Murders At The Orphanage

  • 04 Aug - 10 Aug, 2018
  • Salaar Laghari
  • Fiction


When I woke up next morning, I saw a caretaker standing outside my room. He asked me, “Did you sleep well, sir?”

“Yes, what is it?” I replied groggily. “Is everything ok?”

“Actually, it isn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Last night, Taha was in your room, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was.” I replied remembering stuff and getting curious. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know but we all know that he is missing from the orphanage.”

“Missing?”

“Yes. We’ve looked around for him but we can’t seem to find him anywhere.”

“Oh my God… ” I stood up immediately from my bed.

“Yes sir, we’re all very worried about him.”

I left my room and walked towards the children’s room. And let me tell you very honestly, every time I rushed whenever there was a murder, I had a different feeling. This time, when I was rushing for Taha, my feelings were more painful

and indescribable.

When I finally reached the spot where everyone was gathered, I saw only one caretaker and I asked him, “What happened?”

“Sorry?” he got confused.

“Where is he? What happened?”

“Look sir, we don’t know what happened last night. But we all know that he was with you before he disappeared.”

“Well, I’m suspecting you guys to be behind this, since you guys, sorry to say, are the only ones left to suspect.”

“Excuse me, sir” he changed his tone, “maybe you’re not listening. You were the one who was with him the last time. We all know that!”

“So, where are you getting

with this?”

“You know exactly where I’m getting with this.”

“Tell me, I want to hear it,” I got furious now.

“We suspect you,” I heard a voice from behind, “behind all these crimes.”

I saw the previous caretaker as I turned around.

v v v

Babar paused after speaking for a while. The police inspector asked,

“Are you okay Babar?”

“Everyone started suspecting me. Just because I was the one in the room with him.”

“I’m not getting one thing here. You told me that he was right behind you when you were getting the football. But when you turned around, he disappeared?”

“It’s the truth. Honestly, this is exactly what happened, I swear.”

“Okay, that’s something we can consider,” the inspector replied. “But what I can’t understand here is how can it actually happen. Maybe the kid ran away, it’s possible. Or somebody came inside and picked up the kid, held him tight, turned around and ran away. Is that possible to have happened within few seconds?”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Nowhere, I’m just asking you,” the police inspector spoke calmly, “that, do you think is possible?”

He did not reply and looked aside angrily.

“Babar, I’m just asking,” the inspector spoke. “Don’t take it the wrong way. Do you or do you not think that it’s a little strange?”

“What is strange?”

“What you told me, that Taha disappeared from behind you within few seconds. Don’t you think that it’s a little strange?”

He quit speaking since he had no words to put it the other way but Babar raised his voice and asked, “That’s a little what?”

“Look Babar, please don’t prolong the conversation, you know exactly what I’m trying to ask. And prolonging the conversation, by twisting it can get you into real trouble, do you understand that?”

“Sir, I’ll be completely honest. If you really want to believe me, well and good, if not, then it’s your choice. Taha was very close to me and because of his disappearance, I was terribly disturbed. The way I am describing this event is completely true and I’m sorry, I cannot prove it you.”

“Okay fine.” the inspector said, standing up.

“And my only request here is to save that little boy’s life, before the criminal Mr. Jahangir gets any bail.”

“Alright, I believe you. And I’ll see what I can do.”

After this, he walked out of the room.

While the police inspector stood outside, he gave everything a thought. He was trying to decide whether he should suspect Babar on Taha’s disappearance or not. He spotted a police constable standing afar who could be helpful to him. He called him out and waved for him to come closer towards him.

As the police constable approached, he asked him,

“You were on duty outside the orphanage few days back, is that right?”

“Uh yes, me and three others.”

“So tell me something, did any of you see Babar outside?”

“Outside? No sir he was meant to be inside, wasn’t he?”

“No, you don’t get it. What I’m asking is did anyone of you see Babar making his way outside the orphanage that night?”

“No, we didn’t. At least I didn’t. We didn’t see anyone coming out.”

