Sheryl's Dark Abyss

AT VENKAT IYER'S PSYCHIATRY CLINIC

DAY 1

Charu was sitting in a small counseling room with Dr. Venkat Iyer. The room had a cozy lakeside view and the soft pastel color of the curtains contributed to its serene glamour.

"I am going to hypnotize you. Are you fine with it?" Dr. Venkat asked in a composed way.

Charu closed her eyes hard and swallowed a lump in her throat.

"All right. " Charu said in a suffocated whisper.

"Relax and listen to the vibrations of my voice. No one is going to hurt you. Relax .....your eyes are heavy..... you are sleepy..... sleep......re...la...x...."

It took ten minutes for Dr. Venkat to get Charu completely under his control.

"Hi Charu...."

"Hello doctor. "

"Do you know why you are here?"

"Yes doctor to understand my weird dreams."

"Do you have any idea why you get such dreams?"

Charu lowered her head down and started breathing heavily. Dr. Venkat watched her personality changing. Suddenly, she sat straight, pulled out the hair clip and let her hair open. Her face became vivacious and her eyes sparkled as she gave a captivating smile. She began to sing in a husky voice and in a zany accent:

Listen to what Mother Nature says…

Water always makes ways...

follow the opposite of right and

the sun God makes the hidden world shine bright…!’

"Charu are you fine?" Dr. Venkat asked. He was bewildered with the change in her mannerism.

"Cha...ru...u....... Hey Venky docs don't bark like a dog. I am no Charu..."

"Ok. Then who are you?"

"Smarty docs ... I am Sheryl...." She said jerking her head.

"Hi Sheryl ...What do you do?"

"Egyptian archeologist. The greatest sculptor of this world. I am Ms. Sheryl Varghese... " She said proudly lifting her chin up.

"Sounds great Sheryl . Do you know Charu ??"

"Ya ya that pussy cat...Timid girl. She has no guts. Nor does her mom."

"Hmmm. You know her mom too.."

"Ya. She is quieter than a mouse. Faint-hearted lady..."

"Why?"

"Why???? I would have killed that Anthony ....."

"Who Anthony ?"

"Anthony Delsworth that hooded cobra. He thinks he is an Egyptian cobra.... Bull shit..."

"You think Anthony is not."

"Nope. He is a meany crook. And Egyptian cobras are good omen."

"Ok Explain."

"Docs Venky!!! Your history is very poor. Egyptian cobra represents the Goddess Wadjet. Known as 'The Eye of Horus'. It was the symbol of sovereignty for the Pharaohs and so they studded it into their diadem. Queen Cleopatra had one on her diadem. What a courageous lady was Queen Cleopatra... Have you heard of her?"

"Yes Sheryl. She was the Queen of Egypt."

"Ah Smarty!! You know it. I was carving a beautiful idol of hers. She was known for her mesmerizing eyes. She wore deep blue eye shadow on her upper eyelids and pastel green on the lower. I wanted to shade it in the same way as 'The Eye of Horus'. 'Eye of Horus',an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection to keep away the evil eye. But that bad cobra Anthony didn't want it."

"Why ??"

"Venky docs ...smarty ass... You ask many questions.. I am bored." She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Sheryl... I want to help you.. Sheryl Sheryl..."

Sheryl was gone.

The room was filled with freakish silence and the only sound audible was Charu's heavy breathing. Dr. Venkat observed Charu's face changing again. He awakened Charu. She adjusted her dress and asked " How was it doctor? Any clue about my dreams?"

"You were good Charu. We have to do it again. Tomorrow?"

"Fine doctor."

DAY TWO

Charu was in trance and completely under Dr. Venkat 's control.

"Hi Charu. What do you know about Sheryl?"

"Nothing doctor."

"Then why do you think you are Sheryl's dead ringer?"

"That's because I have seen her photo. "

"Have you shown the photo to anyone ?"

"No doctor. Not yet."

"Ummm. But Sheryl knows you quite well. She knows your mother too.."

"Is it???"

