Chapter: 16 - A Bachelor's House

Jana was plagued by the pain as dark blood poured out of his mouth. The huge figure came close to him. The woman's eyes turned black and the dress's complexion started darkening. Slowly her lips widened from one ear to another revealing a wicked grin that cried out danger. The banshee bent her neck and pecked softly on Jana's neck. Immediately Jana felt a cold surge of energy and a huge amount of dark blood oozed out of his mouth again. Dark blood dripped from his ears and nose. He felt the blood coming from his nose and ears with his hand and fell to the ground, unconsciously. Seeing that Jana was unconscious, the banshee transformed back to her normal features and smiled. Now a pitiful smile. Without making any noise she dematerialized into thin air and departed from the place.

Meanwhile, Juwan was checking out the inspector's house. Merely by looking at the interiors of the house, Juwan could deduce a lot of things about the man. It was a typical bachelor's house. There were cobwebs at all the corners. The interior decoration was very poor. Not that it looked cheap. The curtains did not match the wall. The windows were covered with dust and the open ones were battered a bit and so didn't let the sunlight come in properly. The only things that illuminated the place were the two light bulbs placed at each sidewall of the room. The walls, apart from the lights were poorly decorated with a few photos that were covered in dust. One of the photos caught Juwan's eye. It was a photo of Karthick with a younger-looking Ms Susan and a slightly familiar-looking man. Mary didn't seem to notice any of this. She was busy playing with a coin between her fingers. A trick that she had gotten used to practising when she was nervous. Juwan was starting to think that it was a bad idea to visit the inspector.

"How did you manage to speak with him alone in this house last time? I mean he lives here alone and the house is kind of isolated. No one would ever know if at all anything were to happen to you." Juwan whispered to Mary. Mary looked at him in surprise.

"You live alone in a desolate house where the previous owner hung herself to death. Does that make you and your house dangerous?" Mary replied laughing as Juwan wondered about the danger the bungalow has been exhibiting the past few days and hoped it wouldn't reach its way too. Though Mary hadn't said anything, she was definitely nervous about something. She was still playing her coin.

As Karthick took more and more time in the kitchen, an uneasy presence crept over Juwan. He could feel the pressure surrounding lose balance and block his ears. He closed his eyes and tried to think of something peaceful and calm himself. That's when he felt a tiny tinge of pain stink his right eye. An unnatural discomfort settled around Juwan and sweat covered his forehead. With immense strain he closed his right eye when he felt a sudden enlargment in his right eye. The same feeling he had felt when he entered the dome in Roger's funeral house. He just wanted the discomfort to vanish and everything to return to normal. Each moving second that he experienced the discomfort and the painful sting, he regretted ever signing the inheritance. "Regret will get me nowhere," he told himselfI, "I need to learn to control this power otherwise it would be the death of me." After all, everything has a price to pay. Juwan's wheatish complexion turned pale and Mary noticed the difference.

"The last time, we in a coffee house near the police station. He was a decent and well-behaved person. And as for how police officers behave nowdays, he is an exception. At least I hope so. Though I am a bit surprised to find him in such a place." Mary told trying to soothe Juwas as she had thought that Juwan's uneasiness was due to their surrounding.

"A bachelor's life....We will just have to adjust to the place a little longer. Once we get what we need we will be out of this place in no time." Juwan said with a forced smile, trying his best to hide the uneasiness he was feeling. Mary was surprised again by the change in Juwan's tone. 'What with this kid? Just now he seemed all disturbed and creeped out!" Mary thought.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting. It's just I don't get much visitors." Karthick said, holding a tray of coffee mugs. He placed the tray on a small table before the two sofas that Juwan and Mary were sitting on. He took a wooden chair for himself from the corner of the room and settled quickly. Mary took a sip from the coffee and turned to Juwan, whose eyes were fixed at her waiting for an expression. She slowly smiled and then nodded. Though Juwan wasn't really expecting for any green signal, he took the nod as a nudge to have some cofde and took a sip for himself from his cup. It was a wonder that he didn't spit it out on the carpets. There was no sugar in the coffee. The bitterness numbed their tongues yet they smiled at Karthick positively.

