Acknowledgements

I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to the people who saw me through this work; to all those who provided support, talked things over, read, wrote, offered comments, allowed me to quote their remarks and assisted in bringing out this work nicely.

I would like to thank Renee McDaniel, Amy Morgan, Jennifer Mallu, Sherry Ellis and all my friends around the world for helping me in the process of editing and proofreading.

Finally, to my caring, loving, and supportive wife, Anagha: my deepest gratitude. Your encouragement during the difficult times is much appreciated and duly noted. It was a great comfort and relief to know that you were willing to provide management of our household activities while I completed my work.

6th December 2014

Introduction

In the middle of October 2014, when I read Tales From Planet Earth, it inspired me so much that I became a fan of Arthur C. Clarke. I always wanted to write stories but never was able to gauge the length and breadth of them. So, I finally broke the deadlock with this story. Moreover, Halloween was around the corner and I thought: Why not write one?

The night grew still. A cold breeze rustled the dead leaves through the streets reminding people to return home as it was the beginning of winter. There was a power outage in town. The little flames of candlelights, seen in the windows, wavered and struggled as if they were at war with a gale.

It was just before 8 o'clock in the evening when Jack, alone in his flat, whistled a tune by Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World. He checked the frying pan constantly as it was sizzling and liberating vapors above. He felt proud of himself and admired his passion for cooking as the gravy boiled nicely. Then he closed his eyes and inhaled the aroma. He loved it. There were two knocks on the front door.

“Who is it?” Jack responded loudly.

“It’s me, George.” answered a husky voice.

“I’ll be right with you,” said Jack. He removed his apron and hurried out of the kitchen.

“Hey George. Come on in,” Jack said, opening the door and shaking his hand in a firm grip. “I thought you would be coming with the rest of the guys.”

“I don’t know, I drove here directly from work,” said George gently rubbing his temples and settling himself on the couch. “I am tired. Boy, what a day!”

“Okay, cool. Just relax. Grab yourself a beer if you like,” said Jack giggling at George. “I’m in the kitchen if you need anything. I am giving some final touches to my dish. It should be done in a minute.”

Both of them have been friends since childhood. They went to the same school. Jack shared all his secrets with George. Well, almost all his secrets. The best times between them were spent in long running discussions on various subjects; from science and technology to philosophy and history, from politics and current affairs to soccer and baseball. They enjoyed themselves getting engaged in high voltage conversations. But there was one thing that fascinated Jack the most. It was the one thing that made him very curious about its taste.

“The aromas of spices are hovering above me. Smells like a full-flavored, deliciously spicy dish made of… umm, what’s that meat? What's special tonight?” said George with a grin, after a while. Just when the effects of beer started to kick in, “Baked chicken with roasted potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, rolls, cornbread?”

“You have no idea,” said Jack smugly. “Wait until you eat it.”

George switched on the radio. He kept it low; a welcome change from the office clamor he was put up with all day. Then he went back to the couch and closed his eyes, reminding himself to relax his muscles into the cushions.

“George,” said Jack. “Have you ever wondered why we eat?”

“What kind of a question is that? We eat because we are hungry.” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Yes, true. But why do we get hungry?”

“What kind of question is that?” said George, with a dull sound of irritation. “We get hungry because we lack energy. We need energy to, you know, to walk, talk, and do many things, to think –”

“Ah, there you are!” Jack’s eyes took on a shine. “Yes, to think, we eat. Just the answer I was waiting for.”

“Of course we eat to think! What do you expect?” George said angrily.

“Relax, George. I am trying to start a discussion here, not an argument.”

“Okay,” said George, realizing that Jack was serious when his words had sunk in.

“I know you're tired and hungry. Because if you weren't, I’d imagine you would convert my living room into a dance floor and start fooling around.”

George chuckled.

