The cursed New York

According to the information given by CNN, last night a twenty three years old man named as Bartel was discovered dead inside his home situated in Christopher Street. The odd point is that though high-tech camera was installed in the building, no strange man is seen in the camera. Before that incident such kind of some crimes happened in the city, but despite of the investigations still the murderer wasn’t discovered.
It was obviously felt that Nelson got a shock from that incident. His face turned pale because of the fear that one day they would murder him. He thought to himself: ‘Who knows maybe tonight, or next night, or any night of the year the unexpected news of my death will be splashed in headlines across all the newspapers and magazines, my murder will be discussed in TV channels or sites, and I shall be one of these unhappy people .’
Like the others he also will see the murderer only at the last moment before his death, and that is why he won’t be able to inform anybody for them to rescue his life.
Nelson got up nervously, climbed out of the bed carefully, in pyjamas he walked to the bathroom, approached the mirror on the wall, glanced at his pale face for a second and then he washed his hands and face. Then he went to the bedroom, was going to put on his clothes, but was fired all of a sudden and he fell on the floor. The bullet hit the middle of his forehead. His brain that was thinking fearfully some minutes ago joined to eternal peace.


***
In all the police departments the policemen were agitated, all policemen were worried, because the head of the country was interested with the results of the crime, and said that all of them were unskillful in their job. It wasn’t an ordinary crime. It can be said that since New York was founded there wasn’t committed such a crime. Not only in New York, but in the entire world nobody saw or heard about such incident.
‘Edvin, we have never been defeated so. That damned murderer is experienced and skillful. It is strange that despite of so many security resources he doesn’t leave any track.’
‘Talbert, I agree with you, alongside with being interesting, it is an odd crime. As if NewYork is cursed. It is true, I don’t believe in mystical things, but it appears that I gradually…’
‘Well, what do you mean, maybe you also become fanatical. I would never expect your believing such things. Did they teach us to believe unreasonable items or to notice the reality and to struggle against it?’
‘I don’t know what to say, Talbert! I wish everything be as you think. But not depending on anything we must discover the murderer. The unknown death of the guiltless people, the families shedding tears….I can’t bear anymore to none of these or the shock of our New York. We must do something to prevent the deaths. We must use odd weapons against the odd crimes.’


***

‘Forester, my darling, I wish you success in your job today too.’
‘Ebba, my sweetheart, you are the instigator of all my successes. You are always with me both in my happy and troubled days. You are my support, Ebba!’
They hugged each other, then Forester left home. Forester didn’t know that he won’t see his Ebba anymore. One of the undiscovered, unexplained murders will happen in his own home situated in Canal Street.
Though it was afternoon the weather is still cool, Ebba is in the kitchen, she is cooking while listening to the song ‘Stone cold’ by Demi Lovato. There is nothing odd in the room. The life is the same as before. As a habit there is smile on her lips. She considers herself a happy woman. She has a husband who loves her madly, two kids, and small business through computer.
After some minutes the scream of a woman is heard even in the street. The scream caused quite a commotion. As soon as the policemen knew about the incident they headed to the apartment. They opened the door of the room with difficulty and entered the room. The scene in front of them made their blood freeze. A dead body of a woman on the floor. She is fired straightly on the middle of her forehead. That woman was Ebba. The tragedy of other family.
Again all the newspapers publish articles about the murder. The killer still wasn’t discovered yet. But till what time?


***
Now in New York the number of such odd crimes reached to seventeen. Twelve men, four women, and a five years old Halford were killed in their homes.


***
Times Square is crowded, thousands of people gathered there to raise their voices against the murders. They demanded the policemen to discover the killers.
Police general Dalton promised the people that soon they would put an end the murders, would find the killers. He made such a speech.
‘Good day, ladies and gentlemen! Today like millions of people I am also sorrowful, including I didn’t fulfill my duty. Because still we haven’t discovered the killer. As you know the murderer of all the odd crimes is a bit different. He or she is so skilful that they don’t leave any track. The murderer kills both the women and the men, even a child. It appears that the murderer hates all the human beings, and he is going to continue his crimes. We, the policemen, will do our best to discover the killer. We promise you that soon the murderer will be found.
But we mustn’t forget one point. You must help us in carrying out our duty. Because if we call those murders as a curse, I must tell that each of us must meet that curse. I ask you to inform us as soon as you see any suspected person. Once more I ensure you that soon we shall put an end such odd crimes, our NewYork will again breathe peacefully.’


***
One of the people who was among the crowd remonstrating the crimes was the policeman Maxwell. He is twenty six years old promising head lieutenant. It seems that he is thoughtful. His eyes are in search of the killer. He is eager to find that odd killer. He thinks that this time before the murderer kills his victim, the murderer himself must be killed.
Maxwell is sitting on one of the benches in Central Park, he is lost in thoughts. Suddenly a new idea came to his mind. To visit the apartments of the victims and reinvestigate there. Though the New York police had carried out this job , the result was nothing.
Maxwell had visited the apartments of the victims, like the other policemen he also found no evidence. But despite of all the investigating he didn’t give up his eagerness, and promised himself to struggle till the end.