"How is it?" Karthick inquired nervously. Juwan wondered, ' Is he nervous about the coffee or the case?'

"Good," Mary exclaimed trying her best to put up a smile and finishing the coffee. Now Juwan regretted ever suggesting to visit the inspector. The bitterness had overwhelmed his uneasiness and Juwan did feel a bit relieved even thought it had only been for a second.

"How long have you known Ms Susan?" Juwan suddenly asked to deviate his mind and to elucidate the conversation.

"We had our first encounter during our service in the first war. She was a tactical analyst and a chemist working on antidotes. She was a huge help in one of our missions to overthrow the Enlightenment." Karthick said. Juwan had no idea what he was talking about but Mary seemed to understand.

"The Enlightenment?" Juwan asked. Karthick sighed and was about to explain when Mary barged into the conversation.

"Forgive Juwan. His knowledge of history is a bit poor. Please continue."

"We received intel of the Enlightenment working on bio-weapons and Susan was one of the experts on the field. That's how we first met and became friends. The Susan I knew then was really persistent. She was a pain in the ass at time." Karthick said and smile. He was reveling in his memories as he continued, "She would have never committed suicide."

"So what do you suggest might have happened to her? Juwan asked. The way, the inspector was talking about Ms. Susan, Juwan sensed that she might have been more than a mere acquaintance to him.

" I don't know. There is no evidence of fowl but at the same time it's hard to believe that she had killed herself. She is the strongest women I have ever known. After all the things she had gone through during the war, I don't think she could have given up so easily!" Karthick believed what he said and his certainty surprised Juwan. He noticed that Karthick was starting to get emotional. Recollecting old memories can have it's own toll and it is not always bearable. Amidst the conversation Juwan's uneasy feeling prevailed and his right eye blured. Yet, he with stood that and continued the questions.

"How long have know that Ms. Susan was in the Junga area?" Juwan asked curiously. 'How come he has never visited her even once in thw past few months? Surely Ms Susan had mentioned the war during their small talks yet she had never once mentioned anything about a lover or a friend.' Juwan thought and wondered how long the mystery around Ms Susan's death would keep him preoccupied?

"After the war, we all went our separate ways. I didn't know she stayed near Goliath city until the day I saw her dead body." Karthick slowly muttered. Juwan's right eye felt a surge of iritation. 'Is he lying?' Juwan wondered. It was the first time Juwan had ever felt that kind of effect on his eyes. It was similar to an itch but was sharp and quick. He rubbed his eye and he couldn't take the discomfort anymore.

"Excuse me. May I use your restroom?" Juwan was embarsed but he still asked. Mary looked at him and wondered if it was the tumor that had been troubling him till then.

"Are you ok?" Mary wishpered to Juwaned trying to make sure he was alright.

"Yeah. Use the one attached to the second room. The others hadn't been used for in a long time so I don't think they are usable right now." Karthick pointed towards the room beside the kitchen entrance. Mary stuffed her head between her crossed hands. 'A bachelors living in a big empty house is really pitiful. Poor fellow, must have been living alone for a long time.' She thought.

Juwan without another word rushed to the room and turned on the lights. He entered the quiet closeted space and closed the door behind him. The irritation was not getting any better. As seconds passed the pain was only getting severe. Suddenly a sigil appeared on his hand in black ink. Without a warning, multiple sigils started appearing on his body. He could feel the burn the sigils left on his body. 'What is happening? Is it the eye? Is it killing me again?' Juwan thought when a red circle surrounded him and a ray of light engulfed him into nothingness. As Mary and Karthick spoke, they had no idea that Juwan was not in the lavatory anymore.