Chapter 5

November 19, 2006 Salem Town

Coming up next, Animal Treasures, announced the guy from Animal Planet. Oh boy! Some more animals! Revathy thought. She has been watching Animal Planet for more than two hours now, but all the programmes seemed the same, either chimpanzees or whales.
Being jobless sucks! she thought. She looked down at her legs.

Is it too early for waxing? Maybe next week. She was lean, fair and good-looking. Her nose was pointed and she had luscious lips. Her thick hair was tied up in a ponytail. She looked up at the clock.
11 p.m.!

Her parents had left Salem the previous day to attend an IT conference in Chennai. They were software professionals. Revathy didnt have anything to do and boredom took a toll on her. The maid had left an hour ago giving some stupid excuse about some really important personal work and promising her that she would be back in two hours.
Whatever!

Sitting before the computer didnt help either. She had been doing the same thing from the morning. There was nothing new on TV. She switched it off, stood up and walked to her
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Are You Scared?

bedroom.
Life is a bore! she thought.

The stack of books stood in the corner of the bedroom. She had quite a collection: Sidney, Arthur, Grisham, Pike and a huge collection of magazines and encyclopaedias. She hated computers. In fact, there was a good collection of computer books in her parents bedroom. But she hadnt touched them even once. What a bore! How can Mom and Dad read those? She was a BBA graduate, passed out a month back. She had been seriously preparing for the CAT exam which was scheduled next month. She took one of the CAT books from the shelf, plopped on the bed and started reading. Doing MBA is a waste! Why dont you try for a job instead? Kumar had asked her this a million times. Kumar was her boyfriend. He was one of her close friends, Anithas, brother. He was tall, fair and handsome. They used to meet at Anithas house regularly and that was how they became close. Revathy was so attracted to him that she was the one who proposed to him first, when she was in school. The rest fell into place quite easily. Her friends used to call them cute couple. Kumars dad owned a chemical factory on the outskirts of Erode and his mom was a housewife. She had had some really wonderful moments with him. Now, he worked in a private consulting firm as a junior consultant, and was so caught up in his job that it was difficult to hang out with him. Ah! Those are sweet memories! But he called her daily after 10. I wonder why he hasnt called today! she thought. She glanced through the verbal section in the book and she dozed off.

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Mohamed Riaz Ibrahim Rrrrrring!

She woke up with a start. It was the doorbell. Oh well! That stupid maid is back. She looked at the clock.
12:15! Has it been two hours? God! Maids these days are so bad!

She stood up and walked over to the hall, her eyes still weary after the nap. She walked past the sofa to the door and opened it. What lay before her stunned her into silence! Oh my God! What the ..! She staggered back and fell down. In front of her was a body with a sharp iron rod piercing its chest; blood was oozing out of the punctured cavity. The face was covered with blood, making it difficult to identify who it was. Is it a joke someone is playing on her? she thought. Hello! she called out. Her body shook badly. It became scarier by the minute. She looked closely at the body. The big mole on the neck! It was Kumar! My God! Kumar! Kumar! she said, her eyes welling up. KUMAR! She called out his name like a dozen times. No use. The body hung from the ceiling by a rope,, tied to a rod, motionless. What . . . what . . . oh God! she stuttered. She heard something.
Footsteps!

She walked over to the parapet wall and looked down. Someone clothed entirely in black was walking up the stairs. Go inside! Close the door! Her inner self shouted at her.
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Are You Scared?

She turned around, ran into the hall and grabbed the doorknob with her sweaty hands. She was trying to close the door when it opened towards her with a blast, pushing her back with great force. She fell near the couch. The door opened. The person in black stood before her, his face covered with a black cloth. The only thing Revathy could see was his eyes, cold and menacing. He turned and closed the door. Who . . . who . . . who are you? she whimpered. No answer. She moved backwards as he walked towards her. Get out! Get out of the house now! HELP! HELP! she started shouting. He reached behind and took out a butcher knife. No! please . . . dont! Take anything you want from the house. Leave me alone. Please . . . ! she begged, tears coming from her eyes. He laughed out loud, his laughter reverberating in the hall. Her body shook. Did you Did you listen? he said, with the most menacing voice she had ever heard. What? I dont understand! she said, still crying. He reached her hair and slowly pulled her with it. Please . . . oh please . . . . she cried, her voice not more than a whisper. He raised the knife; the edge glinting in the light. No! Please! No! dont . . . !
Slash!

Everything went black.

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