The Flying Demon ( Chapter - 0 )

Sam has always been an unfriendly loner, or maybe that's what people believed. The Sam I knew was much more complex than his age, silently making his own way without caring about the world. I had the chance of knowing him, talking to him but most importantly getting to see "Genius of Fonshoc" in full action.

Let me tell you guys a story.

It was August of 1980, my parents were not at home during that time as they were busy with volunteer work. This was the time when worker revolts were at all time high, and every worker in every domain wanted one thing, equality of right at human level. Their intention was clear, irrespective of all the material constructs, irrespetive of labels of being a worker, they deserved to enjoy their life, not just work through it. Yes, that was the time of labour laws and all kind of protests were in full swing. People from various working sectors were coming together to bring about some sort of revolution to look over employees' life. My parents were also part of it, and they would generally be out challenging the then reality.

And, I would be alone at home. Sometimes I felt bad, but most of the times, it felt like heaven, having no one to answer, and well that was all right as I was already 13 years old.

One day I got a call from Mrs. Chesire.

"Luke, how are you?" She asked.

"All good auntie, how are you? How is Sam? He didn't turn up at school" I replied enquiring about Sam.

Sam was Mrs. Chesire's son, an intelligent kid, who would mostly be alone. There was a sense of mystery around him as he would mostly be sleeping but used to fair good, actually in top at exams. All the other kids wanted to talk to him, but he used to be or atleast gave a feel as if he was just getting irritated. Other students had already labelled him as a loner. There was a general understanding that he had superiority complex and others were just too scared to talk to him. I guess, I was the only kid who used to talk to him. It didn't mean I wasn't scared, I also was but our parents knew each other so it was kind of obligation from my side to reach out and keep a check on him.

"This is why I called, you know Uncle needs to go out this week, so I am accompanying him and we are sending Sam to our village for this whole week, we were hoping you could go with him" She said.

I didn't know him well, and he didn't talk properly with me too.

"That's okay, but I'll have to ask my Parents" I replied trying to avert this situation.

"Don't worry, I have asked them, and they are fine with it. We have already arranged the pick up, it will be at your house tomorrow around 10 in morning" She told.

"Sure auntie", I obliged feeling a bit sorry for myself.

"Okay then, take care you guys, have fun" She said.

"Okay auntie" I said.

With this, our conversation came to an end and I went to my room thinking at least I got to be away from school, however, with Sam, it wouldn't be that exciting. Neverthless, I carried on myself with my usual routine with a layer of my thoughts reserved on how was that week going to be.

Next morning, I woke up hearing the doorbell. I hurried to the ground floor and opened the door. It was a guy mostly in 40s with blank eyes, tall stature. He looked at me and pointed to the car with his left hand. I got confused and looked at the car and then at him and then at car again, only to see Sam sitting in the backseat. I remembered I had to be ready by now.

I told the guy to wait for 10 mins, and ran off to my room, took the luggage bag, and dumped whichever cloth came in my hand. I had to pack for 4 days, but I'm sure, I dumped for more than a month, after that, I entered the bathroom, but on feeling the cold water, felt it would be wiser to put on perfume. With this I was ready and locked my room, and hurried to the ground floor. Just when I was locking the main door, it hit me I had forgotten my silver watch, well, this watch was very dear to me and I couldn't have left it simply. I looked back for luggage, but till that time, the tall guy had already taken it and was putting it in the car's back carrier. I got sometime and hurried to my room, got the watch and came back to the front door. The tall guy had opened the backseat, and was waiting for me. I locked the door and ran towards the car and finally jumped in the car.

As I entered the car, a very strong odour made me think about cancelling the whole plan, but off course obligations are obligations. I had to continue, but this odour was very bad, almost as if someone has shat in the car.

"What is this smell?" I enquired while at the same time trying not to throw up.

The tall guy looked at me and without responding turned the window of the door off. Seeing this, I thought it's better not to ask, I moved in the seat, the tall guy closed the door, and he moved in to get in the driver's seat.

With everyone finally in their respective seats, we were ready to go. The tall guy started driving it.

After a while, I thought it's a good time to initiate conversation with Sam, mostly out of my chatty implulses.

"So, Sam, You like spending time in village?" I asked thinking atleast here, he will talk to me freely.

