The Psychopath

Pratik, 31, Senior inspector, sitting in the driver’s seat, looked outside the window of his car in the middle of the night and wondered what happened to the woman that disappeared last night from that neighbourhood. It was raining heavily, making it almost impossible for him and his fellow cops to further investigate the case. He was accompanied by his best friend Ishaan, 30, Sub-inspector and a recently joined constable Aman. Aman volunteered himself for this case because he was concerned about all the recent disappearances and strange murders in his neighbourhood. Aman asked calmly “Sir, what do think the killer would do with the leg he took from the dead body we found in the sewers and fingers of the old man whose body we found in dumpsters?”. “He might be a collector” said Ishaan with giggles “Just like you collect those exotic cigarettes”. “I just love collecting these" “you want some?” said Aman passing two cigarettes for the two men sitting ahead. Pratik still looked worried. “Should we go to your home after this rain stops?” asked Pratik lighting his cigarette. “My wife would already be mad right now for not getting home on time and she would be upset seeing unexpected guests" said Aman calmly. “Why don’t you take an umbrella and head back to your place, it’s at walking distance from here" asked Ishaan “That killer might be around the corner, it would be safer here” replied Aman Jokingly. “Killer don’t target youngsters, Newbie” said Pratik smoking out “Only middle-aged people are getting disappeared or murdered from this area" As time passed on, Pratik started to feel sleepy. “Why is this rain not stopping?” said Pratik as he rested his head on the back of his seat. He closed his eyes and dozed off in seconds. With a clap of thunder in the sky, he woke up, still feeling sleepy. “Damn, my head hurts!” said Pratik in a low voice. He was unsure if he was dreaming or not. “...26, 27, 28, 29,...” he heard counting from the backseat. “Aman, are you counting those god damn cigarettes in the middle of the night” said Pratik in a sleepy tone. “Let me sleep!” ordered as he slipped into deep sleep again.“...27255, 27256, 27257,...” he again started to hear counting after hours. “You don’t have that many cigarettes. Do you?” asked Pratik in confusion “Ishaan shut him up" He slept and woke up in the morning. He looked around and couldn’t find Ishaan or Aman. He looked for his phone but it was switched off due to the low battery. “What?! I shouldn’t be sleeping” he exclaimed “And they left already?” “And what was that strange dream?” he thought He decided to go back to the station. Ishaan and Aman were nowhere to be found. He plugged his phone for charging. As soon as he turned on the phone, he received a call. “Hello sir, we found a dead body of a woman on the riverside,” said another cop “The woman is identified as the woman who went missing two days ago" “Oh! what a misery”. “I’ll be heading there as soon my phone charges” Pratik called Ishaan on his phone but it was switched off. He got worried and called Aman. “Good morning Sir” said Aman on the other end. “Are you at the station now?” “Yeah I am...” answered Pratik “...and do you have any clue where Ishaan is?” “I thought he was with you" “What?!” asked Pratik shockingly “Didn’t you guys leave me alone in the car?” “No sir, as soon as the rain stopped, Ishaan Sir insisted me to leave for my home" Aman explained “ He said he would stay with you, so I left" He hung up and started getting worried about Ishaan. He then left for the riverside for investigation. The woman was murdered the same way the other victims of the case he was working on. All the victims of that killer were stabbed, drugged, and missing something from their bodies. The woman was missing nails as if they were plucked out of her fingers and toes. On the other hand, he couldn’t stop thinking about Ishaan. He went back to the station. 15 hrs had been passed since Ishaan was last seen, yet no trace of him could be found. He broke his silence and told another sub-inspector Akshat that Ishaan is missing. “What?!” Akshat asked in surprise “Did you try calling him?” “Yeah, but his phone is switched off" he told him sadly “He went missing from my car this morning”“You were three guys together yesterday. Right?” Akshat asked “Where is that newbie who volunteered himself for the case?”, “Is he fine?” “Aman? Yeah, he’s home" he said “Do you know this youngster?” “Yeah, he’s hardworking, works day and night to get his promotion, left his family back in his village, lives alone by himself here” Akshat started telling joyfully “We too were very energetic in his age" “Take your gun with you!" Pratik realized something “We are leaving now!!” They both hurried and rushed into the car. Pratik drove to Aman’s home. They both bashed into his house. “Put your hands in the air and don’t move" shouted Pratik “Tell me where is Ishaan" “What are you talking about?” asked Aman sweating “Why are you guys here suddenly?” “Isn’t your wife upset now?” said Pratik angrily “Why can’t we see her? Oh yeah, I forgot, you live by yourself, Newbie” Aman suddenly rushed for the drawer beside him. Akshat shot him in the shoulder but the bullet landed near his chest. Aman fell. “You got me!" said Aman in pain. “So you were that psychopath killer all this time who kept abducting and murdering people for fun" said Pratik “You sneaked the sedatives in those cigarettes last night. And where is Ishaan?” “He’s dead!” Aman groaned as Akshat searched his place. “Sir come here" shouted Akshat from the basement “This psychopath is going to hell for this" Pratik sprinted towards the basement and stood in shock at the sight. Ishaan was lying dead on floor. He was stabbed to death and his hairs were missing. “His head is in bad condition” Akshat pointed “As if each one of his hair was pulled one by one” Pratik burst into tears and said “So that counting wasn’t a dream".