The Wraith (Chap. 2), by Anupam Sharma

The time to cross the Rubicon had come. Blignaut’s palms were on the pistol & even in this cold weather a drop of sweat emerged on his palm. The figure came closer and Blignaut felt short of breath. But he waited and he felt his arms jamming as the next moment a frail figure stood close to him.

“You lost” muttered the infirm body.
d N n n no, just g got my t t tyre stuck up” Blignaut stuttered

Tension was written all over blignaut’s face.
“May be I can be of some help, I am staying just round the corner” native said
That statement relaxed Blignaut for a moment but he soon grew skeptical and thought “what is this person doing here at this time”. But he didn’t ask the question for he feared the same question thrown back at him.

Soon the native was at it, pushing the jeep out.
The native introduced himself as George and asked for a lift for, where else, Tacorn.
The engine roared and they were off amidst a strange situation where it was silent only a few moments ago but suddenly the birds and animals had come out howling and wailing as if something has suddenly gone horribly wrong.
Petrifying enough to make most men on earth wet their pants.

On their way to Tacorn Blignaut kept on thinking how he got into this muddle.
At around 4 pm he had gone to his friend’s place who knew something strange & secretive about Blignaut’s family and was going to tell him.

But as soon as he reached there his face grew red seeing his moribund friend with knife stabbed in his chest.

He wanted to say something but before he could he passed away in Blignaut arms.
Strangely enough the police was there in the nick of time. Blignaut was arrested on charges of murder and was apprehended.

“How can I prove my innocence?” that is all what Blignaut thought. There was no hope. He knew it was a set up. But how could he prove it? How did police know about it even though nobody was there in the house? Did his friend call the police?
Blignaut thought the kind of state his friend was in it was impossible to even move let alone make a call.

And most importantly what was the secret his friend was going to tell him before he was polished off.

Blignaut knew he had to run away. And then Blignaut saw a ray of hope


To be continued…