The truck driver saw George's car in the middle of the road and stopped the truck.

  In the passenger seat of the truck, a middle aged man was sleeping soundly , completely unaware of what was happening around him.

  seeing the scene ahead , the truck driver Michael gritted his teeth and started shaking the sleeping man.

  "Hey Chacko, you lazy bastard…! Get up….something's happened…. "

  But Chacko showed no reaction at all, he mumbled something incoherent, curled up like a shrimp , and hugged his legs and slept more comfortably.

  The strong smell of alcohol filled the truck cabin.

  Michael covered his nose and quickly got out of the truck, blaming himself for making Chacko his helper.

  He and Chacko had grown up together. Their family situations were similar both struggling with poverty. Because of their circumstances, they had dropped out of school and started working at a young age. Over the years, they had taken on various jobs together and even tried their hand at small businesses, but nothing ever succeeded.

  Chacko had a drinking problem. Most of his earnings went straight to fueling his habit. Michael had tried countless times to get him to stop, but it was useless.

  As they grew older and got married, they had to provide for their own families. Michael became more serious about work, realizing he needed stability. This led to a major fight between the two, and they eventually parted ways.

  Chacko found work here and there, but his drinking always dragged him into trouble.

  Last month, Michael landed a contract with a furniture company to transport raw materials from the villages to the town. When he learned about Chacko's worsening situation, he decided to give him another chance and hired him as a helper.

  Michael analyzed the surroundings. His intuition constantly reminded him that something wasn't right. He exhaled a long breath, made up his mind, and started walking toward the car. Suddenly, his heartbeat quickened, and he felt as if some unknown force was preventing him from getting closer. He struggled to breathe, and his mind seemed to go blank.

  When he got closer to the car, the truck's headlights couldn't fully illuminate the other side due to the car's shade, making it difficult for him to see clearly. However, the strong smell of blood reached his nostrils, sending a chill down his spine. A cold wind swept through him, and his scalp went numb. He had never faced such a situation in his entire life. Without thinking any further, he decided to turn back.

  But just as he was about to leave, a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. Michael shivered all over, his breath became unsteady, and sweat formed on his forehead. Fear peaked, and he thought he was unconscious.

  "What happened, Mikey... Why are you standing here motionless...? Why didn't you close the door? Because of the cold, my sleep got interrupted."

  A yawn followed, and Chacko's voice came from behind, slight irritation in his tone because his sleep had been interrupted.

  The familiar voice snapped Michael back to reality, but his anger surged. Without saying a word, he grabbed Chacko's collar.

  "You... bastard, I'll kill you..."

  "Hey, hey… don't… What are you doing? Mikey, it's me."

  Chacko, still half drunk, had no idea what was going on and thought Michael had lost his mind. As Michael's grip tightened, Chacko started to choke. Michael immediately loosened his hold.

  Chacko, now feeling something was off, realized that Michael was acting strangely. He'd always known him to be calm and composed.

  He looked around and quickly pieced together the situation. A car accident.

  "Mikey... come on, fast. It's an accident! If we stay here and someone sees us, it'll be a huge problem. Even if we didn't cause it, explaining this will be hard."

  Chacko tried to push Michael into action, urging him to leave the scene.

  But Michael stood still, lost in thought, his mind were conflicting with emotions. He couldn't move, paralyzed by everything racing through his head.

  "I know you're a fool, but I didn't know your situation was this bad. Are you blind? Look with your big eyes this isn't a car accident. There's not a scratch on the car!"

  Michael roared, the emotions he'd kept bottled up suddenly spilling out. He couldn't understand why he was acting so strangely, but the flood of anger and confusion overwhelmed him.

  Chacko also realized the situation and because of embarrassment he give a silly smile , but Michael didn't mind that. He had come to his senses , he wasn't alone anymore and made up his mind to check on the situation. Without saying another word, he walked towards the truck, grabbed a flashlight, and headed toward the car. Chacko had no choice but to follow.

  Michael carefully inspected the area with the flashlight, Chacko following behind him. Suddenly, Michael's foot hit something soft, and his mind went blank. For a second, he stood frozen, unsure of what he had just touched.