“Well, you know the magic of the mind. It is always learning and evolving itself to face new challenges, make inventions and discoveries. Look at Einstein, Newton, Tesla, and Darwin who contributed so much to science and on the other side, we had Shakespeare, Poe, Doyle, Twain, Dickens and Frost, who were the wizards in literature. These people are geniuses in their own fields,” Jack appeared to be carried away. "Don't they fascinate you? Are you not awestruck by their creations?”

Playing with the rim of the beer bottle, George gave it a thought and began to consider what Jack was saying in spite of the fatigue that was overpowering him. It was hard to concentrate. But for him, it was an interesting thing to ponder.

“Indeed. Those people are great individuals and their works truly fascinate me,” said George inquisitively with a frown. “But I don't see where you’re going.”

“Good. Now that I finally have your attention -” said Jack, smiling complacently.

George rolled his eyes when the sound of footsteps and laughter followed loud knocks on the door. “Here they come.”

"Perfect timing - dinner’s ready," said Jack. “Let’s continue our discussion over dinner. Shall we?”

“Hello ladies!” George said, opening the door. “Come on in. Good to see you!”

Jane and Elizabeth walked in with guilty smiles. “We went shopping on Fifth Avenue,” said Elizabeth. “She bought a new sweatshirt. Sorry we’re late.”

“That’s all right,” said Jack, as he greeted them with friendly hugs.

Elizabeth was a nice girl. She valued people, especially her friends. She and Jane were studying in the same university. Jane became friends with Jack and George through mutual connections.

“My tummy’s rumbling!” said Jane. “What is it? It smells delicious.”

“All right, it’s time to dig in,” George said, looking at Jack.

“Help yourselves to the dinner table, guys!” retorted Jack.

Everyone took their places around the table. At either side stood two candles burning calmly making everyone’s faces glow in the dull yellow light. Shortly after having crackers with cheese, Jack said, “So, where were we, George?”

“Do you mind if I tell the girls about your story?” said George, after swallowing a mouthful looking at Jack. “Ladies, our dear friend, Jack, is troubling me with an interesting question: Why do humans eat?” he said rather mockingly.

Jane and Elizabeth laughed looking at each other.

“Jack, we eat to live, to exist!” continued George laughing loudly, trying to impress the girls. “To live the purpose of our lives - achieving something for ourselves by doing what we love to do, become successful and finally leave our footprints behind in the passage of time; to fall in love and be in a relationship, raise a family, be part of a society; to experience the feelings of joys and sorrows - that is why we need energy. So, we eat to gain energy.”

There was silence for a few seconds.

“Well said, George,” said Jack to keep the momentum going. “That’s not exactly my point. Have you thought about what drives you to do what you like to do?”

George blinked. So did the girls.

“Okay, before I continue any further, please help yourself with the main course; I made the dish especially for this evening.”

The dish looked alluring, and was garnished nicely; the gravy - rich in red - was topped with coriander leaves and half chopped green chilies. The hot vapors when inhaled made mouths water profusely.

“That looks absolutely lovely,” said Elizabeth. “What is it?”

“Have a spoonful,” said Jack. “and then I will tell you.”

“Mmmm! This is heaven!” exclaimed Jane after tasting it. “Is it Indian? I have tried every dish in Indian and Chinese.” she paused doubtfully. “Well, almost every dish.”

“Thank you, Jane. Have it with wine,” said Jack, humbled by her compliment.

George stared at Jack in bewilderment. “Jack -” he allowed his mouth to savor the taste, “This is marvelous! I never knew you were such a good chef. When did you learn to cook?”

“Why, thank you, George,” Jack responded. “I am so glad you guys like it. Well, it is my will, my passion, which drove me to learn cooking. What I am about to share with you will eventually help you understand what you are currently eating. Then, you can call it whatever you want. Food for thought.”

Jack had a sip of wine and cleared his throat.