“Okay, thank you. That’s all I need to know.”

The police inspector was now satisfied.

Meanwhile, inside the cell, Mr Jahangir was sleeping when he heard the head constable’s voice. He woke up to see the head constable was handing over Jahangir’s cell phone to him and said,

“Your phone’s been ringing for a while. Just answer it then give it back to me.”

Jahangir got up from his bed and walked to get his phone. The caller’s ID was unknown. He answered the call, “Hello!”

“You’ve been waiting for me, haven’t you?” the caller said.

“Who am I speaking to?”

“The person who has planted the entire crime on you,” the caller responded.

Jahangir understood at once that it was the actual criminal whose punishment he was serving.

“Oh God,” Jahangir uttered, “Who are you?”

“I’ll tell you everything after exactly six hours. Just make sure you don’t involve the cops in our conversation.”

“Please, whoever you are, please get me out of this, I beg you.”

“We’ll talk in six hours. Right now you need to stay calm and make sure the cops don’t follow me.”

The call got disconnected. Jahangir was left agitated. He looked at his cell phone and the head constable immediately snatched it saying,

“Give it to me. I’m going to shut this off now!”

“No don’t! Please don’t,” Jahangir pleaded desperately.

“Shut up!”

“I have to receive a call, its important. Please don’t shut it off”

The cop ignored him and turned to walk away. Helpless Jahangir tried to tell him that the call was from the actual killer, but then he remembered the caller’s warning and calmed down.

Damn it. He uttered in regret.

***********

Inside the room where Babar was seated, the investigating police inspector came and said to him, “Alright Mr. Babar, you’re free to go.”

“But, what about the investigations?”

“There’s nothing to worry about them. The culprit is under our custody now.”

“That’s not enough, sir. I mean to say, how can we be so sure that it’s him?”

“We have a motive, that the orphanage was not giving him his money. We have witnesses who heard him threatening about bloodshed. There are no other suspects besides him. And most importantly, his hand prints are on the murder weapon as perfect evidence. What more do we need?”

***********

“Oh…” Babar stood up. “Well, I guess you’re right.”

The police inspector left way for him to leave. Babar came towards him shook hands with him and then left. He stopped outside wanting to say something for Taha. But he didn’t feel right about it, so he continued walking straight and left.

Few hours later, Jahangir who was unable to sleep, walked towards the bars of the cell and asked the constable standing by,

“What’s the time? Can anyone please tell me?”

“Its five o’clock,” a voice came from somewhere.

Jahangir tried to find out who it was but he couldn’t. He went back to his bed and wondered,

Oh God, who has framed me into this?

An hour later, while he was almost asleep, he heard his cell phone ringing. He opened his eyes and saw the police constable holding his phone. Desperate, Jahangir stood up to get his phone, expecting the killer’s call.

An hour later, inside the lock up cell, Mr Jahangir was almost asleep when he heard his cell phone ringing. He opened his eyes and saw the police constable holding his phone. He desperately stood up to get his phone, expecting the killer’s call.

He snatched the phone and answered the call fearfully,

“Yes?”

“So Dad, how are you?”

Jahangir got a bit surprised hearing an unfamiliar voice calling him dad.

“Who are you?” Jahangir asked.

“Who am I? You don’t recognize your own son?”

“Don’t confuse me, please. Just tell me did you or did you not plant this on me?”

“I did and quite smartly.”

“Have I seen you before?” He asked.

“You slapped me the day you came to our orphanage,” Taha Kirmani, the young kid spoke from the other line. “Do you me remember now?”

Jahangir tried to remember and then recalled the young boy’s face.

“What? But you are only 11 or 12 years old.”

“That’s how it appeared.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“Ever heard of growth disorder?”

“Yes,” Jahangir replied curiously.

“I’ve been suffering from that since a long time. My actual age is 25.”

“25?”

“Yes, and secondly, I always remained silent and never spoke in front of anyone, so that no one could guess how old I actually was.”

