Epilogue

DEATHDAY PARTY

Epilogue

EPILOGUE 1

The TV screen was blank, but the music continued.

Happy deathday to you u u...

Only that it was no longer just coming from the television. I was singing along from my perch behind the private investigators. It was not in reminiscence either.

The two private investigators shivered. They had goosebumps all over their body. The hairs at the back of their neck stood erect. They thought they could hear someone singing behind them. Of course it was not a lie. Particularly because it sounded too much like Vanessa's voice for comfort.

Happy deathday to you!

I sang the last line and smiled. The movie has ended, but my story has not.

The shorter man of the two stood once the screen shone blue, signalling end of movie.

"Yuck! Was that supposed to be a horror movie?" He asked.

"Nah. Yuck just about qualifies it." His partner replied. He stood too. With brisk steps, he walked to the DVD and pressed the disc release button. It slid out. They saw my little gift.

"No!Don't..."

×××××

But James, the taller of the two, has already grabbed one of the bright ruby red cards. Caleb, the shorter of the two, had recognized the bright ruby red card from the movie. It was the Vanessa's invitation card to Mike's zemri's deathday party. James recognized it an instant after he had picked it up. He dropped it like hot coals.

"How did it get there?" He whirled on Caleb. Caleb did not reply. He was thinking of the singing he had heard.

"James, I think we just got cursed."

The other card floated up from the disc hatch and hovered inches in front of Caleb's nose. Caleb 5ook two quick steps backwards. The hatch slid close and the play button depressed on its own. They heard the whirling of the disc inside the DVD. The TV screen lit up. It showed a girl-Vanessa-sobbing on a bed.

The bloody movie is on replay. Both men thought at the same time. They were not about to stay on and get a double portion of whatever they have been cursed with. They were out the door before a second was gone.

The door closed gently on its own. The girl sobbing on the TV screen looked up. She chuckled darkly. The television went off on its own. Then as if blown by the wind, the two ruby red cards flipped open. Among the words of the formal invitation, Vanessa's name erased. An invisible stencil printed the two PIs names in the spaces where Vanessa's name had been. Under item seven, two new dishes added themselves: testes toast and penis roll.

The two cards floated up. The door swung open. They flew out. The door closed.

If the two men and looked up as they ran, they would have seen the ruby red cards floating above them, for only their eyes could see it. It was a marker to any zemri that might be walking the streets. Mike's zemri's wife was very popular among zemris.

If the two men had looked too, as they ran, they would have noticed something weird. Their shadows was one if a woman with a flowing hair.

They were bloody well marked, and cursed.

EPILOGUE 2

Remember the very first thing I told you? You don't? Well, I told you to ' Make sure no one is around you'. You checked under the bed, or the desk and chair, or behind a corner.

But you did not check thoroughly well. Whennyouovwd to this secluded spot, away from the crowd, you forgot to leave me behind! You left a person near you, in your hands! And you have let this person tell you a story for nearly...how many minutes?

Well, I don't know how long it took you to finish this book. But do you know what I do know? Guess?

Happy deathday to you...

Happy deathday to you...

Happy deathday to you u u...

Happy deathday to you!