KILLERS AND THE KILLED

THE KILLERS AND THE KILLED

(a story with two alternate endings)

PART I

It is eight o'clock in the evening. It is the house of the rich businessman, Jagannadham.

Bhaskar, son of Jagannadham is very impatient. Sometime back the family lawyer told him a shocking news that his father is very angry with him and called him the next day to change his will. Bhaskar, all these years was thinking that the whole property will be his one day, being the only son. 'I have to do something before it is too late. Otherwise he will give it all to that devil of his second wife!' He opened the drawer and checked the revolver. 'I cant wait anymore. Tonight will be the last night for him.' he decided.

Revathi, Bhaskar's wife is brooding. Though her husband is a good-for-nothing drunkard, she enjoys her luxurious life. But now she heard the lawyer was called. It appears like the old man is going to disinherit them. She shuddered at the prospect. 'I will not allow it. Tonight I will see his end. If possible, his wife's too. After that it is easy to get hold of the property from Bhaskar.' she smiled, remembering the small poison bottle she got secretly.

Suguna, Jagannadham's wife is disturbed. She is very upset with her husband for quite sometime. And now he called the lawyer too! She cursed her father for marrying her to a widower almost twenty years older than her and with a son! Ever since that day she was crying. Until Diwakar came into her life. Her face lit with joy just by remembering him. He is ready to do anything for her sake. Like getting the cyanide pill with great difficulty. Tonight she will give it to the old man replacing one of his regular tablets. By tomorrow she will be the queen of the house! And Diwakar, the king.

Diwakar, the manager is looking at the clock. He will wait a couple of hours before going to the house of his boss. True, he was disloyal and finding the old man disinterested and ailing with age related problems, pilferred large amounts of company money. But he underestimated the boss. He found out his treachery and threatened with police case and arrest. And though he did not mention, it seems he suspected about him and Suguna too. Tonight will be the end to all this. 'Suguna should succeed with the cyanide pill. Otherwise, I can easily throttle him with my own hands.' he smiled. 'Then it will be the turn of Suguna, the nag! And then all others too!'

Chandu, the driver is in the outhouse, his home. He is boiling with rage. In fact, ever since Mallika, his wife of six months, told him about the roving eye of the master, he was burning with fury! The disgusting old rat! How dare he sets his eyes on his young and beautiful wife ! He remembered the sharp knife he hid secretly. Tonight he will end the brute's life so that he will never look at his Mallika again.

Mallika checked the packet of insecticide once again. That will teach that old rascal a fitting lesson for his seemilgly innocent overtures with her. As if she cannot guess his wicked intentions! Tonight she will mix it in the juice the old man has the habit of taking daily after dinner. Then she and Chandu can have a heavenly life!

Johny, a thief, is in search of a good fortune. He chose the house of Jagannadham for his purpose. He studied the house well and decided to strike tonight. He knew where the bedroom of the master is. Though he never killed anyone before, he will not hesitate to kill if the old man tries to raise an alarm. He put a long plastic rope in his pocket and started for the house.

Next morning, the local police station received a call reporting about the multiple murders in Jagannadham'a house. "How many?" The constable asked the Inspector on the way. "No idea. We will go and find out who are the killer and the killed." he said.

ENDING  I

THE  NIGHT  BEFORE:

Bhaskar entered his father's bedroom. He was not in his bed. He heard a slight movement in the adjoining balcony. He went to the dark balcony, looking for his father. He saw somebody hiding there, not his father. Before he could open his mouth or pull out the revolver from his pocket, Johny pounced upon him and tightened the rope around his neck. Bhaskar, after some struggle, went limp. 

Johny is now alarmed. 'O God! Why did I kill him?' He panicked at the sudden turn of events and wanted to flee. Sweating, he climbed down the balcony with the drain pipe just the same way he entered. And started running towards the back gate. 

Suddenly he bumped into Diwakar and both fell down. Diwakar fell on a sharp rock which smashed his head. He died immediately even before realising what happened to him. 

Chandu, on the way to the house, heard the commotion. He sensed some danger and quickly ran towards the noise with a hand on the knife in his pocket. Johny was still dazed. But he recovered quickly and out of desperation he caught hold of Chandu's neck in a tight grip. Chandu, though struggling, took out the knife and stabbed the thief with force. Johny gasped but even while dying he did not leave Chandu's throat. Chandu coughed a little and breathed his last.

Then it was all quiet!

Suguna went to her husband's room. He was not in the bed. She quickly opened his daily medicines and put them in a small plate as usual. But unlike everyday, she put the cyanide pill in the place of one of the regular ones. Jagannadham came out from the toilet and sat on the bed. "Suguna, I don't feel like having the juice today. Bring me a glass of milk." he said. She looked at the tablets. "I will take them later."

Mallika mixed the insecticide in the juice for the old man. She heated the milk for Suguna and kept both the glasses in a tray on the kitchen table for Suguna to come and collect. Then she took the soiled dishes outside to clean.

