The Cube

Kamran raced through the door calling out impatiently to his father, ‘Hurry Papa! We’ll be late for the sale’

His father, Robert appeared putting his right arm through the tweed jacket. He closed the freshly polished wooden door behind him and joined his son who was now soaking in the glow and warmth of the winter sun.

The driveway was layered with fresh snow. It was only yesterday that the father-son duo had spent the afternoon shoveling it aside.

‘Remember to be on your best behavior when you meet the Colonel’ Robert said

‘I’m always on my best behavior Papa’ replied Kamran excitedly

‘I know but after the death of his grandson….’ he stopped short of completing his sentence

Robert realized he shouldn’t have brought up the subject of Colonel’s grandson who was found in a ditch bare-bodied two weeks ago.

The autopsy report confirmed that the eleven-year-old boy was molested before being strangled. Candlelight marches were accompanied by news reporters clamoring for interviews or snippets about the boy or his family, but the Colonel stayed quiet and alone in his house. His friends and teachers were questioned but no one had seen or heard anything which could propel the investigation ahead. The whole town kept an eagle eye on suspicious characters mainly those who were new to the locality.

Kamran picked up his pace, trying to look as if he had not heard his father’s last line. They turned around a corner and passed a block to arrive at the Colonel’s house. They took the narrow passage running alongside the house and arrived at the garden where the sale was happening. A few large wooden tables were set up in the center upon which were placed items ranging from a defunct grinder to baseball caps and everything in between.

The pots of flowers and shrubs were neatly lined along the boundary wall. It was no secret that the Colonel spent most of his time in the garden. When his grandson was alive he would play catch with him or both would trim and water the plants. The Colonel would pass on his knowledge and experience to Raj in the guise of stories and humorous anecdotes. Their laughter could be heard next door where a new resident had come to stay a month before.

‘Cameron!’ Bridgette excitedly called out seeing Kamran

‘It’s Kamran, not Cameron’ he corrected her

‘Why did you name him Kamran?’ a voice asked him from behind

Sunshine revealed that the voice belonged to the Colonel. From across the garden, Robert looked at his son who was now shuffling through the cardboard boxes with Bridgette. 

‘Heena named him after her granduncle. Kamran has the choice to follow whichever faith he chooses to but he follows his mother’s. I was to name our second child but….’

‘Here’ the Colonel handed him a chunky glass of golden brown liquid

Robert took a measured sip and asked, ‘Why this sale all of a sudden?’

‘It’s not a sale Rob. I’m not charging anything for this stuff. I don’t need them anymore. Maybe others might something useful here’

Robert nodded and asked, ‘Any leads?’

‘No... Justice has a way of finding its home’

A plump auburn-haired woman joined the two men and greeted them cheerfully.

‘Hello, Colonel! Such a lovely day it is’

‘Hello Christie’ Colonel returned her greeting as Robert gave a forced smile

‘I noticed some of the stuff belong to Raj… Why are you giving them away?’ she inquired

The Colonel nodded as he replied, ‘I have Raj in here’ he pounded his chest with his fist

‘But don’t you need his belongings for memories?’

‘My mind runs havoc with his memories… I don’t need these stuff… They only compound the torment’ he said showing a rare glimpse of his pain

‘The police will soon catch the bastard…’

‘I’m well aware of the law and its power... One would think that the grandson of a retired Army veteran would be a priority to them but no…. They did their bit and it wasn’t enough’

Christie shook her head expressing the pitiful state of affairs. Robert took another sip from his glass as the Colonel surveyed his beloved garden. The children were going through the boxes marked with a yellow sticker while their parents discussed the weather and the roads.

‘Who’s he?’ Robert asked the Colonel pointing briefly in the direction of a tall muscular man whose clean-shaven face made him look paler in the sunlight.

‘He’s the new guy who moved in next door a month ago. The name is Todd. Good chap.’

Robert’s glass was empty now and he declined the offer for a refill. The Colonel, on the other hand, took another pouring of the intoxicant as Kamran approached them carrying a black cardboard box.

‘Can I get them?’ he asked gleefully hoping for a positive reply.

‘They are yours’ the Colonel replied with a melancholic smile.

Kamran thanked the Colonel before Robert could ask him to do so. On the way back Kamran told his father that Bridgette had taken a few toys out of the box for herself.

The day passed as Kamran checked out the contents of the black cardboard box. He found some books at the bottom of the pile which he quickly stored under his bed. The remaining contents were: a grey furry monkey which would clap when wound, a collection of sports cards, two board games to be played with dice, and a puzzle cube.

The monkey had a missing paw, it would tumble face down as soon as it gave the first clap. Kamran noticed that the thick pile of sports cards were actually freebies from chewing gums and chips. A bridge of tape held the sides of one of the board games. The dice was old and scratched. On seeing what lay in front of him he wondered what had made him bring the box home.

