The Hunt

by Sourav Deka

  “Noooooooooo!!!! Rowena screamed and tried to hold Keith.

  “You told me to take the choice,” Keith groaned. “I am now giving you that choice. Be happy, Rowena” his lips trembled. “I will always be with you,” he slowly closed his teary eyes.

  “No! It should be me,” she cried holding Keith in her arms.

  We were in shock. It happened so fast. He was lying dead with the bullet wound on his chest and Rowena was crying her eyes out holding him. Contessa and dad stepped forward to console her. Seeing Rowena crying made Aaron’s blood boil. He went towards Sam and punched him on the face. Sam blocked his punch and punched him back. It was so hard that he fell on the ground, I ran towards him to pick him up.

  “You know, you are lucky that I can’t kill you right now,” Sam said, pressing his cheek. “Otherwise no one walks after they try to punch me,” he pointed his gun towards Aaron.

  “Then come on, fight me with your bare hands and without your dogs,” Aaron shouted.

  He clicked his tongue. “I don’t think so,” he signaled his men to grab us so that we don’t cause any trouble.

  The guards grabbed us and took Aaron, Rowena, Andrea and me near the cups attached to the door. They forced us to cut our palms and made us pour a few drops of blood on the cups. As Keith was dead they slit his throat and filled up the fifth cup with his blood. We tried to protest in the process, but Sam’s men succeeded in taking our blood anyway. Rowena kept crying and abusing Sam. She had no choice, none of us had.

  Sam finally opened the door and walked inside. There was a coffin in the middle with five cups attached to it. It had some instructions written in small letters and a number on the top, 107. The instructions said, in order to open the coffin, ten cups on the coffin should be filled with dead blood of ten descendants of the people mentioned in page number 107. I took out the diary and opened the page. There were ten names, Liv Branson, Mike Walls, Ron Stein, Avil Reims, Mia Robbs, Christyn Ayers, Lucien Black, Shaun Trevino, Liya Sommers, and Jennifer Graham.

  “Killing again?” I shook my head. “No, No one else has to die now. Leave it. It’s enough.” I closed the diary.

  “Leave it?” Sam scoffed. “For centuries people have been searching for the seeds. I made it this far. This is the final step and you want to leave it?” He gazed into my eyes, “You can’t leave. You are the one who has to kill the descendants. They have to be killed by a rare child.”

  My eyes widened. “What?”

  “Yes, it only works if the descendants are killed by a rare child or else their dead blood doesn’t unlock the coffin.”

  “No, I am not going to kill anyone.”

  “Oh, you will,” Sam narrowed his eyes. “You have to or else I will make you.”

  “Listen, it’s not the way…………”

  “No,” Sam pushed the gun into my face. “I am going to hunt these descendants and unlock the seeds, no matter what, and you are going to kill them.”

  “There must be some other way. Did you try blowing up the coffin?”

  He scoffed. “What do you think, Ross? We have been searching the seeds for centuries. We tried everything. This coffin is spelled with magic. It can only be opened by the dead blood of those descendants when they were killed by a rare child.”

  “I can’t kill,” my throat clenched. “I am not a killer.”

  Sam looked at Aaron. “Then Aaron can do it.”

  “No, I won’t,” Aaron said. “We are not killing anyone.”

  “You two don’t have a choice,” Sam said. “One of you has to kill.”

  “But, there must…………………” I stuttered.

  “Leave it, Ross, who you are talking to,” Rowena scoffed. “He is a monster. You saw what he did. Still you think you can change his mind?”

  “I don’t care what you do, leave me out of this,” Martin said, taking a step back.

  “Leave you?” Sam raised his eyebrows. “So that you can go and tell about this to someone else? No, I can’t allow that.”

  “I won’t tell anyone. I just want to get out of this. I don’t care about the seeds.”

  “Sorry, can’t trust you,” Sam pointed his gun at him. “You are stuck with us until Ross kills the descendants and we get the seeds.”