“A man’s will to do something is so powerful that there is nothing to measure it. Its strength goes beyond his control. That is when we say, ‘He is crazy about it!’ But, what really pumps passion is the heart. To have the mind work on something you really love, you need to have your heart in it. The heart causes the ignition to start working on aspirations. For example, being creative in a particular field of interest is an aspiration. Then, the mind takes over like a running engine which pulls the loaded truck. When I say a loaded truck, I mean, the mind gathers and assimilates things for itself which are required to meet those aspirations. Now, in order to pull that loaded truck forward, the engine needs to be powerful, which is nothing but willpower.”

There was an uncomfortable silence when Jack paused. There was no clattering of the cutlery on the plates, and no chewing of the mouths. All eyes were fixed and ears wide opened on him.

“Come on, Jack -” George protested, breaking the rapt attention of the three.

“You’ve got my attention, Jack,” said Jane, turning deaf to George, without allowing him to complete his words. “I want to see what you’ve got on your mind.”

Elizabeth nodded eagerly in agreement.

George felt he shouldn’t say a word until he was allowed.

“But first, I don’t want to leave you guys with half empty stomachs,” said Jack. “I want you to continue eating. It makes me feel guilty otherwise.”

Elizabeth giggled. “Oh! I almost forgot about that,” she said. “All right, please continue.”

“Now, let’s say, my dream is to build a spaceship,” Jack resumed. “To make that dream into reality, I need to have a strong will, which I already do. Secondly, I need to gather all the knowledge about astrophysics. Well, learning about space and technology takes a lifetime. But all the information is not gathered only by learning. Sometimes, man becomes cognizant by intuition. It is an amazing feeling when things are understood by intuition. It shows up when ample time is spent on a particular subject. Then, something flashes inside your mind: something like, if A equals B, then A also equals C, without corroboration. It will be true; the only burden is that it will take a few years to prove it. Physicists, mathematicians, astrologists and scientists of various other fields have postulated many theories by their intuitions. But it took their lifetimes to prove just one.

“How many people really believe that the food we eat is directly proportional to the mind at work? I mean not only food gives the mind the energy and strength to work, but also intelligence.”

Jack saw that their eyes were turning skeptical. “No, no, no. Don’t shake your heads. I am not done yet,” he retorted. “Please allow me to finish. It’s been quite a while - I guess around two months - since I’ve been in touch with Professor Hardy at Winston University,” said Jack. “You might have heard about him, George; the one that teaches neuroscience?”

There was a tiny sparkle in George’s eyes when that name fell on his ears. He gave a gentle nod.

“He said that in India, people believe that Okra - commonly called Lady's Finger in some countries - causes intelligence levels to grow higher. So, it is part of their regular diet. That’s why Indians proclaim that they are good with numbers. Scientifically speaking, it is rich in Vitamin B-complex which improves the health of the brain. And also fatty fish: fish has DHA - don’t ask me what it is - all I can tell you is that it is an acid which when consumed, directly goes to the brain. It greatly prevents memory related diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer's. All these derivations came out in the light during my discussions with Professor Hardy. But it was not enough. I was looking for a straight answer.”

“Can we say that If I eat something that has nutrients of a certain level of intelligence, will my intelligence level grow to the same degree?” Jack paused, squinting at his friends. “Interesting point to ponder, isn’t it? Professor Hardy is a shrewd man. So, I was very careful about clarifying my doubts with him. I made sure I asked the right questions for which I would get a precise answer.”

George suddenly started blinking many times, as if a blow landed on his face from the dark. There was a spark in his mind that diverted his attention. He looked at the girls who were intently listening to the talk and then he looked at Jack. The radiance in his eyes and his rhetoric speech made George suspicious about his demeanor.

George’s thoughts traveled back to his teenage years while Jack was on a spree with his dose of neuroscience. Jack lost his mother when he was seven years old. It was not a happy father-son relationship afterwards, neither was there a pleasant father-mother relationship even before Jack was born. Words were always flowing in his neighborhood about his parents; he did not bother at all. He did not care much about how his father treated him until there were times he had to stay away from home when it was too much. He never complained. He never opened his mouth when some boys at school were prying about his family.