“So?”

“Which was why I pretended to be a mute kid.”

“But, you are a big animal.”

“Oh, I’m an animal now? You abandoned families. Several women committed suicide because of you. Including

my mother.”

“Oh, so this is what it was about. Anyway, you are still worse than I am. At least I never killed anyone intentionally.”

“The people I killed were all criminals. They all were killers, for your information.”

“Look, I am willing to give you whatever you’ll ask for, but please just get me out of here.”

“Oh no no no no…” Taha replied dominantly, “Getting you behind the bars was my only purpose in life.”

“I understand, but we can negotiate, just get me out of here first.”

“Can you bring my mother back?”

“Look, just demand your amount, you’ll have it.”

“Can you bring my mother back?!” Taha Kirmani raised his voice.

“Okay I’m sorry, but right now we need to resolve this. Please just give me a chance.”

“Your case, Mr Jahangir is so strong that the cops have plenty of evidence to charge you. You will be sentenced to death within a short period of time.”

Jahangir sighed and then asked spoke after a pause,

“Okay tell me… how did you plan all of this?”

Taha chuckled and then started laughing hysterically.

“Tell me please…”

“This is what I always wanted to hear. Always wanted to see such desperation, pleading helplessly for mercy.”

“What’s your name?”

“You think I’m stupid?”

“No no, you are the most evil genius I know. But you are not answering my questions. I need a few answers.”

“Why should I answer your questions?” He raised his voice again. “Why? Do you think that I’m stupid?”

“Alright alright, I’m sorry,” Jahangir apologized.

There was a moment of silence.

“Now I’m hanging up,” Taha broke the silence. “But I’ll call you again, after few days.”

“No please, wait,” Jahangir spoke desperately.

The call got disconnected.

***********

Few days later at the city’s airport, Mr. Shahzaib Manzoor was making his way towards the exit. He was wearing sun glasses and was pushing his trolley which was carrying his suitcases. He seemed kind of excited about returning back to Pakistan.

After several minutes, when he finally stepped outside, he heard his cell phone ringing. He took it out from his pocket and checked the caller’s ID. It was Babar. He made an expression of dislike and decided to ignore the call by not answering it, then put the phone back inside his pocket.

Several taxis went by but he could not stop any of them as he was distracted. He took out his cell phone again and called someone; then he waited for the person to answer his call. As his call was received, he smiled delightfully and spoke, “Hey, how are you?”

He waited for the response and then spoke,

“Look, I know I’ve asked this plenty of times before but I never get tired of listening to the answer. Is our mission successful?”

He heard the response and chuckled.

“Oh, that makes me so relieved and happy,” he spoke.

Then he listened to what his partner had to say and replied, “Alright sure, we’ll meet this week. Quite soon, I suggest.”

He talked a bit more and then hung up his call. I hope the cops don’t get involved any further in this. He wondered.

He looked around for a while then went towards a taxi driver and asked him to take him to the orphanage, where he worked. The driver agreed and they had a bit of a bargain over the fare. Afterwards, he put all of his stuff inside the car’s trunk and sat inside. The driver informed him before turning the engine on, “The route that I’m going to take is a long one.”

“Okay, no problem,” Shahzaib replied.

The driver turned the engine on and said,

“Let’s go.”

***********

Inside the jail, an upset Jahangir was sitting on the bed. His health seemed to worsen, as he hadn’t eaten for days. A police officer came by and said

to him,

“Get ready, you have to come with us.”

“But where?”

“To the central jail.”

“What?” he was confused.

“To the city’s central jail!” the cop answered loudly.

“Oh God!” Jahangir uttered, sounding distressed.

He stood up and held his face in agony. He said to himself,

What am I going to do? How can I get myself out of this?

He let go of his face and looked at the wall ahead. He took a step back towards his bed and kept starring at the wall. He then closed his eyes and wondered. Instead of dying after court’s sentence, how about I die now, here, inside this hell.

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