Revathi was loitering in the dining room wondering how to achieve her goal. Just then Suguna came and sat there. "Revathi, tell Mallika to get milk for your uncle instead of juice."

Revathi was overjoyed. She went into the kitchen. Mallika was outside washing the dishes. Revathi heated some milk and poured into a glass. She noticed the tray kept by Mallika with juice and milk. 'What a golden chance for me! I can eliminate both of them with one shot! And celebrate with this juice!' She emptied the poison in both the milk glasses and came out with the tray. Suguna took the milk glasses and went to her husband. Revathi went to her room with the juice and humming happily, started drinking.

Suguna found her husband still sitting on the bed. The tablets were still there. He grimaced. "I feel very uneasy, Suguna. Better I will skip the milk too. You have yours and go to bed." He followed her glance and waved his hand. "Oh, dont worry about the tablets. I will take them without fail."

Suguna came out cursing him. She put one of the glasses on the kitchen table and called to Mallika, "You have this milk, Mallika." And she went to her room sipping the milk from the other glass.

Mallika finished her work and came into the kitchen. She shrugged on seeing the milk. Suguna insists on the milk everyday and most of the time leaves it untouched. She drank the milk and went to the outhouse, her home.

Jagannadham sighed. 'What a life! Bhaskar is a waste fellow. And his wife a spendthrift. Then this Diwakar is a thief and cheating me along with Suguna. Ever since I called the lawyer, these people are behaving in a suspicious manner. Perhaps they knew about that. I can no longer trust anyone.' He looked at the tablets. 'Why is Suguna glancing at them repeatedly? Are they safe? No guarantee.' He threw them in the dustbin and took his usual medicines himself from the almirah. 

He thought about Mallika. 'Very sweet and innocent girl! If only I had a daughter like that! She and Chandu are a cute couple. But nowadays they are also aloof and indifferent with me.' He shook his head. 'Why bother? Anyway tomorrow the lawyer will come. As per my plan, I will just leave enough for the maintenance of Suguna and Bhaskar and give away everything else in charity and move to an old age home. Hope I will have a peaceful life there at least!'

Next morning, Jagannadham called the local police station to report about the multiple murders in his house. "How many?" The constable asked the Inspector on the way. "No idea. We will go and find out who are the killer and the killed." he said.

OR.....
              

ENDING  II

(AFTER  PART  I)

NEXT  MORNING:

"I am Chakrapani, the lawyer of Jagannadham. I called you in the morning." The man told the Inspector Pratap. "Sorry, Inspector, nobody is dead. I saw them lying in blood and called you thinking they are all dead. But afterwards when I went near, I found them all alive and struggling. I called the doctor and he is doing the needful."

Pratap nodded his head. He noticed some men and women around, moaning and  scared. The doctor, with the help of a nurse was attending on them. The lawyer continued. "One man, who is unconscious, is unknown to me. All others are known. Doctor says there is no danger to their lives."

"Can you tell me what happened, young man?" Pratap asked Chandu who appeared to be in a better condition than the others.

Chandu recalled what happened the previous night.

After dinner, Jagannadham called them all to the drawing room including Chandu, Mallika and Diwakar too. "I have something to tell you all. I want to spend the rest of my life in an ashram in Rishikesh. I've made all arrangements. Tomorrow the lawyer will come to finalise my will. I want to give the outhouse and a cash of five lakhs to Chandu and Mallika. They are very sincere. I consider her as my daughter and I hope they will not refuse."

Chandu and Mallika stared at each other, surprised.

"The rest of my property is to be divided equally between Suguna and Bhaskar. The lawyer will work out the details. And they are free to do whatever they want about continuing with Diwakar as manager. If they remove him then he will get some monthly pension, due to his lengthy service to us." He stopped.

All were in a shock.

"What about you?" Bhaskar asked after a while.

"I will keep a small amount for myself. The interest will be enough for me."

Then as the impact of his words was sinking fully, they all started protesting

against his decision.

Suddenly there was some commotion. A man, apparently a thief, jumped into the hall from the back window and was surprised to see people there, wide awake.

Bhaskar took out the revolver and Chandu the knife. They all pounced upon him and a long scuffle followed. The thief took the revolver from Bhaskar and fired wildly two or three times. Ultimately, Bhaskar could snatch the revolver from the thief and hit him on the head. The thief fell down. They were all injured due to the firing and the fighting and were bleeding.

The doctor declared all of them out of danger. Jagannadham, a heart patient was put on sedation. The bullets were removed from Bhaskar and Suguna, none fatal. Revathi and Mallika were in a shock with minor injuries. Diwakar received some heavy blows on his body and not fully conscious but there is no threat to his life. Chandu had some cuts and bruises but nothing serious. The thief, Johny was still unconscious and had to be shifted to the hospital. There is a good chance of his surviving.

Pratap, after recording the statements of all, left the house. Filled with

remorse and repentance, they all started praying and waiting for Jagannadham to open his eyes.