" I'm Inspector Jyoti Agdekar. Could you show me to the cages? "
The bald man stared for a long second at my badge before grabbing the keys on the table.
" Welcome to the Joginder Circus, miss. Follow me, please", he said, while pointing with his index to the stairs leading to the basement.
" I'm sorry for your feet, though. The cages are not really a place for such an elegant young lady "
" Don't worry about me. I heard some complaints about the way your staff is treating the animals. You know I'm going to report anything suspicious, don't you, Mr. Shashi?", I responded, my heels echoing on the cold stone.
There was a moment of silence, none of us want to continue the conversation. I started to look for any clue, insignificant or not until Mr. Shashi shook slightly the bundle of keys in his hand and asked
" What is your favorite animal? "
I snorted, rolling my eyes.
" I am not a fan of silly questions, Mr. Shashi "
" Come on. Everyone wished to have a pet as a kid ", he insisted, showing a somewhat kind smile.
A chill went down my spine as he pushed the door of the cage's room. That place smelled and felt like a flavorless jar of pickles.
" I don't think animals are meant to be held captive. There's something...so human in their eyes, you know "
An elephant was sleeping in the center, his peacefulness reminding me of my little Amod, waiting for his mother to come. The feeling of discomfort wrapped my whole body, so I almost begged Mr. Shashi to talk to me.
" I don't have a lot of knowledge, but shouldn't this room be warmer, like their natural habitat? "
I passed his cage only to meet the absent gaze of a monkey, staring right through my soul, as my grandfather did before being taken to the mental hospital. I bit my lower lip, waiting in vain for it to change position.
" How are these monsters going to behave if you give them what they want? I'm sorry, miss, I think the tour is over ", he tried to push me to the existing.
With the corner of my eye, I managed to see another almost lifeless piece of fur, a tiger. If the sadness could have been a creature, it would be that poor tiger.
" What about the other rooms?", I asked.
Mr. Shashi looked like a fusion of confusion and shock, so I clarified:
"What about the keys? You haven't used any of them the whole way"
Instinctively, the man tried to hide the bundle in his pocket. That was the moment I knew for sure something wasn't right.
" What are you talking about? "
The next thing I know, a sharp pain, like a needle, invaded the back of my neck. I felt my feet collapsing under the weight of my whole body, my upper eyelids too heavy to keep it going.
All I could think about was my little son Amod, waiting for his mother to come...
MOHAK ROKADE
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