The bus is going from outside Amrut Nagar to its edge to enter the LBS highway. The bus turns right to head towards Ghatkopar West. "As always, Mumbai is crowded, which is why I need to wake up at 7 to make sure I arrive on time at 8," Vikram mutters to himself in his mind, starting to look outside. Small vendors set up in front of proper shops, selling local food items. Some of them are unusual, like one vendor who mixes energy drinks in omelets. Vikram's face shows disgust. Anita notices this, blushing while trying to hide it, and says, "As always, he's cute." The bus arrives in Ghatkopar West, and after leaving the LBS highway, it takes a route through a residential area with left and right turns. Deep in Ghatkopar West, it arrives in front of a big building with an open ground area. This is Vikram and Anita's college or high school. Though they consider it a college after the tenth grade, it was originally a high school. Vikram and Anita get off the bus and pass through the gate. From the gate to the building's door, tiles are laid for walking, and the entire ground is green, filled with tiny grass, thanks to the winter. In the corners of the ground, big trees and flowers grow, not wild, but carefully nurtured. In this scenic view stands a huge, four-story building with 30 classrooms for kids from 1st to 10th standard, and 10 other classrooms for students above 10th grade or in different branches like science, commerce, and arts. It also has a canteen, principal's room, store room, library, stage for programs, and a staff room. Vikram climbs the stairs quickly, passing most of the students, heading towards the 4th floor, where the 11th B classroom is located.
The students are sitting in discipline, responding to the roll call as the teacher says their names.
"Vinash,"
"Present, sir."
"Vinayak,"
"Present, sir."
"Vikram!"
The teacher calls out Vikram's name, and just as he does, the door of the classroom suddenly opens with a rush. Everyone turns to see Vikram, panting and catching his breath. He says, "Present, sir."
The teacher looks at him and says, "Hmm, took you long enough. Try to come on time next time. For now, sit down."
Vikram walks into the class, saying, "Thank you, sir."
"Ah, can I come in too?" a voice calls out. The teacher looks towards the voice and responds, "Come in."
Anita enters the class and sits alone in the corner. Vikram puts his bag on the window-side seat and sits down.After a while, the lectures end, and lunch time arrives. Vikram, who just picks up his bag to grab his lunch box, feels someone sit beside him. It's Vinash, his benchmate, who says, "So, you also tried her?"
Vikram looks at him, irritated. "Will you shut up? Just your name isn't enough; you're weird, Vinash."
Vinash hears that and shouts back, "Shut up! My name isn't weird. It's good!"
"Nah, it's weird," Vinayak, Vikram's other benchmate, says."Keep quiet, Vinayak," Vinash says. "And why did you get late and arrive at the same time as her?"
Vikram grabs his lunch and adds, "I just woke up late and happened to meet her at the same time. Plus, you're not the one to judge me—you're the one who kissed her after giving her 500 rupees."
Vinayak opens his lunch box and says, "Maybe we should make them marry."
Vinash responds, "No, I don't want to marry someone like her. See? Even at lunch time, she's gone."
Vikram shakes his head. "Just drop the topic. Start eating. What did you guys bring?"
Vinayak says, "Kadhi rice."
Vinash says, "Pav bhaji."
Vikram nods. "Okay, good. Now give it to me. I forgot to bring my lunchbox, and this box is from yesterday that I forgot to wash."
Vinayak grins. "Hey, you're lazy. You're just good at coming late with a worker."
Vikram shouts, "Shut up!"
In the library, there are around 12 or more bookshelves and tables with chairs to sit and read. However, the library is locked from the inside. In the last corner, one of the bookshelves shakes, as if someone is pushing it. A strange sound follows, accompanied by the breaking of breath and the repetitive gulping of saliva.
The girl was pinned to the bookshelf while her thong hanging to her legs which are surrounding a man's hips who pinned her and kissing nonstop while his belt is unbuckled, the chain of his pants is loose, and the buttons are open that girl was anita who put her both hands on that man for balance . That was her teacher, who looked to be in his 40s. He said, "You came late today. I'm not going to pay you."
