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2024-10-29 19:42:56"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 at the book in his hand, then at the forlorn-looking woman and asked, "when did you buy this particular novel?"
"Late yesterday night. We received a truck filled with novels and the students were the ones that picked their favourite among the lots."
"How many pieces of it were inside the consignment?"
"Hundred pieces. But some were kept in store so that the old one can be replaced whenever necessary."
"Did you notice all the students with this novel in their front were the ones who committed suicide?"
"Oh my gosh! You mean this book is cursed."
"Something close to that... Please pack all the books from this author into a sack. I need to go through them and see what they contained"
"Okay, officer."
"And inform all the staff to assemble at the administrator's office. I have some words to discuss with them."
"It will be done."
Zuma released the breath he wasn't aware of holding, and grazed at the book in his hand for the tenth time, and the black-eyed girl seemed to send a kind of panic through him.
He isn't the type that gets easily panicked, and he had been risking his life for as long as he can remember. According to his belief, what is worth working for, is worth dying for.Growing up, almost everything had made him scared. Darkness, height, water, and even friendly pets. But after getting employed as a cop, his duty made him realize that the world is not for the weak in heart, but for the hard-hearted."This was the eye I saw on that old woman's face as she took her life... Did you remember?"
"Yes. It was completely black like this girl's eyes. I believe this is a hunch that needed to be investigated. "
"The first thing to do is to read what it contains. That way, we will know what to arrest the publisher with. I think it contains manipulative information or something more occultic."
"The author is dead, and it was published by Netherlands publishers," Isabella read the back page of the novel, glanced up at her boss, and let out, "it is published under the pseudonym name, Dr Faustus."
"So strange. That was the name of a character in a movie I watched when growing up. He was a German scholar who leave the path of Christian conscience and followed the angel of damnation."
"Very spooky. The fact that it comes with the warning that it contains messages that will make life to be unbearable and death more adorable makes it spookier."
"I agree it is," Zuma answered back, walking towards the team of forensics, and concerned police departments as they marched inside.
"This is sad. What happened over here?"
"Something beyond imagination. Make sure no reporter gets closer to the crime scene and forbade any unauthorized recording of their corpses. They were minors and we should be careful not to give the media the spices they were looking for."
"You are right. They were nothing but parasites. And they only feed on humans' miseries."
Zuma nodded in agreement, signalled to Isabella, and the pair stepped out of the library and arrived inside the administrator's office in a few minutes.
All the eyes peering at them had one thing in common.Teary!"Am sorry for your loss. As you were all aware, there is a kind of sickness that is making people end their lives, and I hypothesise that those who died had made contact with this book in my hand."
"Gush!"
"You mean all our students killed themselves because they read this book?"
"That was the hypothesis as I earlier stated. Until we conduct a full investigation into this case, I want you to see this as housewife gossip."
"You may be right. The relation is too obvious to be a coincidence.""My problem is what to tell the parents who entrust the cares of their children to us."
"It's a general sickness, and this is the third suicide scene we will be inspecting this morning," Isabella let out.
"I will be going with the copies of the book in your library and store, and I want you to warn all your students from having anything to do with it.""Please be fast with your investigations. This may be deadlier than you think."
"It sounds like a kind of weapon was hidden inside the book, a weapon so powerful that all you need is to go through the second page... Boom, you are dead!"
"The best way to find out is to have someone read it out for all of us. Am sure we won't all be bewitched at a time."
"With due respect, I won't be part of this suggestion.""I suggest we should let the polices do their job. That is what they were paid for, and I believe they will unravel this mystery soon."
The administrator sighed when all his staff refused to listen to the book of death, shrugged and announced, "I need one of the copies. The information may be able to bewitch children, but not strong enough for someone of my exposure."
"You are wrong, sir. Death is not respectful of anyone's age or sex. The best way is to fight the desire to read the book."
"Nevertheless, I want a copy. Knowing the police for who they were, this may end as a mystery, and I won't forgive myself whenever I remembered that I have the chance to know the truth."
"I'm warning you in the presence of all your staff. This is a suicidal wish."
"I don't care."
"Don't give it to him. Boss."
"These are my properties, remembered? As long as the court of law did not ban the reading of it, I have the right to collect all the novels back from your hand."
"Apology. You will need to come to our headquarters to claim it. As for now, all the copies of this book are confiscated," Zuma answered with a fixed smile, offer a mock bowed and turned about, and then walked out of the presence of the gawking staff and was followed by his ever-dotting assistance.
"Wait for me," Isabella raced after him, arrived at his side, breathed out loud and let out, "that administrator is so annoying and I was tempted to fulfil his death wish."
"Am not. I have a lot in my hand and don't want to add his death to my headache."
"We can't pass the front gate. The place will be filled by the press people."
"Gush! Where is their rear gate?"
"I have no idea," Isabella answered back, turned backwards and announced, "let's go and ask those ladies."
The two ladies seemed to be searching for Zuma, and the grim look on their faces made the sturdy policeman increase his stride.
"What happened?"
"There is one extra copy of LAYLA that was added as a bonus."
"Where is it?"
"The driver that brought the book arrived immediately after you left the meeting spot."
"And our administrator collected it from his hand and ordered all of us out of his room."
"He must be insane."
"No doubt he is."
"Let's go and check him now!"
"Damn, bastard!"
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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
LAYLA A FAIR BARGAIN
The twilight appeared before Alan and Danny reached their island, and the pair hide the jewel, and then carried the black-eyed girl to the village clinic. "What is this?" A white-dressed female nurse gawked at the unconscious little girl, and her shabby dress. "Your question should be who is this, and not what is this." "We found her like this in the middle of the sea and brought her here. You can take care of her, can't you?" "Of course. But because she is a minor, we need to know her relatives in case any unforeseen occurrence occurs." "We don't know her family or relatives. As we said earlier, she was seen in the middle of the sea, and it is our charitable character that made us bring her back." "Please come with me. Perhaps the doctor in charge will give her special consideration." "After you, Miss." As soon as the nurse turned and stepped into the intensive care unit, the two fishermen looked into each other's eyes, gestured and promptly take to their heels. And were la
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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
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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
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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!"
