Baa Baa Black Sheep

Chapter 7: The Reunion

After the brutal massacre of the rumble woods tribe, the members of the Clayton family were exhausted, injured, or both. They lacked the energy to cook dinner or leave the scene. Sarthak warned them that if they stayed, the police would arrive, and they would all be killed. In their weakened state, the family made their way deeper into the woods. Unbeknownst to Sarthak, he had accidentally dropped the diary containing details about the Clayton family's rules and members along the way.

As they ventured into the woods, the Clayton family stumbled upon a house—a two-story house emanating unwelcoming vibes to everyone except Sarthak. He felt a strange familiarity with the place. When Sarthak read the nameplate on the house, his recognition turned into realization. The nameplate bore the name "Shanaya Zazz," Sarthak's ex-girlfriend. Memories flooded back to him—the time he used to visit this house when he was in a relationship with Shanaya. The house had belonged to Shanaya's father, but now it seemed to be Shanaya's property. However, their relationship had ended on a sour note. Shanaya had betrayed Sarthak by cheating on him with her male best friend, Anus, who had even impregnated her. When Sarthak discovered the truth, he ended the relationship, leading Shanaya to falsely accuse him of physical abuse. Despite the lack of evidence, Sarthak spent two years in prison. After his release, he moved on, entering a new relationship with Ashley, who helped him overcome his dark past and accepted him unconditionally. They eventually got married, but that relationship also ended poorly. Sarthak shared this story with the other members of the Clayton family, igniting their trauma and anger.

However, Sarthak had different plans. He instructed the Clayton family members to hide in the woods and not enter the house until he gave them a signal from the house window. Sarthak then knocked on Shanaya's door, and she, now 37 years old, answered. She did not recognize Sarthak, who introduced himself as a friend of Anus, Shanaya's former lover. Intrigued, Shanaya asked him to provide more details about Anus. Sarthak, knowing Anus well, revealed everything he knew about him. Shanaya trusted him and welcomed him inside. As Sarthak entered her house, he noticed a child, Sujal, around the same age as Lindsey. Sarthak asked if the child was Anus's, to which Shanaya confirmed and mentioned that Anus had become a woodcutter and was currently in the forest.

Sarthak glanced through the window, pointing towards the forest, leaving Dhruv and Naval initially puzzled. However, when they saw Anus approaching the house, they understood Sarthak's intention. They moved swiftly, intercepting Anus. Fear gripped Anus as he noticed the blood-soaked clothes of Dhruv and Naval. He attempted to flee back into the forest, but Lindsey, armed with an arrow acquired from the tribal people, shot him down. The arrow cleanly severed Anus's head from his body. Dhruv signaled to Sarthak that the task was accomplished, and Sarthak rose from his seat, making his way toward the kitchen where Shanaya was preparing tea for him.

In a sudden act of brutality, Sarthak grabbed Shanaya by the head and forcefully immersed her face into the scalding hot tea. Her agonized screams filled the room as the boiling liquid burned her flesh. Sarthak finally revealed his true identity, and Shanaya realized that her karma had caught up with her. She begged Sarthak for forgiveness, but his capacity for forgiveness had long vanished. He turned on the blender, plunging her hand into it. The room filled with Shanaya's frantic screams until she succumbed to the immense blood loss, meeting her gruesome end.

Sujal, who had rushed into the kitchen upon hearing his mother's screams, witnessed her dying in excruciating pain. Consumed by anger and grief, he grabbed a knife, intending to attack Sarthak. However, Dhruv intervened, restraining Sujal and overpowering him. The rest of the Clayton family swiftly joined them in the house. Sujal's hands and legs were bound tightly with ropes. Sarthak approached him and extended an offer to join the Clayton family, but Sujal vehemently rejected it.

Days passed, and each day, Sarthak repeated the same question to Sujal: "Will you join the Clayton family?" Each time, Sujal defiantly responded with a resounding "no." In an act of punishment, Sujal was denied food while the Clayton family feasted upon the flesh of his mother, Shanaya. With each passing day, Sujal's mental state deteriorated, consumed by his hunger, exhaustion, and despair. The memories of his mother's murder twisted his mind, turning him into a remorseless psycho, his sole desire becoming one of revenge and bloodshed.

The Clayton family recognized this change within Sujal and realized they had found a new member. Sujal, driven by his thirst for vengeance, ultimately joined the Clayton family. His initiation was marked with the awarding of the jaguar mask, signifying his allegiance and entry into the dark world of the Clayton family.

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