9
Vishal froze. Right in front of him, a cobra stood tall, its hood spread in a menacing hiss.
“Veerayya!”
“What is it, Thambi?”
“A snake.”
Veerayya came running. “Where, Thambi?”
“Right there.”
As Veerayya looked, the snake hissed again. “Thambi, please go inside the bungalow. Don’t step out now.”
Ignoring Veerayya’s warning, Vishal countered, “You go inside. Just watch how I make this snake bolt in terror.”
He climbed into the car and slammed the door. Shifting into reverse, he backed out, then swung the steering wheel sharply at a turn, flooring the accelerator. The snake tried to give chase but couldn’t keep up. In the rearview mirror, Vishal saw it strike the ground in blind fury.
Inside the car, Chandrasekhar sat trembling. Vishal reached the main road, drove through Coonoor town for ten minutes, and began the descent down the mountain ghat road.
“Vishal.”
“Yes, Pa?”
“What time is it?”
“Ten-forty-five.”
“Make sure we cross the eighth curve before midnight,” Chandrasekhar said, his voice shaky.
Vishal smiled. “I get it, Pa. Today is the anniversary of the day the Doctor and his family died, right? Sorry—the day you killed them.”
Chandrasekhar remained silent.
They cleared the first curve without issue. As they descended the second, Vishal was startled by a truck chasing them from behind at a hellish speed. Acting quickly, he maneuvered the car out of the way just as the truck was about to collide. The truck crashed into the side wall and came to a halt.
Vishal got out of the car. At the same time, the truck driver jumped out, looking terrified.
“Brother!” he called out to Vishal.
“Everything okay?” Vishal asked with a smile. “What happened, bro?”
“I don’t know, Brother. Suddenly I lost control. It felt like someone else was steering the truck,” the driver stammered.
Vishal understood. “Don’t worry, bro. We’re fine. Take some rest before you head out.”
Vishal took a sip of water from a bottle in the car and started driving again, much more cautiously this time.
At the third curve, the headlights fell upon a gruesome figure standing in the middle of the road. Vishal’s heart hammered. He gripped the chain around his neck with one hand and slammed the accelerator. He felt the car hit something, but he didn’t slow down. He kept descending at high speed.
Fourth curve. Fifth curve.
Chandrasekhar peered out of the windows fearfully.
“Are you scared, Pa?” Vishal asked. His father remained silent. “Don’t worry, stay brave. I’m here. I won’t let anything go wrong.”
“Okay, son.”
At the seventh curve, Vishal stopped the car. “Pa, we’ve escaped so far. There’s only one curve left. Once we cross that, we’re safe. Put on your seatbelt.”
Trembling, Chandrasekhar nodded and buckled up.
The eighth curve.
As the car began the turn—BOOM! A massive boulder came crashing down. Vishal reacted instantly, swerving the steering wheel to the limit, narrowly avoiding the rock.
He tried to move forward but stopped short. A tree lay fallen across the road.
“Oh no, Vishal! It’s past midnight!” Chandrasekhar screamed.
Vishal studied the fallen tree for a second. There was a small gap—just enough for a car to squeeze through. Without hesitation, he floored it. The car surged through the gap. CRACK! A branch smashed the windshield, shattering glass everywhere.
Losing control for a moment, Vishal slammed on the brakes. Standing right in front of the car was Vanitha. She looked exactly as she did ten years ago—drenched in blood.
“Where is my child? Where did you throw my baby?” she wailed, moving closer.
“Pa, hold the chain in your hand! Think only of the Goddess! Close your eyes! Don’t look at her!” Vishal shouted in panic. Chandrasekhar did as he was told, shivering.
Vanitha couldn’t get near them. She began to cry. “Where is my child?”
Ignoring her, Vishal gunned the engine. The car roared past the eighth curve. Suddenly, everything felt normal again.
Chandrasekhar smiled. “We escaped.”
“Pa.”
“Yes?”
“I feel bad for Vanitha.”
“Mm.”
“Anyway, I saved you, Pa.”
“Thanks, Vishal.”
“As your son, I’ve done my duty,” Vishal said.
“I’m so proud of you, Vishal.”
“But I’m not proud of myself, Pa.”
“What are you saying?”
“I mean it. Think about it—how disgraceful is it for me to keep you at home while talking about honesty and justice, especially when I’m about to join the police force?”
Chandrasekhar looked at his son in shock.
“Give me that chain,” Vishal said. When his father didn’t move, Vishal snatched the chain from his neck and removed his own as well.
“I can understand Dr. Ranjith Kumar and Vanitha now. Do you really deserve to live, Pa? You, who ruthlessly threw away a small child?”
Vishal asked calmly. Chandrasekhar stared in horror as Vishal pulled a U-turn.
“Vishal, no! What are you doing? Listen to me!” Chandrasekhar screamed, but Vishal ignored him.
“Don’t worry, Pa. I’ll give you company. Let Vanitha kill me too.”
Before Chandrasekhar could say another word, the car reached the eighth curve again. Vishal stopped and got out.
“Get out, Pa.”
When his father resisted, Vishal dragged him out by the arm.
“We are here!” Vishal shouted into the void. “Take us both. At least now, let your soul find peace.”
Within moments, a chilling laughter echoed. A violent wind began to swirl. Vishal struggled to stand, while Chandrasekhar was thrown against a tree.
Vanitha’s vengeful scream pierced the air. Tree branches snapped and flew like arrows, impaling Chandrasekhar. Blood spurted everywhere.
“Vishal, save me! I can’t take it!” Chandrasekhar shrieked.
Vanitha stood before him. She smeared his blood across her face. With one hand, she lifted him and slammed him onto the ground. His head shattered into pieces. Vishal closed his eyes.
After his body stopped twitching, she flung his remains down the slope. Then, her gaze fixed on Vishal. She rushed toward him in a rage.
Suddenly, Dr. Ranjith Kumar stepped between them. “Vanitha, leave him. He is innocent.”
“But his father killed our daughter!”
“For years, you’ve waited to kill him, refusing to move on. Not just you—our daughter and I have been waiting too, refusing another birth. We can only move on when you find peace. You have killed the man who murdered our child. Enough. Leave this boy.”
Vanitha hesitated.
“Yes, Amma. Uncle is good. Leave him, Amma,” a small voice called out. Vanitha turned to see little Divya standing there.
“Come here, my darling,” Vanitha sobbed, hugging her.
In an instant, the three of them vanished. Vishal understood everything. He prayed from the bottom of his heart that their souls would find peace and that they would live happily in their next life.
He got into the car and started the engine.
Coimbatore Railway Station.
The announcement for the Nagercoil Express via Madurai echoed through the station. Sitting in the train, Vishal reflected on everything that had happened.
He thought of Aarthi. He sent her a quick message: “Goodnight dear. Will call you once I reach Madurai tomorrow morning.”
Hoping to relax his mind, he picked up the novel he had been reading: Crime in a New Way.
He recalled a line from the book: “Nothing wrong will happen to those who do only what is right.”
Vishal smiled to himself.
The End