He picked up the cube and turned it in his hand. It was old and had a matte texture to it. The pieces were jumbled up and each one had different artwork on it. He turned one side to the other and found the movements to be unnaturally smooth for such an old cube. Reclining against the bed he stretched his legs and started to solve the puzzle of the cube. He realized that four sides of the cube represented the four elements of the world: air, water, earth, and fire. The other two sides were painted white and black. He had already completed one face of the cube when Robert called him for dinner. Kamran took the cube with him to the dining table but didn’t try to solve it because of Robert’s rule of no toys at dinner.

The quiet dinner ended soon. Kamran went up to his room while Robert found short-lived solace in his bottle of Whiskey. The death of his wife and their unborn child five years ago had slowly pushed him towards alcohol. But no matter how much alcohol he poured into himself the painful void never seemed to fill up.

Kamran continued solving the cube from where he left off although his progress now was slower than ever. He would complete the second face but that would mean scrambling the first side. He had never been good at puzzles. Soon sleep overtook him and when he woke up it was already morning. Seeing the blanket on top of him he knew his father had come in like each night to check on him.

He checked the cube after washing his face and saw that two sides were completely done. Thinking that his father must have done the second side he went downstairs for breakfast.

‘Kamran this is Mr.Todd’ his father introduced the man sitting at the table

Taken aback slightly Kamran shook hands with the stranger. His hands felt soft and warm.

‘He is here to take the position of the Art teacher in your school once it reopens after the holidays’ Robert added

‘But I loved Miss Katherine. What happened to her?’

‘She was excellent in her time! I’ve heard such positive feedback about her from so many people. But I’m sure budding artists like Kamran would make my job much easier’

‘She had to go back to her state to look after her ailing father’ Robert answered

Todd took the cube lying on the table beside Kamran’s plate and in no time completed the third side.

‘How did you do it so quickly?’ Kamran asked impressed

‘They’re just patterns. I can teach you if you like’

Kamran nodded excitedly.

The doorbell rang just then. It was Bridgette. She greeted everyone with a cheerful hello.

‘Have you completed the Geography project?’ she asked Kamran before he could say anything else.

‘Almost done’

‘I need to look at it’

‘Why?’

‘I just need to’ she said and climbed the first few stairs in a hurry

‘You mustn’t copy his project’ Todd said

‘I just need some ideas’ she replied coldly

Kamran rolled his eyes and accompanied her to his room. Todd left.

‘Who’s he?’ she asked once they were inside his room

‘He’s our new Arts teacher’

‘What happened to Miss Katherine? Won’t she be continuing after the holidays?’

‘No. She has gone to her home state to attend to some family matter’

Bridgette shuffled through the pages of the file. It was clear to Kamran that she was borrowing more than just ideas from him. Bridgette would copy less and gossip more. An hour passed by when she finally decided to leave. Kamran stopped her at the door.

‘Why are you taking the cube with you?’

‘Huh?’

He pointed at her hand which held the old cube tightly.

‘I didn’t mean to…he… here’ embarrassed she returned the cube to Kamran and left the room

A week later

‘I’ll be back in an hour or two. You sure you don’t want to come with me?’ Robert asked standing at the door

‘Yes, Papa. Bridgette will be here soon’

Robert left but not before giving a few security pointers to his son. Walking at a brisk pace he reached the Colonel’s house within eleven minutes. The sunlight glowed through the dark curtains on the open windows in Colonel’s sitting room. He poured his guest a glass of scotch and sat down opposite him on the cushioned recliner. The conversation started from the Colonel talking about his time in different war zones and soon drifted to their neighborhood.

‘We never found his socks… I wish I’d been there earlier… It might have made all the difference. So all I can tell you is why he was murdered.’ the Colonel said

 Robert knew who Colonel was referring to. Raj’s clothes and shoes were found scattered near his body. Everything Raj had on him was found. Everything except his socks.

‘It wasn’t your fault. You were there for him after his parents…’

‘I should have made him aware of what this world is like and what creatures dwell in its crevices. I was in charge of so many under my troops but I couldn’t save my own grandson…’

‘Why do you think he was murdered?’ Robert asked apprehensively

‘He was murdered because he was innocent and some perverts…’ he said aloud in anger

Robert looked at him and saw that his eyes were moist and shone with rage. Then suddenly his expression changed and he asked, ‘How’s your son?’

‘He’s inseparable from his cube. Spends hours trying to solve it’

‘Kid loves puzzles? Eh?’

‘He doesn’t, but ever since you gave him the cube he’s really into it’

‘I gave him the cube?’ the Colonel asked, clearly surprised, immediately getting up from his seat and going over to the locked glass cupboard on the other side of the room.

