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2024-10-29 19:42:56Like before, all efforts to trace the reason for the startling suicide proved abortive. And after the promise to get to the root of the matter, Zuma and his deputy stepped out of the deceased house and were back in their patrol car a moment later.
"This is getting more confusing," Isabella who had been glaring at the moving images as the car raced back to the police headquarters mumbled when the silence became unbearable.
"I agree it is. The more I try to comprehend what is happening on this island, the more it becomes incomprehensible. Am getting fed up."
"Not yet, boss. You aren't leaving us until you find a solution to this crisis."
Zuma was silent after, and his mind was back to his conflicting thought. "Am I truly the reason for all this death? If yes. What is the way out?"
"Are you talking to me?"
He smirked when he realized his thought was audible, changed the gear of the moving car and increased his speed, then answered back, "no. I am soliloquising."
"You don't need to allow the inhabitant's accusations to affect you. Though we are all Christians by birth, the belief in paganism was deeply rooted in us and we see things from our paganism views and not from what the Bible taught us."
"Did you believe in witchcraft and evil spirits?"
"Yes, I do. The recent occurrence on this island lengthened my belief as well. I'm sure you will agree with me that what we are witnessing here is beyond human comprehension."
"I agree it is. I'm an antagonist to anything that has to do with spiritualism, and only this recent experience is what is shaking my conviction."
"Humans are incomplete and our searches for wholeness is what makes us seek the faces of the supernatural. No matter how successful in life we are, we will always feel that void in us... An emptiness that can only be restored by connecting our faith with entities stronger than us."
"I agree I always feel incomplete and inadequate. What I don't accept is that I need the connection of the supernatural to experience complete fulfilment."
"Our denial is because of our ego, and not because our subconscious did not yearn for fulfilment."
"Perhaps you are right. But I don't see how spirituality can help on solving this problem."
"It will. When we stopped looking for a physical solution to a spiritual problem."
"What did you suggest?"
"I suggest we stop following the normal procedure of investigation and go spiritual. Let's look for something unusual, something extraordinary and peculiar. And I believe we will find the missing puzzle soon."
"Am open to all suggestions-."
Zuma's speech was cut short by the nasty ringing of the patrol car phone.
"Hello, boss. Are you close to Cumberland high college?"
"Yep. A few minute's drive from here."
"We just received a call that fifty students committed suicide within some seconds."
"What?"
"Fifty student boss... Fifty students took their goddam lives within an hour. What's going on? Boss."
"Oh my gosh! Send the forensic teams and call the ambulance department now."
"Okay, boss."
Zuma sighed as the line was disconnected at the other side of the call, glanced at the expressionless lady beside him, and then shakes his head. And the look on his face was filled with dread.
They were speechless through the drives to Cumberland high school, and only when they emerged inside and caught sight of the fifty students laying lifeless, and in blood-soaked uniforms, that Zuma and his comrade finally succumb to their overwhelming craving to burst into tears.As common in every society where the world of the rich is always different from the world of the poor, Cumberland Island is not exempted.
While the rich dwelled on the West side of the island, the poor had to do with the Northern side. Yet still, both districts were not only different in the class of people inhabiting the land mass, but also in all the basic amenities and infrastructure development.The West side of Cumberland has almost what is needed to make living pleasing to the few lucky inhabitants, while the Northern side can hardly boast of a passable road. To them, luxurious amenities that make life more endurable are only meant for the rich alone.To be candid, there is a huge difference between the inhabitants of western Cumberland and those who were unfortunate enough to be born on the other side of the island. And schools, hospitals, inns, and other public places will only admit you based on the locality you are born into. Cumberland high school was built over hectares of land, and because it was situated on the western side of the island, it's fully populated by the children of the rich.Having fifty dead students within an hour means nothing but doom for the newly arrived chief of police, and this may be the reason why he is as sad as doomed as he drove into the high wall of the most prestigious high school on the island.An hour ago, an alarm sounded like the biblical trumpet, and the students of Cumberland high school all sauntered out of their classrooms, stepped into the large grassland and promptly engaged in their various athletics.