George was his only real friend who lived across the street. He never spoke about any of those problems concerning Jack or his family. Although Jack did not express his gratitude, he was very pleased by this courtesy. Both of them went out for adventures during summer holidays to ponder the mysteries of Nature over long conversations.

Most often, there were healthy debates with deep discussion. However, on some occasions, Jack turned impassive, got completely lost and stopped responding to the intricacies of resulting observations. It was during these times, he went missing for a few days. Sometimes, he was gone for months. During this time of inactivity, George felt guilty of hurting his feelings. But as things turned out, Jack would join him on the morning of the next day as if nothing had happened. There would be an expression of triumph gleaming on his face. Jack would say, “You were wrong about what you said the other day, George,” making George struggle to re-establish the lost connection between that other day and the subject. “I researched and conducted a few experiments of my own. The results don’t break the Laws of Nature, unless for humans.” “Oh, I see,” George would reply, without troubling his mind much. George kept a close eye every time a subject provoked Jack. On many occasions, Jack showed him his bedroom. There was an assortment of instruments used for scientific lab experiments. There was always an awful stench in the room. Sometimes, there were leftovers of dissections of frogs, cockroaches, birds, a leg of a four-legged animal. Then a set of test tubes containing chemical compounds giving out pungent vapors was very common. George felt uneasy and felt sick and disgusted about his dear friend, but he thought silence was the best option to choose over differences, for their friendship to last longer.

Clearing his thoughts, George returned to the dinner table, easing his frown. He blinked a few times looking around and then looking at Jack whose words were now only meant for the girls. He looked at his plate. He decided to stop eating. Not anymore! He thought.

“Jack, I need to use the bathroom,” said George, getting up. “if you don’t mind?”

“Sure,” replied Jack with a smirk. He was amused to see George wiping sweat beads on his forehead. Jack knew what was spinning in his mind.

When George returned, Jack offered more of the dish. But George refused. “I am done for tonight. But I won’t stop you guys,” he said, looking at the girls anxiously. He waited for some more time listening to Jack, waiting for an opportunity to make a move.

“As I was saying,” Jack continued. “Human physiology is so complex that even scientists are still trying to find out how exactly a specific nutrient flows through the body and reaches the brain, or to any organ for that matter. I was not willing to listen to a lecture on neurons or neurotransmitters and receptors or brain metabolism. No, I was not interested in that. My question to the Professor was simple: what nutrient greatly improves the performance of the human brain? For which I got a much simpler answer: Anything that supplements it.”

“Jack,” George interrupted, “I almost forgot. I am sorry, but I have to go. It’s getting late and I need to see my mom. I will be staying at her place tonight.” he lied.

There was a moment’s silence because of this unexpected interruption. “Okay, George. Drive home safely.” said Jack, with a friendly smile.

“Good night, guys. Enjoy your dinner.” said George.

Jack and the girls said “Good night!” and George left the apartment.

The night had crept in quite fast; it was a night without the stars. The moon played hide and seek among the moving clouds and the songs of crickets filled the air. While driving home, George felt uneasy. Tears were streaming down his eyes. “Oh my God! He made me a cannibal!” he sniveled. “What am I supposed to do now? God help me.”

When George reached home, he rushed to his bedroom. The pain of gruesome thoughts stabbed his heart. “This is heresy! God will never forgive me for what I have done. I will be forsaken,” George groaned, pulling his hairs, his thoughts struggling between moral virtues and the gravity of the situation. He thought of reporting this to the cops, but decided against it because he was sure that he would be arrested as an accomplice. “Jack, I trusted you. I am your only friend. How could you think of doing this to me? This is madness!” he cried, shaking his head buried in his hands.

