The Poetry of Deaths(on Hold)

Chapter 4

In the darkness he could see the room filled with probably broken furniture. He sits up after much difficulty. The fall was nasty but he landed on some bundle of clothes or something like that. He could feel someone pass by him from his back. He turns back. He could feel the presence of someone. He tries to stand up and realises he has sprained his ankle. He pulls his gun out and limps towards the dark corner of the room.

"I know it's you. Raise your hands and come out."
Sidharth says, pointing the gun towards him. He takes a few steps and suddenly out of nowhere a gust of wind goes past him. He loses his balance and tries to hold on to something. And just then the guy hiding throws the plank of wood over him. He topples over and the guy jumps over him, grabbing his neck. He tries to release himself and pushes him off from over him. He removes the plane and tries to get up. The guy strikes and something sharp cuts through his abdomen. He moves back immediately, picks up a piece of log and throws it at him. It hits his hand and the shiny thing falls from his hand. He grunts, then starts to run and Sidharth goes after him. Sidharth could see a backdoor that he opens. Sidharth screams, 
"Stop. Kambli, Bhonsale go to the back. Bhonsale.."
He pushes the planks towards Sidharth and goes out of the door. By the time Sidharth could get out of the mess, he was gone.

Sidharth sits on the hospital bed as the doctor dresses his wound. He lowers his shirt once done. Ranne and Gaikwad come in.
"How are you, Sir?"
"Nothing has happened to me. How is he?"
"Ashutosh Bagchi, Doctor Subroto Bagchi's youngest son. He was brought in here in time. He will live."
Sidharth nods his head.
"Did you see him?"

"No. He had covered his face. Just his eyes. He was wearing gloves so we won't get any fingerprints. Why was nobody at the back? We could have caught him there."
"Sir, a few of them were trying to open the door to the basement to get you out and the rest had gone to the terrace. Nobody knew the killer was still there."
"Gaikwad, that's not an excuse. Get the gadgets and send them to the IT department. Was the video uploaded?"
"No, Sir. He was doing it there. We found Ashutosh's laptop in the basement."
"I want the video sent to me tonight. Inform me immediately once Ashutosh is ready to talk."

Sidharth gets down the car and walks with a limp towards the entrance. The door opened before he could put in the key. 
"Oh My God! Kya hua tumhe? You are hurt again.."
She starts to tear up, holding his arm.
"No. I am alright. Andar chale."

"Knife? That cut is from a knife."
"I guess. It's not deep. He is not professional. Usse chaku chalana nahi aata. "
"Good. Issh.. saar pe chat aayi hai, your arm has turned blue and.."
"I am alright. I don't know how but I survived a nasty fall  with just a few scratches. "
"How did you fall in the first instant? You slipped."

"The recording said something about Sundar and Ho. The first thing that came in our mind was that the next victim could be someone named Sundar. It was not easy to find Sundar who was out shooting some video at some haunted place. Just then I remembered something. An article on the Pestonjee Hospital and Medical College. One of the oldest Medical colleges of Maharashtra, this college and hospital was losing its fame and popularity with time. Ten years ago the newly constructed building of its PG Hostel collapsed, killing 4 labourers and injuring a couple more. Dr. Sundar Shah PG Hostel, the name struck me. On a hunch I asked everyone to go there."

"And you found Ashutosh there?"
"His lifeless body lay on the roof terrace. It was not easy to reach him. We had to jump over the parapet, walk across the narrow ledge to reach him. And before I could, I found myself in the basement. Thankfully I fell on some clothes or something. He was hiding there. And he attacked me as I was going to get him. He threw the planks on me and went out the backdoor."
Sana hugs him, "Thank God! Is Ashutosh alright? "
Sidharth nods his head, "The hospital was only a few minutes away from the building. As he reached there on time, doctors were able to save him. "
"Now you can find something about the killer."
"I am not sure. The guy, the killer, is very smart. I am not sure Ashutosh will give us anything. I am sure he doesn't know much."

Sana looks at his face, "At Least you could save him. That's very important."
"Hmm.. Thanks to you and Anuraag."
"It was you who found the location."
"What happened? I mean with Anuraag."

