The revelation

It was almost evening when Hans awoke from his deep slumber. Twilight painted the grey sky with pastels of dim orange and darkness was about to set in. He peered outside the window with groggy eyes. Lassitude made his body limp and he felt tizzy. His head spun and he felt nauseated. A dizziness overcame him and he felt giddy as if he had been administered an ample dosage of chloroform.
He scoured for Ina but found her nowhere. Unable to repress his frustration further, he screamed wildly, " Ina, where are you? Please come to me, sweetie."
A gentle breeze outside created soothing ripples in his body and he felt steady. The thoughts of the morning event created a whirlpool of perplexity in his mind and a sudden shiver ran down his spine. He contemplated on the mysterious quirks of Ina and tried to unravel the labyrinths of the mazes. His scientific mind could easily conclude that something was odd with that strange woman.
He loved her passionately and the quaint features of his would -be-bride seemed to agonize him. He shrieked , threw his hands and legs, and cried voluminous tears. Then he raved and a sudden convulsion shook his body. He decided not to abandon her as he was besotted by her love .

" Where the heck is she?"
Hans muttered to himself. Unable to find any answer he darted for his cell-phone and dialed her number. The phone kept on ringing leaving the message" Your call is not being responded." Berserk with rage he thrashed the beautiful vase on the mantel-piece. With tears rolling down his eyes he took the shattered pieces and poured the contents in the empty trash can.
He was desperate to find her. He again dialed her number and this time an unknown female voice answered, " Hello. Who is this?"
" I am Hans but who are you?"
" I am Elisa."
" Oh! Greetings mother! Where is Ina? She left me without any word." He added frantically.
" Ina is on a conference at Zanes."
" At Zanes? What for?" Hans was utterly bewildered.
" You better ask your Dad. Moriarty is there too." Elisa ended the call abruptly.

The cell rang while Elisa was sleeping. Morning painted the canvas of the sky with splendid dyes of yellow ocher and tangerine. Mellow sunbeams filtered through the window , wishing her a good-morning. With bloated eyes, Elisa answered the call.
A husky, male voice said," Is it you, Elisa?"
" Yes. Who is this?"
" Can't you recognize me? I am Moriarty."
" Oh, yes. What a pleasant surprise!"
" I have called to plan for the magnificent wedding that will take place tomorrow."
" Now listen to me carefully. Tomorrow at sharp 6'o'clock in the evening , Elisa and Ina will land in Inca. Our space-ship will hop over to your building to pick you up. I have fixed Tom, as the Minister and other requisites."
" That sounds great. "

The next evening at 6'o'clock a huge airliner landed in the front porch of his building. The airliner honked , and then stopped. Elisa was dressed in a black, satin gown that befitted her plump figure well and she looked elegant. Ina was draped in a white lacy, backless gown, revealing her butter-milk skin with a trail that swept the ground. Ina was looking as pretty as Aphrodite.
The space-ship moved high above the ground and landed into a glen. Elisa and Ina alighted, to see Hans dressed in a black tuxedo ,and Moriarty in a beige suit to welcome them. Ina was awed by the dark , coniferous shrubs bearing lovely flowers and luscious fruits in the glade that she had landed into. Moriarty and Hans ushered them to a bungalow .

Ina reveled at the pink and blue neon lights and the chocolate gateau placed in her honor. The dreamy house with its phosphorescent lights made her lose her mind. Hans was standing there. No guests were present at their wedding. Ina gasped a bit.

" It's time to take your oath." Tom announced.
Hans placed his hand around her waist.
" I ,Hans Xian, pledge that I will serve you Ina Jinx, my beautiful bride as a slave throughout my life."
Ina chuckled along with the others.
" Oh darling, you don't need to be my slave. You are my husband and I respect you."
" Ina, please don't leave me never, promise me. I will die without you." Tears strained down his cheeks.
" Don't be so mawkish Hans.I pledge to be your wife, forever. I promise."
With this, Hans buried a deep kiss in her cheek. The couple smooched with ardent flames of passion , kindling their hearts. Everyone greeted them and wished them a blessed, married life.



