Faith

“I don’t believe you. I agree she might have been my net friend and your real life friend but I have mixed too well with her. I want face to face proof. No phone calls, no sms, clear evidence.” Abhirup said.

“I am telling you again and again Abhi, all my friends say that she is a corrupt woman who shamelessly flirts with her colleague Jeetendra openly. They are absolutely repulsive. I don’t sit on her floor so I don’t know but my friends who sit on her floor or share her block say it again and again. I can even have them vow it in stealth. None will do it openly. Why will they?”

“Uh-huh!! I want clear cut proof. I too want to see how perfectly she dons her mask, a woman who gives me left to right for cracking an obscene joke is shamelessly flirting with her colleague in front of every one? That’s a little too much to believe.”

“Okay come to my office tomorrow, I will queue up witnesses for you.” Sunetra said.

They have been friends for years. Ever since their college days. Sunetra loved Abhirup and he loved his cyber friend Tamasa. Tamasa has recently been transferred to Sunetra’s company. Abhirup has proposed to her and she has asked for some time. When Sunetra came to know about it she implored him to not go forward in the relationship.

Next day Abhirup went to Sunetra’s office. He had complete faith on Tamasa but he wanted to prove Sunetra wrong. One by one she called up her colleagues from Tamasa’s floor and every one vowed that Tamasa was having a shameless affair with Jeetendra. They were absolutely repulsive. Actually a lot of them were thinking about complaining about them because their constant cooing and petting was getting on the nerves of others.

“See! I told you!” Sunetra said solemnly.

“Okay, if she is having this shameless an affair then you can easily show me.” Abhirup said grimly.

“But how?” Sunetra asked a little perplexedly.

“There is a small store room right where Tamasa sits, its key stays with the security. Can you manage to slip me into it for half a day?” Abhirup asked.

“If it is exposed then I will be sacked.”

“You are right. But I can’t mistrust my own judgment till I see some concrete proof. Thanks for the warning Su. I will be leaving now.”

Abhirup was shocked. He has known Tamasa for years. More than seven years now, and she was so decent in cyber world and even face to face. He has taken her out at-least a hundred times since she shifted to kolkata and she seemed a shy and cute woman. Though very naïve but dignified.

He reached Tamasa’s office next day. He asked the receptionist to inform her that he wants to meet her.

“Are you looking for me?” He was surprised to see a stranger.

“No, I am looking for Tamasa.”

“My name is Tamasa Basu.”

“My friend’s name is also Tamasa Basu.”

“Oh! The new girl! I will send her.” She shrugged and turned to go.

“What happened dear?” a male voice boomed.

They both turned their faces towards the newcomer. He was a tall, handsome man. He shamelessly stroked her cheek. The receptionist frowned and Abhirup stared.

“Nothing Jeetu, this guy is looking for new Tamasa. Let’s go and send her.”

A few minutes later Tamasa walked in the reception and Abhirup met her with the widest grin that a human face can sport.

“I have bought two tickets for movie. I will pick you up in the evening and tell ma that I will drop you after dinner.”

Didimoni

GLOSSARY: DIDIMONI: ELDER SISTER, KAKABABU: UNCLE, KAKIMA: AUNTY. Pandal: a tent built for placing idols during pujas; Saraswati: Goddess of knowledge and art; Moorti: idol, Durgapuja: one of the greatest festival of Bengalis, Barokaka: elder-most uncle, Mahashashti: first day of Durgapuja.

“Haru, come to my home tomorrow and start thrashing the paddy. Its all stacked and waiting.” Kakababu said.

Haru’s father worked in Kakababu’s field. Kakababu was a very kind man. Not the landlords of Hindi movies Haru has seen. Actually all kakababu’s sons were well settled. He hardly ever enquired about the crops, instead of that he quite contently took in whatever was given to him and to add up helped them. Haru has been learning how to read from kakima. They live in the village to maintain the house and relax. Town is hardly an hour from here by car and kakababu possesses one. He sometimes takes Haru to town.

He arrived when it was still dark. The paddy was stacked in the courtyard. It was a strenuous job. He had to thrash it and after that collect the paddies and sift the dust. Once that done he had to store it in the granary.