Since a bird of a feather flock together, some section of the students found pleasure in reading the imagination of writers, and this made them wobble towards the school library to feast their eyes on the newly arrived packs of novels."We heard of the delivery of new novels for us... Is it true?"
"Aye. A truck filled with novels was delivered this morning."
"Thanks, Anty Mirabel. Where are the shelves for the newly arrived?"
"Over there, sweeties!"
The team wobbled closer to the place Anty Mirabel pointed, lined in front of the shelves and picked up their favourite among the lots.
The library is built in a rectangular shape, and chairs and tables were arranged in lines. Fully light, ventilated, and the availability of pewters filled with coffee was one of the secrets that entice students to this place of knowledge."I have some cakes for all of you," the librarian announced, stepping into the midst of the engrossed student and putting a cake in cupcakes in front of all of them.
"Thanks, Anty Mirable."
"You are the best!"
"What is the title of the novel you are reading?"
"LAYLA!"
"That's a strange title and the black-eyed girl on the cover page looks weird."
"Yes. Even the author warned that the novel contained knowledge that will make death to be more palatable to whoever goes beyond the next page."
"That is a good way to market your story. People are more attracted to anything forbidden."
"Sure, Anty. I picked it because of the warning on the cover. "
"Enjoy your story and summarize it for me after."
"Of course, Anty.
Mirabel had not reached her section of the library when a sudden commotion erupted inside the serene environment.
'Whack.'
'Whack... Whack!"
"Ahh!"
" What's going on there?"
"Oh, my God!"
"Holy Madonna!"
She sprang up from her seat when the noise became hysterical, marched toward the source of the commotion, halted suddenly, shrieked, slumped and landed with a loud crash.
The sight before Mirabel deserves her present state, and all those who came after her suffered the same fate.Some lads had plunged the pen in their hands into their two eyes, some young men had sliced their throat with CDs, while the main sources of the commotion were those who decided to end their lives by banging their heads on the wall, floor, and the tables in their front.At last, fifty students lay dead in a few minutes.
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LAYLA THE THIRD SUICIDE SCENE
"One thing is common with almost all the suicide victims that we had visited today," Zuma announced as he stepped into the library, gawked at the dead students, and resumed his speech, "they all die in the library and... Oh my goodness!" "What is it, boss." "I have seen this book at almost all the crime scenes," he paused his speech, stooped down and picked one of the blue cover novels with a picture of a weird girl, stare at it for a while, and then let out, 'it was your suggestions to look for something supernatural that makes me realized this. I think this book has to do with the death on this island." "Where is the librarian?" "Over, here. Mam," the red-eyed lady wobbled into sight, glanced at the dead students arranged in a line and then burst into tears. "I swear before all the gods, I know nothing of their deaths, and the cake given to them did not contain any drug or poison... Let me eat this unfinished one to prove my innocence." "Never mind," Zuma answered back, peered a
LAYLA THE NEW MOON KILLER
The locked door gave way after two shoulder thrusts, and the four people raced inside, then stood horrified at the sight in their front. As naked as a newborn baby, the aged man laid his back on the table, slashed his stomach with a razor and arranged some of his intestines around himself. And as usual, his last smile was that of contentment and not of fear. "Ahh!" "Holy Cross!" One of the teachers raised her two arms and placed them on her chest, then vomited immediately. While the other lady shook and fainted. "He is dead. There is nothing we can do for him, but we need to wake her up." "We need some water. She is still breathing." "Get her out of this room and lock the door. I need to make some calls." "Help me, I can't carry her alone." "Ask her colleagues to help." "She is still in shock and needed help as well." "Oh... Shit!" After minutes of waking the lady up, and another hour that it takes to return sanity to the school, Zuma and his partner sneaked out through t
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
LAYLA TWENTIETH DISTRESS CALL