" What does the mad scientist think of himself?" Elisa grumbled.
" My daughter will have the finest wedding the world has ever seen. I will invite my ten thousand relatives at the 'Banquet Hall' and there will be the grandest wedding party for my daughter."
" What have you planned for my bachelor party, Ma?" Ina asked, excitement in her voice.
" Hold on , dear." Elisa left the room.
" See this scarlet backless gown , I have bought for you to accentuate your voluptuous figure. Do you like it?"
" Oh! This the loveliest outfit I have ever got a chance to wear. Thanks a lot Ma."
Ina preened before the mirror. It was time for her bachelor party. She was looking drop-dead gorgeous with the gluey mascara , eyeliner, rouge and a glossy ,red lipstick _ giving her a smoky look.
The ' Banquet Hall' thronged with a troop of five hundred ladies. Soon a DJ turned on the music, and the jazz waltzed. The ladies were having a gala time in the wassail. Ina skipped and sprang with joy and turned her movements into a graceful dance; hummed in accordance with the music.

" So ladies here, are you rollicking?" Ina quizzed.
" Yes!" Her friends chorused.
Sipping two pegs of whisky, Ina said, in an intoxicating voice, " So , do you agree that I am the perfect match for Hans?"
" Of course. He would find no better." Her friends smirked.
Soon lights of brilliant shades suffused the hall, and the crystal chandeliers chimed with the gentle breeze. Fireworks cracked to celebrate the bachelor party of the exquisite bride Ina. The guests reveled and cheered. Laser lights from the projector flushed on the faces of Ina and her friends, making them aglow. Ina changed into the bewitching pale pink dress of a ballerina and she danced with profound ecstasy. The party was the most hilarious one the world had ever seen.



In a large laboratory 'Zanes' , Moriarty was working with numerous wires plugged to a central station emitting high frequency radio waves. The body of Moriarty was masked with a metallic frame, eyes covered with three-dimensional glasses and the face covered with a porous metallic mask.

" Way to go, Kalie." Moriarty clapped in a frenzy of unbridled excitement.
" Now we can surpass any trickery followed by the witches. After all, witchcraft, however potent it might seem, has its ends and eventually succumbs to Science. "
" Our bevy of humanoid robots will be our back-up."
" As discussed earlier, a lethal dose of amygdalin is enough to kill any of the witches. Our robots are our extra support for our huge number of foes."
" I admire your ingeniousness, Sir." Kalie smiled.
" Only one thing you must alert me about."
" Yes Sir, sure. What?"
" You must tell your sister Rachel to keep a watch on the dinner before it is being served. After Rachel informs me, as per the plan, Tom will mix that fatal amygdalin in the dinner, fatal enough to kill all the guests. There will a hue and cry and out of panic; the guests will flee. Then I will control the central station from here and our several humanoid robots will land there and battle the swarm of witches. We will then romp with victory."
" That's a brilliant idea Sir." Kalie added.

Elisa was tapping the keyboard with dexterity with her cat Gunther, sitting below her. Cedric stormed into the room, panting heavily, said, " Here's the packet of lady bug bean that you had ordered Mam." He handed Elisa the sealed yellow, polythene bag.
" Thanks a lot, Cedric. You will be rewarded handsomely."
With this, Elisa tipped Cedric, a lump sum amount of hundred dollars. Whistling with joy, Cedric left the room.

Elisa opened the contents of the packet and smeared all of it in her amulet. She sprang with ebullience. She now was mightier a lot and she covered hundred feet with one leap.
After a while, she went to her own ornate garden_a feast for any horticulturist. She picked some acacia leaves from the plant and burned them on the grating charcoal.
Ina entered the room . She was ecstatic. " So tomorrow is going to be our day, Ma. How long I have awaited this day! I hope we will have the most splendid wedding in the Inca city , something to showcase the world, an event unprecedented."

" Oh sure, honey. Now relax and go to bed. You need to look the world's most beautiful bride. Sleep tight. " Elisa smirked and patted on Ina's back.
She was contemplating on the hilarious victory that would happen the next day, by outdoing the Xians. She chanted some words, almost inaudible ,and a frenzy of mad spree gripped her. She pointed her fingers, signaling win, at the beak of the duck resting on her mantelpiece.
Ina was in a deep slumber by now. She went to her room ,and dropped on her bed placing the cozy pillow beneath her head. The inky sky set the babbling world calm and serene. Soon deep snores reverberated off the room of Ina.


