My Wrath! (#1)

1

Where else would the sunflower turn to, if not where the sunlight is?

That's what my mother used to say to me before snuggling me into bed every night. I had no idea what that phrase meant; I was just waiting for the story that came after it. When Mother told me this story, she was always serious. 

My 'MOTHER,' as we all called her, had no name or identity, only that she was my mother, our mother. My time at Seth's orphanage could not be described as exciting. I was trained not to feel or identify with others, and as a result, I grew up to be very cold and...

"Selfish. Maya, you are such a cold-hearted person, I despise you," Jiya shouted, slamming the bottle of finished wine on the table. She tossed the bottle across the room while screaming. 

"Oh, Jiya. Jiya, my dear. It's fine," Angelia, our housekeeper, cooed. Angelia felt she could disguise her late-fifties wrinkles by using too much makeup, but I think it simply made her look older. I told you I was rude. 

Angelia gave me a look. "Maya. Apologize NOW". 

Wow, what a change in the expression.

"It's not my fault Raya's Elite Academy didn't accept her. They offered us a scholarship, and she failed, nothing more shameful than that," I remarked gently, realising that it was pointless to try to talk to these two. 

"But, at the very least, you could have warned your sister about what was going to be asked in an interview, couldn't you?" Angelia remarked this while rubbing something from Jiya's cheeks that was no longer tears because I know that girl wasn't even crying from the start.

Raya academy. It is a place where dreams become true, where the grass meets the sky, and where the heavenly clouds themselves fall on the ground.

These are not my words; they were cringely printed on the posters when I was placed on the interview waiting list. 

Well, the institution was divided into two classes, one that has normal students, you know normal? As in just normal. And another class, which Jia was crying about, was the Elite class. 

This institutional elite test is open to students from all around India. The exam included two written papers, one medical and fitness exam, and an interview at the end. Not going to lie, the exams were quite difficult. Knowing Jia, she would have been disqualified in the first round.

There were a total of 12 children at the orphanage, with only one maid, Angelia, in charge of us. Mother vanished three years ago and never returned. Where is she? How is she? What caused her to abandon us? 

When we realised she wasn't coming back, the children stopped asking questions. 

I hurried along the corridors, past Angelia and Jiya, because the crying was becoming unbearable. I was walking up the stairs on the second floor when I noticed a few moist wall fragments tumble down. I'm not going to lie, this orphanage will decompose in a few years.

 "Mayaaa", a pleasant voice echoed in the corridor, and two warm hands wrapped around me, engulfing me in a tight hug. I looked up to see two hazel eyes staring down at me. Amruta is the eldest child at our orphanage, and it is entirely to her that we get our daily meals. 

She pulled me out of the hug and led me to her room. "How did the interview go?" She inquired, perplexed. I could still smell shampoo in her damp hair, which was kind of comforting. I smiled and reciprocated her hug while giving a big affirmative nod.

"That's my sister," the footsteps reached inside, and I saw Ryan standing with his hands clasped. I raced up to him and hit him in the gut. 

"I called you, and you didn't answer," I grumbled. He lifted me, led me to the bed, and forced me to sit between him and Amruta. 

"Ouch. And you're getting stronger as well," he pinched my cheeks and gazed at Amruta. Ryan was my second oldest cousin after Amruta. I owe them a lot. 

"Are you staying?" Amruta asked, and I looked at Ryan, expecting him to answer yes. But, as usual, he didn't. 

"I'd leave tomorrow after Maya's admission to Raya," he said to Amruta, never once looking at her.

Amruta tried to disguise her emotions as usual, which was followed by an unnerving silence that I believe I will have to break. 

"So the academy said to be on campus at 8 a.m. sharp, in the hostel dorm, and there will be no return after that," my voice cracked slightly at the end. So that was the end of it. I was finally leaving Seth's orphanage. 

"Hey, it's all right," Ryan murmured, caressing my hair. I could hear his softly paced heartbeat as he drew me closer to his chest. "You were always astute. You deserve it," Ryan added. 

"Yeah, and it's not like you're never going to come back to the orphanage, vacations will be allotted and at that time we will all have fun," Amruta said as she kissed my forehead, her hazel eyes like Mother's. An immediate sense of relaxation rushed over me. Ryan had the same kind of eyes. I used to wonder if they were our mother's children, rather than adopted children who had been abandoned by their biological parents.

"Then I guess I should start packing," I squeaked, my adrenaline pumping through my veins. Ryan chuckled, "Oh, you better hurry, before I come and pack your bag. Then the only things you'll find in your bag will be a toothbrush and a pair of undies."