Elizabeth and Jane finished having one of the finest dinners they ever had in their lives. It was about 10 p. m. when they both expressed their joy of savoring delicious food. They thanked Jack for inviting them, and finally said their goodbyes.

As both the girls walked toward the parking lot, “Jane, did you notice,” whispered Elizabeth. “There was something fishy about Jack tonight. I haven’t seen him like this before. No wonder George was nervous.”

“I didn’t see that,” Jane replied in the same tone. “Maybe he wasn’t feeling well or what? I noticed bruises on his arms.”

“Let’s go home and think about it tomorrow,” said Elizabeth, getting in her car. She turned on the ignition and then they drove away into the black night.

*              *              *

The new day dawned early with the sun beaming its subtle rays making everyone in town wake up lively. It was 9 a. m. Elizabeth brewed a hot cup of coffee. She took the day’s newspaper and went to the balcony to fill her lungs with fresh air. She was casually glancing at the headlines on the front page, but one in particular caught her attention.

RENOWNED PROFESSOR AT WINSTON UNIVERSITY DISAPPEARS

HUBLINAMY - In what appeared to be a strange turn of events, Professor Hardy, who taught neuroscience at Winston University is missing. A complaint was filed when the Hublinamy Police Department received an anonymous phone call. It is reported that he has been missing since October 15.

A fellow Professor, Alex Haley, told the Daily Tribune that he had not seen or heard about the 52 year old Professor for days as he missed his classes without informing the staff. Chief Inspector Donoghue has begun investigation on this case. It is rumored that the Professor was last seen with a Mr. Jack Stevens, who is said to be his close friend. No trace has been found about the Professor’s family so far. One of the many questions that need to be answered is: who was that anonymous caller?

Elizabeth stopped. Her eyes could not read any further. She never hoped that her day would begin so badly. She was shocked by the news. She phoned Jane immediately and told her about the report. “Let’s go to Jack first.” were her final words before ending the call.

Elizabeth picked up Jane. “Just because the Professor was seen with him, I don’t see any reason why the cops should be looking for Jack,” said Elizabeth, worryingly. “I hope nothing goes bad. I know this has got nothing to do with Jack.”

“Calm down, Liz,” replied Jane, trying to console Elizabeth. “Everything’s going to be fine. Why isn’t George answering my call? I called him twice. Anyways, I have sent a voicemail asking him to come to Jack’s.”

Elizabeth’s phone rang. It was Jack.

“Hello, Jack?” Elizabeth answered the call, worryingly.

“Hello, Liz, I hope you got the news,” replied Jack on the other side. His voice was nervous.

“Yes. I am coming to see you.”

“Don’t. I have been summoned for interrogation. I got a wakeup call from the chief inspector half an hour ago. I have to go. I will call you when I get back.”

Jack ended the call without saying goodbye. Elizabeth did not understand what to do. The morning air chilled with anxiety. Jane suggested that they would have to wait till there was a word from Jack. They waited in Jane’s house. Jane called George again. But there was no answer. She assumed that George would have known about the situation. But it looked as though none of the men cared to inform the girls. They ended up waiting endlessly throughout the day in vain.

Counting the number of sleepless nights was never a tiring task for Elizabeth. She always thought of Jack. She knew that he didn’t leave her. Even in the great depths of endless sorrow, there was light; the light of pleasant memories, which seemed comforting. Those fleeting moments were like drugs acting on her heartache, suppressing the agony temporarily while making her oblivious of reality. But there was also nostalgia about those good old days which they spent together. Those silent walks in the evening, enjoying the cool breeze, watching soccer or a movie together, conversing about science; those moments were simply timeless. It was a bridge of wisdom they built between them instead of leading a fairy-tale life. Now, everything seemed desolated until there was a word from Jack.

Elizabeth stayed up-to-date with the Daily Tribune. Chief Inspector Donoghue’s investigation was gradually throwing light on the case. Every lead pointing toward Jack made Elizabeth restless day by day.

