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The Ruin of Sodas
121
The next day, in accordance with his plan; the cook took with him a basket of sweets; and stood in the corner of a lane. Some poor boys were passing by that lane, on their way to school. There was a school at one end of the lane. The lane was desolate and silent but for the noise made by the poor boys who were going to school. As usual, the boys were going along that lane towards their school. The cook with apparent affection gave sweets to the boys. The joy of the boys knew no bounds. This plan of distributing sweets went on upto the evening. This was repeated on the second and the third days. On that day, the last boy who came to receive sweets did not return home. When the boy stretched his hands to receive the sweets the cook made him smell a stick. Within a few moments, the boy lost his consciousness. At once, the cook put him in the empty basket; and carrying the basket on his head, ran away from there. Holding the basket tight, he went into the underground vault in the kitchen. Soon he took out the child from the basket; and killed him in a heartless manner.
A man who covets money commits any enormity for it. If necessary, he will set fire to the whole world, without any hesitation. The same thing happened here also. As the cook continued to receive money from Sodas and Anand, his cupidity also increased. As a result of this he became blinded by greed and continued to satisfy his covetousness day by day. He never hesitated to kill in a heartless manner any boy who was tender like a flower.
This practice of killing children went on for sometime. Every day the cook somehow abducted a child; killed it and prepared dishes out of the flesh for Sodas.
Every day a boy was abducted. In the beginning people did not think seriously about this mysterious disappearance of children but when it continued regularly there arose a loud commotion among the citizens. People were unhappy and agitated. On account of fear the people of the city stopped sending their children alone to any place. On account of the r complaints of missing children, the ministers became greatly
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