‘Where did it go?’ he said searching the shelves

‘What are you looking for?’ Robert followed him

‘When I was stationed in Iran I came across this cube. Locals warned me against taking it because they believed it was cursed’

‘And yet you brought it home with you?’

‘Yes. It’s nothing but a lot of mumbo-jumbo. Back then they said that… it… attracted… evil…’ he said stretching the last few words

His brows slowly came closer as he gazed vacantly at the green wall.

‘I don’t remember giving the cube to your son…’ he said still rattling the old cage of memories

‘Do you now believe the locals? Surely you mustn’t …’

‘I didn’t but after what happened to Raj. I completely forgot about the cube… After all, it has been with me for years…’

Robert set down the empty glass on the wooden table and placed his hand on Colonel’s shoulder.

‘I think we should go and talk to Kamran’ the Colonel said, hurrying out of the door along with Robert.

Despite the slippery tarmac and aching knees of the veteran, they reached Robert’s house in time to see Bridgette standing at the main door.

‘Why are you standing outside?’ Robert gasped

‘I’ve rung the bell so many times but Kamran is not answering the door. I was late because Mom gave me some potatoes to peel…’

Robert took charge as he pounded on the door with his huge fists but no answer came from the other side of the door.

‘Let’s try the back door’ the Colonel suggested

Going to the rear of the house they found the back door unlocked. Robert called out his son’s name loud and frantically now. He doubled his pace up the stairs and pushed open the door of Kamran’s room. The curtains were drawn and the windows were shut, making the room darker than what it usually was. His eyes fell on the body of his child lying in bed naked with his arms sprawled over his head. Robert rushed towards his son and picked him in his arms. Simultaneously he slapped Kamran on his cheeks and called out his name.

‘Wake up Kamran. Wake up’

The Colonel and Bridgette soon arrived in the room. A familiar pain engulfed the veteran on seeing Kamran in that state as he took a few steps backward and then suddenly rushed to the bed. He looked at Robert who looked pale at that moment desperately trying to revive his son. Bridgette was too stunned and stood quietly by the door.

‘Let’s get him to the hospital’ the Colonel said

Robert wrapped Kamran in a blanket and drove to the hospital with Colonel. Bridgette was sent home and asked not to disclose the episode to anyone until given the permission to do so.

‘Your son has been physically abused and strangled’ the doctor came in to inform Robert who was pacing up and down the cold hospital corridor

Robert looked beside him at the Colonel who knew that fact before the doctor had informed them.

‘Is he going to be okay?’

‘Yes, but we need to inform the authorities, and I need to ask you some questions. You can meet your son once he wakes up’ the doctor added before Robert went with him to his cabin

The morning after

Robert woke up with a jerk and saw that Kamran was still unconscious. He stretched his limbs and looked at the monitor which displayed his son’s vitals. He watched his son’s chest rise and fall in melodious rhythm. A minute later Kamran woke up. His body shivered momentarily as he looked frantically around. His eyes focused on the figure which had been there since the previous night and screamed for comfort.

‘Papa…’ he moaned

‘Kamran’ Robert said, gently clutching his son’s arm

‘Papa…’ he moaned again as a tear rolled from the corner of his eye

Back at the Colonel’s house

Seeing Bridgette at his house so early in the morning the Colonel was taken aback.

‘When we were going into Kamran’s house through the back door I saw Mr.Todd… It felt like he had just left the place…’ she said

The colonel struggled as confusion seized him when it subsided, rage took over.

Had he made an error in identifying what kind of a person Todd was?

‘You’ve always been very alert Bridgette but do not tell this to anyone else. I’ll look into it.’

‘I never liked Mr.Todd. He met us a few times in the past week. Sometimes at the park…’ she said making an ugly expression

Half an hour later after much deliberation, the Colonel made his way towards his neighbor’s house. Finding the door unlatched, the Colonel helped himself inside and called out to Todd. His words met with no response. He walked further inside trying to locate Todd or to get any information that could shed light on what kind of a person his neighbor was. Finding neither after minutes of searching he ventured into what the bedroom. As he moved closer the air got heavier with the stench of burnt flesh.

On the bed lay a charred body and beside it was the cube with all its sides perfectly arranged. A pair of socks which he identified was on the floor along with many small things: a pair of earrings, bangles, handkerchief, belt, hairclips, and undergarments. On each sock was a golden crown embroidered below which was the letter ‘R’.

The Colonel stood stupefied at the door as words from another decade came to him like a lightning bolt, “Beware of the dark light. It will consume whoever sets it free”

 His eyes were now glued to the side of the cube that faced him and revealed a picture of a creature that had long twisted horns and a goatee above which spread a small terrifying smile.