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In the night, the streets in the village of Gangadevipalli are so bright.
Currently half the houses in the village doesn’t have lights switched on, as they are sleeping.
And half the houses in the village are having lights switched on, as some people are watching TV shows, and some are farmers - doing early preparation for tomorrow’s work in the fields.
It is 10 pm now, the power goes off. When the power goes off, the villagers of gangadeviapalli gets really scared and they rush and lock themselves in their homes until the next day morning 4 am, when the power comes back again.
But then there was a stranger, a govt official who joined the village post office yesterday, who was not aware of anything about this village. Though he joined as postman, he always wanted to do service to the nation in the higher cadre. So, he was preparing for the same that night. When the power went off, he switched on his candle and continued reading.
As he was reading for a long time, he wanted to go out take fresh air and do smoking.
When he came out of the house for smoking, he was amazed by the true beauty of the village that night. It was full moon day, the bright light of the moon, huge monster green trees moving their hands(branches) with full swing and the mountains are so bright and clear as if someone put torch light on them.
While he was watching this, he heard river flowing. He started walking towards the sacred river – The GangaDevi. As the river is little far from his place, he started running to see the river at this beautiful moment. But it was worth, he can see the image of the moon in the river. With the small waves of the river, the moon in the water looked like as if the moon is swimming in the river.
After seeing this beautiful, he also wanted to swim. He is a good swimmer; he had won many medals during his college days and school days as part of swimming.
Immediately, without any further delay, he jumped into the river. The water in the river is so cold and he started liking it. Few moments later, he was suddenly pulled inside the river.
But he went inside the water and somehow escaped from the pull and came back again on to the surface of water.
Again, after few moments later, again he was pulled inside the river. This time, he went deep inside the river and this time it very hard to come back to the surface of the river.
But he managed and came to the surface. This time, he realized something is going wrong and it is not safe to be here. He immediately started moving towards the bank of the river.
Finally, when he is about to reach the bank. He felt someone is coming after him, in the river, when he turned his head back to check who it is ….???
With a huge force, his head and entire body was pushed deep inside the river.
He was pushed like this until his body floated in the river like plastic bottle in the river.
The next day…
Bhairava, new Sub-Inspector for the village arrives with his subordinate.
They both get transferred to this village.
Bhairava and his subordinate arrives in the village in the police jeep.
While the jeep enters the village and goes along side of the river, Bhairava notices that there is a huge crowd gathered near the river.
People gathered around the postman clothes and his belongings, who was dead the last night.
People were talking about his cause of death. Bhairava gets out of the vehicle and goes the towards the crowd and enquires how did this happen and who saw first.
An old wise man from the crowd came forward and said to Bhairava “ I think he would have went to water in the night after 10 pm “.
Bhairava didn’t understand and questioned again “So ..??”
The wise men felt offended and said “That’s Gangadevi Aghram ( anger ) “ and left the place without turning back.
Bhairava kept watching that old wise man leaving the place and didn’t understand the reply.
He Ordered his subordinate ‘Sastri’ to take the belongings.
But the rumors in the village started spreading in the more…
It is 5 pm in the evening the same day, While Bhairava in police station, sastri rushes and comes in hurry and says “Sir, we need to leave this place as soon as possible,
The death of that postman in the report shows he was droned. But all the villagers are telling that the river is the form of goddess- and she has cursed this village long back and she roams in the village after 10 pm , during this time , whoever roams in the village , they are prone to death.”
Bhairava listening to this, laughed and said “I think you got scared by seeing the death on the first day of your joining. Morever, these villages are foolish people, they are saying Goddess is trying to kill people. Why God will kill people?”
Sastri to that says “Sir, she cursed this village, that’s why she is killing these people? “
Bhairava says “ I don’t know what to call these villagers innocent or foolish one.. These people pray the god... in the morning and the same god in the night is trying to kill the people.
If Goddess is real thing, she won’t kill people. If she is really killing the people, she is not goddess.
And I won’t be like coward, stay in the room and praying to save life.
Rather I will fight with that Monster in the form of Goddess and save these people.
Sastri “ Now the time is 9.55, Don’t you feel scared sir?”
Bhairava “Scared .. for what.. ??”
