The Message
Ever since he had witnessed the robbery at the bank and had agreed to stand as a witness in court, he had been receiving all kinds of messages both threatening and supportive. For any kind of messages he had been ordered to call in the Force.
Lieutenant Maxwell looked at the piece of paper and frowned.
It was not how other messages looked like. They were created with letters cut from magazines or newspapers. This one looks like crayons.
“This one’s different,” Maxwell observed. “They haven’t given up as we thought.”
The message had a drawing of a stick man lying on the ground with a knife sticking out of his chest. Blood flowed from the wound.
The words 'DEAD MAN' was written above him with an arrow pointing towards him.
“What am I going to do?” Wilson asked, his voice at the verge of breaking.
“Don’t panic,” Maxwell said putting the message in a plastic pouch. “Stay home. We’re nearing the end of it. Just a few more days.”
“I’m more worried about Anna. If anything happens to me what…”
“Don’t even think that way,” Maxwell said getting up. “Everything will work out for the best. I’ll run this through forensic and increase guards around the house.”
Maxwell returned a couple of days later with the news on the message. There were fingerprints all over but none matched their database. May this guy was a new one and judging from the prints a midget. Warning Wilson to be careful he left.
Within a week the gang was nabbed and were sentenced to imprisonment.
Relived Wilson was watching TV when Anna came with her sketchbook.
"Dad, my picture story book."
"Done already?" Wilson asked taking the book.
"Yes dad. Only I lost the page where I show the dead man."
The Cliff
Jerry Hudson got down from the train tugging his suitcase after him. His point and shoot dangling from his left shoulder. He looked right and left and discovered himself to be the only one at the station. The train whistled and rolled out of the platform. Hudson glanced at his watch. Five forty in the morning; too early for the hubbub. Picking up his case he started walking down the station in the hope of getting some direction. It was a small station in a small town called Tinesville. It hardly occupied a dot on a map but his production manager wanted some scenic beauty that was easily available and cheap.
At the entrance of the station Hudson found himself looking at an open field with no bounds and green with grass. He breathed in deeply filling his lungs with the sweet fragrance of lilies. The sun was gradually rising in the eastern sky. In the west the stars were slowly fading away. Trees lined the road that led away from the station and birds chirped merrily on their branches. Hudson, re-energized by the beauty of a spring morning, came out of the station in search of some transportation.
Hudson hurried just as a cab pulled in and tapped on the glass.
“Hey,” he asked. “Larisa Hotel?”
The driver raised a brow but opened the door for him.
“Tip me with a tea,” he said as he turned the key in the ignition.
“I’d have tipped you with breakfast if I could afford it,” Hudson smiled shutting the door after him. “But my boss doesn’t pay me much. So we’ll have to do with tea.”
The driver backed-up and turned his cab for the Larisa Hotel.
Hudson relaxed and enjoyed as the morning leisurely unfolded in front of him.
The narrow road had far stretched fields on both sides. Most of them were used for flower cultivation. The right hand side of the road was red and yellow with tulips. On his left it was golden with sunflowers and daffodils. The trees that bordered the road were bowing down with white and purple lilac.
Hudson rolled down the glass and let the cool wind wash over him. He couldn’t remember when he had last felt so refreshed.
As the road went by he could see narrow lanes branching off the main road and houses here and there. People came and went by their daily chores. A little girl with two braids skipped and hopped in front of her house. A little boy chased after his chicken that kept eluding him every time. Hudson quickly took out his camera and clicked. He smiled at the shot. A man, on his bicycle crossed the road. There was a bunch of newspaper on the carrier. A whistle sounded somewhere. The jute mill was opening for its morning shift. There was no hurry in them. As a part of nature they took things as they came.
“This is very relaxing,” Hudson said putting his hands behind his head. “Doesn’t anything exciting happen here?”
“It happened once.” The driver answered. “Oh a lady fell off the cliff and died. She had her skull cracked open.”
“When?”
“Sometime during late 1800s.”
The driver shrugged and Hudson fell silent.
After a quick shower and breakfast Hudson, accompanied by his camera, left the hotel in search of location for his commercial.
For a long time he walked aimlessly. The calm and quiet of Tinesville, the freshness of the air erased his fatigue. He was looking for some direction when a female voice spoke.
“Good morning.”
Hudson startled and looked around for the source of the voice.
“Don’t be scared,” she said and a lady came out from behind a tree. It was in full blossom with pink lilacs. Hudson smiled in relief.
“Oh,” he said and bowed. “Good morning.”
The lady smiled and came forward. She was young, hardly in her thirties, fair and tall. She had a round face with deep set eyes and
irises as dark as the night itself. A disturbing mark across her forehead marred her look. She wore a dress, a long flowing gown in light pink and gold.
