refreshing,pollution-free breeze.As they passed by the merrily gurgling stream,a subtle yet wierd grunting CLANK attracted Roha's attention.She stopped in her track gazing fixedly at a large,obscure shadow across the stream leading to thick vegetation on the other bank.Though the thing was almost discernible in the prevailing darkness,yet something about it gave her shiver.She edged closer,trying to have a better look at the object.

''Ro,what are you doing there?''Amish's voice brought her back to reality.She turned to see her friends standing a good two meter away.

''Umm...nothing.Pratap uncle,what's that?''she asked pointing at the shadow.

The guide's face blanched and a teeniest squeak of fright left him.

''That's nothing my dear child.You come here.Its not good to be

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART2

A terrified scream put an end to feverishly clicking cameras.Everyone looked around to see Kyra frozen with a foot dangling in mid-air,an expression of utter terror on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Why did you scream?"

"What's going on?''

As everyone closed in around her,she was bombarded with questions.

"Silence!"Mrs.D'souza's voice whipped in the frenzy silencing everyone.

''Back off.Now Ms.Gupta why did you scream?''

''Th..that cham....chaemeleon.It jumped on my feet..and...''

 That was the cue to guffaws.Everyone rolled around laughing.Well you would if you saw Kyra who looked like she was about to be axed by a madman.

''Ms.Gupta don't be a dunderhead.You're atleast 20 times the size of that poor creature.Now eveyone move and please maintain the decorum.''

Amish and Roha moved to Kyra who looked in serious need of a pit to disappear in.

''Let's go Ky.''Roha said soothingly.She was very well aware of her best friend's repulsion and fear for reptiles.However Amish found it hilarious.

''Yeah...let's remove you from that monster's vicinity,lest he gobbles you up.''

Amish's face was read,trying to hold back his laughter.Roha shot a disdainful warning look at him.You need to keep up with your friends-however childish they may be for friendship's sake.

''Very funny isn't it?You would've known how horrible it feels if you had reached out for your favourite toy and instead found a disgusting,scaly lizard on your hand.''

Kyra shushed her as they made their way towards the hotel.The building was set in a sprawling meadow which was shaded by wide sweeps of huge trees.A grand porch was wrapped around the entrance,giving it a royal look.The insides were even more impressive.The walls were wood-panelled and adorned with beautiful paintings.Plush carpets covered the floor while cozy pouffe and sofa's occupied the place as a massive ornated wooden staircase led to the upper stories.No wonder tis was one of the most sought after hotels of Jalna.

MIDNIGHT RIDER PART1

A canary yellow bus rolled to a stop in the premise of Blue Bell hotel in the picturesque town of Jalna and out erupted enthusiastic cheers and applause.

Roha Sharma was stirred from her slumber by her friends.

"Oi!Wake up!"

"C'mon Ro we've reached!"

Rubbing sleep from her eyes she looked up to see her friends clustered around her.

"Beware,alert Kumbhkaran's great,great,great.....granddaughter, Your Highness Roha sharma has finally decided to grace our humble party with her esteemed wide-awake presence."said Fred fernandez,her robustly built,stout classmate with a dramatic bow.

"Bit rich coming from you,isn't it?The guy who considers every minute which he doesn't spends crashing around on the quest of his beauty sleep as a sheer waste of precious time." Roha mocked curtly.

"Oh well...I don't wear my eyes on grubby books,because I don't fancy strutting around the entire place with big dark circles ,looking like that freaking vampire Edward Cullen of Twilight.Unlike some great personalities round here,of course!"

Roha opened her mouth furiously-it was a common knowledge that she had long developed a soft spot for Edward Cullen-so promptly she was cut short by Snigdha who could see the oncoming storm.

"Guys chillax! Enough demonstration of World War 3 for today.Save something for tommorrow."

"Yeah...let's get down before that Hitler comes here.Honestly I won't put it past her to not to drop us lines even though we've come to have fun here."sighed Vivian in plight.And as if she heard him,the very next second Mrs.D'souza stuck her head inside.

"Children are you planning to spend the entire trip on this bus eh?OUT NOW!"

"Well there the siren blares."muttered Vivian as everyone hurriedly filed out of the bus.Mrs.D'souza was well known for her nasty temper.She was a strict disciplinarian and loathed what she called 'tomfoolery'.Students lived in mortal dread of hers and no one, not even her collegues dared to cross her.

                                                                                                                 As they alighted from the bus,they were struck by the naked beauty of the place.Green blanket hid the brown of Earth for miles,which were interspersed by multihued blossoms

INTRUDER PART3

           I squared my shoulders and with my best prayer to heavens,I lunged forward to give the stranger a heavy blow on his head.But to my immense astonishment,the person toppled off without so much as an OUCH let alone a shriek of agony.That was strange as I had put as much power as I was capable of in that blow.

                           But I didn't wait to ponder that fact and charged forward again with my hands balled up into fists for the first punch and again to my great astonishment,his face yielded beneath my fist.WHAT THE RUDDY HELL WAS HAPPENING?

                        At that precise moment lights flickered on and I found myself staring at my brother's life-size teddy bear.Mr.Frosty!For the teeniest part of a second I stared nonplussed at the russet brown teddy and then with a vehement exclaimation,I extricated myself from the floor.Apparently my brother had a knack of leaving his toys here and there.Usually his deeds irritated me to death but today he had scared me to death!HOW ON EARTH SOMEONE SO SMALL CAN BE SO AWEFULLY IRRITATING?I kicked Mr.Frosty aside and stalked off to the kitchen in great dudgeon.I will should have a few words with my stupid brother.After all he had nearly given me a heart attack! 