Beware of your thought, you don't know when an angel will say amen to them. The first telephone call was from the state deputy governor, and Zuma's heart left his chest when he heard the sad news. "The governor is dead and you are the last visitor he welcomes into his office. Come right now, please." Although this is the twentieth distress call from the family of the bereaved, Zuma knew the call from the state secretariat is more important than the rest. After his oral dismissal from service, he drove to his house, picked up a few clothings and drove into the police headquarters to drop his letter of resignation. And he was in his office to park his few belongings when the telephone calls commenced. The first call was from a mother who lost her two twins to the hand cold of death. According to her, the two boys left their house some minutes earlier and were later found inside the lagoon some kilometres away. The second call was from a man, and he was at the point of hysterical wh
LAYLA FREE AT LAST
As soon as Zuma left the presence of the Cumberland state governor, the bearded man was seen smirking at his back, then picked up the novel fling at him and gaped at the picture of the black-eyed girl on the hardcover. He agreed the picture is spooky, and the gawking of the black cat on her shoulder seemed to be boring into his soul. Nevertheless, it's just a novel and there is no reason to be scared " Put the book somewhere and attend to today's chore!" A warning voice sounded in his mind, and the governor smirked for the second time in a few minutes, tossed the book on his hand to the far side of the long table, picked one among the heaps of files in his front and was immediately engrossed in it when a piercing sound of the telephone shattered the serene environment. His hand dashed towards it, picked up the receiver and muttered, "hello." The voice on the other side was weird and sounded like a giggling of a girl, and he shortly banged the receiver on the body of the telephone,
LAYLA KISSED BY THE DEVIL
Exhausted and at the point of breaking down, the two police officers drove out of the government house and were immediately invisible among the numerous cars that usually pass this route at this time of the day.They were as silent as a mouse through the drive, and it was when the car parked in front of Isabella's bungalow that she finally had access to the use of her tied tongue."Won't you come inside for a cup of coffee? This weather is too chilly.""Thanks, but no thanks," Zuma answered back, releasing the car handbrake, looked at his comrade's face and let out, "I need to pick some files up in the office before heading home."He drove off before Isabella protested and was immediately lost in his thought after. Not even the showers of rain that fell after distracted the fully engrossed man.When Zuma arrived at Cumberland island as the chief of police, he had expected the interim chief to be an antagonist and brutish.But when a beautiful and carefree lady welcomed him and introdu
LAYLA SIGNS AND OMENS
When brightness refused to appear at its due time, the inhabitants of Arkansas Island knew today is an auspicious day. Since the majority of the dwellers of the island were fishermen, the pregnant cloud seemed not to affect their plans for today. And not even the heavy rain that came down after a long moment of winds and whirlwinds made them change their minds.Shapes of men became visible when bright thunderstorms strike in the sky, and their voices came to be faintly audible after. "I suggest we go back home. This storm is a bad omen," the oldest among the pair announced, scratched his scanty fluffy white hair and groaned louder. "No...Why did you always look for signs and omens? We will proceed as planned, and let heaven rain pellets if it wants." "I am feeling a kind of premonition about this storm. Please let's go back home and come when this weather cleared." "Procrastination is a lazy man's apology. Don't forget, tick says the clock-." "Tick-tick. What you have to do, then
LAYLA ONE MURDER AND ONE SUICIDE
One of the most difficult careers on this island is the work of the police. And the fact that all of the male officers, except the chief of police, were placed on compulsory night duties every week, may be part of the setback that made few of the dwellers embrace the dangerous job. Even though this is a peaceful island with few records of burglars and petty thieves, the sleeplessness attached to the job is enough to scare a chicken-hearted man. And this and many more were the outcomes of why there were few police officers in the service of protecting over a million citizens of Cumberland. To keep boredom away, officer Acharya left home earlier, and picked up a novel at the local library. And then head to the headquarters for his night duty. "Hey... What did you have in your hand?" "A novel. I rented it from the library as I was coming to work." "How many times did I have to remind you to always come with a novel for me as well?" "Apology, I keep forgetting... I'm a fast reader a