As hearing that she said sorry I will take care next time .As the bell rang, everyone started heading to their classes. Vikram and his friends continued talking about random things.
"Today morning, when I was coming, I saw a house near ours. It had black feathers sprinkled outside," Vikram said.
Vinayak responded, "Did you check if the people inside are good? There's a serial killer going around, killing people, and his signature is black feathers. He leave behind them."
Vinash interrupted, "You guys are overthinking it."
But Vikram replied, "No, I did read about a weird death related to black feathers in the newspaper."
Vinayak chimed in, "Maybe you should go inside and check the house."
Vinash, trying to keep the conversation lighthearted, said aggressively, "Shut up, you bookworms! Unlike you guys, I don't get caught up in serious conversations. Just tell me, who's coming on the school trip, which is four days from now?"
Upon hearing that, Vikram , "Nope, I'm not coming. The trip is three days long, and the last day of trip is my birthday."
Vinayak looked at Vikram, reacting with a calm and composed yet teasing tone, "Oh, to the seventh day from today. Thanks to your birth, or I would've eaten properly for lunch today."
Vikram's face twitched upon hearing that. Vinash, trying to control his laughter, waited for Vikram's response.
Vikram shot back, "Just one day you let me eat, and you think you did something great?"
Vinayak, with a bright smile on his face, replied, "Yeah, I fulfilled my role as step-daddy."
Vinash and Vinayak started laughing.
Vikram shouted, "Wait, you tweakers! Let me show you who's daddy!" He ran to catch them, but they had already fled.
It felt like time sped up as they ran. Morning turned to afternoon, and soon it was evening, the time when Vikram usually heads home. As he boarded the bus, he saw the city was still crowded. But compared to the busy morning rush of people heading to work, the streets were now filled with people wandering for fun. Local vendors had increased in number, just like his thoughts that are running wild " ahh I really wanted to go on trip but I also wanted to celebrate my birthday" from the very long time in anant family they celebrate their kid's birthday without missing. They pass down a box that they said 'seer of three times' gave it to them . " Well if I went to trip grandma will execute me with spells, execute huh " he stares outside of window and start to think about serial killer incidents and that weird toilet death incident. "What the hell I am thinking suddenly" he laughed on himself.
The bus stopped at a familiar place, his usual stop near home. He started walking, and compared to the crowded streets earlier, his area seemed quieter. He lived inside Amrut Nagar, where shops were available but didn't have the same crowds. Even if there were people, they were just talking with each other, smiles on their faces.
Vikram smiled and said, "As usual, lovely and lively.how could be here killer"But as he approached his house,he saw people outside of their house talking with each other"what's going on here" he walked straight towards his house while thinking.
the crowd began to grow thicker and thicker and stress on his face also started to become visible the sense of danger on his face as he went near house. He saw a police investigation at the 7th house. Officer Samradh was there, trying to make way for an ambulance carrying the body of the resident of the 7th house.
Vikram, observing the scene, remembered his friends' talk at school about a serial killer who was on the loose, leaving black feathers as his signature.
Samradh spoke to the crowd, "Look, we're investigating here. If we find anything, we'll definitely inform the public so they can take the necessary steps for their security."
A young female reporter asked Samradh, "Then what are you doing? This is the 22nd murder, and you still don't know anything?"
Samradh responded, "We are trying our—"
Another reporter cut him off, "So, will you give protection to the remaining six houses or not?"
Hearing this, Vikram said in surprise, "What?"
The reporter responded, "Don't you know? The serial killer has been killing since last month. He targets the residents of the 7th house each day. Now, from this house to the right side, six more people will die, or to the left side..."
Samradh angrily interrupted, "Shut up! Don't cross your boundaries and try to scare people. You should keep some limits."
As Samradh moved toward Vikram, who was frightened and wide-eyed with fear, Samradh reassured him, "Don't worry. Nothing bad will happen. I won't let that killer harm you or anyone else."
Vikram, still worried and filled with sudden tension, asked, "Who is he, and why is he doing this?"
Samradh replied, "We don't know who he is or what his motives are, but we call him the "Feathered Nightmare."