There she was, lying on the cold ground, hands tied behind her back and legs tied together. A piece of cloth covering her eyes and another gagging her. She wasn't moving at all and her hands and ankles were bleeding which filled my heart with dread. I couldn't believe my friend was here, in such a disastrous condition, all because of me.

I really should have stayed at home.

"HUMAA!!!"

I shouted, before going up to her almost lifeless figure, and shook her gently. Tears were falling from my eyes, and I couldn't even imagine the pain that she must have gone through.

"Huma, wake up. Please."

I didn't have anymore energy to speak or do anything. I was already fatigued, and couldn't process any of the events that took place in the course of a few hours. The drastic turn my life took since last night, has taken a huge toll on my life... and it shows.

Akshay was running in the nearby area, hoping to catch the one who made my friend like that, but he couldn't find anyone.

"I think it's someone who knows this area very well. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to escape from here so easily."

He said, as soon as he came back.

"Do you have any sharp object? We need to cut off her ropes and take her to the hospital."

I asked him, not really in the mood to pay attention to anything being said about the culprit. I just couldn't process it.

"I don't really have one, but... wait. There's a stone we can use."

He quickly brought a stone lying on the ground a few spaces away from him. It was pointed and would work just fine. He started to cut the ropes in an agonizingly slow manner while I removed her blindfold and mouth gag.

Luckily, Akshay had a card of the hotel through which we were able to call the front desk for help. The assistant manager and some workers in the hotel came to the said place in minutes, and took charge of the situation.

Everyone was at a loss and couldn't comprehend the reason or origin of such events happening suddenly in the hotel. But one thing was sure, going by the amazing speed with which the hotel workers reached us without getting lost.

The murderer or at least, Huma's attacker, is an insider.

A doctor was called in our room to tend to her wounds, after which he also gave me an ointment to apply on the scars decorating my face. This was the second time I had become bloody, and I didn't like it one bit.

Half an hour later, Huma woke up. Her eyes held immense fear, and her body was writhing in pain. She couldn't register where she was for a few seconds, but soon came to her senses.

But very soon, her eyes widened, and she started to get up when I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"No... stop. Please stop!!!"

She started screaming and thrashing around wildly, thinking she was still in the vicinity of her attacker.

"HUMA, relax. It's me, Shreya. You're not in any danger."

I told her calmly before rubbing her shoulders softly. She was really traumatized after this incident, and it would take months to heal.

"Its you? Oh God."

She said before falling back into her bed. Her voice had become so weak and she had bruises on her wrists and ankles. Her hair was a mess and so was a face.

Looking at her like that, I didn't even have the courage to look at her in the eye and talk to her. I was too ashamed of myself.

"I'm so sorry Huma. I- I had no idea that this seemingly innocent and exciting trip would turn into such a disaster for you."

I told her with a raspy voice, being on the verge of tears.

"Its fine. I know it isn't your fault. I just... even I have no idea why all of these things are happening to us? Is this all planned? Or is it plain coincidence?"

"We will find that out in a few hours."

I told her.

"What? How?"

She asked me, seeming to be perplexed at my answer.

"Akshay has gone to the CCTV room to check all the people who entered the garden after you. He also said that he would look at the other cameras and see if there is any suspicious person out there."

"Oh. I don't really think someone followed me because for a while I didn't feel any such thing. It's just that when I started talking to you, someone just came up to me from behind and... and gagged me. I couldn't shout and the moment I started to turn around and see who it is, I was punched in the face and then someone put a blindfold on me. They were very quiet, but seemed to be very efficient. As if... as if it was their daily job."

Just listening to her talk was also boiling my blood. I couldn't believe I was here, sitting in the luxurious confines of my room, doing absolutely nothing; while the murderer out there was roaming freely somewhere being a threat to so many other people.

I originally didn't want to get myself involved because I thought I came here for a break. But now, it looks like there's no room for such things and I will have to do my duty, no matter what it takes. I'm definitely not going to let my friend, or anyone else for that matter, endanger themselves anymore.

The murderer probably should prepare themselves, because I never once am wrong in my deductions.

Just then, a knock sounded on my door. Huma turned to look at me, asking me silently as to whom it could be, but I ensured her that it must be Akshay.

I opened the door to see the officer standing there with an awfully impatient look on his face. It was somewhat bordering into aggression, as if he really wanted to wring out someone's neck in the moment.

I let him in silently, as he took in his surroundings before his gaze landed on Huma.

He walked up to her and asked her,

"How are you feeling miss?"

"I'm fine now. Thank you for saving me earlier."

She said with a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. I could see that she was impressed by him.

"Its no problem at all. But, can we talk about more serious things now?"

He asked, turning to look at me standing at the door when he said those words.

"You did say that you were going to check the cameras, right? Did you find someone suspicious?"

I asked him, wanting a positive answer from him, but looking at his expression, I knew that we had been completely fooled this time too.

And don't ask me how I know if they are the same person, but I just know. My intuition knows.

"I couldn't find him or her. They are really smart. I also didn't find any evidence that the footage was tampered with or cut somewhere in the middle, so it only leaves us with one possibility. That there is another exit, and that the murderer probably lived here for many years."

--------------------------------------------