Elisa kept fidgeting to herself. Elisa was desperate to win. Elisa drank a potion_a dark liquor which might look like rum. The liquid
rejuvenated her ten times more. A loud thud on the door startled Elisa. She turned back to see Gunther skipping in with a hefty, fat, hard-bound book.
" Here is the black directory for you Mam." Gunther placed the book on the desk in the study room.
With exuberance, Elisa flipped through the pages, and noted the ten thousand relatives in the notepad of her Mac laptop. Elisa sent emails, and she almost zipped.
After five minutes she received the replies of her relatives saying, "Thanks for the invite. I am ready to pounce upon. Greetings from me. It's been a decade since I last met you Elisa."
Elisa was enthralled. She was stronger now. She was ready to take on a venture, that she had planned about five years ago. Elisa rolled her tongue and rubbed vehemently both of her hands.
With the mission set clear, Elisa was going to make a history- ‘ The first win of any witch over a mad scientist in a long, tough battle.’
The door bell jangled. Cedric closed in, and out thronged the ten thousand invitees. Elisa welcomed them in her five story building . All the rooms were stuffed with people. Elisa and her relatives and their loud chortles pounded the plastered walls and the paint was beginning to almost peel off.
Sally exchanged a bear hung with Elisa and said,” Holy Gosh! It’s been about a decade that I am seeing you. You look almost the same like I saw ten years before. What’s the magic buddy?”
“ Oh really? Do you mean what you say?” Elisa stared at Sally, gob-smacked.
Elisa and her relatives mumbled canticles for a while and a behemoth chopper landed in front of them. The birds of the same feather flocked together and boarded the dragon-sized air vessel. The engine started and within a few seconds they soared high above the earth . The airliner fluttered its blades with bustle and screeches; pierced the stillness of the night like a voracious hawk hunting for its prey.


All eyes were riveted at the quaint spaceship 'Luna' when it landed on the ground in front of the space laboratory 'Zanes' named after Moriarty Xian, the chief scientific officer. A thundering applause greeted the couple when Moriarty and his fellow mates greeted them.

" Welcome Ina to our family. I am happy to get you as my daughter-in-law. Hans is an eccentric guy ,and is more crazy when it comes to love. I have been rearing him up after the death of his mother when he was only five years old. My wife Esmee, was killed in a car accident ,and this traumatized my son. I am sure you will have the best husband of your life."

Ina listened to his words attentively and chuckled.

" Don't be so timid Dad. I am a strong woman. I love him and will do anything for him."

Her green eyes gave Moriarty a look that seemed to perforate him almost. Ina smirked and her well-canned smile intrigued the other scientists who was perusing her.

Hans was insane with Ina and seemed to overlook the queer traits in his would-be bride.

He held her hand tightly and said," Let's go to our house honey."
" Oh sure. Why not?" Ina chortled.

The two headed for the deluxe suite of Hans. Hans ushered her to their plush bedroom with baby-pink curtains matching with the pale pink Inca bedspreads and cream -colored cuddly cushions. Ina looked at the smooth painted white walls with her penetrating eyes.

" Do you like our bedroom, sweetie?" Hans questioned.
" Oh yes! Why not?" Ina smooched him ,and the red lipstick smeared his face.
Hans looked at her pretty face and became impassioned as the flames of their love flared.

The ebullient Hans then took her hand in his and told her " We are a handsome couple. Aren't we? "
With this, he ushered her to the mirror above the dressing table.

" Is it blood on my face? Jeez!" Hans squealed.
" Where the heck can you find blood Hans?" Ina hollered, surprised at his utter madness.
" Here, on my face." He pointed to her.
" It's only my lipstick, you dumb boy." Ina jeered.
" No. It must be blood." Hans argued.

Unable to control his ravings Ina brought forward a pair of smooth, silky fingers. There was a supply of water in the tap but not a piece of cotton or clean cloth to wipe out his fake blood marks.

Ina mumbled something to herself with a voice almost inaudible. Out of the blue, a cotton wad dropped into her outspread palm, and Ina grabbed it. Then she soaked it with water and cleaned his face.

Hans got perplexed at this bizarre event.
He quizzed ," How did you procure this wad?"
" Why worry darling? Look at your yourself in the mirror. You are looking ravishingly handsome. You are a treat for all women." Ina smirked, her eyes unreadable.