“Are you lost?” the lady asked. “Are you looking for someone?”
“Locations,” Hudson said and then quickly added. “Yes, I’m new here. Came this morning. I’m Jerry Hudson, by the way.”
“I am Victoria Mills,” the lady said and curtsied. Both her dress and manners struck odd to Hudson but he shrugged it off mentally.
“I’m location scouting. I mean looking for some specific kind of place for shooting. I heard there is a cliff somewhere around here. Could you point me to it?”
“I can take you there,” she said and gestured him to follow her.
She walked ahead, speaking of the town and showing him around. Hudson walked behind her, listening.
Finally when they had reached the cliff, Hudson stood spellbound. It was exactly what his boss wanted. The road ended into an open field. The field was drawn-out till the edge of the cliff. The precipice bore a single tree that overhang the edge. The sky looked huge stretching from horizon to horizon. Its bright blue was merely broken by the white fluffy clouds.
Victoria walked till the edge and stood looking over it. Her golden locks floated in the wind. Trying hard Hudson couldn’t resist his desire.
“Miss,” he called. “Would you mind if I take a picture of you?”
Victoria looked puzzled but nodded her consent. Raising the camera to his eye Hudson looked through the viewfinder. The tree against the wide sky came into view.
“Could you please move in front of the tree,” Hudson said. “You are presently out of my frame.”
Victoria moved. Still he couldn’t get her. He put the camera down. She was standing exactly in front of the tree. Hudson put his eye in the viewfinder time and again but found the tree standing alone without any Victoria in sight.
The Cliff
Jerry Hudson got down from the train tugging his suitcase after him. His point and shoot dangling from his left shoulder. He looked right and left and discovered himself to be the only one at the station. The train whistled and rolled out of the platform. Hudson glanced at his watch. Five forty in the morning; too early for the hubbub. Picking up his case he started walking down the station in the hope of getting some direction. It was a small station in a small town called Tinesville. It hardly occupied a dot on a map but his production manager wanted some scenic beauty that was easily available and cheap.
At the entrance of the station Hudson found himself looking at an open field with no bounds and green with grass. He breathed in deeply filling his lungs with the sweet fragrance of lilies. The sun was gradually rising in the eastern sky. In the west the stars were slowly fading away. Trees lined the road that led away from the station and birds chirped merrily on their branches. Hudson, re-energized by the beauty of a spring morning, came out of the station in search of some transportation.
Hudson hurried just as a cab pulled in and tapped on the glass.
“Hey,” he asked. “Larisa Hotel?”
The driver raised a brow but opened the door for him.
“Tip me with a tea,” he said as he turned the key in the ignition.
“I’d have tipped you with breakfast if I could afford it,” Hudson smiled shutting the door after him. “But my boss doesn’t pay me much. So we’ll have to do with tea.”
The driver backed-up and turned his cab for the Larisa Hotel.
Hudson relaxed and enjoyed as the morning leisurely unfolded in front of him.
The narrow road had far stretched fields on both sides. Most of them were used for flower cultivation. The right hand side of the road was red and yellow with tulips. On his left it was golden with sunflowers and daffodils. The trees that bordered the road were bowing down with white and purple lilac.
Hudson rolled down the glass and let the cool wind wash over him. He couldn’t remember when he had last felt so refreshed.
As the road went by he could see narrow lanes branching off the main road and houses here and there. People came and went by their daily chores. A little girl with two braids skipped and hopped in front of her house. A little boy chased after his chicken that kept eluding him every time. Hudson quickly took out his camera and clicked. He smiled at the shot. A man, on his bicycle crossed the road. There was a bunch of newspaper on the carrier. A whistle sounded somewhere. The jute mill was opening for its morning shift. There was no hurry in them. As a part of nature they took things as they came.
“This is very relaxing,” Hudson said putting his hands behind his head. “Doesn’t anything exciting happen here?”
“It happened once.” The driver answered. “Oh a lady fell off the cliff and died. She had her skull cracked open.”
“When?”
“Sometime during late 1800s.”
The driver shrugged and Hudson fell silent.
After a quick shower and breakfast Hudson, accompanied by his camera, left the hotel in search of location for his commercial.
For a long time he walked aimlessly. The calm and quiet of Tinesville, the freshness of the air erased his fatigue. He was looking for some direction when a female voice spoke.
“Good morning.”
Hudson startled and looked around for the source of the voice.
“Don’t be scared,” she said and a lady came out from behind a tree. It was in full blossom with pink lilacs. Hudson smiled in relief.