"No." Sam replied without even turning his face as if things, as if I do not matter. But, I was already habitutated with this behaviour of his.

"So, you are going for this whole week?" I continued without backing down.

Sam looked at me, as if asking through his eye to cut the obvious talk.

"yeah" he replied with a pinch of nothingness in his eyes, as if he was too tired, but as if he was not. It was too confusing.

Well, at this point I was a bit scared to continue the talk. it was mostly due to his dead eyes. To tell you about Sam a bit more, he was actually a year younger than I, boyish look, silky hair, sharp nose. A lot of my friends used to say, he is depressed, pretty sure due to his eyes, those dead eyes, it's as if something happened with him, or maybe he just is bored, or just sleepy. But sitting here, this close, I was getting a feeling, as if he was bored, very bored and was just waiting for something, not sure what, to make him feel alive.

Sam started looking outside the window, and it was still around 3 hours of journey left at this moment. With him having no interest in talk becoming apparent, I was left with no choice but to talk with the guy driving our car to pass the time.

"Hello, How are you? Are you the family driver?" I asked.

He didn't reply, at this I asked the same in a louder voice.

He looked in the front mirror, and looked at me.

"Are you talking to me?" He asked with his left eyebrow slighly and a sense of surprise on his face.

"Yes, I meant, Do you work as a driver or Are you a relative of the family?" I asked looking at Sam. At this point, Sam's eyes were closed and he was sleeping.

The Guy laughed at this.

"No, No, I'm a friend of Oliver. My name is Gerard" He said.

"Who is Oliver?" I asked.

"He is a neighbour of ours." Sam spoke laying his head in sleeping position, with eyes still closed.

Gerard looked at Sam, and looked back at me as if understanding the dynamics between us.

"Sam's grandfather asked Oliver to arrange a pickup for him, and Since I was anyway visiting the city today, thought I only would do this" He said with a smile on his face, and face back towards the road.

Hearing this, I started thinking about my grandfather, the silver watch was a gift from him on my last birthday. He died three months back due to cancer. Since then, I try to keep the watch with me all the time. I miss him sometimes.

"Are you Sam's best buddy? What's your name?" Gerard asked.

"Oh no, I'm Luke. I guess you can say I'm a buddy of Sam." I spoke thinking whether I'm really a buddy of Sam. As we have never spoken much in school, and whenever I tried to speak, he just seemed uninterested. Thinking over this, I moved my head and started looking out of the window. It all felt so calm, wind rushing against my face, pushing a cool sensation, it somehow brought a strange relaxation. I started getting lost in my past memories. I guess it must have been the wind that I fell asleep.

Someone was tapping at my shoulders, I opened my eyes, it was Sam. With his dead eyes, he for the first time initiated a conversation.

" We have reached.", he said.

"Oh okay, I'll get my luggage then," I responded.

"It's fine, others will take care of your luggage.", Sam replied and started moving towards a house.

I saw someone was already at the door.

Sam walked in a very slow manner, without making any noise, his walk was very concealing. On reaching the main door, he greeted the individual, an old guy, he infact duly hugged the guy, even though as if he didn't want to, which makes sense as it's Sam, but the old guy was very happy to hug him back. He kissed Sam's forehead too, which kind of irritated him. Sam got himself out of his hands and moved in the house. The old guy started smiling looking at Sam, and then he looked at me. I for a moment remembered about my own grandfather. Seeing him still looking at me, I waved my hands. He waved his hands back signalling me to get in.

I was getting a good feeling about this, maybe because he was reminding me of my my own grandfather, nevertheless, I got off the vehicle and started walking towards him.

As I reached near the door.

"So, You are Luke. It's good to see Sam has a friend." He said smiling at me, with a very calm voice, a bit deep, with a lot of pauses, but at the same time very protective.

"Yeah.." I said puzzled thinking what to say. He reminded me of my own grandfather.

"Very good, you guys must have been tired, go change and then we will talk" He said as if sensing the puzzlement.

I nodded as I entered through the door. Gerard came from inside, he walked straight to Sam's grandfather.

"Okay Mr. Chesire, I'll take my leave then." Mr. Gerard told.

With this Mr. Gerard left. I continued to the hall, just connected to the hall, on the left side, there was a staircase which went up, just beside it there was a small room. The rooms on the right side were already locked, the hall extended to the kitchen. It was something new to see. Out of curiosity, I tried moving towards the room.