  Flashlight flickered in the darkness, and as it shone down, his blood ran cold. Nora's body lay sprawled on the ground, a pool of blood surrounding her. Her hair, tangled and disheveled, obscured most of her face, but the swollen belly beneath her torn clothes told the horrifying story of her pregnancy.

  The air was thick with a suffocating silence, and Michael could barely breathe. He stumbled backward, his heart hammering in his chest. His hand trembled as he grabbed the flashlight, shining it once more on the scene. The blood… the pregnancy… it all felt like a nightmare.

  "Mi… Mikey…wha..what's… what's happening here? This… this…"

  Chacko's voice cracked, his words coming out in stutters. His face paled, the drunkenness vanishing in an instant.

  They stood there, motionless, as the reality of the situation crashed down on them. Both of their bodies shook uncontrollably, drenched in sweat, unable to process what they had just discovered.

  "Let's go… it's beyond our reach, Mikey… please, let's go…"

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  Chacko's words were desperate, he grabbed Michael's arm, pulling him back, and his eyes begged for escape.

  Michael, still frozen, felt Chacko's grip tighten. The fear that had paralyzed him began to slowly fade and was replaced by something else, a force rising from deep within, urging him to do something. His thoughts were like a tug of war inside him , one side screamed to run, to leave this place, but the other, quieter voice pushed him toward action, toward confronting whatever had happened here.

  The battle inside his mind intensified , but the force urging him forward grew stronger. The fear began to disappear, like the first light of dawn breaking through the darkness. Slowly, his body relaxed, the tension in his muscles fading as he stood up straighter. It was as if the energy that had drained from him now surged back, steadying his mind and body.

  Without another word, Michael took a step forward. His heart still pounded in his chest, but the overwhelming need to act drowned out the fear.

  "Mikey... please…" Chacko begged, his voice trembling, but Michael didn't respond. It was as if some invisible force was guiding his every move. With the flashlight in his hand, Michael scanned the area, his gaze fixating on something in the distance.

  Chacko followed Michael's eyes, and his stomach dropped. George's lifeless body lay crumpled at the side of the road, a gruesome sight that sent a wave of cold fear through him. His body, once filled with frantic energy, now felt weightless, like he was floating, his legs no longer carrying him.

  "What are you doing there? Come on, help me! We need to get them to the hospital immediately!"

  Michael roared, his eyes locked in a firm gaze, as if he had already made up his mind. He try to lift Nora's body very cautiously.

  But Chacko remained frozen, his body trembling. The only thought that raced through his mind was to escape, to flee from this nightmare as quickly as possible. The fear was all consuming, drowning out , and every instinct in him screamed to run.

  "Mikey, please listen to me!" Chacko's voice cracked with panic.

  "This isn't going to end peacefully. We'll be in big trouble! Look at the situation , this looks like a planned attack. We can't take responsibility for this. Our families... everything will be in chaos. Just leave it here. It's their fate. We can't do anything. They might already be dead... So what's the point in going to the hospital?"

  Chacko pleaded, his words rushed, his mind racing with fear, but Michael remained unmoved. His expression was firm, his gaze fixed on the ground. He paused, and when he looked down, his eyes met Nora's face.

  "This… this face…" Michael whispered, his voice faltering as the weight of the moment settled in.

  Chacko looked down at Nora's face, and his own expression mirrored Michael's , a mix of shock and recognition.

  "It's her… yes… it's her, the girl from the couple we saw in the guesthouse near the forest…"

  His voice was loud with panic, the reality of their discovery crashing over him

  Chacko's mind flashed back to that evening, just a few days ago. He and Michael had arrived at the site to collect materials, and it had already been a rough day. The location was so rural that there were no shops around, and they couldn't find food for miles. By the time they went out to buy something, it was already too late, and they were left with no choice but to wait until the next day.

  Exhausted and hungry, they had run into Nora and George at the guesthouse, which was just a short distance from the worksite. Without hesitation, Nora and George had invited them to share dinner. They were kind, offering more than just food ,they offered hospitality. Nora even mentioned that they could eat there again in the coming days. Michael and Chacko had declined, not wanting to take advantage , but Nora insisted, giving them plenty of ingredients and snacks to take with them.

  Chacko's mind lingered on the kindness they had shown, and the images of their faces, George's warm smile, Nora's generous spirit haunted him now, adding to the horror of the situation.

