‘Fear the dead, if not the woman’
Midnight- 12:09 AM
The man slowly walks, whistling with his torchlight moving up and down as he walks ahead. He’s being too cheerful for a place of death. He’s used to it after all. The bodies, some fresh, some old, all smell dirty. It’s the smell of death; rotten flesh, flies and their feces, mud, worms, bacteria, what else? Bloody? Musky like a man jerked off??
How is it smelling like semen here? The man found it fishy, the smell and the situation. There was nobody who came to this morgue. Well, it was far off to the end of the city. Even the church was one Km away from here. The rich came by car, the poor walked from far. The poor had their houses closer to faith, yet had to travel more to get here. But nobody hung out at this cemetery except for the caretaker, who would clean and help perform rituals during the day, patrol at night and leave before midnight.
“The ghosts need their privacy too”, that’s what he used to say to his daughter of 5 years. His family was always worried because he had to stay late whenever there was a death in the city. His duties also included safeguarding the graves so that nobody disturbs the departing soul.
Evening- 4:33 PM
It was getting late. There were more people expected to arrive by 4:00 PM, but they were running late due to heavy traffic. It was inevitable. The friends were calling up the ones stuck in traffic, while the family remained by the husband’s side, soothing him. His tear glands had no brakes or stop buttons. He had been crying for three days now since the news hit him. It was four days since she died, but it took him some time to accept it. He had been smiling and trying to convince people to spill up that it was a prank being played. But nobody was holding back a smile, they all looked exhausted. He denied until the end, until he saw the body and collapsed.
She died of cardiac arrest. A woman who was always concerned about health, always consulting doctors, always making sure everyone ate healthy, died just like that. Her worries made her collapse. Too young, yet gone too soon. She had just celebrated her 35th birthday and had started pilates along with her yoga classes. Why must it be the ones conscious about health dying at the drop of a hat, whole smokers and risk-takers survive until the end. It was proving the point of ‘when the time comes…’ and whatever it says.
Midnight- 12:20 AM
But who would safeguard the body when it was being toyed with even after death? The coffin was opened, she was laid out on the floor. Pristine condition, her body emanating elegance from every inch. A fine meal for the coward hunter. No fights put up, nobody to educate on morals, and no resistance at all. The body was completely at his mercy.
She was dressed in the finest of garbs. It seemed like a Sunday morning church outfit. The pastel colours made her pale skin glow, contrasting to her cold temperature. A matching hat put up on her hands. The coward (I prefer this) admired his prey, slowly, licking his lips and gulping down his drool. He knelt on the floor, pocketed the jewelry she had, and picked her up the same as a groom would. The coward took his bride for today, inside the guard’s room, not bothering to close the door. Who would come but the ghosts of lustful men who died without touching or even smelling a body as feminine as this. He laid her out on the bed, slowly and carefully. The lifeless doll was put in a way that it looked like a sleeping bride.
He removed his jacket and threw it on the floor. He moved a small heater around the body to make it feel warm and full of life. His body’s heat was rising as well, the lust demon getting enough to bring fire in his blood. His thing (I purposely wrote it like this) was erect with excitement. Today’s hunt had him the finest and freshest piece of meat for his main course. He did not undress her, but just lifted her skirt up. Her clothes were also a part of the pleasure-hunt. And from here started the play with death. He thrust in, slow, fast, hard, hitting her how he liked, crushing her, choking her. She was dead after all, how would she feel. There was no resistance, and that was for his best. He enjoyed it at every point, every beat, every thrust. His game was only his to play, and his to win. How could anyone beat him to it if nobody could play. They were dolls after all. He had even tried a male-doll once. And now he doesn’t differentiate, as long as the dolls are pretty, plump and ravishing. He filled the doll up with his essence. And satiated only after the doll went cold again, of course that is after he heated up the doll for at least three times.
Night- 1:30 AM
The guard thoroughly checked to see if there were any signs of disturbances in the new graves. That’s where the most mischief usually happens. Upon confirming that everything is in its place, he can happily walk home to his family, on usual days. But when there is death, he has to stay. He has room assigned in the building on the first floor. He kept feeling like his steps were heavy and loud when he was climbing the stairs. He brushed it off, thinking it was because his muscles were growing old. He did not notice the souls, of all the hunted dolls lurking behind him, weeping blood. Their eyes clearly spark bloodlust, wishes of death upon the hunter. The guard is oblivious to the vengeance held by the souls here. They latch and gnaw at him, but can’t do anything to him. They are but souls, without any strength to bring upon harm. They were pure souls, whose bodies are now tarnished.
Next Morning- 11:26 AM
“What took you so long?” His wife kissed him as she opened the door. Worry on her face.
“Had to clean up myself too, can’t get my babies smelling of the dead. Anyways, it’s a bad thing to get the energy of the dead at home. And, I also had to go to the pawn shop”. The guard left his bag beside the shoe rack and hugged his wife.
“She’s sleeping”, his wife said as she noticed him looking for his daughter who’d come running at the sound of his bike’s engine. “but the pawn shop? Why?” His wife was curious.
“One of yesterday’s guests gave away the woman’s jewellery. She had wished it be distributed among those that complete her funeral duties. Naturally, I got a few. Lady was loaded. Of course, I didn’t get it home. It’s a dead body’s belonging after all. She was even covered in jewellery in the coffin when I saw!” The guard exclaimed.
The wife was slightly upset, but nonetheless, given out of goodwill is not something that can bring evil to her house. And her husband had already sold the jewelry after all. She smiled and hugged him once again.
-anushka sawant
#abuse #assault #ghost #horror #necrophilia