Chapter 5 - 4

I am here to give you a reason; a reason, to remember my name

- JACK, THE KNIGHT

Perhaps, I have been using the word 'Perhaps' too much. Well, I am not writing this book to entertain you. But, since I have started this as a novel, why not finish it like a professional.

Thunders raged and the clouds darkened. Winds raced across the land, and with them, leaves and dust, travelling as passengers. Trees stood erect and fearless, as if mocking us. Cause, we were sacred out of our wits.

So, we ran around screaming, all of us, until Will smashed into Zoey. Could you blame the lot of us? Seconds ago, we were sitting in a hall full of people, who, had lighted themselves on fire, with a lighter. Those idiots! Well, we had done the same. But for some reason, the six of us were the only ones, trapped in this godforsaken forest.

Thank gods, nobody had run out of the Lakshman Rekha. Of course, at that time, nobody completely knew what a Lakshman Rekha was. In practice, it's a sort of barrier – a very strong one – that's made by drawing a circle with seeds or chalk, and chanting the necessary prayers to Shesh Naag.

In our case, the circle was drawn using chalk. It's still not clear, who drew it. A minor mystery.

Jack helped Zoey get up, while, Kaal and Noa, struggled to do the same for Will. Jack offered Zoey his handkerchief. Kaal and Noah, threatened to drop Will, if he didn't co-operate. After this was done, a long-haired girl with blue eyes and a heart shaped face, walked up to Jack and Zoey.

"We are going to do the introductions now," she ordered, and nobody made a sound to oppose her.

"I am Ayu," she said, as regal as a Queen "And, I have no intensions of telling you more about myself, save, that I come from Bali."

"You are next," she demanded, pointing at Zoey.

"Uh, okay," said the girl with tanned skin, of shoulder length hair and black eyes.

"Good," said Ayu, with a nod.

Before beginning, she glanced at the other group. It consisted of a tall black boy, with average looks, another boy with slightly better facial features but, of a smaller height. Actually Kaal, was the smallest in the group, standing at a height of Five feet seven. Then, there was the pretty green-eyed blonde girl.

"My name is Concepcion Luz, but please call me Zoey," said Zoey "My parents are Mexican, although I was born in Japan. And since then, I have lived in different countries, my whole life."

"For the last ten years, though, my family has been living in India," she continued "I am studying Physics at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore."

"I like chem..." said Zoey.

"Yeah, we don't care," stated Ayu "Black boy, you're up."

She didn't point this time, well, she didn't need to.

"Isn't that a little racist," urged Kaal.

"Not if you are Asian," replied Ayu.

"And, I didn't ask for your opinion." Then she added "Shrimp."

"Hey, you're only an inch taller," protested Kaal.

"Two," asserted Ayu, although Kaal felt he could challenge that claim. "And they count."

"Will you come yourself, or do you need help," said Ayu looking at William.

I just realized; this is quite boring. So, I will skip Noah, Kaal and Will's introductions.

***************

"I am Jack and I don't think, we should be doing this," said Jack, a little uncertain.

"Why Jack, if not this, then what should we be doing?" asked Ayu amicably.

"Um, possibly something about them," he said, pointing at the group of the deformed, but tall blue skinned creatures – with large horns protruding out of their skulls, wearing armours made of scales and a belt around the waist, with a pouch attached to it – that had been standing about twenty – five metres from the Lakshmana Rekha – we hadn't noticed it yet – and therefore Thirty – two metres from the centre of the circle, that is , our position, the whole time.

"And what do you suggest we do, Jack?" she asked.

"I … well, I don't really have a plan in mind." Declared Jack.

"Then, shut up!"

After a few seconds of awkward silence, gathering his courage, the Indian guy managed to add something very important.

"Well, whatever the plan is, the first step should be, not going near them," said Kaal.

That was, the first time, the six of us agreed to something.

Then, we started brainstorming. Many, plans were formed. Almost, all of them would have worked. But, us being idiots and probably because of the gullibility drug, the group chose to follow Zoey's plan.

To be honest we were like a bunch of people hammered with alcohol and drugs, suddenly asked to go to work. Work here being, escaping a mad forest inhabited by demonic creatures.

Kaal found two rocks, and tossed one at Noah. She caught it, and along with him, joined the others standing by the boundary.

The depleted distance, didn't help Noah's worries. It only made them worse. Everyone other than Jack, was scared shitless. Jack was only scared. Emphasis on no mention of shitless.

"Who goes first?" asked Zoey.

"This is a bad idea," said Will, the Britisher.

"Is it?" asked Kaal,

"Let's get it over with." said Jack.

He raised his and threw the rock enclosed in his palm. It landed some five feet, from the foremost malformed creature. There was no discernible reaction. Kaal and Noah threw their rocks at the same time. Kaal's hit the ground half a metre from where Jack's rock had landed. Noah's however, landed a foot ahead.

Still, no reaction.

Will, did what the creatures were doing. Nothing.

Zoey, threw hers after Ayu's rock had landed a metre behind Kaal's. Zoey's throw was different. It hit a creature, who fell to the ground after the impact.

Nothing else happened. The creatures stood like they had an hour ago.

Until, a smaller creature – about three feet tall, and brown skinned with crooked teeth and a scar on his neck – jumped on the fallen one, and slashed the dude's throat with his curved knife. He then – swiftly – plucked off the pouch from the fallen one's belt. Then he broke into a run, towards us.

"Don't fret, he can't enter the circle," Ayu hypothesised.

"You sure?" asked Will.

"Of course, I am."

She had hypothesised that, the white chalk circle was what was keeping them out. Therefore the small one wouldn't be able to enter the circle. She was wrong. When Tabu was but, only two metres away, he leapt off the ground and smashed into Jack. He tried to recreate his earlier scene of passion. Will and Noa stopped him. Noa lifted him, grabbing him by the elbow. Having witnessed this scene, the other creatures started marching – very slowly – at us.

"Run," said Ayu.

And we did.

In a matter of moments, the six of us were out of the circle, running away from the group of monsters – with Noah holding Tabu – which had just sped up its pace.

Having run a great distance from where she originally was, Zoey, looked backwards.

She saw a monster step on the white circle, then fall, as if he had hit a wall. Then the same happened for the others.

She felt relief, and was about to call for the others – to tell them that the circle was safe and they should return. Before she could do that, she saw the demons charge around the circle, running at inhuman speed.

The dread returned. She turned back and found others, all of them looking at the hoard of creatures. Regret and fright on their faces.

"Run!" Ayu screamed.

*You know it's quite fun, talking about yourself in third person