                                                                                                                   I drank atleast a gallon of water,still my throat was dry.I made my way out to the balcony.I hadn't noticed in all my agitation that the violent storm was replaced by gentle breeze.I let the light drizzle wash away the beads of perspiration.Gradualy the swirling haze calmed my frayed nerves and substitiuted my anger with exasperation and amusement at my own hilarious attitude.I shook my head sadly at my out of control,wild imagination.Who knows perhaps thes are symptoms of an impending mania?Well I always thought that there was something seriously wrong with my mind so it shouldn't be surprising really. 

                                I wondered idly whether I would tell my family and friends about my craziness but thought better of it.I didn't think I would be able to stand their guffaws and howls of laughter at my pigheadedness.Though confronting my brother and giving him hell felt like an intriguing idea.Oh well!I was still a bit petulant.But tonight's incidence has  definitely scared the living daylight out of me.

                                                THE END

INTRUDER PART2

                                         I turned around and saw shards of a flower vase,apparently someone had left the window open.I hurried carefuly towards the window to shut it,muttering under my breath.The violent atmosphere was sending my imagination into high drive.I always had fear for darkness since my childhood.Whenever it went dark,I always felt like shadows are lurking in the corner,ready to pounce on me as soon as my back was turned.Now alsp that familiar de javu was nagging me.Absolutely ludricous!

                                                                                         Suddenly a streak of lightning illuminated the entire hallway,including a person who was standing near the door to the kitchen.I stifled a scream by stuffing my fist in my mouth.My honest blood froze.I don't think I had ever been so scared in my entire life as I was now.I had absolutely no experience with burglars or other low lives of the society,and here I was trapped in a desperate situation and nowhere to run for help.I cursed my fate which seems to have put a permanent crosshair on me as its prime target.If anyone could bottle my luck then there won't be any need for nuclear bombs.It would be sufficient.It felt like I was smacked straight in purgatory.Chicken through and through!

                                                                                                   Though I was scared stiff,I eventually rallied up.Although I was shaking in every limb with terror,I grabbed the nearest ,heavy looking show piece tightly in my hands and titoed across the hallway.As adrenaline coursed through my veins,I tried to ease my breath without any considerable success and hoping beyond hope that I won't loose my mind as I always do in desperate situations.I tried to remember some self-defence moves.Smashing his nose in his brain seemed like an appealing idea.

INTRUDER PART1

INTRUDER

The Heaven was scowling,wind was howling and thunderclouds were raging.It was only twilight,but darkness outside made it appear as if it was well beyond midnight.I was sitting alone in the living room of my house,reading my favourite novel as my mum and dad had gone to visit a family friend.Even though it was me who had insisted that I should be left alone as I wanted to savour a few blissful hours of peace which -I so rarely get thanks to my little brother-I was regretting my decision with every passing minute.Each time when the thunderbolt wreaked havoc on my eardrums,a chill ran down my spine.Cold sweat dewed the nape of my neck,even though the weather was considerably cold.The sound of the raindrops on the roof was making me increasingly restless.But the worst was still to come.

                                                                Suddenly,lights went out and I let out a cry of shock and fear.My book fell on the floor with a dull thud.I so very badly wanted to kick myself for asking my parents to not to take me with them,but I was  rooted on the spot,unable to move a single muscle,even to blink.Finally,after what definitely seemed like an eternity ,I managed to move.I got up and made my way through velvety  darkness towards the drawers where mu mum kept torch.Twice I tripped over my own feet.Darkness was seeming to press on me and I felt claustrophobia creeping on me.I was halfway down the hall when I heard a deafening CRASH , making me shriek in terror and send my heart into frenzied palpitations.

                                        I too had my fair share of failures in my life and yet it was different.It was so peculiar how clearly I knew we were about to lose,that it was inevitable,but still we couldn't bring ourselves to cease our attempts.How could you not try to save someone so pure and innocent?
                                                                                                                                 It was really odd how we could still hope,the eighth  sin the Almighty left out.....
                                                                                        The beeping of the monitor callously,with uncaring force sauntered towards the end.With a last jolt,everything became dead silent.The battle was lost.And I was left to ponder in horrified silence-which was seasoned by dissapointment at our defeat-this gruesome verdict of fate.
          That night even Mother Nature shed her tears of anguish for the little bud which was callously squashed at the alter of our misogynst  society,before it could bloom.....

THIS STORY WAS DEDICATED TO A LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS TORTURED BY SOME CHAUVINISTS.SHE SUCCUMBED TO HER INJURIES AFTER GALLANTLY FIGHTING A FIERCE BATTLE WITH DEATH FOR MONTHS.

                                                   I was snapped out of my horrified reverie by the brisk voice of DR,Raghavan,who had his eyes glued on the monitors to which the child was attached.
"DR..Arora,snap out of it and prepare for an operation.The girl was tortured by some excuse for human beings...Undoubtedly some misogynsts.We cannot afford to wait for the police.Her condition is deteriorating."
                    That's when the doctor in me kicked in and I immediately launched into action.The operation began,but the hope was bleak.Already there were too many complications,still each one of us tried to save the precious life.
                         Her hind brain was badly damaged and her wounds were pretty deep-her soft flesh brutally ripped and clawed at.She was bitten and branded savagely at several places.The child had lost lots of blood and was also suffering from internal bleeding.Even after four hours of incessant and tireless efforts,there was not a seam of hope to cling on.