He started working. Suddenly he felt that there was someone on the verandah. He stopped thrashing, the dust settled down and he saw a gorgeous girl. She was about her age. Eighteen or nineteen years old. She looked like a goddess, Haru has seen Saraswati moorti in pandal, she looked just like her. Her skin was white with a slight yellow glow, dark eyes, and beautiful face- not perfect but soft and adorable. She too was staring at him with eyes full of admiration.

She in turn saw a young guy with very best features and physique. He was wearing only his trousers, his shirt was hanging from a nearby tree. She could see his perfect structure and it was just like a Greek God’s statue, only difference was this statue was alive and jet black.

They both exchanged glances one too many times shyly. None spoke.

“She is my elder-most brother in law’s daughter Haimanti. She came to town last week and your kakababu brought her here for a few days.” Kakima told him in the afternoon when he was having his lunch. She too was sitting there on a chair, listening to her.

He dreamt of her in the night. She looked even more beautiful in her dreams.

When he reached her home it was still dark, he started his work and after a couple of hours she came out brushing her teeth. She smiled at him and his heart stopped.

He did not dare to smile back because he knew his place but that did not control his innocent heart. He kept on dreaming about all the movies he has seen in which a millionaire’s daughter marries a poor farm boy.

It became a routine. He thrashed the paddy and she sat there with a book watching him. Both admiring each other’s beauty.

Then that day came, he went to work there but she did not come out. A couple of hours passed and kakima came out, “You want some tea?”

“Where is Didimoni?” he gulped.

“She has left for town last evening.” Kakima said.

The tea became tasteless. He loved tea, it was an extravaganza at home but whenever he came here kakima always gave him a few cups.

Days passed to weeks, weeks turned into months.

“Haru, Barokaka will be coming to the Durgapuja this year with all his family.” Kakima said.

He felt as if he was flying in the sky. The whole world transformed. Every thing became beautiful. He eagerly started to count the days. Then Mahashashti came. He has been working there all week. A car stopped.

He softly came out of the main gate. A group of well dressed men, women and children spilled out of the gate. Haimanti was with them. She casually looked at him and went inside.

He stood there waiting for her to come out. Kakima came out after a little while. “Haru, will you send the barber woman in the afternoon on your way home?”

He nodded and went back to his work. He realized that the girl he has worshipped since first looking at her has absolutely forgotten him.

Duties

“You too have some duties towards him Tandra.” Her sister glared at her.

“I knew that, you too will take his side. He must have been telling you all types of stories with eyes full of tear. How mean I am. How querulous I am. How I treat him badly.” Tandra sniffed.

“You know very well that I care about your welfare first, then of someone else.” Chandra said. “Now wipe your face and sit near me, listen to what I have to say.”

“He is a boy born and brought up in a large town. He has not married you to have children or look after his home. For the second thing he could have appointed a maid.”

“For the first, as per Indian tradition, he of course needs a wife.”

“If you skulk in the home looking and acting like a witch, for how long can he suffer you?”

“He comes home tired after all day. You meet him with a huge list of complains and problems.”

“You don’t understand his passions, his tastes, his hobbies. Forget about sharing them. To add up you don’t let him go out with his friends. You want him at home all the time. When he is not in office of course.”

“In that case my kid sister, you will have to become his best friend. Can you become that?”

“If yes then all problem will be solved. If no, then let him have some friends of his own. Give him some independence and when he is with you treat him with love and understanding. With sweetness and compassion. After that, see the change.”

“Tell me if he does not change.”

“It’s not your fault; you have seen your mom busy with only you guys and household chores. Your father busy in fields, so you have grown up without the concept of soulmate.”

“If you can’t be his soulmate, be his best friend, if you can’t, be that either be his friend and lover.”

“I know you can do that. Now smile and go back to home. He is waiting for you eagerly.”

Creeps ruling

“What did you thought? She has transformed into a rabbit from a tigress?”

 

“If she had the courage of walking out of your den on her own legs why will she whine now?”

 

“You should have left her alone. But how could you do that? You had to prove that you are mightiest scoundrel in the whole world.”

 

“Now suffer the consequences.”

 

“You have tried to hit her from all sides, just like a pack of dirty ghouls. Hoping that she will die out of repulsion for you. But she did not. Ha ha!”

 

“You have turned a soft, demure, decent girl into a well of strength. Though you tried to do exactly the otherwise. But nothing worked.”