"Ew, Ryan. Goodbye, Amruta di'' I waved at them and dashed down the corridor, stopping at the last room. The same smell of books and coffee permeated the room, as did Chichi's litter. Chichi was my hamster, who I rescued when I was five years old. Pets were not permitted because Angelia was allergic to them, but Mother allowed me to keep them. 

"Hey Chichi, I'm going to Raya Academy. Can you imagine?" I told Chichi, though I knew she didn't understand a word I said and must have imagined me as some foolish and commonplace person who was nothing but harsh and a burden to society. Which is correct.

2

"We should have told her," Ryan snarled with venom in every tone. 

"Don't be such a moron. She is going to live the life of her dreams," Amruta continued.

"Oh, for God's sake. Amruta, how long has it been since we last spoke the truth? We lied to society. We lied to the cops. We lied to our cousins. For what?" Ryan shouted not before shutting the door behind him.

"To protect them," Amruta explained as she folded her freshly washed garments. Ryan laughed... maniacally. 

"Another falsehood. How many more sis, han? How many more, since we also take our cousins to the grave?" 

"Shut up, Ryan," Amruta sighed loudly.

"No, I won't. Maya is just 16, and we have sent her to that hell. That Raya Academy"

"What the hell, Ryan?-"

"-You and I both know, that's where it all began, that's where the nightmares became a reality for us and that's where our...Mother died"

3

"I am sorry but you are not allowed inside," The guard said, devoid of any emotion. 

The kid in front of him fumbled with words that were unable to come out of her throat.

"I… I....it's just..." She stammered.

"She is one of the students. Can't you see the badge?" Maya exclaimed, eventually shouting. 

The guard looked at the golden badge that hung on their uniform. Elite kids. He read one badge that said...Maya...just Maya and the fumbling kid's badge name mentioned...Koel Tanuja.

"I am so sorry. I did not know...you both were in an elite batch. My apologies"

He continued in his hoarse voice and an unwelcomed gesture.

"Welcome to the Raya Academy, Maya, and Koel. This place holds many memories of me and my son-"

"Cut the crap", Maya grabbed Koel's hand and dragged her inside the campus without batting an eye towards the guard.

"Huh. Kids nowadays", he grunted. The guard closed the big gate and turned back to his regular emotionless routine.

The guard wasn't knowing that the threat was not someone outside, but it lurked inside. 

Three men holding a glass of wine stood near the balcony of the magnificent building. It looked more like a castle than a school.

"Is she a threat?" One man asked

"You think so?" Another man objected.

"It's impossible. How can she be? Don't think about it-" Said the third and the last man in the room.

The two men laughed but the third man didn't join them.

Now only two men were holding a glass of wine, standing near the balcony of the building.

4

The lectures began as normal. It became less and less like regular schooling, but the hype didn't outweigh the tedious lectures that no one wanted to hear. Though arithmetic was my favorite subject, it's difficult to concentrate when your bench mate is busy applying gloss and making smacking noises.

"Would you mind lowering that?" I became enraged.

The girl next to me smiled sarcastically and put her lip gloss back into her sling purse. What is she even carrying in that sling bag? Definitely not books.

"Oh, sorry, Chaya," she apologized in a squeaky voice.

"It's Maya," I banged my palms on the table, capturing everyone's attention. Koel gave me a worried twitch, which she does about 90% of the time.

Amid the hubbub, I failed to see that our professor had already arrived. 

"I hope Maya and Shalini can fight after my lecture." "Not during one," he responded quietly, maintaining his register on the teachers' table.

Shalini scoffed, and I responded with a middle finger. Few people exclaimed, and Shalini was speechless. 

Professor Rudra's chalk broke while writing on the board, resulting in a screaming sound that wasn't particularly pleasing to the ears.

He twisted his torso and stretched his hands on the desk as the table supported his entire body weight. His massive shoulders sagged on both sides, indicating that he had some awful news to deliver to us. As per usual.

"So that class performance was the worst," he stretched the term the, emphasizing the seriousness. He reminds me of a few Harry Potter characters, specifically a cross between Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy.

 "Only two people passed the test," he said, gazing at the mark sheet in his record. 

Shalini began to comb her hair through, just in case the professor called. But I knew who it was going to be "Koel and Shubam," he said, clapping only three times. Everyone, even Shalini, applauded after his third time. I noticed a flush on Koel's cheeks as she rose, but I couldn't see Shubam, who appeared to be AWOL once again.