  “We aren’t going to kill someone to unlock the seeds,” I said. “We are not like you. We aren’t killers.”

  Sam chuckled. “Really? I don’t believe that. You worked so hard for it, even survived the magical forest and now you are just going to forget it,” he shook his head. “That’s not possible. I know you will kill, Ross.”

  I stared into his eyes. “That’s the difference. We are not monsters like you.”

  Sam punched me and I fell on the ground. My lips bled a bit.

  “You think I am a monster?” he yelled. “The man who created the seeds was a monster. He made the seeds by killing a lot of people, innocent ones.”

  I stood up and wiped out the blood on my lips. “Then why are you acting like him? Huh?”

  “You don’t understand,” he clenched his jaw. “What he created must be destroyed, no matter what comes in the way. The seeds are bad news. In this world people are selfish. Everyone thinks of themselves. People will kill for the seeds, they did it before. This is something that shouldn’t exist. If people find this then there will be rivers of blood.”

  “How are you sure? You haven’t seen the future. We can do good with it”

  He shook his head. “I am sure. Sooner or later it will happen. People are going to die, there will be chaos. Many people died looking and fighting for it. It makes everyone a killer. You will become a killer too,” he sighed. “It happens every time. The seeds need to be destroyed.”

  “No, Nibshaw’s invention is a legendary one,” Mark said. “It can save millions of people. You Aivors never understood how valuable the seeds are.”

  Sam chuckled. “You don’t have to believe me,” he pointed his gun at us. “You are not going anywhere until I unlock the seeds. You all are going to help me.”

  Aaron scoffed. “Help You? You killed one of us.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You never learn, don’t you?” he scratched his nose with the gun. “Let’s give you some motivation,” he signaled his guards.

  The guards took dad, Mark, Rowena, Andrea and Contessa forcefully into a car and drove away. The remaining guards grabbed the rest of us so that we don’t try anything.

  “No, what are you doing?” I said, struggling from the grasp of the guards.

  “Don’t worry. They are safe until you do as I say,” Sam said.

  The other guards came and took us into another car. They drove for an hour and took us into a small hotel.

  CHAPTER 12

  It was a small two story hotel. The whole hotel looked vacant. There were only hotel staff working, no customers. The manager didn’t say anything when we stepped inside. He just kept staring at us with his glasses. I guess Sam knew him. He planned all this in the beginning and made sure that no one comes. The guards took us upstairs in a room.

  “You all will stay together, my guards are outside,” Sam said, pointing his finger at us. “Don’t try anything. Cooperate and I can guarantee you I won’t kill anyone,” he left the room and locked the door.

  “What now?” Dave kicked the wall in frustration. “He is going to kill the descendants, we don’t have any choice.”

  Aaron sat on the bed. “We have to think of something,” he said.

  “No, dude, there is nothing we can do,” Martin turned his face away. “Kill those descendants and finish this. I am tired of all this.”

  “What? Are you crazy?” I raised my voice.

  “Yeah, I am crazy,” he yelled and sat on the bed. “I can’t take this anymore.”

  Dave sat beside him. “We will get out of this, Martin. We will.”

  “I came for a vacation to Atlanta with the money I won in the lottery, and I got stuck in this mess,” Martin shook his head. “I don’t want to be
part of this. I am not interested in the seeds, you all are. I am not like you” he gasped. “I just want to get out of this man,” a tear ran down his cheek.

  “I understand, Martin, but I can’t kill someone,” I said.

  Martin stood up and gazed into my eyes. “You want the seeds, right?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but I won’t kill someone for it.”

  “Guess what? Sam wants the seeds too, and he killed people to find it.”

  “But I am not him.”

  “You have to become like him. Remember what he said? The man who created the seeds was a monster,” he clenched his jaw. “Without becoming a monster you can’t get the seeds. You have to go through it. You have to kill Ross, you have to.”

