Draft: Pishach

Story 02: Episode 01

The story begins with a satanic ritual, slightly exaggerated and in-sync with Bangladeshi sensitivities, of course. An entire family is involved in it, and are led by an astrologer/necromancer. At the end of the ritual a young woman's soul is sold-off to the hell-spawn to bring good fortunes. The young woman turns into a possessed person. She starts doing serious poltergeist tricks, which makes the family so uncomfortable that they contemplate throwing her out of home. But, when they try to do that the young woman faces them with a completely un-natural voice, hissing revenge if they do it. The family backs away.

Zara gets summoned by the chief reporter, who hands the investigation over to her. She immediately takes to action. But, a quick visit to the house makes her thoroughly confused, as she can't associate the sweet and bubbly young woman in front of her to the horror stories told be the family and neighbors. When she flops down in a neighborhood cafe and starts chewing her pencil, another person flops down across her at the same table. Zara looks up to find Amir sitting with her. She brightens up and explains him the situation.

Amir goes to the family with her, telling that the spirit inside her will be manifest when certain artifacts are shown to it, coupled with certain mantras. When they reach the house, the woman remains as adorable as ever. But, when Amir produces an ancient charm and recites certain words, she changes into a hideous monstrosity, closely resembling her outer appearance, but with certain subtle differences. She shouts abuses and threats is an un-natural voice (partly in an unknown language), and magically hurls things at them. Zara and Amir bearly escape with their lives.

On this exciting note the episode ends.

Story 02: Episode 02

Zara gets to her office to find all her utensils and papers thrown helter skelter, some torn, some broken. She calls Amir to tell this. Amir runs to his office and finds the same has been done to his office. Both decide to go and meet the woman again. On the way, Amir explains hypnotic suggestions and spell-breakers. He shows Zara some of the spell-breaking stuff he brought from his office. Every logic that tells Zara that this is real possession is refuted by Amir.

When they reach the house, Amir does a lot of mumbo-jumbo - from sprinkling their own bodies with holy water and hanging large talismans all over their bodies down to drawing elaborate runes on the floor. Amir taunts the woman enough to lure her into the runes. Then he starts flailing charms and reciting mantras. The woman shouts, screams, groans, and eventually faints. Amir declares to the family that the hell-spawn has left. Only the father of the woman whispers, "But, won't the hell-spawn take a revenge on you?" Amir tells him and Zara that he is too well protected to for the hell-spawn to take a revenge.

Coming out of the house they both laugh at the fear of the father, and decides to get to the astrologer/necromancer to hand him over to the police. By the time they reach Amir's car, Zara drops her notebook. With the engine running they both get out to pick it up. While they are picking the notebook up, the car bursts into flames, together with a monstrous laugh coming out of nowhere.

May be there's a hell-spawn seeking revenge. May be the astrologer/necromancer had one more ace up his sleeve. The story ends with the audience completely vexed.

Note: I believe, this astrologer/necromancer can become a recurring character, like the Q of Star Trek.