One month later, Elizabeth stretched her arms sitting on her bed admiring the spectacle of sunrise. Her phone beeped. It was a text from Jack: George’s place by sunset. This was a welcome relief. But, she got equally anxious thinking about unexpected consequences. She had her morning coffee and then took a shower. And yet, waiting till sunset seemed an eternity. When lost hope begins to flicker from the embers, the restless mind becomes a monster confronting patience.

Elizabeth understood that Jack wanted to see her alone. For one moment, she thought of taking Jane along with her, but decided against it. Why should she burn her hands in the fire raged by someone else? Elizabeth thought.

It was an hour before dusk when she reached the house. She entered the living room hastily.

“That’s close enough!” warned Jack, curtly. There was a haunting echo to his voice that made the place even more formidable.

Jack was sitting at the center of the room. She couldn’t see him clearly in the darkness. But, there was only a faint light on the left side of his face. She saw a wry smile.

“Hello, Liz,” Jack said. “I am so glad you could come.”

“Jack, are you alright?” Elizabeth asked, sensing the uncanny tone of his voice.

“I don’t have much time, before...” replied Jack at length.

Elizabeth was perplexed. “Before what?” she said in a loud whisper, clearing her throat in apprehension.

Jack began singing What a Wonderful World. He went on for a few seconds before he continued. “Do you know how a mind grows; I mean how it grows to become intelligent?” Jack paused, looking at Elizabeth. But before she could answer, he began, “I didn’t mean the growth of intelligence of a child as it develops into an adult, no. In reality, intelligence comes through inheritance and multiplies by small factors in the next generations. You see, smart people produce smart kids; those kids will produce smart grandkids. Don’t you think that’s unfair? Because, who cares about the stupid ones, like me, who didn’t graduate nor managed to get a job? Should we not exist? Should we just starve and die?” Jack paused for a while for his thoughts to settle.

“You see there,” Jack said, pointing to the ground on his left. “That is a prime example of unmatched intelligence.”

Elizabeth could see a man tied to a pole. His face was not clearly visible. A spotlight hit his face. She was shocked by this revelation. She was staring at the man in astonishment. He looked like Jack. He appeared unconscious and his mouth was taped shut. She tried to utter something; but the man, who was doing all the talking, stopped her. He suddenly came into light with a mocking smile.

“Peek-a-boo!” he said in a menacing whisper, suddenly appearing in front of her with a wicked grin. “I am Jake, his twin. Nice to meet you, Liz. You don’t deny the fact that he is one of the brightest minds ever seen. Do you?”

Elizabeth suddenly felt the cold droplets of perspiration on her forehead. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Her legs trembled with fear. Her shivering hands moved to her moist temples when she felt the pang of dismay. The word Please tried to come out as a whisper, but it got stuck by the lump in her throat.

“Please, leave him alone. You are hurting him,” pleaded Elizabeth. Her eyes filled with tears. She tried to rush toward Jack.

“Shh. Please darling, let me finish,” he said, raising his gun to his lips. “Stay where you are.”

“My poor brother,” Jake continued, turning back. “What a smart young man! A genuine hard worker. I was intrigued by his research on physiology of mind. I tried learning it for myself. Both of us have had several discussions about it. But, you know, dull guys finish last - I didn’t understand even a word of it. It was not for me. And yet, I never gave up.

“I thought I should contribute to science, to society, to mankind. Jack didn’t believe merely in hypothesis. He sought practical results. This very need was my chance. I wanted to help him. Remember the night Jack invited you and others for dinner? Do you remember what he said? Anything that supplements it.”

There was a sparkle in Jake’s eyes. Elizabeth was listening to him intently. She remembered that night. And she had not forgotten what Jack had said. Jake was walking slowly toward her stealthily. His voice was becoming louder. Meanwhile, Jack struggled to move. He tried to squeal. But it came out only as a low pitched hum.