***
Two more days passed. Again two victims. The number of the victims reached to nineteen. The killer didn’t feel sympathy to anybody and increased his crimes. Alongside with the killer the time was also cruel, each passing day brought a new death news. And it worsened the case.


***

Different from other policemen something odd had directed Maxwell’s attention. In the apartments of all the victims one thing was the same. If somebody spoke about that odd think they would laugh at him, would think he went mad.
But everybody must have a close friend to whom they can share their secrets. Maxwell had such a close friend, it was head lieutenant Orlando, with whom he had studied at the same group at Police Academy.
‘Well, Orlando, what do you say about my opinion?’
‘ Your opinions resemble to the scenario of the fantastic film. But don’t forget that we live in a real life.’
‘Orlando, you know that, we have nothing to lose here. Let’s spend one day in investigating what I suggest. Let’s act according to my plan.’
‘Maxwell, you know that I always agree with what you suggest, now I shall do the same. I agree with you.’
‘Thank you, my friend! I believe that soon we shall discover that damned killer and then you believe me more than anybody.’

***
Maxwell’s room. Orlando is also in his room. They installed security cameras in the room. Silence. Even the most pessimistic person can’t put in a claim for the fact that soon a crime will happen here. Two hours passed. Still they are searching for the track in the evidence that was the same in all the apartments where the victims were fired. Orlando apologizes for needing to go to bathroom, Maxwell agrees.
But after a second Orlando walks into the room from bathroom and screams.
‘ Oh, my God!’
Maxwell was shot in the middle of his forehead. His body was covered with blood. Orlando began to cry. He knelt down at his friend’s body and shed tears.
But after some minutes he pulled himself together and checked the security camera that they had fixed in the room. He was astonished after what he saw in the camera records, he again knelt down at dead body of his friend and spoke quietly.
‘Maxwell, my friend, you were right! But I didn’t believe your words. Maxwell, you are genius, you are life-saver. Forgive me, my close friend! I shouldn’t leave you lonely for a second. I beg you, forgive me. I am begging you kneeling down at your body, forgive me, Maxwell.’
But it was already late. He could do nothing. He didn’t have to lose time. Any day meant a new victim. Though he couldn’t save his friend’s life, he could save the lives of tens, maybe hundreds of people.

***

Not only the inhabitants of New York, but the entire world got a shock. All the newspapers, all the mass media organs wrote about the criminal, including TV channels announced who or to tell the truth, what the criminal was.
The policemen are at work. The policemen destroys and burns the cursed evidence that is found at any apartment. The curse that had shrouded over New York had come to an end, and so it was.


***
The building of New-York police department.
General Dalton made a speech, then police colonel Orlando spoke. He said the followings:
‘Good day, respectful colleagues! Firstly I thank to Dalton for letting me to make a speech. I don’t want to take your much time. I shall speak about important points. If today we may smile , if today we didn’t hear the news about the victim we are grateful to Maxwell. If today I am promoted to high rank, if I am colonel, I am thankful to Maxwell. We have been not only colleagues, but we were close friends with him. If he could survive he would be promoted to much higher rank. ( he is moved to tears while speaking) .I bow at his spirit and grateful to him forever. ( all the participants of the gathering are moved to tears). Thank you for your attention.’

***
New York wasn’t cursed so much since it was founded. But what was that curse? What was the same evidence that was found in the apartments of all the victims? I think you won’t believe my words. But you must believe me. Because the entire world is witness to the fact. That cursed evidence was the painting of a man hang on the wall of all the victims. He was holding a submachine gun in his hand, it was the painting of a man who once was real. The curse had come to New York with the help of that painting, and that person in the painting was intended to bring unhappiness to each house, and chose a person from each house. As that painting was cursed, the man in the painting came to life once in a day and aimed at the forehead of his victims.
According to the research of New York police, the history of that painting led to the middle of XX century. As a result of the conflict father and his son came to blows, as the son was stronger than his father, the father was obliged to fire his son, hitting the middle of his forehead. Then he knelt down at the dead body of his son, sobbed bitterly , afterwards he drew the picture of his son holding a submachine gun. After many years that painting was discovered in the ruins, and its copies were put up for sale . Forty five from the one hundred and fifty paintings were sold, and all the paintings underwent to the curse of the young boy and played great role in happening such kind of tragedies. It appears that at least twenty five persons would be the victim of the painting. After all the necessary measures were taken, the rest of the unsold paintings were burnt and New York was survived from that cursed painting.


12.02 2018 18/25