Pools of Blood

Chapter 31

Also called 'Little Seoul' Naju is a wealthy city where thousands of sacred churches were built, any shrines dedicated to Korean Catholics enhance the beauty of this place. We were traveling by our SUV. Jasmine sat beside me. A lot of painkillers and morphine were stacked in her satchel. Her face didn’t show her agonized soul or pain. She was trying her best to overcome her physical anguish. Revenge! Revenge is a drug, when it once enters the bloodstream until it's taken it completely eats away a man’s soul. Either you follow the path of the Lord and forgive the one who f****d the hell out of you, or be the one destined for his downfall. Jasmine chose the second.

Earlier that day, Angela took Woori to the old age home known as the Shelter of St. Peter. It was situated in the middle of very dense undergrowth, surrounded by hills and vales all around. Very beautiful place in the arms of mother nature for those who were shunned by their own sons and daughters. It was a perfect hideout. Woori was made to wear an ankle monitor and a heartbeat tracking watch so that we could know if anything happened to her. The warden was made aware of the situation and they provided her a room on the southern far end of the building. She was to remain locked for three days until she was taken to the magistrate. Just three days and she would be in prison forever for the crimes she had committed.

"When would Angela and Mr. Chang start for Jeju? ", Jasmine broke into my thoughts.

I looked at her. A strong, indomitable lady sat beside me. She was wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans. She was still in mourning, so the color black. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and her eyes hid behind a pair of large goggles.

"After Woori’s trial, they would start for Jeju. Someone has to stay there until the verdict comes for Woori’s trail, isn’t it? We can't trust any other police personnel after what happened to Lenus..."

She nodded. nobody could be trusted not even the protector of justice. 

We rode in silence. The road was paved with trees and whitewashed houses. One naturally goes for a vacation in Naju. We were going to catch a criminal. What sarcasm!

"I had been to Naju once", She said softly looking outside the window.

-"Really? When? "

-"After we got married, we came here to worship the shrine of the Holy Lady. It was my idea. I wanted our lives to be at peace, thereafter. Death of Amiya shook our lives and we came closer to God."

Alfred was never a God-fearing Man. He always used to say, "I worship my mom dad, whom I can see. One day if I can see Him, I will definitely fall upon my knees and pray."

He had always been like that. Logical. Rational. Nobody would force him into anything.

"That short vacation was memorable. We visited all the big shrines. We prayed. We asked for blessings. Alfred got a type of peace of mind. The salvation you can say. The holy monks and the fathers made a deep impact upon him. Rightly has someone said that one starts believing in God only when one doesn't have anything else to keep faith upon for survival. You know Michael if you have met Alfred in the last two years, you would have seen what a changed man he became. He started believing in God after Amiya’s death. He started going to the temple regularly. He met with different monks and discussed theology. Just imagine. A student of science, an investigating officer reading books of theology. He said he had lost faith in humanity. It's only the special One who can deliver him peace. I acknowledged his every work. I stood by him. If that made him happy, why not? "

I was surprised to hear all that. I stayed for two decades with his family. Alfred never participated in religious festivals or even went to the temple. Mom sometimes coaxed him. Cajoled him, still, he was adamant. How did that man change so much? I realized, Alfred, Jasmine was talking about wasn’t the one I used to know. After the death of Amiya, I eschewed everything and shunned everyone. So many things changed during that time.

" Who would have known that I would return to Naju, alone and in the dress of a widow? ", her voice quavered. " Is this how God plays fair? Alfred started believing Him. And He took him away. This isn’t fair play, is it? ". A tear dropped on her lap.

"Believe me, Jasmine, I have been asking myself the same question for the last 2 years."

***

Twilight veiled the night sky. The huge canopy of trees clustered upon the big whitewashed mansion. The southern section of the building was comparatively off-limits for the old people. The stairs were rickety and steep. So naturally, no one came there. It was where Woori was kept locked inside a well-furnished room.

Hot warm water slid down her skin, as she turned on the shower. Her thigh was still throbbing with pain. The hot coal has peeled off a small inch of her skin, leaving the area red naked, and bare. She felt relaxed standing under the water. The heartbeat tracker watch beeped faintly.

Suddenly she heard a soft cough from outside. Had anyone brought some painkillers for her? She had asked for them long ago.

Wrapping a towel over her naked torso, she stepped out of the warm bathroom.

"Frank! What are you doing here? ", she was surprised to see her betrothed standing there, leaning against a table, smiling handsomely as always. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans and his eyes shined brightly.

" For you, I had to come, isn’t it? "

-"But how did you know I am kept here?" 

-" I have my sources babe, don't worry about that."

Saying this he pulled her closer, wrapped his strong arms around her waist, and kissed her passionately.