Oh God. I knew something like this would happen. Still, I wasn't mentally prepared.
That man—he's massive. One hit from him and I'll be splattered like a bug.
No. No no no. I don't want to die. I'm too young. I haven't lived at all.
"KuKuKu!"
His voice was as greasy as his presence.
"Not gonna lie, you look tasty," he said, grinning. "Rahul told me you were an ugly little stick, but he was wrong. That boy's got poor taste. He'll learn."
"What is happening?" Bappi's voice shook.
The man tilted his head in surprise. "Wait… how are you still awake? Rahul said you were knocked out."
"I knew something was off—especially with Rahul," Bappi said, rising to his feet. "Thank God I followed Walid's instructions. Now, someone tell me what the hell is going on!"
"Bappi," I said quickly, "this man is here to kill us. He and Rahul— they're working together. They're behind last year's murders too. Serial killers!"
Bappi's face went pale. "You're kidding, right? I had dreams… I wanted to become a movie director… win an Oscar… and now I'm about to get murdered by a guy in a lungi? No. This has to be a dream!"
He pinched himself.
"Nope. Not a dream."
The killer chuckled, wearing a loose t-shirt and a blood-stained lungi. "Don't worry, boys. You'll be put to good use. I'll make sure you're cooked and served to my best customers. You'll be more valuable on someone's plate than you are right now."
Bappi sighed. "He's out of line—but not wrong. I feel like a useless fool. Walid kept acting weird, and I ignored it. It was all because of Rahul… that little piece of shit used us."
"No, Bappi. You were just being yourself. Rahul played us. He was a damn good actor."
The man raised his knife. "Enough talk. Time to die. Now… who wants to go first?"
"Wait!" I shouted. "Can we see Rahul one last time?"
"Hah," the killer said, amused. "I'm not a complete monster. I just have a love for… culinary art. Come on out, son. Say goodbye to your friends."
Rahul stepped out of the shadows with a twisted smile.
"Ehehehehe… What now? Gonna beg for your lives? Not happening. You were never my friends. Get real."
"So… he really is your father," I said. "I thought maybe he was just manipulating you. That there was still some hope."
"Nope," Rahul replied proudly. "That's my dad. We're partners. I even give him new ideas sometimes."
I slowly edged behind Bappi.
"Why?" Bappi asked. "Is this a cult? You kill people for fun? Are you just like your father?"
"I don't enjoy it," Rahul said casually. "I do it for money. To help my father. He's addicted to it. I wasn't always like this… it all changed two years ago."
Rahul's voice dipped into a dark calm.
"We were dirt poor three years back. I lived with my grandparents and mom. My parents had divorced, and Dad was gone, working in far-off cities. Mom worked hard. Too hard. One night, she didn't come back. That never happened before. She wasn't that type. But my grandparents were too sick to help, and they told me to wait. So I waited."
He swallowed hard.
"I searched the next day. Nothing. Days passed. Then someone told me they found her. She had been killed—brutally. The police said… she was raped. Gang-raped."
Bappi covered his mouth. I couldn't speak.
"I was a kid. I went mad. I bit my nails until I hit skin. I wanted to destroy them. But no one helped. The police were bribed. When we tried to go higher, they threatened us. So we stayed quiet."
"One night, Dad came back. He had been working on a small restaurant. Brought food. But not just food. He brought revenge."
Rahul's tone grew hollow.
"He took me into the woods. We went to a garage where those gang bastards used to hang out. He had a sword. Small, sharp, military-style. Dad used to be in the army, you see. He slaughtered them—every single one. I watched it all."
"He didn't stop at killing. He… desecrated them. One of them was still alive, begging for mercy. I picked up a brick and smashed his head in. That night changed everything. The police thought it was a gang war. No one suspected us."
"After that, we left. Took the grandparents to a retirement home. Then moved to the city. That's when we started… this."
"There are rich clients who pay Dad to cook human meat. Sometimes, we even get contracts—like this one."
"What?" I shouted. "You were ordered to kill us?"
Rahul shrugged. "I think I've said enough. You don't want to know who's behind it. It'll just hurt more."
His father laughed. "You've never talked this much to a victim before. Do you… like these boys?"
Rahul narrowed his eyes. "No. Kill them already. They're nobodies."
The killer stepped forward.
But I was ready.
Baam!
A shot rang out.
The killer collapsed.
Shot clean through the skull.
Blood. Blood. Blood.
It sprayed across the walls and floor.
Bappi stood frozen. Jaw dropped.
Rahul screamed.
"Father! Father! NOOOO!"
He collapsed beside the corpse, sobbing, shaking him violently.
"Why?! Why did you shoot him? How did you get that gun?! Wake up, Father! Don't leave me!"
Then, he turned to me. Eyes blazing.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
He grabbed the knife and lunged at me.
I raised the gun.
But before I could fire, the door burst open.
Detective Tihsan appeared, kicking Rahul across the face and knocking him to the floor.
Rahul tried to run, but he was no match.
"Drop the knife!" Tihsan shouted. "We can talk this out! You're still a kid—don't waste your life!"
Rahul trembled. "Talk this out?! My father's dead. You gave him the gun, didn't you? It's your fault!"
"Your father was a murderer—and so are you," Tihsan snapped. "But I can still help you. Drop the knife before it's too late."
"Fuck you! And fuck you two!" he screamed, pointing at me and Bappi. "Remember what I told you, Walid? My grandparents are still in that retirement home. I send them letters every month. You'll find the address in my box."
"Just stop," I said, stepping forward. "Tell us who ordered this. Help us stop them."
"Yeah," Bappi added. "Drop the knife. Your dad's gone. You don't have to go down with him."
Rahul stared at us.
Then, without a word, he turned the knife…
…and stabbed himself.
Right in the stomach.
"Shit!" Tihsan shouted. "NO!"
Rahul collapsed.
Blood poured. Fast.
"He's not gonna make it," Tihsan muttered. "Even if we get him to a hospital…"
He knelt beside him. "Tell us! Who ordered it? Give us a name! Don't die alone—drag them with you!"
Rahul gave a faint smile.
And died.
I stared in silence.
Oh no. What have we done?
Bappi stood beside me, pale. "Is this a dream?"
Tihsan turned to me. "Give me the gun, kid. We messed up."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry…"
"No. It's my fault," he said. "I was reckless. I should've tied him up. We lost our lead. Everything's gone."
Bappi shouted, "What is going on?! Will someone please explain?!"
"I will," I said weakly. "Later. I… I can't."
I leaned over…
…and vomited.
Tihsan took out his phone. "I'll call the police. Don't worry—no one from your school will find out. But this isn't over. The real killer… might still be inside the school."
He looked us both in the eye.
"Go home. From here on… I'll take care of everything."