MISSING IN THE WOODS

NOTE: This story is based on Author's fiction. It does not apply to any real-incidents or historical references.

15 APRIL 2002

GREEN BERG RESORT, IDUKKI

Angelin goes to Green Berg Resort located in Idukki for a camping vacation along with her two children and husband Jose. One of the best resorts in Idukki, this property is a beautiful spot, especially for those who crave for panoramic and scenic views. It has a charming landscaped garden, lakes, vegetable farms and a superb pool. The extraordinary view of the green hills and meadows that covers it, makes it look uniquely eye-catching. The rooms are fully furnished and are equipped with all the modern amenities.

The next day, Angelin took her three children for Thommankuthu waterfalls. It's a famous spot in Idukki. She informed her husband John David regarding the same saying: "There's a famous waterfalls nearby. We would go there and return immediately."

They starts to walk towards the forest road, through which they have to reach the waterfalls. While walking for some distance, they realize it's full of dense trees, bushes and few more dangerous plants. And the forest is full of stones and dangerous rocks.

Angelin realized that, "It's impossible for a single vehicle to pass inside the forest. To say in further, vehicles have not come for the past few days. It's such an isolated and reserved forest area." They once again walked into the forest for some distance. There, a turn comes. Downside, a stream have beem flowing. From there after some distances, the waterfalls is there.

But the place is so dense with poisonous plants, some dangerous insects and big trees. Only after crossing this dangerous place, they could be able to cross the stream. But, Angelin's four year old son Christy said: "Mom. I can't wear shoes." Till now, he have accompanied them without wearing shoes. Nothing seems to worry Angelin. But to walk in this dangerous path(full of poisonous plants and insects), shoes are definitely needed.

So, Angelin asked Christy to stay somewhere in the place. She leaves her elder son Joseph to protect and support Christy. Joseph is just 6-years old.

Angelin holded the hands of Joseph. Looking closer to his eyes, she said: "See da. Take care of Christy. Be cautious and alert. I and Albert will go to find the way for waterfalls by crossing the stream." Albert is 10-years old. He is the elder brother of Joseph and Christy.

"Once checking the possibilities to reach the waterfalls, we will return and take you back to the site of falls." Angelin said and proceeded the journey with Albert. Christy didn't mind the words of his mother. He sits nearby the woods. But, a 6-year old Joseph was terribly upset that he wasn't able to see the waterfalls as the first person.

Yet he sat with Christy. Meanwhile, Angelin and her elder son Albert reached the stream by crossing the dangerous woods. The distance between Christ and Angelin's location are not that far. It's just fifteen meters. They can't see each other. But, they are closer.

Meanwhile, Joseph becomes frustrated. He decides to leave Christy behind because of his curiosity to see the waterfalls. He had several thoughts in his mind. He thinks that: "His mother and elder brother will be playing happily in the waterfalls."

Leaving Christy behind, Joseph goes to see the waterfalls and his mother Angelin by crossing poisonous plants and insects. Looking at Joseph, Angelin becomes angry. She lashed out at him and asked, "Hey Jose. I said you to take care of Christy. Why did you come here?" Albert scolds him.

Now, they immediately rushes to the place, where Christy had been sitting in the woods. But, Christy is missing. He is not there in that place. Initially, Angelin didn't fear that, "Someone could have kidnapped Christy from the place" or "Something have happened to Christy." Since, this road is an isolated area, where no cars and vehicles can come. And there's no sounds of such vehicles.

Angelin's first thought is that, "Christy will be standing near some trees or somewhere around them." Angelin and her sons shout the name of Christy to know where's he. The name's echo is heard in the roads.

However there's no reply from Christy. All over the forest and place, there's no sign of Christy's presence. After a few minutes, Angelin start to panic. Her heartbeat starts to increase. They are unable to believe whether this is truth. They wondered how Christy went missing within the gap of 60 seconds.

"Christy..." Angelin once again shouted her 4-year old son's name. Now also, there's no response. Hence, Angelin runned to the resort with her sons- Joseph and Albert. There, she informed John David that, "Christy is missing." He immediately informed the police. A big hunt for search begins in the forestry of Thommankuthu waterfalls.

When police arrived they asked one question to Angelin and her two sons.

"Did you heard any sounds?" They further said, "Christy was 15 meters away from them. Definitely, they should have sensed some sounds that is unusual. The sounds of vehicles, car, or some animals..."

"Kindly think deep and tell us mam." The police officer asked Angelin. However, she denied saying that, "They didn't sense such kind of strange sounds." So, police didn't get any strong starting point to move this case. Also, there's no deep water flows or steep slopes except for the venomous snakes, poisonous plants and insects, which are common in the rainforests of Western Ghats.

The police conducts a widespread search all over the forest including the waterfalls hoping to get one single clue about Christy. Such as his small cloth and some other things. There's no improvement in the case even when they searched for three days of time.

So the police officers brings in Blood Hound dogs to move this case. Blood Hound dogs are more powerful. The dog smelled the shoes of Christy(given by the police officer). After smelling the shoe it turned back towards logging road. The dog went deep inside the forest for four kilometers(almost) straight(without sny turnings). The dog stands at a place, which divides into two path.

Around and nearby this place, it's wet and muddy. The police team conducts a widespread search in that place hoping to get back Christy. But, this plan also failed miserably. Since there's no sign of Christy's presence.

One week passed as such. The police stopped searching for Christy. Since, there's no improvement in the case.

20 YEARS LATER

2022

A 26-year old Joseph is still regretting for his mistake, that lead to the missing of Christy. He repents and feels guilty for his stupid mistake. The police officer who investigated this case have said to the media in 2002 stating that, "We weren't able to confirm what exactly happened to Christy. But, we think that he could have been kidnapped by someone. Since, Christy should have returned when his mother shouted his name. But he didn't. It indicates that, there are chances for kidnapping when he wasn't found in the widespread search all over the forest."

Joseph took this last words of the police investigator. He made his own theory: "If this is true, some human should have kidnapped my Christy. But, this is an isolated forest area. Who could be the person in such place?"

"There were very few campers in the camping and resort site. So, if a human have kidnapped Christy, they should have planned it earlier. They should have followed us in the forest to kidnap my brother, when I left him as such in the woods. It's impossible for them to mute the shouts of Christy in 60 seconds."

After several theories that he wrote in his note for the past few years, Joseph concludes that: "Some supernatural element is involved in the missing of Christ. It should have done something bad to him." He kept the diary asides and moved on to the kitchen room, in order to help his 30-year old brother Albert. When he goes inside the kitchen, the note fell down from the table with the paper, "Missing in the woods" turning here and there.