Sana takes a moment and then says,
"I visited Dr.Anand today. He gave me a recorder."
Sana shows him a phone-like device.
"He told me to use it as Anuraag was able to communicate with me properly. It is possible to record voices of the spirits on them. Ruhani was worried for you tonight. I don't know why. She kept asking me when will you return. She was worried with apprehension that you would get hurt or something."

Sidharth smiles as he looks at Ruhani sleeping on their bed.
"Do we have two psychics in our home?"
Sana gives him a soft smile, "Maybe. She loves you a lot. When you love someone, you have an intuition about the dangers they might be in."
Sidharth nods his head, "I have got another mother in her. What happened then?"

"I brought her into this room and we were talking about her school. She fell asleep after that. And just then I felt the presence of someone. I took out the recorder and looked around. The lights went off after that. I heard a faint voice. I could see his apparition standing right at the door. I asked him what he had to say and then I pressed the recording button. Ruhani woke up and the lights came back. When I played the recording I heard those words."

Sidharth gives out a deep breath, "He was a good kid."
"He looked sad. He is in pain. He can't free himself until this guy is caught."
"I know. I almost had him tonight."
Sana grabs his arm and says, "What is this?"
Sidharth looks at his arm, there are prominent marks on his arm as if someone had grabbed him.
"Sidharth, what is it? Are you hiding something from me?"
"No. You asked me how I fell inside. Did I slip?"
Sana nods her head and he continues,
"No, I didn't slip. Something pushed me. Something pushed me not once but twice tonight. Something that had no shape but was just a gust of wind. It was strong enough to make me topple off."

"As I was walking over the parapet, a gust of wind pushed me into the hole on the roof. I fell two storeys down into the basement."
Sana's eyes grew big listening to this.
"Honesty, I feel stupid talking these things. But I felt a hand behind my back. And behind me was nothing but the ledge of the roof."
He pauses and then says, "I knew the killer was hiding in the basement. I was going to get him when something hit me. I think this happened then."

"It's her. I know. She did not want you to get him. She wanted you to stop the investigation."
"Maybe. But the question is why?"
"The bigger question is how are we going to stop her from hurting you."
Sidharth cups her face, "She is not a human. She can only touch me but not hurt me. Relax."
"I am not sure. Dr.Anand was saying some spirits are devilish. They can hurt people."

"But do you think she is vicious?"
Sana stares at him for sometime, "Actually no. I felt she was angry. I don't think she is one of those spirits. She appears.. like.."
"Victim."
Sidharth completes the sentence. 
"Yes. Someone who has suffered. She appeared like a victim of some crime. I think she.. feels.."
"I am stopping her from taking some kind of revenge."
Sidharth finishes her sentence again.
Sana nods her head.
"What is her story?"
Sidharth looks at her, "We need to find that out."

Sidharth walks into the hospital.
"Jai Hind Sir! How are you?"
Gaikwad asks.
Sidharth nods his head, "Ashutosh ko Hosh agaya?"
"Yes Sir. You can talk to him."

Ashutosh is a 23 years old average looking guy with short hair and light stubble. As Sidharth enters the room, he opens his eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
"Don't know. I don't know. Thanks for saving me."
"Why were you there?"

Ashutosh stays silent.
"Listen Ashutosh, take your time. If you are not feeling good, I can come later. But you need to tell me everything. And from everything I mean everything."
Ashutosh looks up, "I am a student here at the Medical College, 3rd year. I do vlogs, 'A day in the life of a Medical student.' "
"We know that. The vlog you make is about your daily life. And being a student here, you know that hostel is popular as haunted. Then why were you there? Does a Medical student's day end at such a place?" 

Ashutosh lowers his head,
"She called me there."
Sidharth could see fear on his face.
"Who? Who called you?"
"Divya."
"Divya? Who is she? Where is she? Is she a student here?"
Ashutosh looks away and lost in the thoughts he murmurs,
"She.. is dead."

Edited chapter.
Hope it was good.
Let the suspense continue..