“I know a scapegoat the moment I see it,” Jake said. “Nothing else could have supplemented my brain better than Professor Hardy’s. Its nutrient is genius which is causing my head to explode. I was also very lucky to find his brain absolutely delicious.”

“You killed him!” said Elizabeth, trying to catch her breath.

“How else can you imagine me eating his brain! But, thanks for the tip. I will try it on my next prey - eating the brains when it is alive. The results will be interesting. I was barely able to count numbers. Now, I not only can count them, but I make them dance on my fingertips: I am a human calculator.” Jake said triumphantly, taking a deep breath.

Elizabeth stared at him with repulsive eyes.

“You want to know why I killed the Professor,” Jake continued. “because he was my rightful victim. He was the man who ruined my family. He is the reason why there was no peace at home and my parents got separated. He made us homeless. He poisoned my mother’s mind and heart with words of love. He took all our money along with my mother. My father was deserted; he struggled to make a living for us. When our father passed away, we were stranded. For me, killing the Professor was an insatiable revenge. And more importantly, this was an ingenious experiment which produced quantifiable results.”

“This is madness!” Elizabeth protested in vain. “You’re a madman.”

“You can call me whatever the hell you want,” said Jake, ignoring her words. “The human mind is very subtle. When it is provoked by something overwhelming, it tries to prove it until the theory is not refuted. When all the tests result in continuous failures, its uneasiness turns into madness. All it needs is a gentle push. Have you sensed how beautifully the mind works when it is in that state? It will be like being in fantasy. It cannot distinguish between sanity and insanity. That is freedom; freedom to do anything you like. The rest of humanity is blindfolded or misguided by the freedom defined by man. It is living in a world bounded by laws of justice, which is a greatest lie! The Law of Nature has no boundaries or restrictions. Nature wants us to leverage the liberty it offers. Don’t you see, scientists push the limits of their minds on Nature to discover what they long to hold in their hands. Do you call it madness? That is why there are so many inventions making the world advance so fast. And I am just playing my part in it.

“Jack’s research clearly indicated to me that consuming a clever brain made man intelligent. So, I gave it a try and it worked. Nutritious food, healthy and very delicious. Well, I will show you my next prey. So, be a good girl and enjoy the show.”

“Next prey!” whispered Elizabeth under her breath, dazed.

“Don’t be surprised,” said Jake. “You know him.”

There was another spotlight on a man tied to a wooden chair. He was trying to lift his head which was hanging down. His state appeared dizzy and numb, as if he was under the influence of a sedative or a concussion. The moment he swung his head to the other side, Elizabeth saw a sharp cutting on the head that appeared like a quarter slice of pizza: from the center of the head to the side temple. She also witnessed some brain tissues dangling out of their places. The gruesomeness of the scene made her very sick. She looked away. But she was dying to know who it was. Then, the man finally managed to lift his head. It was Chief Inspector Donoghue. Elizabeth screamed: No!

“Isn’t he looking delicious?” said Jake. “This man was sabotaging my plans while Jack was covering my tracks.”

“Jack was protecting you!” Elizabeth said in disbelief.

“Yes. I am his brother. I am the only family he has. But he was against my plans after Hardy’s thing. There is no other reason why he is sitting there. I should have shut his big mouth before he managed to send word to you. Don’t worry. I am not going to hurt him. He is safe for now, unless he tries something nasty. I had to lie to make him come here. I wanted my brother to see his research come alive. He didn’t believe that I killed Professor Hardy. The Chief Inspector was causing trouble anyways, so I was starting to prove the theory to him until you showed up. You must be wondering about George. Not to worry; he is deep asleep. What an idiot! He shouldn’t have left the dinner table abruptly that night. It made me suspicious about him. Such a dumb ass. I wouldn’t worry about him now. He is of no use to me.”

Elizabeth was dumbstruck. The sight of horror and inhumanity baffled her completely.