Sastri “As if you don’t know .. the same thing … I said in the morning.. in another 5 minutes, the power goes off and the goddess will roam and kill the people”.
Bhairava “Are you still thinking about it.. come on.. don’t believe all these things .. these are foolish and innocent stories”
And the power goes off..
Sastri heart beat raises… Bhairava asks Sastri to get candle and open the windows.
Sastri denies for it. Bhairava himself goes to kitchen and the candle and light it up.
And open the windows for fresh air.
Even Bhairava feels the same and sees from the window.
He saw a person with vibrant black full covered is walking at the front -side garden.
He is little bit surprised to see that person.
Immediately he came downstairs and opened the main door.
He is once again shocked to see that there is no one.
His mind is puzzled and is constantly checking his memory, whether whatever he has seen is true or not.
He goes to the garden and checks again ... but no one was there.
He comes back to his room and lies on his bed, thinking about the same incident.
Next day , Sastri comes out, who is beneath under the cot last night.
He visits Bhairava room, he gets stunned , as he didn’t find Bhairava in his room.
He checks in kitchen , hall room , and garden , backside of home.
He doesn’t find him anywhere
Sastri jumps as he sees Bhairava and says “ You are not dead.. you are alive still ?“
Bhairava “ What rubbish.. why will I die “ ?
Sastri “ Sir, I woke up in the morning and found you are not there in the room. And last night you opened the door and went outside too..so.. I thought .. you were killed”.
Bhairava nods his head and goes off… but he turns back and says to Sastri “ Yesterday night , I saw a person sitting in our garden “
Sastri “ Really… Sir, Sir.. I want to leave this place.. I will resign from this job also”
Bhairava didn’t hear his words and continues “But I missed it .. when I opened the door , there was no one , but for sure there is someone , I must find it “
Sastri hearing gets terrified “Sir, Sir.. why are taking such harsh decisions .. Police has to catch criminals not Ghosts / Goddess.. This is not part of our duty.”
Bhairava “ Will you come with me today night to go out ?”
Sastri pauses for sometime.
Bhairava walks away.
It is night 9 pm …
Sastri is in tension .. walking back forth in the hall room like pendulum in the clock when it rang 9 PM. This is because Bhairava hasn’t reached home yet, he has informed Sastri in the evening around 5pm that he will go city and come back . But he hasn’t reached yet.
The thoughts of last night , someone sitting in their garden and the post man death are flashing .. Who is that ? Why the post man was killed near the river?
To get these answers , He thought himself , he will stay out of the house today night and watch out what happens in the village when power goes off and kept eye on his watch for the time”
And while this is happening .. it is 10 pm .. And the power went off..
Bhairava was near the bank before sometime … just 10 minutes before he went into the bushes near the bank of river.
When the power goes off.. the village is like moon on lunar phase (Amavasya) nothing is visible. It felt like the village doesn’t exists also. He was watching his house from the bushes to check someone is entering their house also or not.
He waited there for 15 minutes, no one is roaming in the village and no one is walking around their house. He realized that the villagers are sacred to roam in this dark.
When he decided to go home and was about to come out from his hiding place.
He saw a boat with started from the other side of bank of the river coming towards his side.
Bhairava didn’t understand this one and he sees there is no one the boat as well.
But Bhairava don’t want to miss anything. He patiently stayed in his hiding place.
The boat was almost near to the bank of the river , the same side , where bhairava is hiding currently.
But he was amazed furthermore, as it was not a single boat, there are more than 30 boats coming.
The first boat reached the bank , after few minutes , that same kind of person , whom he saw last night , was getting down from the boat. This time it is not one person, there are four people of same kind look.
Once the got down , there entered the village.
Similarly some other boats have reached the bank and he saw lots of people with unknown identity got down and entered the village. He started watching them as they enter the village.
One of them went to his home.
Sherlock homes entered Bhairava’s mind..who are these people ? Why did these people entered the village? But he can’t come out of his hiding place, it will put him in risk.
He was waiting for right opportunity.
The same time the last boat has entered the bank. It is the last and late boat. There were only two people in this boat this time. Rest all the people has already entered the village.
Everyone who entered the village are full covered from the top to bottom , it is difficult to find out who it is , unless the open the mask covered on their face.
