“Oh No. not again!” said one of them. “Raju, you stay
here with them and rest of you, come along. We don’t have time to waste.”
Leaving one behind rest of them rushed in the direction of the sound.
“What is all this? What’s wrong?” asked Abhi.
“Hmm” Raju sighed and spoke. “Nandan van is co located
with the zoo but it neither comes under the jurisdiction of the forest
department nor the zoo. That’s the reason why this place is so neglected. About
a month back a group of three college going boys were reported missing in this
area after which the search has been on. Last week two police constables came
to Nandan van in search of the boys but they also went missing. When another
search party came here, it was then that this beastly thing here came to notice.”
“Beastly!” Smita almost shouted with fear.
“Yes. There is a strange, God awful growth of bushes which
has spread here or may be was always here which if you happened to touch or
pass through, pierces into victim’s body and draws all the blood only to leave
back the lifeless remains. These bushes are spotted at many corners of this
forest. They have just multiplied and are everywhere.” Raju was trembling as he
spoke about the secret of the deaths reported in Nandan van.
“Then why don’t you cut them all?” Abhi spoke after
absorbing the truth.
“No one knew about them and therefore could not identify
them. It was only today when one of the police constable reported back after
escaping from this death ground that we could come here to try cutting them.
But” Raju stopped.
“But what? Why that could not be done?” Smita was
terribly scared and was sticking to Abhi.
“But these bushes can move.” Said a wide eyed Raju.
“What crap!” Abhi dismissed the whole story.
“Yes they can move and once they touch their prey, they
don’t leave him, till they suck all the blood out. After that they multiply in
their size and spread around more. Beni, whose cry you heard was trying to cut
the bushes along with Kishori. The bushes moved their branches and encircled
Kishori. And at the same time you people started running towards us. We ran to
move out of the place and also to stop you from nearing any such bush. But we
did’nt realize that Beni has been left behind.” Raju had tears in his eyes.
There was a deadly silence in the forest. Smita was
sobbing at their misfortune for having stuck in a deadly place.
“Okay. Look, we are very sorry to hear all this but after
we know about all this, can we move out from here. As it is we cannot be of any
help to you.” Abhi was hoping a breakthrough here but before Raju could say
anything, the men were heard to be nearing back.
“What happened, Shailesh babu?” Where is Beni?” asked
Raju.
“We don’t have time for anything right now. We have to
escape from here before it gets dark. Now we know that these bushes cannot
attack. You will get stuck only when you touch them or get too close to them.
We have to move out as soon as possible and get back tomorrow with more force. We
will move out together so that no one is left behind.” Shailesh was confident
of the escape plan and they all started moving in the direction led by him.
“But my bike is there.” Abhi pointed in opposite
direction. “And we didn’t find anything suspicious that side. I think we all
should move out from there.”
“No that’s the farther end and from here we will hit the
highway faster.”
“But near the highway the forest is very thick. What, if
we encounter those bushes that side?” Abhi was quite perplexed.
“You are right. Let us move out from there.” Shailesh
pointed in the direction of the bike which pumped some confidence in Abhi as
that way was known to him. Soon they were speeding out of the Nandan van. They
were approaching the bike when there was another cry which echoed the forest.
“Help.” Someone was heard shouting...
Would love to see you back for the concluding Part of 'Love Blues'.
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