“Oh, please forgive my inhospitality, Elizabeth. Take a seat. I got carried away,” Jake said with a snort. “I will show the good inspector what an incision feels like. Now, my dear, behold the progress of death.”

Elizabeth saw Jake shove his hands into the surgical gloves. He began walking towards the inspector. This is it! She thought. She turned slowly and began running toward the door. A gun was fired at her leg. She fell down on her knees.

“Oh, at least for Jack’s sake, can’t you -” Jake turned around, suddenly alarmed. Then, Elizabeth saw flashes of fire and heard bursts of guns at the same time. Many bullets were fired at him. He stumbled and fell sideways, and finally met his end. His eyes stared endlessly toward the unknown horizon while streams of blood trickled down his face.

A man in a police uniform came out of the darkness to help Elizabeth.

“Ms. Gates. I am Officer Bruce Clayton,” he said. “Don’t strain yourself. Ambulance is on its way.”

“But, officer, how did you -”

“Ever since Professor Hardy disappeared, we kept a close eye on you and your friends. We had no trace of this madman. With the disappearance of the Chief Inspector today, things got more serious. It’s a disgrace to our entire department. We tailed you from the moment you left your house.”

Elizabeth was gently put on a stretcher.

“What about George... and Jack?” she asked, hesitantly.

Clayton immediately spoke in a speaker mic hooked above his chest pocket. “Nick, did you find the other two?”

“George is in the bedroom. He is unharmed, but heavily sedated. Jack is in a state of panic. They will be taken to the hospital.” said the voice from the speaker.

“Now go get some rest. I’ll see you around.” Clayton said with an assuring smile.

As the medics took Elizabeth to the hospital, the sun had set gracefully below the horizon painting the clouds with orange hue. She felt she was finally at peace with the world.

*              *              *

Two months later, George, Elizabeth and Jane met at Larry’s Pub in the evening. The weather was cool; it was perfect to enjoy a hot cup of coffee over a friendly chat.

“... some professors at Winston are my friends,” George said. “My office is quite close to it. We hang out a lot.”

“Come to the point, George,” interrupted Jane with a laugh, deliberately.

“Alright. The morning after we had dinner at Jack’s place, I made that call to the cops from a public phone and told them that Professor Hardy was missing.” George said. He always wanted to tell his part of the story for a long time, waiting for the right opportunity. Although he mistook this moment for the right one, he was sorely eager to clear his plate before it began to stink.

There was a long and awkward silence.

“Any news about Jack?” Jane said, looking at Elizabeth, trying to break the silence. “When have you guys decided to get married?” She could hardly believe she had actually asked that ridiculous question.

“I am not willing to be called the wife of a murderer,” said Elizabeth, gazing across the street. She inhaled a deep smoke and puffed it out. “It’s over.”

Jack was sentenced to five years in prison on the charges of murder and destruction of evidence.

“By the way, George,” Jane said, with a teasing smile, killing the incongruous vibe. “It was the brains of a lamb we had for dinner. It’s a famous Indian dish. It’s called Bheja Fry....”

Jane’s small talk rustling away in the cold breeze did very little to divert Elizabeth’s contemplation. She let her gaze wander across the street while she remembered Jack’s eyes drenched with guilt when they tried to get a glimpse of her for the last time before he was taken away. She knew he was sorry. She clearly saw that he was ashamed to beg for forgiveness. She saw the man he once was; a man with such a brilliant mind who always engaged in contemplation trying to solve mysteries of science. He had sacrificed his life studying about the human brain. She envisioned Jack as a scientist making an extraordinary discovery that would unravel the greatest secret hidden from mankind. And then she witnessed a man, fighting against all his virtues, harboring a psychotic killer who was his only family. And yet, he couldn’t say a word to his love before he left. These thoughts cluttering her mind made her scribble three words on the tissue in front of her: The Human Element.