Chapter – 3

Mortimer Greene was a burly tween who always boasted of his doings. He loved to play pranks on people and gloated when they felt humiliated. He was a happy go lucky chap who disbelieved in God but believed in Satan, although he did not worship the fiend.

He studied in the same class as Tom and Silvia and was their best buddy and still is. Although his behavior is detested by all, sometimes he can be friendly as well and when he does, he can go out of the way to help anyone.

Mortimer was an orphan; his parents died in a car crash near Washington D.C. when they had gone out on a business cum pleasure trip. Mortimer had escaped with minor injuries. That was when he was six years old. He had cried a lot. His aunt had brought him to Phoenix. Here he had met with Tom and Silvia and became best buddies with them. But he still misses his parents; still thinks of them; he has their portraits hung upon the walls of his bedroom.

Mortimer had grown tall but he was also fat; his peers called him the burly bully. He liked to trouble people, be they children or grown up adults. His aunt had to entertain a lot of complaints but Mortimer always made it up with those who he made fun of.

This Saturday morning, Mortimer decided to trouble his best buddy, Silvia.

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"You said, Mr. Newt is in need of a job. He might be the person we are actually looking for. He has some experience." said the young guy on the phone.

"He would be perfect. He fits your bill." answered Silvia in her sweet voice.

"Say, who are you? And how do you know about John Newt?"

"I am his fan. And his avid reader. I recently stumbled upon his blog which he has recently updated. I saw it there. I had noticed your requirement on the notice boards, so I decided to call you at once. It would be better, Mr. "

"Morris."

"Yes, Mr. Morris, it would be better if you call him at once or mail it to him, the job profile. I guess he will accept."

"Could you help me with that?"

"Of course, Here take it down. "

"Thank you very much."

"You are welcome."

And she put down the receiver. She was just about to walk to her bed when the door slammed hard. And then it opened again. And again Slam!

She looked startled at the door.

Maybe it's the wind. she thought

But the windows are closed, she said to herself.

She slowly trotted towards the door and turned the knob towards the right. The door opened with a creaking sound. Just in front of the door was a table fan which was still.

She looked at the passage that led to the living room. No one. She walked to the living room. Again, no one.

Then, an air flow waved her hair. She heard a sound, the sound of the fan moving. Hell, it was still.

She turned back and looked at Mortimer directly in his face.

She screamed and fell back. The sofa saved her from crashing on the floor. Mortimer began laughing.

"What the – "asked Silvia.

"Look at you, just look at you. Terrified eh? Look you in the mirror. You look like a witch."

Silvia stood up. "Idiot. Try to scare me next time and – "

"I scare you and I am an idiot. What were you last night? When you scared poor Derek out of his wits?"

"A bitch."

Both of them laughed.

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