14 – The devil
Kadin carefully enters the dark entrance. A shadow grabs her arm and with her wrist bends her arm and pins it unnaturally and painfully behind her back. “Ouch! You are hurting me!”
The figure is a sturdy man and he now drives her brutally deeper into the room. They end in the sitting room where he shoves her violently and she sinks away on a soft couch. Three figures are now standing in front of her. The wizard is in front with the two accomplices like bodyguards on either side of him a little back. She feels vulnerable and asks in a small voice: “Where is Billy?”
The wizard answers in his strange English accent with an unearthly, coarse, hoarse voice: “In the slaughterhouse.”
An invisible hand of fear touches her heart and lameness engulfs her there where she is seated on the couch: “Slaughterhouse? What do you mean? What have you done to Billy?”
“Are you also going to lie to us and do you want to be hung up there and be slaughtered?”
Kadin jumps up and angrily and without fear spits out the words: “Slaughter! What is wrong with you? Are you damn mad? Where is he? Tell me now! What have you done to him?”
She stares in the darkness to the wizard but it is too dark to make out his eyes. They are only two black pools. Then suddenly she remembers the warning and is thankful that she cannot look him in his eyes: “… if the devil visits you, don’t look him in his eyes.”
“You care a lot about that little liar, don’t you; you even let us trap you here.”
Kadin hears her own pleading, wailing voice. “Is Billy okay? Please uncle, tell me. What must I do for you to bring him back? He’s just trying to protect me. He is brave and honest.” Tears freely run over her cheeks and her nose becomes wet.
The wizard takes her hands in his rough, hard hands and holds it lightly. “I am happy to hear that you care so much about that snoot that ran away with our booklet. I hope you know where the thing is; otherwise, these two dangerous men are going to skin him even further. You are the last opportunity for his safety. I am your friend and your only hope to rescue.”
Kadin’s heart is now racing in her chest. She feels giddy from fear and her brain desperately scurries for the best reaction to his words. This wizard is shrewd and she doesn’t trust him at all. If she admits that she has the booklet, she has no ace to play with. What if they take it forcibly and she never sees Billy again? She might also put her parents in danger because the damn thing is in her room. She is uncertain about the extent to which these people might go.
“I know where it is, but it is not with me. It is hidden in the city library and I’ll have to get it. I will need the assurance that Billy is safe before I give it to you.”
“Kadin, you are playing with fire. Where is the thing?”
She must think of something quickly. She will end it the way it started: a public place where she is at ease and safe. She only hopes that she is going to convince them.
“Get Billy and bring him tomorrow at eleven to the reference section of the city library. When Billy sits next to me safely, I will gladly return the booklet to you.”
“Why don’t we take you along and slaughter the both of you until you tell us precisely where the thing is and then we can retrieve it from the place. You are lying! Billy lied and told us the thing is in the school library and you’re lying by telling us it is hidden in the city library.”
Kadin’s fear intensifies and with goosebumps all over her body, she feels entrapped while the wizard is still holding her hands. The wizard suddenly speaks in a strange language reminiscent of the Sanskrit they heard in the temple. One of the men turns the light on. The light blinds her but she looks down as to avoid the wizard’s eyes. The wizard lets go of her hands and takes her under her chin and lifts her head so that their eyes line up, but she closes her eyes.
“Look into my eyes, Kadin!”
Kadin’s heart gallops in her chest. If she looks into his eyes he will bewitch her and everything will be lost.
“No, I may not. Billy told the truth. The booklet is in the school library. I am planning to go and fetch it there tomorrow morning and then hide it in the city library where I can safely exchange it for Billy. That is my assurance that you will keep to your side of the agreement.”
“Why do you and Billy avoid my eyes? Is it because you are lying to me?”
The truth is now the only way out! She can only hope that the truth can free her. “There is a warning in that booklet. You will see, uncle, when you have it.”
“A warning?” He looks slightly taken aback.
“On the first page it is written: “Put me back immediately where you found me before the world comes to an end and if the devil visits you, don’t look him in his eyes.”
Kadin is startled when the wizard suddenly gruffly burst out laughing loudly: “The devil! So, I am the devil!” Amused he laughs heartily before he asks: “Tell me, what else is written in the booklet?”
