{ CHAPTER - 23 } THE ONE TO BLAME 'HIMSELF'

It was time for morning joggers to head home when the sun was high in the sky. Karma, who was exhausted, made it alone to his front door. He was fortunate that he didn't encounter anyone while traveling.

He moved cautiously toward his door and let himself inside. "I'm home— Fuck, nobody's here."

He realized that, in contrast to earlier, no one would now welcome him. As he came to terms with the reality, he remained still at the entryway, his eyes becoming lifeless.

As he made his way to the restroom, he removed his blood-stained garments from the corridor. What's it like to be a conjurer like this? His body had improved substantially from before.

He went to the restroom while changing out of his blood-stained clothing in the corridor. Is this what being a conjurer is like? His body had improved from before. With only a few days of training and this much change, it wasn't too insane, but it was still unusual.

He switched on the shower and stood motionless below it. He didn't use any shampoo or soap, only water to soak himself.

The sound of the water's pitter-patter made him reflect on all the previous events that had drastically altered his life.

He emerged from the shower after spending perhaps 10 to 20 minutes there. He entered the living room through the hallway, which was still quite messy, and sat on the couch wearing nothing but a towel.

Agastha saw his behavior but said nothing since he thought it was best not to meddle in his private affairs. And sure, even after meddling in his life by picking him to be his conjurer, he still held that belief.

Karma was at a loss for what to do, so he set the diary down on the table and collapsed onto the couch. Before he realized it, his eyes had closed.

In his location, it was unusual to hear crows crowing, but here, he woke up to their crows. It was approaching noon when he peeked outside the window.

(You slept for a long while.)

He rose without saying anything and wiped his eyes. He changed into new garments after splashing water in his eyes.

It was growing dark and the sun was no longer visible in the sky. Karma traveled to the neighborhood hardware store and made some purchases.

The shop owner questioned when he spotted him approaching. "What do you need, sir?."

Karma forgot to speak his order but the voice of the shop owner made him realize. "Oh yeah, I need some kerosene oil."

The store owner questioned him after noticing that he had a downcast expression on his face. "Why do you need that?."

Karma swiftly smiled and remarked after noticing the hesitation on his face. "My dad has a crazy passion for collecting old stuff, so, you know, we just got this old stove."

The store owner would have asked more questions if it had been someone else, but since it's human instinct to defend the lovely and good, the owner was more likely to trust Karma when he responded with his sweet voice and dashing appearance.

"How much do you need, then?"

Even maintaining a straight face was difficult for him, but he stated that he was doing his best and smiled kindly. "Just one canister would be sufficient."

Karma halted the owner from behind as he turned to retrieve the oil. Oh, and also give me a shovel.

=====================

Karma returned to the hangar late at night when nobody was around. He walked over to the hill behind the hangar, where he began to drill many holes.

(For what purpose are you making a hole in the ground?)

"We can't repair the physical harm we did to this place, but at the very least, we can bury the victims of the past night's killings to lessen the likelihood that we'll be discovered"

(What about your parents? Oh, I get it)

He dug small holes here and there distributed across the woodland where people would not enter it over a few hours, perhaps two to four. There were various depths of holes.

He then had to drag all 13 of the victims' bodies and bury them, which took him another hour or so. He interred some of them together and others privately. Additionally, Karma took some wood from the forest.

He arrived at the location where he buried the bodies of his parents after burying all 13 bodies. He took everything out, even the cardboard boxes, and carried it outside.

"Now, it's only they are left."

When touched by hands, they felt a little stiff since practically all of the blood from their bodies had been gone.

Karma slowly took each body to the side of the hanger, away from the wind, where he had set up a bed of wood. A trail of blood was left after dragging the bodies.

He then went and put his mother's head near to his father's heart, much as he was holding her while she was alive. He did this after placing his mother's headless body close to his father's.

Then Karma opened the cap on the kerosene canister he had brought with him. But before he did any of it, he knelt and gave his parents a final, passionate hug while their bodies were still cold and rigid.

As he hugged them he said in a shaky voice. "They are cold....! Sniff! and their bodies fell stiff. They are dead but it still hurts...! Sniff!."

He eventually spilled the full canister of oil on top of them after wiping away the tears that had come with the hug.

They were set ablaze by Karma as he pulled a matchbox from his pocket. In front of his eyes, and with his own hands no less, he watched as his entire world burnt while seated on his butt across from them.

Even if he tried, he will never be able to forget the lifeless bodies of his parents and the despair they left him with.

(Karma, how do you feel?)

Karma stated with a grin and his lifeless eyes. "What sort of question is that?."

His eyes, which were meant to be dead, started to tear up as he began to sob. "I feel awful; even breathing is difficult."

He put his palm on his face, looked up, and murmured while fighting back tears. "I'll never be able to forgive myself for this; everything that happened was due to me."

Agastha simply absorbed his response in silence.

CHAPTER - 23 - TO BE CONTINUED