 

“You created a citadel outside her home. Spent years discussing all sorts’ unsavoury canards about her. So that each and every neighbour hears them. It was not necessary for her to listen, was it ? Listening of neighbours was enough. Right Dasmoshai? It’s so easy to ruin the reputation of a woman if dirty creeps like you are furious at her. Tch tch… ”

 

“You made her stepping out of the house, even staying in there, impossible using your filthy nature and filthy camaraderie. But… “

 

“You followed her around using your strong networks. Creeps like you get produced in some factory? I see too many of them these days. It’s a shame for any society.”

 

“Where was I? Oh yes, you followed her around like a pack of flees. So decent people distanced themselves from her and only creeps like you hovered around her.”

 

“You thought she will succumb to loneliness. Ha ha!!”

 

“You did believe that evil rules the world, did not you?”

 

“Now, that you have seen the last glories of evil say goodbye to the world.”

 

Next morning the villagers saw the dead bodies of three nice young men of the village. They all have been missing since last few days. There was a label stuck on chest of one of them “You reap what you sow.”

Zari

She rang the bell. A woman peeped from inside.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I have taken the permission of working as a volunteer here.”

 

“Come in and sit down.”

 

A few minutes later a lady came down. Her dress told that she was member of the organization. The other woman was most probably an ayah.

 

“You can come and go whenever you please.” The second woman smiled and left.

 

She entered the hall. It was filled up with small children. They all had one thing in common, various degrees of autism.

 

She sat down on the floor and those who could move slowly gathered around her. Some of them were extremely affectionate and love hungry. Some were moody and some did not wanted to be touched. They all needed a lot of co operation from the volunteers. Starting from dressing, changing them to feeding them.

 

She was a social reject. Her own family has thrown her out because she had no money. She had a roof on her head and food on her plate. No future, no hope. The very family members who were served by her have now become strangers. They tried to make her feel in every step that she was a burden to them.

 

She has lost every faith on human relationships and unselfish love. She stumbled upon this place by accident. She had plenty of free time so she decided to dedicate it there.

 

“So you are going to volunteer here?” the girl was measuring her from head to toe.

 

“All the sisters here love me very much. They even asked me to become a nun and join the organization.” She continued on her own.

 

Briti suppressed a sigh, “women just can’t get over their envy, can they? Even when they are in sacred places.”

 

“They always have to prove their superiority over others.” She thought inside. On outside she just smiled.

 

 

 

“Don’t pamper the children too much didi.” Zari said. “You will be gone after a few days and they will become nightmares for us.”

 

A month has passed already. The children have become a great admirer of her. Adding up to that Zari noted that the volunteers too liked her a lot. Thus she tried to prove her superiority by showing her authority over the children. The only reason that Briti was in that place.

 

The thing which infuriated Zari most was Briti’s shrugging her rudeness away. She might have been thinking Briti as a rival. May be she was scared that the sisters will ask Briti to become a nun.

 

A few months later Briti stopped going there, she never met Zari again but her strange jealousy and behaviour lingered in her heart for years.

 

In place of loving those orphans she acted like a despot, trying to push away every loving hand that reached out for them.

The village

A small village situated in the laps of tall mountains. A small river ran through it, adding a special charm to it. Only one way went out of that village across the mountains. A long, path snaking through the mountains for days to reach the next village.

 

It was a mirror of peace. Only the residents knew its dark secret. Every young man and woman of that village had to go out by that road after attaining teenage, hardly half of them returned. Others vanished without traces. Of course they were replaced by brides, but these brides never crossed that mountain road two times in their whole life.

 

Those who returned shared wonderful stories about the world outside and always returned loaded with gifts for every one. Their life became dream-like after that journey. Full of riches and spiritualism. As if they have taken a trip to heaven and come back with its riches and divine words.

 

 

 

It was her turn this month. The softest and purest girl of the village, Chandralekha. Her mother and father asked her to get ready.

 

They left together. The whole village bade them goodbye and asked them to come back as soon as possible.

 

They galloped their horses in the road. Every man, woman and child of the village was a good equestrian.

 

Soon dusk started to settle in and they retired in a cave. The small girl was too tired and soon fell asleep. She thought she heard her mother crying in the night a few times but was not very sure if she heard it or it was a dream.

 

They reached under a hill on the tenth day. There was a small temple on the top of the hill.

 

“We all have to worship in that temple.” Her father said. They started to mount the hill.

They reached the top at the noon. “Go and take your bath in the pond.”

