STOPHERE📍

  GAUTWORLD The crescent moon was useless tonight; it was pitch dark all around, and the rain was pouring down heavily, hitting the hard ground vigorously. ″Agggghhhhhooo!″ The agony cry crossed the skyline and the falling rain attempted to suppress it, but failed miserably as the cry came once again and this time loud enough to wake up the dead. However, it did shake up Bali Singh, Zamindar Gaya Singh's personal bodyguard. Bali Singh was on his guard post just outside his master's bedroom when the agonised cry made him stand up with a start, and he rushed towards the open balcony and out into the courtyard. It was dark, very dark, outside the courtyard, and the tall trees planted around it made it darker. The lamppost inside the courtyard blinked from time to time as it fought to survive against the heavy rainfall. Bali Singh shook his head and was about to turn back when the cry ranted across the sky again. ″Agggghhhhhooo″ It was a terrible cry as if someone was in a terrib...

GAUTWORLD Malghut was a beautiful village; it had a good, clean, deep beach, the sand golden in colour. The village lanes were clean and planted on their sides with coconut trees, which not only gave their thirst-quenching nectar but also shaded the village from the sun. There was ripening rice in the fields, and the sweet scent of flowers wafted everywhere. The villagers were a sturdy and hard-working lot; they also kept their village as clean as possible. Inspector Vinayaka took in all this as the jeep travelled over the dusty trail to Pradhan’s house. They reached the large pond of sweet water, which was refilled every year with bountiful rainwater. Two women were drying some pickles near the pond edge as they chatted. The jeep traversed the pond and entered a small lane at the end of which stood Pradhan’s house. Constable Uttar Jeri parked the jeep outside the gate. Pradhan was waiting for them in his house's beautiful garden. Greetings were exchanged, and sweet lemon juices w...