" Don't lie to me Ina. I am your husband. Please tell me." Hans pleaded.
Her green eyes now pierced him and enraged, she screamed.
" Stop you duffer. No further questions. Don't force me. Enough of this nonsense."

Without much ado , pungent mists filled the room with an odious odor that made Hans take long, deep breaths. He panted and swooned , knocking his head on the floor.


Morning caked the sky with its toppings of red, orange and hints of pink. The sun beam filtered through one of the windows of the room where Hans Xian was sleeping. The radiant light percolated through the glass of the French window and washed the face of Hans who was sleeping, as docile as a lamb. Hans awoke after a while with a pair of bleary eyes, and brushing his teeth, got a chance to look at himself in the bathroom mirror. A pale red mark on his right chin caught his alarm. The previous night flashed his memory, and the mere thought of Ina brought a shudder deep in the abyss of his mind.
The door bell jangled after five minutes and Hans almost sprinted to open it. Ina was standing there, wearing a low-cut tuna frock, revealing her full, round breasts and a petite figure that any man would dream of .
Her pale-blue eyes glowered as she widened her smile and said,
“ Dear Hans! Honey! How did you forget me? How could you? What on the earth made you not to make a single call to me?’
Hans replied with exhaustion in his voice, “I was so tired yesterday, sweetheart. Please don’t mind. I was not feeling well.”
His face hid some unknown, underlying emotions.


Ina and Hans huddled close to each other in their bedroom. The two nude bodies were complementing and devouring each other like a couple of wild dogs since the previous night. Ina was the most beautiful woman Hans had ever seen in his life. Her perfect figure lay beside him in its utter nakedness. Hans enjoyed and relished the moments of their first love making. He tried hard to steer his obsessive thoughts about Ina’s lithe body to another direction but could not.
Hans smiled to himself, saying that, “ I am a lucky man to have an adorable Ina by my side. I am quite a blessed man.”
With this he licked her unclothed body like a savage wolf hungry, and tore up at her like a lion hunting its prey in its lust of voraciousness.
After a while, Ina awoke and completed his innermost desire. The two savored their breakfasts in each other’s bodies and their greed became unstoppable.Hans forgot about the queer incident of the red mark and his eyelids became heavy.


A series of cyber codes interconnected the robots of the work station of ‘Zanes’. Moriarty was swaying his legs with joy when his cell beeped.
A male voice asked, “ Is that you Papa?”
“ Hello Good Morning, son,” answered a cheery voice.
“ How are you dad?” Hans asked, bursting with tears.
“ Why are you crying son? Why? What has happened to you?” Moriarty roared, indignation rising in his voice.
“ My life’s is going to ruin. Ina is a witch, Dad.”
It took a few seconds for Moriarty to grasp the intelligible meaning of the words.
Unable to take in the shock, Moriarty mumbled, “ Is that so? But how come is that fact? Are you okay Hans? Or are you out of your mind Hans?”
“ I am perfectly sane Dad. Don’t you believe me dad? Oh! Why would you? You have never got such a crap like me. Why would you understand? You won’t dad.”
Hans said, with almost tears in his voice.
Hans now related the strange phenomenon of Ina sucking his blood and leaving a bloody scar in his face while they were together the last day.
“ Holy Cow!”
Moriarty sighed . The phone dropped down from his hands.

Twilight smeared the sky with the shades of tangerine and baby pink. A fleet of birds swarmed the evening sky as if painting a picturesque scene on the canvas of an artist. Elisa was moving to and fro in her rocking chair.
The sudden buzz of the cell shattered the repose and a female voice rasped, “ Is it you Ma?”
“ Hello Ina. Nice to talk to you. How are you dear?”
“ I am not fine Ma.”
Ina said in a coarse voice.
“ Hans has found out my real truth. Hans has configured that I am a witch and he is going to spread this word. I just feel like killing him, I swear.”
“ Oh really? Are you sure that this is the truth?”
“ This is the real and ultimate truth Ma. Why, can’t you believe it? If I knew I would get caught up like this I would have killed myself a long ago.’
Ina sobbed.
“ Oh! Don’t cry baby. I am going to fix this. Everything will turn right. Nothing bad is going to befall my only daughter. This is a rough phase that we are passing through. Once the storm is over, we will sail smoothly. I have some plans for you. “
Elisa hung down , keeping Ina gaping. Her ulterior motive was on the verge of being unleashed.