 

“After that change in these clothes and come to the temple.” Her father said.

 

 

 

She went to the pond. It was a huge pond. Clear water was rippling in the sunlight. She placed the clothes on the stairs and slowly stepped into the water.

 

Suddenly an ice-cold hand gripped her feet and dragged her inside the water.

 

She lost her consciousness within a few minutes. When she opened her eyes she was in a bed. A soft, slithery bed. A fade light was spread in the huge room but was unable to give it enough light. Far corners were lost in darkness.

 

She heard a hissing voice and saw a strange looking creature was coming towards her. Its body was human but its head was of snake.

 

“Whenever a girl or boy of your village becomes a teenager their parents sacrifice them to Nagaraja.”

 

“They have to serve Nagaraja; if Nagaraja is happy with their service they are rewarded and released. If they are not then they are transformed into his slaves, like I was.”

 

“Get ready; I will take you to him.”

 

Chandralekha started to sob. “I can’t live here. It’s so dark and scary.”

 

“Please let me go. I don’t want to work for any one. I want to go home to my mother and father. I don’t want rewards.”

 

The strange creature looked at her. Chandralekha thought that she too was sad. “No one goes out of here without Nagaraja’s permission.”

 

 

Chandralekha took her dresses and went to the changing room. She gently tiptoed out of the room and started to look here and there. Suddenly she heard a hissing sound and turned. Another snake-headed creature was standing there.

 

“I heard what you said. Take this pearl. Put it inside your mouth and think about the place you want to go. You will reach there.”

 

Chandralekha thanked the creature and did as she was told. She opened her eyes and saw that she was standing in her village.

 

The villagers were shocked to see her. “From where did you came child? Where are your parents?”

 

 

 

A dark cloud covered the sky before she could answer. The villagers started to run towards their homes. Leaving her behind, alone.

 

She saw a monster was standing in front of her. It had a human torso and hundred heads; every head was a snake’s hood. They were hissing fire.

 

“How dare you escape from my palace?” he roared.

 

“I don’t want to stay there. Its dark and scary.” She said.

 

“You are criticizing my home!” the king seemed amused.

 

“I am sorry but it’s scary and dark. I won’t go back there.” Chandralekha insisted.

 

“I will give you pearls and diamonds to play with and keep. When you return home I will give you lots of gifts.” The king smiled.

 

“I can’t live without sunshine, flowers, trees and birds.” The little girl said.

 

“Then let it be so my dear one. I am happy that you resisted greed.” The king disappeared.

A love story

“Korak! Hey!! Wait!!!” she heard her shouting her name and turned.

 

She was panting; she was a little overweight and awfully cute. Every one in the office loved her. She liked Korak a lot. Korak was a little grateful for that because she was a very shy and demure girl.

 

“Let’s go to Mouchak and have some coffee. We will split the bill ok?” she smiled sweetly.

 

“Where were you when I was coming out of office?” Ruchi asked. “I was looking for you all day; I wanted to tell you that we will leave office together. I wanted to talk with you. My tummy is aching since last night.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Mayank, that silly boy punched me so hard in my tummy last evening!” she said giggling.

 

“Don’t bluff. Mayank can never hit you.” Korak smiled. Just like Ruchi Mayank too was one of the sweetest beings in the office.

 

“He did!! That mean boy did hit me Ruchi, how could you think I will lie to you?” she looked at her innocently, though Korak could see mischief sparkling in her eyes.

 

“Then you must have done something awfully naughty.” She smiled.

 

“That I did. He begged me to give you a message three months back, have been asking me again and again but I  have not given it to you.” she was very grave now.

 

“Why?” Korak was surprised. She has never seen Ruchi serious like this.

 

 

 

“He is in love with you.” Ruchi said solemnly, has been so since you joined the office.”

 

“I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that it would have been better if he told it himself, right?”

 

“I have been his best friend since last ten years. He is gay. That is after seeing you he has realized that he was gay.”

 

“He just can’t think about any one but you any more.”

 

“He is not asking you to decide any thing. He is just hoping that you will mix with him and decide yourself.”

 

For a few minutes she was at loss of words. Then she shrugged her shoulders. “I really don’t know Ruchi.”

 

They both left the café and went their ways.

 

She spent the night thinking about him. How wonderful he was and how caring he was to her.