Bhairava thought to take this moment as advantage , he slowly came out from his hiding place. When the other two people are entering the village. He followed one of them and attacked one of them from behind without any noise. He immediately pulled him inside the bush. While this happening , the other one is still thinking , he saying to his friend. But since there was silence and no reply from his friend for long time. He turned back and started searching for him ,as he didn’t find him. He ran back to the place where the boat was.
But then suddenly, he appeared again after few yards. But he is not him, He is Bhairava under the mask.
The unknown questioned him on what happened, why suddenly he disappeared.
Bhairava is so feared if gives out voice , they may identify him. He showed his little finger (conveying , he went for pee break).
The unknown said “Alright, lets hurry, it is already time”.
As soon as bhairava entered the village, he felt he was in military camp and someone is protecting the village. Even the prime minister of the india will not have this much security.
All these unknown people surrounded the entire village and everyone in 10 persons is having a gun in their hand like military people.
But Bhairava’s mind still is unstable as he is not understanding what is happening.
The unknown came with Bhairava ran and picked an empty spot , since there was an empty spot when all the people stood in some positions as if someone has ordered.
Even Bhairava did the same.
While bhairava checking his left and right companions , they were like statue with eyes open , to move when something goes wrong.
After few minutes, A person who likes a gladiator , tall and strong personality , counted everyone and checked the final count whether it is the same the count when they left.
Once the count is cleared. The person next to him gave a big stick , for which ended , it wrapped with cloth . It looked like matchstick of hulk size. He lightened the Stick and moved towards the river. He started waving the stick like pendulum standing on the bank of river.
Bhairava understood that he is trying to give signal to some people who is out there.
After few minutes , there was same kind of signal from the opposite side.
This confirmed bhairava, there is someone on the opposite side.
Just minutes after there was huge brightness on the opposite side. As he if someone lighted lakhs of candles in the mid of forest.
With these much of brightness, he can the river clearly from his side till the opposite side.
He was stunned seeing there are so many small boats in the river waiting on the opposite side as if they are waiting for someone to pick up.
Slowly after some time, he can see some people are walking in a row carrying on their heads some wooden pieces cut from a tree and their loading in the boats.
These boats are moving to another location.//
Bhairava didn’t take much time to understood that these peoples are the bugs of the this Gangadevipalli , eating the forest valuable resources – they are Sandal Mafia. Inorder to get away from this villagers, they have installed the fear of the god in every heart of the villagers.
He discovered that the power outage is all part of their plan. These people are bringing the actual darkness to the village in the darkest hours.
He can’t take this moment to take this people down, you need to hit the enemy at the right time in the game – else you will be lost.
Bhairava intention is not only to make these people down and to remove the fear installed in the hearts of the villagers.
So Bhairava thought the next day he can raid the opposite side of the bank with the villagers.
But suddenly he heard the voice “There is no going back… no going back... to my home” and the person next to him is crying.
Bhairava turned to him and asked why he is crying.
That person continued his crying and said “ Y I shouldn’t .. you guys turned a postman to criminal .. for the mistake I have entered the river in the darkerst hours”.
Bhairava was stunned as the postman is not dead.
There was no current escape situation for him.
He thought while they were leaving this place, he can escape.
It is 4 am in the morning, all the mafia has done their work. A signal came from the other side that the work is finished for today. And everyone in the village who were guarding started to move towards the river.
While everyone assembled there, before they get onto boats , the leader counted the total.
There was one shortage.
He got angry and telling to others .. “Where is the other one .. who is that? “
Every is silent .. again, he repeats.
He says “if you don’t tell I will put your family and this village in fire”.
Suddenly the missing person comes and stands.
He wanted to save the villagers life. Hence, he came back.
The leader came and said to him in anger “Never ever repeat this”.
Bhairava got into the boat and the boat is slowly started moving .. he started seeing… slowly he is moving away from the village. Once again the leader on the other boat, has given a signal. The power has come in the village now, all the houses and streetlights are on.
The bhairava’s boat slowly disappeared in the dark.
After a week, an old wise person takes the newspaper and reads the headlines
Bhairava the inspector of the Gangadevipalli puts end to darkest hours and brings the brightness to the village 24 hours.
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