  They were the age of their children, and Michael's and Chacko's hearts ached for them. Nora and George didn't display the inferiority that often comes with wealth and poverty , they treated them like family.

  Without saying a word, Chacko stepped forward and gently lifted the other side of Nora's body. They were both careful, their eyes heavy with sorrow. Despite their many life experiences, shaped by family situations that demanded stoicism, they both broke this time. The turmoil was evident in their eyes as they focused on getting Nora to safety. The growing anxiety about the unborn child inside her made their hearts race.

  After carefully placing Nora inside the truck, they moved to George's side. The scene was even more horrifying than Nora's. He lay in a pool of blood, his neck savagely torn, and parts of his skin were exposed. The horror of the sight made their scalps tingle with dread.

  They quickly lifted George and placed him beside Nora in the truck. Without a moment to spare, Michael slammed the door and sped off, the engine roaring as they tore down the road.

  In the darkness, three figures observed their every move. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, like predators waiting for the right moment to strike. Then, a fourth figure emerged from behind them, holding something that caused panic to flicker across their faces. In the blink of an eye, the four figures vanished into the shadows.

  Inside the truck, Michael's focus was solely on getting them to the nearest hospital. The road was unfamiliar, and every turn felt uncertain. He knew the risks of not reaching help soon, but the thought of calling the police was futile. Phones weren't widely available in these rural areas, and mobile phones were little more than a dream for ordinary people like them. They would need to reach the town before they could even think about alerting the authorities. The weight of the situation pressed harder on him with every passing second.

  After passing the forest road, the truck sped up, and within ten minutes, they reached the town area.

  "We've reached the town, Mikey. Now we need to report to the nearest police station about the situation, or else if we go straight to the hospital, we'll be in trouble," Chacko reminded Michael.

  Michael understood the risks, but his mind kept pushing him forward. The urgency to act, an unknown force compelling him, kept screaming for him to speed up.

  "First, we need to get to the hospital as soon as possible. After that, we can inform the police. Lives are more important," Michael said, his voice tight with worry.

  "But… Mikey… what if.."

  Before Chacko could finish his sentence, Michael slammed on the brakes. Chacko looked at him in confusion, but his gaze followed Michael's. There, parked near the road, was a police van, and beside it, an ambulance with its lights flashing. Four police officers stood nearby, accompanied by two hospital personnel.

  Both Michael and Chacko froze in panic. They had no idea how to explain the situation, their hearts racing and sweat forming on their foreheads. Their faces had gone ghostly pale.

  The inspector stepped forward toward the truck. Michael and Chacko, still anxious, struggled to form an explanation, their minds racing.

  "Hey! What are you all standing around for? Come quickly and get them to the hospital!" the inspector shouted.

  He was a man in his forties, and his authoritative voice jolted everyone into action. The onlookers snapped out of their shock, rushing to the truck. Under Michael and Chacko's stunned gaze, they lifted Nora and George into an ambulance and sped away.

  Michael and Chacko stood frozen, completely bewildered by what had just happened. Before they could make sense of it, the inspector stepped in front of them and snapped his fingers. They flinched, snapping back to reality, only for another wave of panic to rise in their chests.

  But to their surprise, the inspector's next words left them even more stunned.

  "Well done! You two have done a great job. People like you are what this country needs. Don't worry you won't have any trouble. Just follow me to the hospital, and we can discuss everything in detail there."

  Before they could say a word, the inspector turned around and walked toward the police van.

  Michael and Chacko exchanged uneasy glances. Confusion clouded their minds. How did the police know about the incident? How did they know they would take this route? And how were they so sure that Michael and Chacko were innocent ,that they had nothing to do with what happened to Nora and George?

  A deep sense of unease settled over them.

  "Paaa paaaaa ppaaaa!"

  The blaring horn from the police van jolted them back to reality. The impatient look from the inspector made it clear , there was no other option. They had to follow.

  Uncertain of what awaited them, Michael and Chacko climbed back into the truck, their hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly.

  With the police van leading the way and the truck trailing behind, they sped toward the hospital.

  In the front seat of the police van, the inspector kept his gaze fixed on the road. But in the rearview mirror, his lips curled into a faint smile.

  And then his eyes flickered, shifting between red and black.

  (Continues....)

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