Moriarty Xian was planning the greatest victory of his life. He was aghast at the fact, the revelation, that Ina was a witch. The mere notion that Ina was a paranormal being haunted him to a great extent . He failed to sleep continually for a period of two weeks. All his cobwebs of sweet fancy were shattered when he began thinking of his would –be daughter-in-law.
Moriarty and his team of expert scientists at Luna were trying to produce a small bottle of amygdalin from the stones of an apricot. His plan was to terminate Ina Jinx and her dynasty. An unknown fear grappled Moriarty with all its might, and Moriarty was unable to alleviate it. Days passed by, and an uncanny feeling overwhelmed him. The feeling that Ina and Elisa were going to ruin his son’s life overpowered him , and he was going the lose the sap of his very life.
Three weeks later, Sandra, one of his colleagues at Zanes, announced that two fifty milliliters of amygdalin was ready, and he was going to administer that lethal weapon for his life was at stake. Moriarty laughed at the thought of putting an end to Ina and Elisa.

Elisa was lounging in her drawing room when the calling bell rang. Swathed with ebullience, Elisa , almost tipped, trying to answer the bell. Ina stormed in and huffed. Ina and Elisa huddled in the brown, leather-cased sofa in their plush drawing room , and Ina talked to Elisa about her hymeneal problem.
Elisa took in a gulp of fresh air and then spoke is a gruff voice,
‘It is all determined. Don’t worry baby. We are going to win, no doubt. I will conjure up a magical fire that will ravage Hans and Moriarty.”
“ Will everything be okay, Ma?”
“ Nothing in this world can stop us nor halt our invincible win,” hissed Elisa. Elisa patted on the back of her daughter and guffawed. Her bellows pierced the calm as a wild raven would while seeking its victim.

Elisa was snuggling on a chair while dusk was nestling in. Nature interplayed with her emotions as the colors changed, and she became more and more excited. Elisa was flailing her arms like a lunatic as she was planning her dream job.
Elisa opened the writing desk in her computer table. She turned on the monitor of her Mac computer, and scanned the inbox in her email.
“ There it is.Phew!” She muttered to herself as she embarked upon an email sent by Moriarty Xian. Inside the letter, it was written that
Dear Elisa,
Hope this letter reaches you in the pink of health. Hans have been diagnosed with acute colitis and due to his ailing health, he is not able to answer the numerous calls of Ina. Tell Ina that he is going to be fine ,and restrain her to keep worrying about him. I wish to meet you and Ina personally in my home tomorrow at 7 p.m. We would be obliged if you have dinner with us in honor of the special day that would befall tomorrow. I hope you remember that tomorrow is the first anniversary of Hans and Ina. I hope you enjoy our company. We would like to have your presence. Expecting to hear from you soon.
Yours lovingly,
Moriarty Xian

Elisa bobbed her head and her heart almost sprang with mirth and skipped fast as she read the letter. Nothing could be better than this. This was the golden opportunity she was looking for ages and that golden time had come. She re-read it and tapped her fingers on the mouse.
She opened the ‘compose an email’ section of her gmail account and typed the body of the email as follows.
Dear Moriarty,
I am more than happy to have received your email. Oh! I do remember that tomorrow is the first anniversary of Hans and Ina. I am looking forward to it. Ina have been informed about the sorry state of Hans. She is quite perturbed and is eager to meet him after he recovers. Wish him a speedy recovery and best wishes on my behalf. I will accept your cordial invitation and meet you tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Yours lovingly,
Elisa Jinx
"Cunning woman!" Elisa congratulated herself as she finished her letter. She thought of the new odyssey of her life and she rubbed her hands.

Moriarty Xian was sitting with his son Hans in his living room. Moriarty coughed a little , and then showed the reply-mail to his son. The eyes of Hans popped up as he read its contents. Hans perused the email and chuckled to himself.
“ So what alibi am I going to make for colitis?” Hans grinned.
“ Nothing at all son.” Moriarty laughed back.
Moriarty was puffing , as the fag end of his long lit cigarette came to an end.
“ We are going to whip up the cakewalk.” Moriarty said, adrenalin gushing up in his voice.
“ But how?”
“ Just wait and see how the bottle of amygdalin works on the old crone and the young witch.”
“ But how will you administer the amygdalin?”
“ I have already bribed Tom. Before the ladies sup the dinner Tom will mix the bottle of amygdalin in the food pile and then we will succeed our mission.”
“ But will everything be alright?”
“ Don’t worry son. Just relax a tad. Wait for the magic to happen.”