“Oh,” he said and bowed. “Good morning.”
The lady smiled and came forward. She was young, hardly in her thirties, fair and tall. She had a round face with deep set eyes and
irises as dark as the night itself. A disturbing mark across her forehead marred her look. She wore a dress, a long flowing gown in light pink and gold.
“Are you lost?” the lady asked. “Are you looking for someone?”
“Locations,” Hudson said and then quickly added. “Yes, I’m new here. Came this morning. I’m Jerry Hudson, by the way.”
“I am Victoria Mills,” the lady said and curtsied. Both her dress and manners struck odd to Hudson but he shrugged it off mentally.
“I’m location scouting. I mean looking for some specific kind of place for shooting. I heard there is a cliff somewhere around here. Could you point me to it?”
“I can take you there,” she said and gestured him to follow her.
She walked ahead, speaking of the town and showing him around. Hudson walked behind her, listening.
Finally when they had reached the cliff, Hudson stood spellbound. It was exactly what his boss wanted. The road ended into an open field. The field was drawn-out till the edge of the cliff. The precipice bore a single tree that overhang the edge. The sky looked huge stretching from horizon to horizon. Its bright blue was merely broken by the white fluffy clouds.
Victoria walked till the edge and stood looking over it. Her golden locks floated in the wind. Trying hard Hudson couldn’t resist his desire.
“Miss,” he called. “Would you mind if I take a picture of you?”
Victoria looked puzzled but nodded her consent. Raising the camera to his eye Hudson looked through the viewfinder. The tree against the wide sky came into view.
“Could you please move in front of the tree,” Hudson said. “You are presently out of my frame.”
Victoria moved. Still he couldn’t get her. He put the camera down. She was standing exactly in front of the tree. Hudson put his eye in the viewfinder time and again but found the tree standing alone without any Victoria in sight.
The Cliff
Jerry Hudson got down from the train tugging his suitcase after him. His point and shoot dangling from his left shoulder. He looked right and left and discovered himself to be the only one at the station. The train whistled and rolled out of the platform. Hudson glanced at his watch. Five forty in the morning; too early for the hubbub. Picking up his case he started walking down the station in the hope of getting some direction. It was a small station in a small town called Tinesville. It hardly occupied a dot on a map but his production manager wanted some scenic beauty that was easily available and cheap.
At the entrance of the station Hudson found himself looking at an open field with no bounds and green with grass. He breathed in deeply filling his lungs with the sweet fragrance of lilies. The sun was gradually rising in the eastern sky. In the west the stars were slowly fading away. Trees lined the road that led away from the station and birds chirped merrily on their branches. Hudson, re-energized by the beauty of a spring morning, came out of the station in search of some transportation.
Hudson hurried just as a cab pulled in and tapped on the glass.
“Hey,” he asked. “Larisa Hotel?”
The driver raised a brow but opened the door for him.
“Tip me with a tea,” he said as he turned the key in the ignition.
“I’d have tipped you with breakfast if I could afford it,” Hudson smiled shutting the door after him. “But my boss doesn’t pay me much. So we’ll have to do with tea.”
The driver backed-up and turned his cab for the Larisa Hotel.
Hudson relaxed and enjoyed as the morning leisurely unfolded in front of him.
The narrow road had far stretched fields on both sides. Most of them were used for flower cultivation. The right hand side of the road was red and yellow with tulips. On his left it was golden with sunflowers and daffodils. The trees that bordered the road were bowing down with white and purple lilac.
Hudson rolled down the glass and let the cool wind wash over him. He couldn’t remember when he had last felt so refreshed.
As the road went by he could see narrow lanes branching off the main road and houses here and there. People came and went by their daily chores. A little girl with two braids skipped and hopped in front of her house. A little boy chased after his chicken that kept eluding him every time. Hudson quickly took out his camera and clicked. He smiled at the shot. A man, on his bicycle crossed the road. There was a bunch of newspaper on the carrier. A whistle sounded somewhere. The jute mill was opening for its morning shift. There was no hurry in them. As a part of nature they took things as they came.
“This is very relaxing,” Hudson said putting his hands behind his head. “Doesn’t anything exciting happen here?”
“It happened once.” The driver answered. “Oh a lady fell off the cliff and died. She had her skull cracked open.”
“When?”
“Sometime during late 1800s.”
The driver shrugged and Hudson fell silent.
After a quick shower and breakfast Hudson, accompanied by his camera, left the hotel in search of location for his commercial.
For a long time he walked aimlessly. The calm and quiet of Tinesville, the freshness of the air erased his fatigue. He was looking for some direction when a female voice spoke.
“Good morning.”