"No need to stand, Keol, I'm not going to award any medals for the scores," the professor added as he adjusted his spectacles. Poor Koel. She sat down with a bang and hid her face beneath her long, thick hair. I felt like assaulting the professor, but that would just land me in jail without even murdering him at the end of the semester.

He went on. "You are aware that the world is huge. It wouldn't wait for you....blah...blah...doctor....engineer...iit" he never stopped talking. His so-called inspiring lecture gave us goosebumps until the last line caught everyone's attention: "So, as far as I can tell, your grades are the worst." However, you can boost it by a few points by taking some CAP." 

CAP, or creativity activity points, are extra points awarded by the school to students who participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, cheerleading, arts, music, clubs, and so on. But they didn't pique my curiosity. 

"So there would be a sheet put up on the bulletin board that said which club you would join, and only after joining and working there for at least six months would you get the CAP," he said as he took the registration and went without looking back. This was a new type of threat from the school side, which riled me up. Why should I join the club they would assign me? I wanted to be a part of the maths club. But I'm not getting it now. 

My eyes expanded more than a dragon's eyes when I saw the sheet. 

Koel snatched my chilly hand in her warm ones and jingled with delight, as she was a topper, she wasn't forced to join a club, and she came here to examine my results. Shalini's name was listed under cheerleading and gymnastics club, and she was dancing all the way through. I noticed a few boys and girls who were joyful and sad, displaying mixed feelings. Me? Oh, I'm not sure what to expect. Should I burst out laughing like a lunatic? Or should I just scream my heart out about the horrible decision I made for myself?

Heels clicked across the matted floor, as I turned my head.

"How much did you get?" Shalini inquired, giggling.

"She got the most interesting club," Koel exclaimed with delight.

I could appreciate Koel's eagerness, but not right now.

"Oh really," Shalini smirked, "let me see." She shoved me and Koel aside, only to glance at me with wide eyes when she saw the results.

Yes. I was the sole person chosen for the club. The one and unique. Nobody knew about the club, even if it was twisted... the Murder Club.

5

You can't see the red flags through rose-tinted glasses.

True that. Because there is nothing I can see through those windows. I should have known what I was doing and, more importantly, what the outcome would be. The ancient building's third story housed the murder club. There are three buildings in all. The one where I go to school and the old school building are both in Mumbai and one is in Bangalore. 

I took cautious steps up the stairs because the noises made me understand it was going to collapse at any movement.  I regret my decision; it will be added to my collection of regrets. 

The walls were crumbling, and I peered over the small map provided by Professor Rudra; to be honest, he seemed more interested in me joining this murder club.

I continued along the third-floor corridor. The air looked frigid and dense here. My lungs were hurting for some reason, and my cough echoed throughout the building. Eerie. 

I entered the room and noticed a board dangling from the newly constructed door, the only thing that didn't smell of mold. Murder Club was boldly etched in red....marker? Given the circumstances, I'm hoping it's not blood.

Even though it was still afternoon, the room was entirely dark. The air was lighter here, but still a little dusty.

"Hello?" I said loudly, my courage rising within me.

"Surprise," a voice exclaimed.

My soul just left my body. My heart is simply too sensitive for such things. It irritates me.

"What the heck?" I grabbed my chest and was consciously unaware of how I was lying on the floor.

"We just wanted to throw you a party," a guy wearing spectacles grumbled. He wiped his specks and placed them on his nose. His healthy body did not fit into that little jumper he was wearing. Isn't he supposed to be wearing a new uniform?

"We?" I inquired, and all I could see was him with a popper.

"Oh, that's right, yeah I call her, ah…bossss?" He yelled in the corridor. 

 

And then he was gone, and I wished I could stop him.

 He left me in this pit hole, but something stopped me. Maybe the adage - curiosity kills the cat - would perfectly match me after my death by this boss.

After a brief period of waiting and calculating the number of tiles in the room, the boss made a grand entrance. 

I could hear the clipping and trodding of heels as if it was done on purpose.

"Your act of submission and trusting others might be your negative point, but your way of deducting a situation interests me." "You've been hired," she said.

When she entered the room light, I gave her a proper look. She must be 5'9" with her hair in a tight ponytail. I took a glance at her clothes and wondered if she was allowed to wear them to school.

"Oh, I don't study at your school," she remarked, as if reading my mind, and took a seat at the circular table in the center.

Nobody would show up with a deep-neck white shirt and a short black skirt that ended just above her mid-thigh. I was truly impressed by this woman.

