LAYLA

A SHADOW OF ITSELF

The journey takes the whole daytime and the travellers reached their destination when the stars were about to resume their duty for the night.

The address leads them to a bungalow on the outskirts of the townlet. And after parking in the parking lot, both officers hopped down the car and walked into the weather-beaten house."

"I don't think there is anyone here. Look at the overgrown grasses and the dirty environment."

"Let's go inside... Anyone here!"

"Hello!"

The front door was unlocked, and the two officers stepped inside and peered all around. 

"Anyone here!"

The sound of scurrying feet became audible, and an old man with a toothless grin peeked out of one of the rooms, stare at the two intruders and asked, "what did you want?"

"We are looking for the publisher of this book," Zuma brought out the copy of LAYLA in his hand, walked toward their host, and then stopped when the man screamed out.

"Take that cursed book off my sight."

"Apology," Zuma answered back, put the novel in his trouser pocket and asked, "are you the publisher?"

"No. All of them died mysteriously after publishing the book, and this place is a shadow of itself after."

"Tell me everything you know about it."

"Nothing. Am just a security guard and my job is to open the gate and locked it at the right time."

"Is there anyone we can talk to?"

"Are you deaf? Everyone that worked on this book died mysteriously immediately after it was published. The publisher, editors, and all the crew in charge of publishing are now buried under the six feet."

"We came from a very far place. Please give us something worthy of the time and energy spent to reach here."

"My advice is for you to toss the book away and never have anything to do with it."

"Unfortunately, that's impossible. People have started dying from reading it. I need to know the writer, distributors, and the fastest way to remove them from the market."

"Nothing lies ahead of you but death. Anyone who dares interfere with LAYLA will die in a few hours. Please throw it away and warn you, people to run from it."

"Tell us what you know... Everything."

"We need your help."

The man wobble into sight, walked towards the two visitors, and let out, "please seat down."

"Thank you."

"A few months ago, a lady came with the manuscripts of this story, and our boss offered to publish it because he believed it is a catchy story. After all the necessary legal procedures, the lady left and work promptly began on it. The death started the day the book was launched, and all those who have hand in its production were dead in few days."

"Who is responsible for the distribution of your stories?"

"As I said earlier, I have no idea. Everything I had told you so far was hearsay."

"Did you remember any other thing?"

The old man raised his hand, scratched his head and look momentarily lost. "I heard the girl on the cover page was a real entity. She was found in the middle of an ocean and the novel contains her tale of the other world."

"Quite helpful."

"Thank you. This is my telephone number, please don't hesitate to call if you remember anything."

"Of course. And don't forget my advice. Throw this book away and run as fast as your leg can carry you. Don't be tempted to open the next page, otherwise, it will be the last book you will ever read."

"We will remember always."

Back in the car, the two officers were in deep thought, and their confused minds make them gawk at each other in total silence.

"I wish we have a chopper. We will be back home in few a minutes, instead of this long journey ahead of us."

"I will ask the governor for one when we meet tomorrow morning."

"Talking of the governor. What did you plan to tell him?"

"The truth, even though it sounds absurd."

"Your excellence, my investigation shows that this book is the source of the sudden suicide cases on the island... Hahaha. That's the most ridiculous speech I have ever thought of. "

"Any other option?"

"None. Except you want to admit that you are the one that brought bad luck to us."

"That sound more plausible than my previous explanation-. You won't believe that a fortune teller once prophecies about this occurrence. Even though her messages were uncleared to me, I can remember she mentioned that there will be lots of death where I am posted to."

"Did she tell you the way to prevent it?"

"Yes. That I should run and never turn the page."

"She was referring to the page of this book."

"Yes. And one more thing, she said death will appear in form of a baby."

"Her prophecy was damned accurate. The picture on the cover is of a little girl. Did you still remember the road to her place?"

"It was during a circuit festival and they were nomadic people. It will be difficult to trace her."

"The most important thing is to remove the book from circulation, and to warn the general public of its threat."

"Everything depends on the governor's response to my unbelievable hypothesis."

"I won't count on that joker. All he desired is someone to blame. He cared about his re-election more than our welfare."

Isabella is right, the governor was as furious as a mad bull when Zuma visited him the following morning.

After listening with a smirking face, Zuma reddened when his listener burst into uncontrolled laughter, and then exclaimed, "you are kidding!"

"No. Evidence shows that all the suicide victims read this book."

The governor peered at the book in Zuma's hand, giggled for a while and then let out, "open it and read it for me."

"I can't. Whoever goes beyond the second page will commit suicide promptly later."

"You are the funniest man I had ever met in my life. Now I had to admit that your potential was exaggerated."

Zuma shrugged at the governor's insult, stood up from his seat and said, "I want you to disclose this information to the public and warned everyone about the danger attached to this book."

"Not until you prove to me that this book is responsible for their death, and not you."

"I beg your pardon!"

"People are talking. I heard everything fell apart immediately after you arrived here."

"Coincidence... Nothing but coincidence."

"No. I don't believe in coincidence but I believe in bad luck. And you know what? Unfortunate people upchuck me."

"Huh!"

"I order you to read that story for me now!"

"Apology. That is impossible."

"Then you are dismissed for refusing to obey my direct order."

"Goddam you! Read the novel if you like and keep your fucking tease to yourself."

Zuma was red with anger as he slammed his large fist on the governor's table, stood up in outrage and hurled the novel in his hand into his tormentor's face.

"You are fired... Can you hear me? YOU ARE RELIEVED OF YOUR POST RIGHT NOW!"

Only one thing raced through Zuma's mind as he drove to the headquarters to pick his few properties, "I wish that sucker will read the book and die."