Chapter 2 - MAD DOG

The unrhythmic noise from the bench grinding machine filled the room, sparks sprayed over the gloves and shades. Killing peace engulfed the surroundings, as the grinding rotor came to rest. His lips carved into a pride smile, moving his fingertip over the shiny edges of the claw weapon. The weapon replicated wolverine claws; whose shiny silver knives are reflected by the black shades he wore. The temporary garage shed was made out of wood and the door was latched with a rusted iron chain. The rubber tires, gunny bags, long white ropes—occupied the shed corners. Just a table is laid against the wall, opposite the entry door.

“Canis, have a nice sleep, go back into the house,” Nithari pleaded, still checking the edges of the claw knives.

In return, he just heard a flapping sound of the ears.

Placing the weapon on the table, hanging the black shades in his right pocket of red jacket, he moved towards the door. Kneeling just beside the right leg of Canis, he pulled the whole body of it on his chest, with his left-hand clutching around its stomach.

“What does your ear flap mean? Yes or no?” rubbing on the top of its head, “We have a lot of work tonight, why don’t you get rest, Canis.”

Canis followed Nithari, as he left the shed and headed towards the main house. With a quick run, just after entering the bedroom, Nithari jumped on to the cot. Canis followed the same and bounced on to him, which turned out into a great hug, like no human being ever experienced.

⌂⌂⌂⌂

Nithari walked the way he was dragged. Canis lead him this time. They were distanced by a rope of more than a meter length, one end clipped around Canis neck, and the other wrapped around Nithari’s left hand. It is the darkest time of the night; no human being is traced around.

“Why can’t you control your piss? It's night time, I understand, but do it in our house premises,” Nithari said softly, which he does each day.

Canis rested its body against a tree for about half a minute and continued to walk the straight dark path.

Nithari called out, “Hey, can I help you,” to a man, whom he just noticed walking the other way, with suitcases in either hand.

“Yeah, if you could,” the man replied, the voice was low but, clear in deadly silence.

The man bent down to rest his hands and screamed out loud in pain, as the edges of the claw weapon pierced the cloth, skin, and later muscle, touching the collar bone of the right shoulder.

“Sorry,” Nithari whispered, but the bone was still clutched between the silver sharpened edges.

The color of the blood appeared dark, no light reflected the bright red. Soon the man went motionless and collapsed between the suitcases.

Canis watched in silence, as it does each day. Neither the ears nor the tail flapped.

The claws retrieved and with a jerk of rope, Canis took a turn and started to walk back.

“This is the last warning, no pissing on the road again. Understand.” Canis flapped its ears and walked home.

⌂⌂⌂⌂

 

“This is not 40’s or 50’s, we are in ’89. Why don’t you use the technology in solving the case?” the lady reporter’s voice echoed in the conference room.

“We are doing our best. We are making people most aware of this, we sent vehicles into the streets of Jabalpur announcing to be careful,” the policeman answered, sitting behind a bunch of mics.

“You have the people’s co-operation, but we don’t see any progress from your side, in catching the criminal,” a press person from the third row questioned, “this is the third murder and you have not made a statement yet.”

“The criminal chose an area which is not under surveillance and as it was the night time, no one was there to identify the person,” the police tried to answer patiently, “and we have our clues. We found similarities between three murders, clearing that these three are done by the same person.”

“The DNA of the dog’s urine collected at a distance from the place of murder, in the first and third cases are matching, which may lead us to the serial killer,” the police concluded.

About ten days passed, the murders continued till then. Seven people died and two recovered.

The murders decreased after the installation of CC cameras in the city. Police became alert when one of the cameras gave a shadow picture of a person handling a dog, at the spot of the seventh murder.

⌂⌂⌂⌂

 

Months passed, but people were still in the fear of the killer. The headline printed on August 12, released them from bounds of panic and terror.

                    “THE SERIAL KILLER IS CAUGHT”