"You can call me boss, Maya." And here's your first mission from our customer," she continued, rising from her chair and lighting a cigar she had brought with her.

"Ah, but who are you?" Do you, for example, work at the school? And clients, what are-" Immediately, a finger was slapped on my mouth without allowing me to finish my sentence. 

"I don't have a name, Maya. I'm simply identified as boss-" She puffed some smoke, which made me feel nauseated for a second but I kept my attitude under control.

"-and client's details are confidential, rest all the necessary details are in here," she said, pointing to a single sheet of paper on the far edge of the table.

"So this is like a murder club?" I inquired. "Do you mean solving it?" 

It was the boss who answered. Pretty, pouty, preppy: all the Ps. “Don’t be boring, darling,” she said. “Solving it, committing it. We go both ways, you know.” She kissed the tip of her finger and ran it down my face, over my lips to my heart.

6

I dashed out of the dilapidated structure. These insane people. They wanted me to catch the murderer. When I reviewed the M-sheet she provided me, it contained all of the details concerning the scenario. I had no choice but to collect my luggage and flee as soon as my hormones and brain would allow. 

I leaped from the old building to our newer building because the gate between them was closed and the wall was just 4 feet tall. I could easily run and climb.

Thud. 

I had a rough landing on someone. My elbow hit someone's chin, which may have caused electricity to run through their body. I apologized hastily while giving a glance to the person.

A Gardner?

When he spotted my elite badge, he promptly apologized. But there was something else in his gaze, something venomous.

I raced out of there without making a scene, but my strange running completely knocked a few flower points, I guess I have to pay for them. 

7

"Wow, so it's a real investigation!" Koel stated eagerly. Based on her zeal, she should have been the one to join the murder club, not me; I don't even have detective skills like her.

She proceeded without taking a sip. "So the sheet said, a 16-year-old boy, was murdered, and his body has yet to be found." And someone from our academy murdered him? Gosh!" She added to the drama by slapping her hands on her head.

"So, when are we going to solve it?" She asked, her eyes twinkling.

As much as I admire her excitement, it made me happy to say no to her and be a killjoy.

She sighed and pulled the blanket over her head. Only at nine o'clock do the hostel lights go down. It's strange how the world works; when I was in the orphanage, I used to have fun until eleven o'clock and then sleep at midnight.

But what if I needed a change? 

Do it. She commanded. It will help you. You can trust me.

Why are the boss's remarks echoing in my head? And why am I even referring to her as a boss?

I let out a sigh. I took another look at the M-sheet. As much as I want to chuck it, something stops my hand, Was it my heart, telling me to at least be polite once in a while and do something good? Was that the ghost of the deceased boy? 

I hope the latter is correct.

8

Lectures were becoming too frantic, and the number of books in my hand weighed more than my heft. Nonetheless, I need to improve my pointers because I can't stand being in that club. I took "biology 101" from the shelf, only to have a piece of paper disintegrate at my feet.

"Abandon the case," was scrawled on the paper, and the ink was smudged. I licked the paper, the wetness of the gel pen remaining on my tongue, the strong poisonous ink taste scrunching my taste buds. Someone wrote it just now. Who? Who could have sent such a frightening message on campus, in front of everyone? 

I took a look around. Aha. Of course, he was there.

Thought as if I can't see the face, someone was spying on me from the second bookshelf. 

I crouched slightly so he couldn't see me and approached him carefully. His eyes were feverishly searching for me, checking to see if I had left the library. 

I swiftly grabbed his collar, but he was too powerful for me and freed his body.

"Wait a minute, Shastri ji!" I pursued the gardener. He also creeped me out the first time we met. I looked at his LinkedIn profile. In the accident, his wife and...daughter were both killed. And I also heard that the driver of the car was someone from my school. What if, in a fit of rage, he murdered...?

I ran as quickly as I could. 

"Stop Shastri or I'll call security," I cried. The children nearby were perplexed by my behavior, but didn't keep a watch on me when they knew I was often in trouble, and mistook this for a hoax. 

When he heard the word "security," the watchman dashed towards us. He seized Shastri's hands and punched him indiscriminately till he lost movement and collapsed to his knees. 

"I...didn't...do anything," he sobbed.

"Then why were you running?" I exclaimed, completely ignorant of the audience I had attracted.

"I wanted to warn you...that...someone was on their way to kill you," he wailed. 

 Tears streamed from his eyes, gripping my heart. Sheesh. Why? Why would a 46-year-old man sobbing in front of me make me sad?