"Yes !! I want Sheryl to come out. Sheryl are you listening. Come out. "

Charu's head began to stir as she panted for breath. As quick as a flash, she removed her jacket and threw it down. Slowly she began to sing a song:

Listen to what Mother Nature says…

Water always makes ways...

follow the opposite of right and

the sun God makes the hidden world shine bright…!’

"Nice song Sheryl.. What does that mean.?"

"Hey Venky docs again you are barking like a dog... " She laughed aloud.

"What a mystical song , Sheryl!!!! "

"Shoooooooo. My lips are sealed. Why should I tell you what it means?" She said rhythmically and pressed her lips tightly.

"I can help you."

"O Blast it Venky!!!!! Where were you when I needed help. That meany cobra Anthony laid his dirty hands on my Khopesh sword." She stopped.

" Anthony Delsworth?"

"Yes Venky.... And that pussy cat Charu and her friend Abhay think they can catch him. "

"You mean Inspector Abhay ??"

"Yes Smarty Venky. They both did expedition and reached till my Cleopatra idol. They have tracked down the papyrus which has my song......"

"O !! The song which you always sing."

"Yes smarty pants."

"Hmm. Hmmm... so you think water makes its way??"

"Yes . Water is everywhere. Nile river has it all. My Gosh!!! What a transcendent river it is. Without Nile, Egypt would have been a desert. Ancient Egypt was divided as Upper Egypt in the south and Lower Egypt in the north considering the flow of Nile River. Ancient Egypt had a unique dualism, the papyrus plant representing Lower Egypt and lily plant representing Upper Egypt. "

"Your Geography is good. But how it relates to your song?"

"Venky ...... Shhhhhhh..... That crooked Cobra Anthony uses this trick. Whenever Anthony says Lower Egypt the work is done in the Upper Egypt. "

"You mean the answers to your song is in Egypt. "

"You betcha!!!!!! Clever Dick...Venky....Just give a little intelligence to that Pussy cat Charu and her friend Abhay. The placid lake in Kochi gives no answers. Kochi has clues but Egypt has answers. So Venky I am going to Egypt."

"Why??"

"Why??? Stupid question Venky... Can you make an omelette without breaking your egg??"

"Well said Sheryl. When are you planning to go to Egypt???"

"Tomorrow.... I have to find that Cobra Anthony and I am going to murder him. I swear!!!!! I will do that Venky.... He is a murderer and I will murder him..."

"No Sheryl... Be a good girl. This can harm you and Charu."

"Oops!! Good girl.. "She laughed like a wicked witch and closed her eyes.

"Sheryl????? Don't go... " A feeling of desperation oozed from Dr. Venkat's words.

There was complete silence.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and pressed her head tightly.

"Doctor why am I having this terrible headache????"

"Charu is that you??"

"Yes Doctor. How was the session today??"

Dr. Venkat Iyer was speechless. The only silver lining which caught his mind was Inspector Abhay.

DAY 3 INSPECTOR ABHAY

Inspector Abhay was sitting with Dr. Venkat Iyer. The room possessed a mist of opaque ambiguity.

"This will sound strange to you Abhay. Charu's case is of multiple personality disorder. Sheryl is her alter ego." Dr. Venkat broke the silence.

"But.. never .....She is so normal.....I mean....." Abhay was completely baffled.

"Charu is normal. Her alter is not. Sheryl, her alter dominates Charu."

"I am confused."

"Multiple personality disorder is confusing. In fact it's always a question of debate in our psychiatrist group. Human mind is the most mysterious creation of this universe. Usually an alter takes a birth because of a childhood trauma. To cope with trauma, the victim's mind creates an alter. That's the beauty of human mind. Charu has created Sheryl to heal her emotional pain. Now the tricky part is Sheryl knows Charu but Charu is unaware of Sheryl. "

"But there was someone named Sheryl Varghese in Fort Kochi. The villagers chatter about her uncanny death."

"Probably there was a woman named Sheryl and Charu knew her. But a traumatic incident of Sheryl affected Charu. "

"How different is Charu from Sheryl? " Abhay asked.