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- LAYLA
THE BLACK PASSOVER
The sun raged in the sky through the day, then the atmosphere became chilly as soon as the sun retire from its duty. A moment later, a twilight appeared from the east, and its eerie brightness kept the darkness away. When nighttime comes some hours later, a big cloud from the east overshadowed the stars and moon, and the gentle wind evolved into a whirlwind, followed by lightning and thunderstorms. "I think it's about to rain," Zuma muttered with a straight face, turned towards the slumbering officers beside him, and let out, "you guys should wake up, we need a plan."The taller among the officer stretched his arms and yawned out loud, and then let out, "you are the boss. Tell us what you have in mind."Zuma bit his lower lip and looked lost in thought for a while. "I can't seem to think straight. I won't ask you for a plan if I have one I ground.""No idea, boss." The officer answered back, and then close his eyes."We will part as soon as we enter Adam's Creek. You guys should kee
- LAYLA
NUMBERS 666
The bullet passed Isabella's face in an inch and she smelled the scent of her burnt flesh before feeling the pain from her roasted flesh. "Ouch!" She cried out, and then muttered in anger, "that's too close, John.""I can't shoot you, Bella. My bullet is for that bastard," John yelled, then leapt forward and shoots the dying robber in the forehead twice."He is dead. Stop wasting your bullet," Sampson said."You nearly split my skull. Why don't you push me off the way?" Isabella stood up from her kneeling position and glare at the smiling officer in her front."But I don't. He was about to shoot, and I did the first thing that came into my mind... I thought you will thank me for saving your life?" "Thank you, but don't ever try that with me again. What if I move my head in fright?" Isabella asked."You didn't. The end justifies the means, isn't it?""Of course, it does," Sampson answered back, then peered at the wounded officer and asked, " what are we going to do about him?""Drive
- LAYLA
GATEWAY TO HELL
The unexpected arrival of the man in a police car disrupts the armed men's plan, and the four men open fire on the incoming car as it approached them. The leader of the gang is a tall man with a patch over an eye, and he immediately dived for cover when the man beside him grunt out loud and fell dead. "Shoot that bastard now," he cried out, and then shot several times at the incoming car, but the driver swerve to the right, and then, to the left to evade the bullets. "Ouch! One of the robbers who was shot in the breast where his heart was located looked stunned for a while, staggered backwards and fell with a loud thud."Race for cover and don't stand and get yourself killed," the leader cried out as he raised his hand to clean the sweat off his forehead, and then peered out of cover, shot the man who dived out of the police car door and looked grimly when his shot missed. Zuma was out of the car instantly, and he immediately rolled to the back of a jeep parked beside him and was f
- LAYLA
MY WIFE FROZE HERSELF TO DEATH
A wise man once opined that 'humans are the greatest threat to their fellow human.'This saying proved to be the truth when Arkansas island was used as a case study. A few days ago, the island was known as one of the safest places on earth. But now, the opposite is the case. Yet, the reason is not far-fetched. Evil men are now using the disorder on the island to perform their evil deeds. Funny enough, most of the recent death had little to do with Layla, and it seemed the demon girl had decided to take a break for a while and watch as humans bring the awaited destruction on themselves.Isabella's opened her mouth in astonishment during their short drive to the seaside, and she was only able to speak when the youngest officer among her team patted her on the shoulder and asked, "did you think we will win against this evil?" "Yes," she answered back, shakes her head and resumed her speech, "though it will never be the same again. The scars will always remain in the people's minds."
