Tell Me A Story

Chapter 19: Sinister Plans

Edward thought the man talked sense. He seemed too old to murder someone anyway. Most probably, the priest would have seen George's hideout. And he tried to kill this man because he was a witness.

George! How could he?

"What's your name?" Edward asked the man.

The man turned to face Edward and looked him straight in the eye.

"Aranchis," he said.

~~~

Amelia and George waited with baited breaths. George prepared himself for an attack. Somebody was coming through the tunnel. With every passing second, the sound became clearer.

It could only be Aranchis. If it was somebody else... But there was no chance at all that somebody else could've found out about it. After a few seconds, the footsteps died.

A moment's pause.

The mirror swung outwards and out stepped Aranchis.

"Oh, finally!" screamed Amelia in pleasant surprise. Aranchis beamed at her. Amelia ran to him at once who encased her in his arms. A smile played on George's face.

"Where were you all these while?" Amelia asked him as they broke off from the hug.

"I've been extremely busy. I missed you both a lot. And you both have missed a lot," he said.

"Missed?" Amelia's face narrowed.

"Yes," Aranchis dropped his voice, "The priest of the church was killed!"

"What?" Both Amelia and George exclaimed.

"Yes! And know who killed him?"

Amelia and George shook their heads.

"Edward!"said Aranchis.

"What?!" both of them exclaimed in unison.

"Yes. He failed to give any leads on the missing. Death sentence was the punishment for him!" said Aranchis.

Amelia gasped in disbelief. No way Edward could become so... so heartless. George was having similar thoughts too. This wasn't the Edward he grew up with...

"Edward has turned really mad. He'll stop at nothing on his quest to find you both," Aranchis continued.

Amelia's heart was beating wildly while George was breathing rapidly. It was as difficult to imagine a heartless Edward as to imagine two moons in the sky. Sure it was a betrayal beyond words that they'd done to him. But he couldn't possibly hunt innocent people for their mistake...

But both of them had to accept it because it was the truth. Aranchis would never lie to them.

"My parents. How are they doing?" Amelia finally came to her senses.

"Broken. Not a single day passes in their life in which they don't pray for you."

Amelia turned sad.

"It's okay, dear," began Aranchis. "They'll eventually be alright."

"I want to visit them," said Amelia.

"Don't be stupid. That'll give you both away!" warned Aranchis.

"Nobody's got a clue about this room, right?" wondered George.

"Nobody except me," said Aranchis. "And they'd have to kill me before I reveal anything."

Amelia smiled. "At least we have you," she said.