 

As if by some telepathic connection her phone beeped, it was a sms from Mayank. “Are you free tomorrow?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Will you spend the day with me?”

 

“Yes.”

The fool

“You did not expect her to prove her innocence to you! Did you?” Dinant asked Dwaipayan.

 

“A person with integrity does not cares what some one thinks about him or her. She did told you every thing once, but you did not believed her. So she decided to not share her problems with you again. I don’t see any thing wrong with that.” Dinant looked at him with a serious expression on his face.

 

“Any way, I don’t think you deserved her, which is why you lost her. I wish she was in love with me.”

 

“Can I suggest you one thing? If you have realized how dumb you are you can simply go and tell her all the truth, apologize and propose her. She may forgive you if you are sincere.”

 

“When you are dealing with a person of substance you either believe that person or forget him. Truthful people don’t mingle with people who don’t trust them. She loved you that is why she tried to bare her heart to you, and you openly showed your mistrust for her and went after Ishani.”

 

“You did not had enough brain to distinguish between a coquette like Ishani and a decent girl like Asmita.” Dinant laughed out loudly. “You should have asked our opinion before messing up the thing. Even a ten year old child would have told you to go for Asmita.”

 

“Still I will suggest you to go and apologize to Asmita and tell her that you were an idiot to act like that. She is an intelligent woman, She can forgive you. Because every intelligent woman knows men are easily fooled by coquettes.”

 

They all were college-mates. Dwaipayan and Dinant were very good friends of Asmita. She was a sober girl with a very sharp brain. Ishani was a gorgeous girl with average brain, funny but she was jealous of Asmita. Jealousy does not have much reasoning behind it, does it?

 

Asmita was quite irritated by her nature because she loved a life out of glares, she would have loved it if she could be invisible but as that was not possible all she wanted was anonymity. Ishani’s jealousy was making it impossible, she was forever dragging her in dramas, blaming all sort of things on her. Her friends blindly believed her and bothered Asmita.

 

Then Ishani got her eyes on Dwaipayan and Dinant. They were the closest friends of Asmita. Dinant shooed her off at the very beginning but Dwaipayan fell in her trap. Ishani wanted to trap him even more because she knew that Asmita had a soft spot for him. She brainwashed him and ruined that relationship and moved over.

Delilah

“Just do as I say and we both will be benefited.” She said calmly. “I will manage every thing smoothly.”

 

Her husband was a millionaire; he fell for a girl half his age. Both were equally clumsy so he kept swaying like a pendulum. In between commitment and freedom. He has lived alone for fifty one years. Free as a bird flying in blue sky.

 

Then he fell in love with a young woman of thirty years. Was thinking whether or not to marry him when she interfered, trapped him and married him. She convinced him he was too old and she was too immature for her age. They decided that they will get her married to his nephew. Ha!! That’s what she made him believe.

 

She knew very well that his nephew was in love with her niece. So she plotted a plan. To use the stick in a way that the snake dies without snapping the stick.

 

She did not had much problem in giving her niece a little bit of money but the amount of money which her hubby was planning to shower on his ex flame was outrageous. After all, it was her money too now.

 

She asked her niece to change her name, take the same name as her husband’s lover. Then she weaved the net.

 

She squeezed out a huge sum of money from her husband; it was distributed 3:1, his nephew shifted to Denmark with his share of money. Married the girl of his choice and he thought that his ex flame is happy and safe.

 

 

 

A few years passed by. He happened to visit India on a business trip, alone. His Indian manager met him. She was a striking young woman with great records.

 

He was surprised by her similarity with his ex flame. He prodded and her side of the story came out.

 

She has moved on ever since he vanished a few years ago. Why should she wait for a non-committal person? A man who has not even said “I love you.” after knowing her for years.

 

She never married; she is too busy with her career. May be she will marry later but not now. She never realized who he was because he used fake name and description while mixing with her.

 

 

He returned to USA after the trip was over. His wife was waiting for him in airport. She gave him a big, tight hug.

 

“Darling, there is a surprise for you.” he smiled.

 

“What?” she smiled happily, looking at the envelope.

 

“Two tickets for Denmark in the next flight, we are going to meet Tamal and Tanaya.”

 

“The flight will take off an hour later. We will buy necessary things there and call up Tamal from the airport.” He smiled sweetly.

 

“Lets have some thing to eat and we will have to immediately check in.” he held her hand warmly and firmly.

