Legend of the Village
Previous Chapters:
1- Chapter- 1: The "Ancestral" Village
2- Chapter- 2: The Haveli
“Why is this window of you room open?” He exclaimed while pointing at it. “And this light in your room! It’s completely my fault for keeping you in dark, and also for submitting to your request of staying in this haveli all by yourself”, said he.
“In the dark! What does that even mean, Adam?” I asked. “Is there something I need to get educated with?”
“Mark, I wanted you to know this, but couldn’t gather the courage to say, during our meeting in the afternoon.” He went silent, until I ask him to continue. “Not sure if you know of Wake Tally. For years he served as a caretaker to this haveli. People say; during the last few months of your grandfather, Mr. Patrick Johnson, his bohemian nature didn’t allow him see anyone anymore, which resulted him secluding himself from the outside. The room he spent his last few months is precisely underneath this very room we are in right now, and Wake was the only link left between Mr. Patrick and the outer world. He, as the legend goes, was the single person left on earth, for whom Mr. Patrick had some emotions akin to care or consideration. Wake and his wife Bethany, lived in the servant quarter, situated on the backyard of the haveli. These two nursed Mr. Patrick till the end of his days.”
“Am I missing a point? Your incursion into my room at this hour, without a notice, all of it for you do tell me tales about my late grandfather and his caretaker!” I enquired.
“Wake was in-charge, cum caretaker, of this haveli for many more years, even after Mr. Patrick’s death, until!”- “Until what, Adam?” I asked.
“Up till 5 years ago, on the night of a new moon, something evil happened to Bethany & Wake. No one knows what really transpired, but from that day onwards, Wake just went missing, under mysterious circumstances.” “And Bethany; where is she? Did she disappear as well?” I probed Adam.
“The following morning, Bethany was found dead, hanging from the big banyan tree, by my father and myself. Her long hair was cut in half and a satanic symbol had been imprinted on her forehead of Bethany’s hanging corpse. If legends are to be believed, Wake was taken into some satanic power’s possession and the devil commanded for Bethany’s soul, as a sacrifice to him. The killings of village women, young or old, married or unmarried, kept on going for several months. Every night of anew moon, a girl would mysteriously disappear from her room, only to be found dead, the next morning, in some corner of this village. The satanic markings on the forehead & half cut hair, were the discerning similarities that each victim shared. People say, Wake had sold his soul to the devil the night Bethany was killed, in lieu for saving his life. They say he still serves the evil satanic power, by bringing him sacrifices, every new moon night.”
“That is indeed an intriguing story,” I remarked. “So, what do you imagine that it means, Adam? My grandfather’s former servant has become a sellsword to an evil power, and is, hunting down women of this village as a sacrifice to his master, every month, since 5 years.” I said in chuckles. “This is year 1965; with all the advancement in science, the world is preparing to step on the Moon and on the other hand, people of this village, still haven’t let go of their beliefs in witchcraft and satanic madness.”
I observed a subtle change in Adam’s facial expression, which went from being frightened to being displeased by my burlesque of his intense story. “These are in strange territories my friend! The logics of your modern times, don’t last a night here. A journalist couple had visited our village, about 3 years ago, as they wanted to do a story on the mysterious deaths in this village. A story was indeed made, but it wasn’t written by them, instead they became a part of it. The wife was murdered, in similar manner and the husband went missing, with no sign till date. What do you make of that, Mark?”
“You have my ears now.” I said to Adam. “So, this village has seen twelve multiplied by five- that is sixty women have been killed and no one has been of help?”
Adam replied, “The death toll stopped with the killings of the journalist couple. The one common factor amongst all killings was the “light”. They all had their rooms lit, right before they disappeared. Hence, the wise men of the village came together and decided not to light their homes, on any of the new moon nights. The trick did turn out in our favour and we haven’t seen another life taken, ever since. For the very reason, whole of the village is in complete darkness tonight, barring your room- which is inviting the sleeping devil to return to wreak havoc upon us, all over again.”
