New and Old

He looked at the scarf in his hand. It was yellow in colour. Then he
began to read the diary. His grandfather's diary. His grandfather
recorded everything in his diary. Even his crimes. As he read he became
excited. Exactly sixty years ago on this day, 21st of March his
grandfather had asked Melanie Smith to marry him. He was thirty five
years old then and had no job. Still, he thought since I love Melanie,
she should love me back. And marry me. He felt bad for himself and for
his grandpa. He too had asked someone to marry him. And she had said,
"O, how can I marry you. I see you as the little brother I never had."
And the girl had moved on. Melanie had refused his grandfather too. And
his grandfather had taught her a lesson. A lesson that her family would
never forget. After a year of looking for her Melanie's family had
given up. So had the police. What these foolish people did not know, he
thought, was that Melanie's body was in their garden. Right below where
the rose bushes stand now. Melanie had been disobedient. Melanie had
been bad. And the girl was given the treatment she deserved. She was
from Melanie's family and would suffer a similar fate. He believed that
he was like his grandfather. They shared the same passion for life. His
grandfather made a lot of money later in his life and people respected
him for that. His own father had squandered away all the family money
in worthless pursuits. He had to take up jobs to put himself through
college. He was a qualified man now. He made a lot of money and was
very respectable. Despite this she had said no to him. His grandfather
had used a yellow scarf to finish Melanie. He would use the same scarf
which he had found along with his grandfather's diary to silence her.
Forever. A huge lunch spread had been laid on the dining table. Five
people were seated at the table. At the head of the table sat Ruth,
whose house it was. She had just moved into this old Victorian house
which had once been occupied by her family. After her grand-aunt
Melanie's sudden death her family had moved to another town. She had
always wanted this house and when she recently sold some of her
employee stock options after she changed jobs she was able to buy it.
It was a huge three-storey building with a beautiful garden that had
rose bushes. But to Ruth's dining table. Seated at the other end of the
table was John Box, the lawyer who had helped her complete the purchase
of the house. He was baby-faced and looked unimportant. Also at the
table was Ms Bonny Den, a psychiatrist who was Ruth's best friend. The
other two invitees were local dignitaries, police chief Roger Sen and
District Magistrate Rik Penn. Rik was an engineer by training but had
somehow wandered into the Civil Service. The people at the table were
engaged in conversation, "So," said Ruth, "Mr Penn, what is your
opinion about reincarnation?" Mr Penn who was married nevertheless
liked Ruth who was a divorcee. He smiled and said, "Its one of those
things. Believe it and it seems believable. Don't believe and it is
completely unbelievable." Ms Den thought she should say something and
opined, "There is no scientific evidence to support any claims of
reincarnation anywhere. Its really nothing but a myth." John Box joked,
"I am the reincarnation of a rich, swashbuckling man neither of which I
will become in this life." "O come on, John" Ruth said, "you are such a
successful lawyer and you are so popular with the girls. Isn't he,
Bonny?" Ms Den nodded, "Of course, he is". Presently, Roger Sen began
speaking, "I have seen an instance of reincarnation in my family." When
he finished his story all eating had been completed. The guests left
one by one. That night Ruth turned in early. By eight thirty she had
turned off all the lights. She was soon fast asleep. Her sleep was
disturbed by some noise in her room. She turned on the lights to find
John Box standing before her with a yellow scarf in his hand. "Hello,"
he said, " I am Randall Box. I have been reincarnated as John Box. You
have refused me and hence you shall die. Just like Melanie. Your body
will be buried next to hers below the rose bushes in your garden." Ruth
began to think. There had to be some way to get to the police. "I want
to visit the bathroom," she said. "All right," said John Box, "I will
grant you that before you die." Fortunately for Ruth her mobile phone
was in the small cabinet in the bathroom. She rang up the local police
camp and asked for help. Them she came out of the bathroom within a
space of five minutes. Box was getting impatient. He put the scarf
around Ruth's neck and began listing all that she had done to him. A
good five minutes passed. Just as he was about to strangle her, he
slumped on the ground in a heap. The bullet from the Chief Inspector's
gun killed him instantly. Next morning Chief Inspector Roger Sen had
some photographs delivered to Ruth. They were pictures of Randall Box.
It was indeed surprising that he looked exactly like his grandson John
Box.