The waiting

She was waiting eagerly for his chat icon to become online. Its third day on a row when he has not been online on time. They both value commitments.

 

They have loved each other for last seven years but that has not changed their respect for each other’s ways at all.

 

Internet was the only way of connection between them now. He was to reach Muscat on Monday and send her a mail or chat with her. It’s Wednesday. She leaves her account open all day, but he has simply not shown up. He has not even called up his home.

 

She called up his home during the lunch.

 

“Ma did Pratap called?” she has already started to call his mother ma and father baba. Mother and father in Bengali.

 

“No. neither he, nor the guy who arranged the job. His phone is switched off.”

 

She straight went to his home from office. His parents were sitting in the drawing room with a worried expression. “What shall we do Nisha? Was his mother’s first question after handing her over a cup of tea and a light snacks. 

 

“Eat something Nishu, you are coming back straight from office.” Mrs. Dutta said.

 

“Ma I am not hungry.” She could not tell her that she was scared to death. She did not even touch the snacks.

 

They kept trying the agent’s number all evening. Finally Mr. Dutta escorted her home.

 

“What’s wrong didi?” her brother asked. They lived away from their parents. Both of their parents lived in Maharashtra, they had to shift to Kolkata to work.

 

“Pratap was supposed to contact me on Monday.” The tears she has suppressed started to roll down her cheeks.

 

“Come, come Nishu. Every thing is alright.” He hugged her and wiped her cheeks.

 

When she returned after wiping her face she saw he was sitting in the drawing room sofa talking with someone, “I have emailed you all the details. Please check if the guy is alright. Nishu is crying her heads off.” He said semi-lightly. Being a man he was not much worried. He thought his brother in law has messed up a little and will call or contact soon.

 

The phone rang next morning. His face became serious. “Okay, can you arrange his return ASAP?”

 

“Nishu, your fear was right. That employment agent who took Pratap to Muscat left him waiting in the airport and vanished with every thing. Including his passport and visa.”

 

“Pratap has been wandering in the streets, my friend contacted the local police with his photo and they have been able to find him out and have lodged him in the Indian embassy. They are now busy finding out the authenticity of his words. I have arranged for his copies of passport and visa to be sent from here.”

 

“We will have to arrange for the passage money.” He said.

 

They were planning to get married next year, suddenly the factory in which Pratap worked closed down.

 

One of his colleagues offered him a job in Muscat, every one asked him to not go but he kept insisting, and finally they gave in. he arranged for three lakh rupee,  handed it over to the agent for formalities. Left for Muscat with dreams in his eyes a week ago.

 

 

“Why doesn’t the government does something concrete against these agents?” Nisha asked with tear filled eyes.

 

All her brother could do in response was shrug resignedly.

The beast

His wife was mentally unstable. Not crazy, just amply disturbed. Too disturbed to drive him against wall yet not enough to be sent to asylum.

 

 

He had two sons. One of them gay the other social outcast. Has been caught too many times stealing. So, though he was old and retired, none of his son had a say against his will. They knew he will ruin them if they disobey him.

 

He forced his older son, the gay to marry. He did not have guts enough to speak against his father. He married a normal, healthy girl. An orphan from a remote village, who was being brought up on leftovers of her uncle.

 

The girl was shocked to notice that her husband refused to touch her. She tried to woo him to her but he stayed as cold as ice and left for Mumbai after a fortnight of their marriage.

 

“Stay here and take care of my family. I will be back in durgapuja.”  These were his last words before leaving her, writhing in agony.

 

 

 

Her father in law soon had his way with her. It did not took him long to overpower that timid girl. Corruption seeped in. To the outside world they were father in law and daughter in law, inside the home they were lovers. His mentally unstable wife guessed it but was intimidated by them.

 

“Open your mouth, and you will be sent to some asylum. I know a lot of medicines, a single drop of them will drive you insane.”

 

“As for accusing me, no one will believe you, because every one knows you are as crazy as one can be.” He laughed shamelessly.

 

 

 

Her husband received a telegram telling him that he was about to become a father. He returned home after the baby was born.

 

They were alone in the night; the baby was sleeping in the bed, “Whose child is this? Dad’s or sujoy’s?” he asked in an amused tone.

 

“I guess I know. He must have had his plans from the beginning. “He said. “I am leaving tomorrow morning, don’t expect me to be back. Don’t have the second issue. In that case you will be in mess.”