The evening dazzled as the bright lights flickered and colors of all sorts flared up like a spectacular confetti. Moriarty danced to the crescendo as the music of Beethoven waltzed. The city of Manhattan danced at the super bash, ensconced in Moriarty’s home.
“ Welcome ladies and gentlemen to our today’s show, in honor of my son Hans Xian. I am happy to announce that Hans Xian is betrothed to Ina Jinx. They have been mates since college. This evening is a toast to their first marriage anniversary party.”
“ Cheers!”, chorused the crowd.
Hans Xian kissed his lovely bride and the engagement party commenced. Hans Xian slipped a dazzling,topaz-studded ring in the butter-milk fingers of Ina matching with her turquoise, satiny gown. The couple danced together in a frenzy of joy and the audience encored for a second dance.
Hans Xian said, “ It’s been a rollicking day and in fact the greatest glory in my life. I promise that I would try my best to keep my beloved wife happy. What would you like to say Ina?” Hans smiled impishly.
Ina said, “ Today is the red letter day of my life. I avow that I would be a faithful and loyal wife to Hans Xian and would serve him all my life”.
Ina suppressed a giggle. They exchanged their vows and hugged each other in the tightest embrace the world had ever seen. Hans kissed lightly on her right cheek and pressed her hand. They stood like this ,lost in each other’s bear hugs and the world stood a sole testimony to their undying, never-ending love and passion. After a while, the microphone blared and it was time for dinner.

Every folk in Manhattan relished the scrumptious dinner party hosted by Mr. Xian and his son. A couple ate five lobsters with the delicious lobster sauce and fruit salad.
A fire raged up, and it engulfed the life of an innocent toddler. Panic rose among each person present there, and a pang of tension snapped the air. Elisa kept on grumbling to herself.
“ No-no, I can’t stand this defeat anymore. Poor me! I missed my target. Better luck to me the next time.” Elisa paced up and down.
Half of the audience evacuated due to the breaking of that ravaging fire. One of the waiters pulled out a hose pipe and doused the fire. Now fear was wiped out from the minds of the people standing there, and they found solace . Elisa curled her fist up into a ball.
It was time to work for Moriarty.Tom mingled the bottle of amygdalin in the plates of Ina and Elisa before serving them. The clock ticked by as Moriarty Xian counted on his win.
A sudden shriek followed by a hue and cry pierced the stillness of the night and played a spoilsport to the party mood after Tom served food to Ina and her mother. Both of them coughed and puffed vehemently. They coughed up pools of blood and eventually succumbed to the deathly jaws awaiting them. Everyone panicked and fear with its mighty forks grabbed all and sundry.
Moriarty and Hans exchanged cloying smiles at each other, and their gleeful faces added a new but different meaning to the whole grisly, lugubrious scenario.

Weeks after the death of Ina and Elisa Jinx, Hans was straddling in his own room. It was a warm but pleasant evening and the exquisite scenery of Mother Nature unfolded itself.
Hans was combing his hair at ease when a wry face of a pallid looking girl with a rueful smile , resembling that of Ina Jinx fished flashed the screen. Hans screeched with utter fright and leapt . Gooseflesh formed in his skin and the hair on his skin was standing erect.
“ I am not dead. What do you think?”
The girl in the mirror mocked at him.
“ But you are dead. I killed and cremated you with my own hands.”
Hans mumbled.
A door bell pitched in and disturbed the unusual ,quaint, gothic imagery. Moriarty bustled and threw a cheerful smile at Hans. Hans was a bit pacified.
“ Oh its you!’ Hans squealed.
“ Why are you screaming like a madman Hans? What’s the matter?”
“ It’s okay Dad. I just saw Ina now, there in the mirror”, and he pointed to Moriarty with his finger.
“ Oh! Ina’s no more. Must be your capricious whim son.”
Moriarty embraced Hans and led him to their drawing room.