"Luke, that's my room" Sam's Grandfather shouted from the door.

"You should go up, you are sharing room with Sam" Sam's grandfather told.

Taking the staircase, I went up, Sam was lying in his bed reading something. I didn't try to look as I was very exhausted and just wanted sleep. I went to washroom, took bath, changed and was ready for rest, and my stomach growled. I hadn't eaten anything since last day.

"Lunch should be there, Let's go." Sam spoke.

"Yeah, I am very hungry" I said thinking he must have heard the noise .

We went down, the food was already arranged on the table, household help was there to take care of us. Sam's grandfather also joined us.

"How was the travel?" Sam's grandfather asked me.

"It was good, very convenient. Mr. gerard and Sam picked me up at my door literally. In fact, I wasn't ready, I might have slowed them as I wasn't ready." I said trying to add to conversation.

"That's okay. I can understand. When I was your age, I couldn't even pack for myself." Sam's grandfather said mostly to ease me up.

"Gerard was supposed to go yesterday night only, however, he got some work. It would have been better at night, the whole journey you guys would have passed by sleeping." He laughed saying so.

Even this journey was no different, Sam literally slept the whole journey, even I fell asleep at some point of time.

"No, It was fine, In fact morning only was good, night, I'm pretty sure, I couldn't have seen all the scenery while coming here." I responded, knowing very well I just slept through it all.

"If you guys liked it, then, good only." Sam's grandfather said.

"Sam has always been quite, when he stayed here with me. That time also he had very few friends. It's good to see someone befriending him and actually coming to stay with him here." Sam's grandfather said while being happy about it. I guess his pauses and calm demeanour was kind of smoothing the conversation.

I smiled, looked at him and then started eating my food. After we were done, Sam went back up. I even though was feeling a bit tired thought of going around and checking the neighbourhood. It was mys first time at a village and I just wanted to capture village things to my memory.

I went out and started walking outside. Just as I crossed the porch, I saw Gerard entering the neighbouring house. I figured it must be Mr. Oliver's house. Mr. Oliver's house was a much bigger one, with a large area of garden in front, followed by his house and on the right side, a big stable. I have never seen stable in my life and I was very curious looking at it. It must be my face that Mr. Gerard caught me.

"You want to see them." Mr. Gerard asked, with his head up, and eyes squinted, mostly to avoid the sunlight.

"huh..?" I asked as I missed what he said.

"You look very excited, Are you interested in horses?" Mr. Gerard said.

"Yeah, Who wouldn't be" I said amazed looking in the direction of stable with a visible laughter coming on my face and I trying to hide my amazement.

A horse were already tied outside. There was a white one with black spots, it was considerably large and I could see the muscles on legs. It looked very fast.

"Let's go in then, check them out." Mr. Gerard said moving towards the stable.

I as if a kid followed him towards the stable. there were cows, sheep too. There were a total of 7 horses, 4 on the left, 3 on the right side. The white one was put right at the door, now that I think of it, it must have been for showing off, as it looked very majestic. I guess, the inner kid must have taken over me, and that inner kid was just too happy. I just kept on watching them with countless action movies going on in my mind, which were getting visible with the wider smile, my face was defaultin too.

Mr. Gerard must have seen this, he came with some hay and asked whether I wanted to feed them. Well, I did want to. Mr. Gerard helped me in feeding the horses and I kept on looking at them.

We stayed there for some more time and then started making our exit. As we were leaving, a black woman, It must be a helper, with scarf on her head, came in.

"Did you hear it Mr. Gerard?" She said looking at me, with eyes too open as if she has seen a ghost.

"What?" Mr. Gerard asked while trying the remove the seat off the white one.

"It's back" She said with a very low voice, and looking around as if keeping a watch.

Her behaviour was enough to gain my curiosity.

"What's back?" Mr. Gerard asked now looking at the woman, stressing his forehead.

"The flying demon." She said with big eyes. Sweat was poring through her right side, rolling through her face, just pasing the eyebrow, but she was least concerned with it.

I wanted to think it was due to the scorching heat, but I just didn't feel it. Something was not right, something didn't fit in. She looked very concerned, but more than concerned, she was scared, scared of something that no one could change.

This was enough to understand it was of some importance, and more than that, I was highly curious about this flying demon.