  I looked away and crossed my arms. “No, there must be another way.”

  Martin sat on the bed again. “There isn’t. Many people died before. It will happen again.”

  We all fell silent for a moment.

  “He is right Ross,” Aaron said. “No matter what we say, people will die. It will keep happening.”

  “If someone needs to die then we will kill Sam instead. Not any innocent,” I said in a deep voice.

  “What? Have you lost your mind?” Aaron’s eyes widened. “He has dad and others captured. We can’t risk their lives.”

  I nodded lightly. “I know. That’s why we have to save them first.”

  “How will we do that?” Dave asked.

  “We have to escape. Aaron and I will distract the guards somehow. Dave and Martin have to find some way to hack Sam’s phone, so that we can listen to his calls,” I rubbed my chin. “I am sure as soon as we escape, he will call his men who are keeping our people kidnapped. If you can hack into his phone, we can track down their location and rescue them.”

  “But we won’t be able to hold off the guards,” Aaron said.

  “We can. We just have to hold them for a minute so that they can escape.”

  “What??” Dave’s eyes raised, “No.”

  “That’s the only way. You and Martin don’t look back and leave. We can’t run away together. Someone has to slow them down.”

  “What about us?” Aaron said.

  “We will make a run for it after they get out of the hotel.”

  “But you and Aaron will be in great danger,” Dave said. “Sam will be furious. What if he shows up and you fail to escape?”

  “Don’t worry, even if he shows up he won’t kill us. He needs us. We are rare child. If we don’t make it, you two go and save the others and then come for us.”

  He shook his head. “No man, it’s too risky. He is a psychopath. He already killed Keith. He will kill both of you in a heartbeat.”

  “No Dave, he won’t. Trust me on this,” I grabbed his arms. “There is no other way. We have to save them.”

  Martin pressed his lips together. “But what if something goes wrong?” he said.

  “Nothing will go wrong. Just don’t waste time when you get out, okay,” I said. “Track the call and save them.”

  “But how will we hack someone’s call?” Dave asked.

  I looked at Martin. “Martin knows a lot about it I guess. He is good in technology, aren’t you Martin?”

  Martin nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t know how to hack a call.”

  “What?”

  “But I have a friend who can help.”

  I sighed. “Good, where is your friend then?”

  “Hmm, he lives in Brazil.”

  “You have to call him? Do you remember his number?”

  “I don’t but I have a tiny phonebook in my purse. Maybe it has his number.”

  “Check it now! Take out your purse.”

  Martin took out his black and grey purse from his jeans pocket. He took out the phonebook and looked for the number.

  After a moment. “I got it. It’s here,” he said, eyeing at the notebook.

  “Great!” Aaron said. “Now how are we going to distract the guards? Any ideas?”

  I looked through the keyhole. “Two guards are waiting outside the door,” I said. “We will call them inside and act like we have stomach pain. When they get inside, we hit them. Aaron and I will try to hold them off until you two can run away.”

  “That’s your plan???” Aaron twisted his mouth. “There are guards outside the hotel too, and don’t forget the manager and the other hotel staff.”

  “I know, I know,” I gulped. “That’s why they have to find some place in the hotel, a room, toilet or something and hide there. Sam’s people will go out looking for you. They won’t look inside as they will think you have escaped. So hide until they go far out looking for you, then you can escape easily.”

  “Good plan,” Dave said. “But we don’t know Sam’s number. How will we hack the call without the number?”

  “You don’t need his number,” I looked at Martin. “I think Martin can do something about it.”

  “What?” Martin’s forehead furrowed. “Without his number or his cell phone we can’t hack his phone. We need his phone number.”

  “No, you can. The phone in the reception table at this hotel will help. I know that phone’s number.”

  “How that number is going to help?” Aaron asked.

  “They can track that phone number and scan all the phones in this hotel or nearby. It is obvious that one of the numbers will be Sam’s.”