- LAYLA
HELL IN A FEW DAYS
Adam's creek is located at the extreme side of northern Arkansas, and the journey from the police headquarters to the creek is over two hours by road. Because of the fear of the unknown, the two officers looked sadly as they walked through the lobby. "They expect you to be there in the next two hours, I suggest I should go with it some officers by a speedboat, while you drive by road and try to delay as much as you can," Isabella announced when the pair emerged at the grassland in front of the main building. "How many hours will it takes you by speedboat?" Zuma asked back. "One and a half hours, if the weather is good.""Then you need to move now. We dont know if they were already waiting for us, or on their way," he paused his speech as they emerged closer to the officers in line, waited till Isabella stepped beside him and asked in a whisper, "how many men did you plan to go with?""Four men, with lots of weapons. You need to go with a gun as well.""I have my weapons inside my
- LAYLA
THE END OF THE WORLD
From the port until they reached the police headquarters, the whole street was filled with the corpses of Layla's victims. And the two officers gawked with grief-striking faces when they see the numerous deaths awaiting them.Shockingly as it seemed, the safe island had suddenly turned into a death trap, and the corpses were so many that the municipal authority have no more places to put them. "Wake up, honey. Please wake up." A woman nude except for her black underwear, lay over her dead husband as tears flowed down her pretty face."Repent all mortals. This is the end of the world and the end of all mortals. Come to God now before it is too late." A man in a flowing white gown raised the Bible in his hand and cried out with a loud voice, leapt into the front of the passerby and then resumed his preaching. "The Lord is on his way, and he will soon appear like a thief in the middle of the night... Repent, before it is too late.""My son is dead! Somebody help me please." One hysteric
- LAYLA
TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS
Her name was Sheila, and she was his first love. After years of courtship, they decided to get married, and that was when tragedy struck. "Everything is ready. The bride's gown, the cake, the hall and the decoration. I hope you have gotten our wedding rings?" The woman nestling into the chest of her lover asked as she peered into his face. "Of course, honey. They were delivered some hours ago, and it's safe inside my locker." "I pray we don't forget anything," the woman muttered as she raised herself into a seating position, wore her white scandals and stood up with a fixed smile. "Take it easy. I know the wedding is once in a lifetime experience, but that doesn't mean we should go crazy over it... And where are you going?" "To my dad's home. I am not yet your wife until I say I do on the altar tomorrow." "You can't leave me like this, honey." "I will, dear. I need to make sure everything is done to my taste." The man on the bed moaned for a while shrugged and stood up. And a
- LAYLA
WILL YOU LIKE TO BE AT PEACE?
"DID YOU AGREE TO LOSE YOUR SOUL FOR THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL SET YOU FREE FROM SEVERAL REINCARNATIONS?" The man seating on the grass cock a smile when he read the first page, shakes his head and mumbles, "what a way to raise the reader's curiosity. Now I am intrigued."He turned to the next page and read out loud."YOU ARE YET TO AGREE!""Hahaha!" Steve burst into uncontrollable giggling and exclaimed, "no wonder they believed this book is cursed. The writer did a marvellous job in increasing the reader's curiosity."Saying this, he turned to the next page, then cursed out loud when the previous message displayed. "Well... Well. Since you want me to say it loud," he paused his speech as the smile on his face became huge. "I agree," he muttered as he turned to the next page, then read out loud. "WELCOME TO YOUR PAST LIFE...!"A man in blue and green scrubs stepped into a large theatre and was welcomed with the smell of drugs, sweat and blood. "Welcome surgeon. We have twenty emerg
- LAYLA
TERRIFIC STAGE
"I have heard many unbelievable things in my life, but the thought of getting killed by reading a book baffles me," one of the officers on duty announced as soon as their August visitors were driven out of their presence.""You won't be surprised if you were on this island some years ago. I grow up here and I can tell you much about the power of that evil girl.""You have my ears, though I don't think you will be able to convince me. As I said earlier, I am a sceptical person when it comes to supernatural things," the man announced."Steve is running his mouth because he is a stranger on this island... Let me tell him a story that will give him goosebumps.""You have my ears," the man named Steve answered as he peered into the eyes of his comrades, and the daring glare on his face made them giggle among themselves."If you are as bold as you claimed, then go and read her book.""Of course, I will. I already removed the one inside that chopper, and it's here with me.""You are crazy!"