"Completely contrasting personalities. Charu is demure, obedient, disciplined and practical girl whereas Sheryl is vibrant, quite theatrical in her speech and an artist who is poetic. Every word of Sheryl has some meaning. Some hidden secrets."

"Is it curable?" Abhay was still engrossed with the concept of Multiple personality disorder. Intrigued by the unearthly hypothesis.

"Hmmm. Abhay it's not a disease. It's her mind. If she is determined her alter will go. Sheryl should vanish from her mind."

"How?"

"It's not so easy. Before we step further, I want you to go through the video recordings of the hypnotherapy session. Though not pellucid the transcripts surely have leads. It's against our ethics to confide the transcripts but Charu's life is in danger. Her future action is perilous for her and some one else. She is going to Egypt to murder a person called Anthony Delsworth."

"What ????" Abhay said vigorously shaking his head.

"Yes Abhay. The transcripts can help you in solving the case. But it's going to be dice with death for both of you." Dr. Venkat handed the recordings to him.

"Thanks Doctor." Abhay gave Dr. Venkat an apprehensive handshake.

"Stop Charu going to Egypt. Sheryl is adamant and her ascendancy over Charu is impregnable. She can bewitch Charu's mind till her mission is accomplished. I have a sense of foreboding. A sign that something dangerous is going to happen." Dr. Venkat sighed as he leaned backward resting his back on the chair. He genuinely wished good health for all his patients. But Charu's vulnerability made him fall for her a bit more.

Abhay rushed out of the clinic and tried Charu's number but in vain. He got in his jeep and speedily drove to Kochi Airport. He reached the airport like the leaf in the roaring whirlwind. He saw a counter of Egypt Airline. A lady ground staff was working on her computer

"Hi . This is Inspector Abhay." He said to ground staff showing his identity.

"How can I help you? "She replied.

"Any flight for Egypt now? "

"Yes sir . Flight number EYA8704 just took off. "

"Holy shit. Can check for Ms. Charu Oomen in the passenger list?"

"Just a moment Sir." She glanced through the list of passengers.

"Yes Sir. Ms. Charu Oomen seat no. M305. "

"The flight is off????" Abhay asked googling his eyes.

"Yes sir the flight has taken off for Egypt."

Abhay collapsed on the nearby couch. Staring aimlessly at the counter, Abhay recollected their law days in New York. Certainly, Charu was moody at times. Sometimes she seemed a different person. A sporadic shift from a sparkling personality with bubbles of freshness to a demure person who was withdrawn in her own shell.

'The transcripts have some leads.' The utterance of Dr. Venkat echoed in Abhay 's ears and he headed home to decrypt the clues given by Sheryl.

IN EGYPT

The idiosyncrasy of Egypt was the deserts. Egypt, a large country covered by deserts where the inhabitants clustered around Nile river.

Charu landed at the Cairo international Airport. A sparkling city lounging on the banks of Nile River. A city associated with ancient Egypt. The Egyptian Museum, the treasure of antiquities, the Giza pyramids at the heart of city made it the most mystical place.

In this capital city of Cairo, one crinkly man was smoking hookah. Though old and feeble he sat upright stiff. He looked wondrously evil with a cobra tattoo on his left arm.

"Cobra, the lady is in Egypt." His assistant said. The colour of his face turned pale.

He immediately dialed a number.

"Hi Vincent. Charu has landed." Anthony Delsworth said in an uncertain tone and disconnected the phone. He started rocking his chair and his mind tried to contemplate Charu.

"What makes you interested in this girl, Cobra?" His assistant asked.

"She is asking too much about Sheryl. Not good for me and Vincent. She is trying to dig the buried past of Fort Kochi. "

Anthony was unable to fathom the reason of Charu's interest in Sheryl's life. It would be dangerous if she could unfold Sheryl. Sheryl was dead and buried. It was important to keep Sheryl buried and Charu was on a mission to dig it out.

"Why????? Why is someone interested in Sheryl's life after so many years??" He questioned himself.

"I need this girl immediately." Anthony said to his assistant.

Charu was unaware that she was trapped in the pit of evil darkness from where there was no escape. Ambushed in an abyss of Sheryl Varghese.