"Why do you feel this way?" Akash asked.

  ?"When a man makes a decision but cannot implement that decision even if he wants to, then we can say that man is trapped in a net—right?"

  ?"Absolutely right."

  ?"When a man wants to do a lot—but can do nothing at all, then we can say that man is trapped in a net."

  ?"Yes, but—"

  ?"A simple task, which is entirely within a man's reach, yet he still cannot complete it, then—"

  ?"He can be called trapped in a net," Akash completed Vijay's sentence.

  ?"Correct." Vijay nodded his head in such a way as if he had succeeded in fully explaining his inner feelings.

  ?"Why are you increasing the suspense, man—why don't you tell me straight why you feel yourself trapped in a net?"

  ?"When a man—"

  ?"Why are you determined to take our lives?" Kanchan made a bad face.

  ?"Now just stop it, brother—will you keep telling the definition of a trapped man or will you move ahead from this?"

  ?{18}

  ?Vijay first looked towards Kanchan, then towards Renu, and said— "Has it not happened with us as well?"

  ?"Has what not happened?"

  ?"I decided to tell the police about this—but I could not implement the decision. I want to do a lot but I am unable to do anything. Is calling the police a difficult task for a man? The phone is lying right in front of me—I know the station's number—yet I cannot inform the police."

  ?"I don't think we are trapped in any net yet," Kanchan began to say. "The reality is that you (Vijay) have been badly influenced by him—and for a man to be excessively influenced by someone means reducing his own powers. When a man is influenced by someone, his own existence becomes dwarfed—and he accepts the one who influences him as better than himself. Similarly, you are seeing the one who threw the ball as some kind of bogeyman; this very image of his has lowered your morale—and a fallen morale always gives birth to negative thoughts. It is just for this reason that you are feeling a risk in informing the police—and understanding that you are unable to do so because of being trapped in his net. You should call the police without any worry—Sagar will also confirm this fact that let alone enmity between you two, you hadn't even seen each other before this incident."

  ?"So you (Kanchan) want me to inform the police about this?"

  ?"Yes—there is another benefit to this as well."

  ?"What?"

  ?"Your illusion of being trapped in his net will also be removed," she replied.

  ?"But I don't know why I feel that whatever our final decision will be—he would have already thought of it. You mark my words—our decision will remain completely ineffective. If informing about this is a part of his plan, then entangled in his net, we will end up informing the police—and if all this is not included in his plan, then he will not let us do so at any cost."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  ?{19}

  ?"It seems his power to understand natural reactions has influenced you more than necessary—who will stop you from calling the police?"

  ?"Akash?"

  ?"If this feels right, I won't stop you," he replied.

  ?"Or Renu?"

  ?"Who am I to stop him?" she said.

  ?"Now tell me, who is there who can stop you?"

  ?Trin Trin Trin

  ?Vijay picked up the receiver— "Vijay speaking."

  ?"Sagar speaking."

  ?"Sagar?"

  ?"Yes, Sagar."

  ?"Speak."

  ?"Has a similar ball come to you too?"

  ?"Yes, it has."

  ?"What is written in the letter?"

  ?"Your murder will be by my hands."

  ?"Did you inform the police about this?"

  ?"No—but I was just about to when you called."

  ?"Don't even do it."

  ?"What?"

  ?"You will not do that."

  ?"But why—and how did you know that a ball was thrown at my place too—then, how did you know my phone number?"

  ?{20}

  ?"At night when I was sitting on your sofa, the phone was lying on the table kept nearby—and I noted down the number—just like before, a ball came after breaking the glass of the ventilator and fell in my room—there was a letter in that too."

  ?"What was written?" Vijay asked.

  ?"Only this much that through the ball I have sent a message to Vijay that soon you will be killed at the hands of Vijay—The Eighth Wonder."

  ?"But what is your problem in informing the police?"

  ?"Today when the ball fell in my room, exactly five minutes later a small child reached me with a video cassette and a letter—he asked my name—I told him—so he told that a bearded and mustached man gave me five hundred rupees and said to deliver this to you."

  ?"Asked the boy about his appearance?"

  ?"He could not tell anything special—only told this much that he had a thick beard and mustache—and surely the beard and mustache also must have been fake."

  ?"Did that person walk with a limp?"

  ?"No, he was not Lame Vijay—perhaps some associate of his?"

  ?"What was written in the letter?"

  ?"It was written that if this matter reached the police then a similar cassette will reach the police—I saw the cassette and was stunned."

  ?"What did you see like that?"

  ?"Whatever talks happened between us at night—all were recorded along with our pictures—you had asked that it seems you have murdered a close relative of Lame Vijay—so I had said consider it so—if this cassette reached the police then I can even be hanged."

  ?"I will inform the police."

  ?{21}

  "What nonsense are you talking—you cannot do this—if you did this then on the contrary you will get trapped."

  ?"How will I get trapped?"