Kadin thinks back to Vyasa’s explanation: “The booklet talks of the people of Kali Yuga. We are in the Iron Era. It says the current civilization deteriorated totally and is lost in devilish actions that destroy Mother Earth. But there is also a secret code in the booklet that we could not decipher.”
The wizard now leaves her chin and with his rough fingers wipe away the tears on her cheeks and then he strokes her hair as if she is a puppy.
“Yes, Billy is very brave and suffered tremendous punishment. These two guys are well trained to let even the most hardened spies sing like canaries, but the young and brave Billy endured their torture and did not want to endanger you or his mother. And you willingly gave yourself over at our mercy. I’m impressed with you two. Your loyalty is astonishing; you both passed Vishnu’s first test. Sometimes the most horrible Evil gives life to the most intimate Love.”
“Keep a place open next to you for Billy. I will be sitting opposite you. You must come alone with the original booklet. When I am satisfied, I will give Billy the antidote. Don’t be late and don’t tell anyone because I am going to give Billy poison to drink before we enter the library. If he doesn’t get the antidote in time he will die an ugly death right there in the library next to you.
“Don’t try to trick us, because no one on earth equals my magical powers and you will never succeed in fleeing from me. Bring that original booklet or else I am going to entrap your souls.”
Relief washes over Kadin. The truth freed them. “I just want Billy to be with me safe and sound and I will do nothing to jeopardize the outcome. I promise, uncle Devil.”
The wizard again splits his sides with laughter: “Good and Bad. You are going to learn a lot, my lovely Kadin. I am sure our paths are going to cross multiple times in future because Vishnu must be quite impressed with you both. Now turn around and face the wall until we are gone.”
Flabbergasted she turns around and wonders about his words. This mad wizard predicted that they will meet again many times in future? Is that why he wants to free them? Or is he just playing with them like marionettes and is this only a bluff and are they going to follow her to the booklet? She wonders again what the secret code might be. Has Michael already deciphered the secret code?
Eventually, she looks back and sees she is alone. The front door is still open when she leaves and she pulls it tight. It locks automatically behind her. She walks through the open gate and closes it behind her. She hopes the house is secure when Billy returns. She keenly looks up and down Park Avenue for any sign of the men. On the opposite of the avenue a couple is jogging but there is no sign of her visitors. Empty cars are parked alongside the road and traffic goes by. She will go to Vyasa and Michael and ask for their advice.
Kadin briskly walks along Park Drive and frequently looks around, but nothing seems to be suspicious. It really appears as if they have an appointment tomorrow. There is a lump in her throat when she thinks about Billy and she starts to run. Somewhere they have hung him, tortured him severely but he said nothing. The tears are running with her. He is so courageous and honorable; so loyal! Her heart burns from love for him and she just wants to hug him tightly and cuddle him so that he never leaves her again.
Kadin stops in front of the place where Vyasa lodges and carefully takes up the whole vicinity and every car that passes. She gazes at the fence and the abundant flora of the park opposite the drive to see if someone hides there. Nothing. She is now readily convinced that she has not been followed.
Kadin walks through the front gate and runs along the dark alley between the house and the creepers. She wants to meet Michael first. They have a secret to hide from the swami; hopefully, he will be there. She doesn’t want to be the source of discord between them. Maybe he has news about the script.
It is quite dark now and only a dim light shines at the back door. She finds the wooden house with the door open and no one inside. She is disappointed. Michael isn’t there. She turns around and walks to the alley. She only hopes Vyasa is here.
Kadin’s heart jumps to her throat when she bumps into someone in the dark alley. The person is also startled. Then they recognize each other.
“Kadin, you will give me a heart attack, girl. What are you doing here back in the dark? Where is Billy? Is he waiting inside?”
Kadin grabs Michael as if he is her guardian angel and press her body against his and starts to cry loudly and shamelessly.
“What is wrong, Kadin?”
“The devils captured Billy and tortured him and I am coming here for your advice,” she gets out between her sobs.
Michael hugs her and strokes her back while she keeps on crying uncontrollably.