  Aaron raised his eyebrows. “No, that won’t work. There are other people in this hotel, the manager, and the staff. How can you find Sam’s phone?”

  “I think my friend will be able to figure that out,” Martin said.

  I patted Martin’s shoulder. “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” I said.

  Dave looked at me. “But you and Aaron won’t be able to hold off those two guards, they are big. I will stay and help you hold off the guards. Martin can escape first.”

  I shook my head. “No, what do you think dad and everyone are kept without protection? There will be a lot of guards. They need you, Dave. You have good fighting skills. If Aaron and I don’t get out, you can save them with Martin. Martin can’t do this alone.”

  He tightened his cheeks. “But two of you are not enough to hold off those guards.”

  “Don’t worry, we will be fine. Just go.”

  “But what if you won't be able to handle them?”

  I placed my hand on his shoulder. “We will be fine, Dave. Just don’t get caught and make sure Martin hacks Sam’s phone.”

  He sighed and nodded. He didn’t want to agree but he understood that he should go. “Okay, I will come as soon as I can to rescue you,” he said.

  “I know,” I said.

  Aaron and I faked having a stomach ache. We began to scream. The guards waiting outside opened the door and came inside.

  “What happened?” One of the guards asked.

  “Aah, my stomach hurts. Please help,” I put my hands on my stomach and fell down on the floor. Aaron was also doing the same.

  “What did you eat?” Another guard asked.

  “Nothing! I haven’t eaten anything today. It happens sometime. Please bring us some warm water in a plastic bottle.”

  “Why do you need warm water? You have stomach pain, you don’t have a cold.”

  “We have ulcers, applying warm water helps relieve the pain. Please hurry up. It hurts.”

  “Okay, okay wait,” The guards locked the door and went downstairs to bring some warm water.

  After a few minutes they came back with two plastic bottles with warm water and opened the door. As soon as they handed us the bottles, we opened it and splashed the water on those guards’ faces. They screamed in pain, holding their faces and took a few steps back. That was our chance, they were hurt. We kicked them in the crotch and grabbed them from behind.

  “Run, run, we will hold them off,” I shouted.

  Dave and Martin ran while Aaron and I kept holding the guards, but they were too strong. One of the guards pushed away Aaron and ran to chase the others. There was
an iron in the room, I picked it up and smashed his head with it before he could leave the room. He fell on the bed and passed out. The other guard came running towards me to attack. I threw the iron at him. It hit his head and he fainted falling on the floor.

  I sat on the floor and my breaths quickened. “Oh that was close,” I said.

  Sam entered the room with other guards. He heard the noise and saw the two guards lying unconscious on the floor. His face turned red. “Find them. They must be nearby. They shouldn’t make it far,” he signaled his guards.

  Sam came towards me and pulled out the collars of my shirt. “Where are they?” He yelled. “Tell me and I will let you live.”

  I smirked. “You know where they went.”

  “To your big daddy and his friends? Are you really that stupid?” he shouted. “Only I know where I kept them. You can’t find them,” he pulled out his hands from my collars.

  “We will see,” I said.

  “Whatever you planned, it isn’t going to work. I am tired of playing nice,” he took out his gun. “I will kill one of you. I just need one of you. Maybe this will teach you a lesson.”

  Sam aimed his gun at me. Oh god he was really going to kill me. I regretted my decision and my forehead began to sweat. But suddenly the room started shaking. It felt like an earthquake. The walls of the room were torn apart by two huge black hands. We saw the monster. It was a huge black man wearing half pants. He was like hulk, but a black one. Sam and his men were startled and started firing on that big guy, but bullets didn’t do him any harm. The black monster picked up Sam and his guards with his big hands and threw them away into the sky.

  CHAPTER 13

  “What happened to me?” The black monster shouted at us.

  “What? Who are you?” I said. My legs were shaking in fear.

  “I am Roland Tanner.”

  “Oh my god!” I had a feeling that I was going to be torn into pieces.