Hudson startled and looked around for the source of the voice.
“Don’t be scared,” she said and a lady came out from behind a tree. It was in full blossom with pink lilacs. Hudson smiled in relief.
“Oh,” he said and bowed. “Good morning.”
The lady smiled and came forward. She was young, hardly in her thirties, fair and tall. She had a round face with deep set eyes and
irises as dark as the night itself. A disturbing mark across her forehead marred her look. She wore a dress, a long flowing gown in light pink and gold.
“Are you lost?” the lady asked. “Are you looking for someone?”
“Locations,” Hudson said and then quickly added. “Yes, I’m new here. Came this morning. I’m Jerry Hudson, by the way.”
“I am Victoria Mills,” the lady said and curtsied. Both her dress and manners struck odd to Hudson but he shrugged it off mentally.
“I’m location scouting. I mean looking for some specific kind of place for shooting. I heard there is a cliff somewhere around here. Could you point me to it?”
“I can take you there,” she said and gestured him to follow her.
She walked ahead, speaking of the town and showing him around. Hudson walked behind her, listening.
Finally when they had reached the cliff, Hudson stood spellbound. It was exactly what his boss wanted. The road ended into an open field. The field was drawn-out till the edge of the cliff. The precipice bore a single tree that overhang the edge. The sky looked huge stretching from horizon to horizon. Its bright blue was merely broken by the white fluffy clouds.
Victoria walked till the edge and stood looking over it. Her golden locks floated in the wind. Trying hard Hudson couldn’t resist his desire.
“Miss,” he called. “Would you mind if I take a picture of you?”
Victoria looked puzzled but nodded her consent. Raising the camera to his eye Hudson looked through the viewfinder. The tree against the wide sky came into view.
“Could you please move in front of the tree,” Hudson said. “You are presently out of my frame.”
Victoria moved. Still he couldn’t get her. He put the camera down. She was standing exactly in front of the tree. Hudson put his eye in the viewfinder time and again but found the tree standing alone without any Victoria in sight.
The Surprise Trip
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Susan had met Joseph only a few months back. They liked each other from the very first day and they had been seeing each other since. Susan started waiting for him at a bus stop near her school. Joseph had never disappointed her. He was about five years older than her and within very few days became very passionate about her.
They used to go round the town, to movies, to fairs, had snacks at their favourite coffee shop and at the end of the day he would drop her home. Susan was having the time of her life. She was in love.
That day he took her for trekking. A surprise trip, he said. When they started it was six in the morning. By the time they reached the summit it was noon. They had their lunch there which he had packed from home. Joseph brought out his camera and started clicking away. Susan posed for him. They captured every moment they spent up there, each taking each other’s photo. They even took a snap of them together with the beautiful sunset behind them.
She would frame the snap, Susan thought.
After sundown they headed home. Joseph loaded the trunk with their baggage. Susan fastened her belt. Joseph took his place behind the wheel. He turned the key in the ignition and they drove away.
Susan fell asleep on the way with beautiful memories in her mind. It had been a rough day.
***
When she woke up she found herself secured to a chair looking at the fire crackling in the fireplace. She felt groggy and thirsty. Sitting on the stool by the mantle was a man speaking over the phone.
"If you want your daughter alive," she heard Joseph say, "pay the ransom before…”
Dave's Plan
Dave signed the divorce papers, filed them and called in his secretary, Henry. He gave him two folders. One contained the divorce papers and the other contained the result of his medical test. The first one was for his wife, Jeanne, and the second one was for his doctor. Henry left without a word.
Once alone, Dave plunged into the beautiful days of his married life. His misty eyes stared out of the hazed window at an infinite point somewhere in space. He was married to the most beautiful girl, had an almost perfect life. Those wonderful days went by in a blink of an eye. Sweet memories, but they brought bitter tears in his eyes.
Now he was at the last stage of leukemia and the latest report gave him three months to live. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. His plan had worked.
She’s so young and full of life. She’d be heartbroken and inconsolable and Dave wanted to save her from that. It was better that she shouldn’t know.
First he’d spread rumors that he was seeing someone else. Then he dropped obvious proofs that the rumors were true. Seven nights back Jeanne caught him red-handed.
Today morning the signed divorced paper was lying in front of him.
Next day she left him without a second glance.
***
Two days later he woke up to the beautiful aroma of meatballs. When he came down to the kitchen he found Jeanne cooking spaghetti. On seeing him, she pointed at the brown folder on the counter.
“Thought you might need that,” she said fighting to keep her voice steady. “And you still owe me that dinner.”
He picked up the folder with shaky hands and opened it to look at his last test reports.
Henry, you…!