"You look so much like my daughter," he remarked, before the watchman struck his head pretty hard, knocking Shastri ji out.

"Wait. Leave him alone. "I'll take care of him," I said to the guard, who was sweating more excessively than everyone else.

"No," he replied. That's all.

"What the hell-" I was cut off when he sagged the gardener's body against his right shoulder.

"She said...put...him down," someone in the audience said. This lovely voice has already registered in my brain. It had to have been Koel.

The guard turned slowly, his eyes filled with wrath, but why?

I sensed his grasp on Shastri Ji tightening, and that's when I realized. His right hand's fingers were not just the color of his skin or blood but also had a bluish tint to them. For the record, we just refer to it as...ink. 

"You wrote the letter," I asserted boldly. Koel gazed at me, perplexed, unaware of what was going on around her. 

The guard began laughing uncontrollably. 

"What evidence do you have?" He grinned.

That's when I snapped. Criminals have the chutzpah to conduct crime as if it were a game, grinning as if they had won a trophy when caught. My eyes followed his hands.

"The smeared ink. "The same ink used in gel pens," I hastily stated.

"That's all there is to it. That is how you deduce this situation. By blaming someone like me? By accusing someone who has been employed at this institution for 15 years." He exaggerated his left-hand movement to evoke sympathy from the assembled crowd. 

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Professor Rudra having a heated discussion with...the boss?! He noticed my gaze and dragged her back into the building.

Weird.

I returned my focus to the guard.

"Exactly. Working for years at this institution connects a link to your past," I said, his frown confirming I was on the right track.

"So. "Didn't you have a son?" He was taken aback when I questioned him calmly. When I joined the institution, I had already taken out the past information for a few important people in the school and included him too.

"Your child was killed ten years ago, correct?" And, if I'm not mistaken, it was none other than Pratyush Mohite, isn't that right, Mr. Chinmay Mohite?" He exclaimed. His eyes were welling up with tears. He didn't, however, cry. Rage formed a covering over his eyes, ordering him to seek vengeance.

"So you only got half of the story. "Kind of expected from the Tanuja's," his nostrils fumed as he gazed at Koel.

When I looked at Koel, she looked as perplexed as I did. 

"The Tanuja family has a connection to this institution." "Koel, the sole heir, got in, but my son didn't," his rage boiling over.

"So you killed him for such a silly reason?!" Koel's question was surprising. 

"Oh, you believe that, Ms. Tanuja. He was murdered by your family. My son was smarter than you and any of the other children here. Nonetheless, your family paid a ransom to the institution and obtained entry. I knew it was you the moment I saw you," he replied, sweating more from his hands. He threw Shastri to the ground, who was most likely aware of the threat. The threat? Wait a minute.

"Do you intend to murder her?" Koel seized my hands as the words left my mouth. Heavy tears of confusion and despair streamed down her cheeks.

Koel was not guilty. She had no idea what was going on. Her family may be connected, but she is not. It's there in my bones. Within my heart.

"No. "Not only kill her but package her bleeding body and send it to her family," he continued, pulling the knife from his pockets.

He has gone mad. Completely psycho. 

He dashed towards us, making sure the knife was thoroughly inserted into Koel's stomach.

I pushed her away. Our bodies crashed on the floor on both sides, leaving him a wide-open space to strike her. Shit. I can't let him get close to her.

I grabbed his legs, and he collapsed on his face. Even with his hand free, he proceeded to wave his knife, which sliced through my sleeve and caused bleeding.

The faculty members and other security officers joined me in capturing him, and he was quickly handcuffed.

"Are you alright?" Koel inquired, her gaze darting through my bleeding hand. I assured her that nothing was serious by nodding. Her mind was drawn to the guard in the police van.

"Is it solved then, your case?" She inquired, her gaze eyes on the horizon. She and I both know that even if the criminal of the present has been apprehended, the criminal of the past is still at large. Someone with more authority, someone who was close to us.

9

Rudra realized the uproar outside was more significant than the conversation with her. It was pointless talking to her because all she delivered was canned responses.

"Let it go as it should," the woman murmured calmly as she sipped her wine.

Rudra clutched her neck fiercely, ignoring the test papers in his hands. His touch made her smile. 

"You haven't changed at all," she laughed.

"I shouldn't have allowed her to join this club, I shouldn't have listened to you-" Rudra let go of her neck and sobbed violently.

"It was her wish. We can defy her. We can't defy…Mother".

~