 

He turned his back on her and went to sleep.

Monsters

“We have been on the trail of this gang for years. It’s a disgrace to the whole Police Department.”

 

“It won’t be possible to punish the insiders because their escape plan is too foolproof. But we will be able to caution the society, even at the cost of our own jobs.” Chandraneel said.

 

“It was a human trafficking gang working through out the country. It worked under the active cooperation of local powers.”

 

“Their agents prowled in colleges. Mostly as students, who just did not succeeded in clearing their exams.”

 

 

“They picked up the most attractive ones and started their action. If the girl was of a weak mind preying her was an apple pie. But if she turned out to be strong minded they laid the bait of marriage.”

 

“They took care about two things; first that the victim was completely overpowered in the first hit and his/her bridge to return to society was burnt to ashes.”

 

“They had a lot of power working behind their back. But over confidence is really a sick thing. It makes you see flowers in desert. Or worse, it shows you oasis to make you wander in the desert to perish.”

 

“These agents never worked in their own states, and were never visible before their joining the college. Once after joining the college they made a strong net with the help of their preys. Who vowed that they have known them from years. No one goes to snoop on authenticity of their lover’s words, does one?”

 

“In case of weak victims,  they were easy to control, intimidated absolutely by fear. They never caused any problem.”

 

“Danger lurked from the strong minded ones, they usually tested the strength of character of their victims, to confirm if the risk was worth it.”

 

“If they realized before entrapment that the person was too strong willed they just slipped him. If they realized after entrapment that the man was strong willed they drove him either to suicide or insanity, using their power in every sphere.”

 

“We simply believe any thing which two people say to us, don’t we? We never even try to apply our own brain to judge the person they are backwashing. We just follow them like lambs follow the shepherd.”

 

“Then they made the mistake of their life. They thought she was as soft as flower. She turned out to be fire. Soft, velvety, dazzling and deadly.”

 

“The rate on her head was so high that they decided to apply force, the girl became mum for a few years, and then she contacted a detective agency, and submitted the report to me.”

 

Chandraneel had a reputation of extremely honest officer.

 

“Though they have destroyed her life, completely, beyond repair, but if I flash this story in all the news papers at-least other parents and girls will be saved.”

 

“These people should be informed of the truth that you just can’t ruin a person’s reputation and life and walk away scot-free to do it again and again. It’s not a jungle and we are not deers.”

The shark

“Listen, we don’t have any thing special against you. you are just one of those who have reaped benefit from our organization.”

 

“Just like any other organization, we too have some rules and regulations. Every person who has worked for us is free to go, but, he or she will have to recruit two persons for us.”

 

She sat there, grimly. Listening to his words and left his room after he has finished. He was a very egoistic and vindictive man, who didn’t tolerated a flicker of disobedience. The last thing she wanted was a problem at the last stage of her slavery.

 

She landed in his claws because she did not had any other choice. Her father had a serious accident, he ended up paralyzed. There were four siblings looking up at her. Her mother was an illiterate housewife. To add up to that, a huge amount of money was borrowed from others to pay her father’s medical bills.

 

Shantamasi walked in with a proposal. Her invisibility was assured, all she will have to do is go to Mr. Singh’s den in a remote town and tell every one at her home-town that she has found a job in Shimla.

 

She will work there as long as she wants. Of course the minimum span being the time she will take to settle her dues. This will be paid by Mr. Singh now.

 

She left because she did not had any other choice. Her refusal would have meant killing her family. So she risked her life. But as she was promised, she realized soon that her identity was completely safe. Because her clients were very rich who did not wanted any kind of trouble. She was a gorgeous looking woman so she soon paid her debt and made a little money for herself. Then she asked Mr. Singh for leave….

 

She returned to her hometown for a few days. She was sitting in the drawing room when a distant relative of hers came.

 

“Tapasi, how are you? shantadi was telling me you have found a good job in Shimla and paid all the debts of your family?”

 

“Your uncle has ruined us, he has wasted all his savings in gambling and have incurred a huge debt. Can you search for a good job for Mita in your school?”

 

“The debtors are driving us insane. We wont be able to stay alive for long if they hound us every day like this. Soon they will throw us out in the streets.” Her aunt begged with tears in her eyes.

 

She too had a huge family and an incapable husband.