The Man-Eater

[Smoking causes cancer. Smoking KILLS. Drinking is INJURIOUS to health]

The building had the invisibility of a commonplace. It would have appeared to the naked eye no more than a small regional factory or a printing press in the narrow alleys of Kolkata. A blocky structure of discolored brick with age old windows and doors which obscured the interiors completely, it breathed an air of old age, moss and shabbiness. It seemed to be one of those structures erected in the early '30s and served its purpose till today. A casual passerby would not bother to give it a second look. However, there wasn't any such thing as a casual passerby in this godforsaken place. Isolated from the slums and the noise of the polluted metropolitan city it would be a goddamned poet's delight.

Any inquisitive soul which would venture out here with a cigarette, or a bottle of liquor in hand, or depicted the symptoms of being a drug addict would stir a few keen eyes prying from above. Lost souls who were seeking a safe haven for rehabilitation would come out here in the heat of the scorching sun during the summer, whose merciless rays made uncovered human skin look like emery paper. The address 57B, Professor Pally, Nadia, Kolkata-700081, referred to as "PRAYOGSHALA". This place unremarkable in appearance contained within its walls the greater wilderness of mankind's sins. These certain Individuals would be intercepted unawares by tanned, muscular men clad in white dhoti, carrying a handkerchief drowned in chloroform.

The unconscious person struggled in vain, only to be dragged through the building's door - up a small flight of stairs and never heard from again. The eerie quiet was again established. Keen "eyes", prying from above always sparkled with exhilaration at this 'scene'. For months people would disappear without a trace. Missing reports flooded police stations, local newspapers, walls of various buildings, trunks of trees. Since there was no response at all, no calls for ransom this was suspected to be something deeper, like a case of human trafficking. Suddenly after the media release of this problem, the disappearance abruptly stopped. The count of missing people halted at 61. Police were stationed in and out of that area where people disappeared. They raided the building only to be greeted with an air of uncertainty and spider webs. It was empty. No footprints, no signs of human habitation but nevertheless sealed as off limits.

One night, a team of 12 policemen were keeping watch on that building. Suddenly, an officer smoking in front of it disappeared. All the remaining officers searched for him only to find a pool of blood on the road. Just as they were taking cautious steps, they found a man's body clad in khaki uniform, his face torn off completely and right hand half-eaten. A cold chill ran down their spines. Another officer screamed out aloud. They ran down to gaze upon a bald, naked and emaciated 'beast' lathered in blood consuming him. He was tearing off the flesh from the man's face with broken teeth, chewing it, and then went on until he reached the skull. Without stopping for a moment, he started eating the flesh from his hands and belly. It did not care who watched. It was starving. The Inspector in-charge's hands trembled. He was nothing but a helpless spectator to this massacre. One of those sacrificial lambs about to be offered to God. This air of hopelessness was common to all but one. This one man wanted not to let the 'beast' know of its dominance in this situation. And so he shot the cannibal in the two legs and one right through the external pinna of his ear.

Next week, in a press conference, the DIG disclosed –

"The suspect has confessed to 'consuming' all those who went missing in that area and is responsible for the murder of two police officers on duty. He used to be a renowned professor of anatomy who went insane after his wife and daughter were killed after being raped. Since the rapists were under influence of drugs and alcohol he developed an abysmal hatred and swore revenge against all addicts.

"'The Law can't do me no justice, Sir' said he.

"And by the time he was content, he became attached to the taste of human flesh.

"After thorough examination he is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. The psychiatrist at SSKM, who was keeping him under heavy sedation, found three personalities in the man - the bubbling teen daughter, the equally devoted wife and the cannibal professor."

During the public release of this statement, he was lost in thought.

"'They' wouldn't punish me, Rajesh." said she.

"I know 'they' are watching 'us', Kamala" said he.

A mosquito came and sat on her hand.

"Kill it" said he.

"I won't hurt a mosquito, Dad."