I stood there as a visitor, as a guest, as a voice.

I had imagined a lot of her, but never realized she would be in such pity. Yet, I feared her.

‘Never go too near’ said the officer. His voice was difficult to read. Was it pity or fear, I never knew.

I clicked my pen repeatedly, anxious about how to start. Then I realized she didn’t notice my presence. She lay on the floor, face down, legs curled.

I gently knocked on the metal bar in front of me with my pen, trying to get her attention. A stupid move I realized, as I got a sharp stare from the officer.

‘Back away!’ he whispered to me. I obeyed and took a step back. The metal bar was strong, if not, I imagined what would have happened. What would she do to me for disturbing her? Was she sleeping, or on purpose silent but listening? I was lost in my thoughts. When I looked at her again, I felt a pressing feeling in my body. Her eyes are open now, looking at me with an emptiness of emotion.

The pressing feeling in me increased. My brain alarmed me to be cautious. Concentrate fool, you are looking at a serial killer.

I opened my mouth to introduce myself but she turned back as if she was not interested in a conversation.

The journalist instinct in me kicked. I knew how to trigger someone. How to get the answers.

‘Such audacity for a killer is expected,’ I said, smirking. There was no response.

‘More interested in killing than speaking?’ I asked. Still no response.

I looked to my right and signaled the officer to leave. He hesitated. ‘I can handle this. Your presence might-’ before I finished the officer darted from there.

‘Such an impatient fellow,’ I thought to myself and looked at her again. Thank god, my heart was strong. The woman was no longer on the floor. Her breath touched the metal bar and bounced off warmly. If she had reached her arms I would have been her next victim.

I took 2 steps back swiftly to save my life, yet managed to hide my fear.

‘So you were listening,’ I asked while catching my breath. Still no response.

I observed her sharply. Her eyes had no life. Face full of scars. Her lips had teeth marks, it seemed she still thirsted for blood. Fingernails were still dirty and sharp. She has lost a lot of weight since I first saw her in those newspaper clippings. Bones pressing against her skin she looked frail.

Taking all that into account, still, I’m not a fool to advance near her. A killer is a killer.

Eyes fixed on my pen, she asked, ‘If I happen to snatch that precious pen of yours? What would you do?’

‘I will politely ask for it!’ I replied.

‘If I didn't give it back?’

‘If this pen isn’t my necessity, I’ll leave it to you. Since I need it now to write our conversation. I’ll get that from you.’

‘Would you forcibly snatch it from my hands?’ she asked in a fake innocence.

I got irritated by her façade. ‘Look, I don't fear you like everyone else here.’ I know I was lying.

‘You are no different from them,’ she said while scanning me top to bottom.

‘Whom?’ I questioned.

‘The devils!’ she hummed softly.

I looked at the officer in the distance and pointed, ‘Him?’

“No.” She giggled and turned back from the metal bar and lay on the floor, flatly ignoring me.

Now I have started to lose my patience. Ready to play tough, I took my diary from my bag and read aloud 3 names. When I finished and looked at her, she slowly turned her face towards me. Her eyes aren’t empty now. I could see veins turning red in her eyes. Now I got her attention.

‘We got them,’ I said strongly and honestly. ‘Your husband’s murderers are now in jail.’

I least expected a spark of relief on her face, yet she remained furious.

‘They are now being severely punished for their brutality,’ I added and dipped my hand into my bag to get their arrest evidence. Before I did, her voice knocked my ears.

‘How severe?’ her voice was faint as a whisper. It wasn’t weak, but was almost mocking me.

‘Severely,’ I repeated like a fool, as my mind was in unrest of her voice.

‘Do you break their hands?’

‘NO!’ I was astonished at her question.

‘Plucked their teeth? Drained their blood? Tied upside down and skinned them alive?’

I immediately felt nauseated, yet swallowed my guts and replied flatly, ‘No!’

‘Then it is not severe,’ she said and sat sideways.

‘They did these to your husband?’ I asked as if I didn’t know.

She looked accusingly at me for lying.

‘When I saw you all come, I warned him. This is our home, we can’t leave, he said. I warned him not to get too close with you all, he never listened. He only visited you because our children cried in hunger. He never returned.’ She stopped for a moment and continued. ‘I was there during the parade. Your victory parade.’ Her accusation unnerved me.

She crawled towards the metal bar to get a good look at me. I stood there bravely but trembling on the inside.

‘When I lost him, I was in agony. I cried when you all dragged his lifeless body through the streets. But I was silent. A part of my happiness was stolen from me on that day. I remained silent, to protect the other half.’

I immediately understood what she was referring to.

‘I took my children and departed far away from you all. The further I left, the closer you came. I politely ignored you all at first, then pleaded to leave us, then mildly warned, but you all didn’t listen.’ Her voice was not fainter now.

‘You showed the path to the devil and expected it won’t arrive, because you, the guardian angels will save us!’ Her arms are now tightly gripping the metal bar.

‘Where were you when the devil arrived? Where were you when my children cried for help? Where were you when my happiness faded?’ She roared, shaking the metal bar. I clenched my pen tightly, hiding my fear.

‘You killed my husband, I remained silent. You made me leave my home, I remained silent. Then you killed my children, I remained….’ Before finishing she smiled at me, her eyes descending to madness, teeth grinning insanely.

Echoes of those murders by her rang in my ears.

‘You need details?’ she laughed madly. ‘I tracked them after two days. Two were warming up by the bonfire, one was sleeping, and the other two were sharpening their knives. I wasted no time. Tore the limbs of the first one, the second one reached for his knife but was slow. Jumped on him and tore his trachea, hmm, tasted good.’ She licked her lips.

‘The larger one by the bonfire aimed at me and tried a shot. Missed my face. Got lucky by wounding my leg. Still, I never gave him a chance. I dug my nails and opened his chest, ah… the sound of his pain… felt like a melody to me. His partner tried to climb a nearby tree. Got him by his waist and split him into two. The fall injured his mouth and made him unable to shout. He dragged himself to the tent, where the devil was sleeping. Halfway there, he was gone.’ She narrated it like poetry.

‘I never hurried for the devil. I know he is all mine. I made my way into the tent and cleared my throat to spit the blood of his minions. He didn't wake up. Slowly, I sat upon him which woke him up. When he attempted to scream, I caught his head in both my hands and….’ She looked at me as if that needed no explanation.

‘With all those done to me. When I was silent, I was free, but justice was never served. When I retaliate, you say I’m the monster.’

‘What happened to you cannot be justified,’ I said.

‘The things that happened to me won't happen to anyone?’ she asked.

‘We are trying–’

‘Try harder’ she said and went back to her place in the cell.

Not having any answer for her, I pocketed my pen and turned back. After taking a few steps, I stopped for a moment and looked at her. A few inches above the metal bar, it was written ‘DO NOT FEED THE ANIMAL’

As I walked out of the zoo, I saw a billboard advertisement of a new real estate colony being constructed in the nearby nature's foothills.

Soon more devils, I said to myself.

.    .    .