Shattered Reflections : Unmasking the shadows of Lucknow

Chapter 13

The secret location referred to holds the potential for someone to transcend the status of a mere mortal and become a deity-like figure in Vihaan’s eyes, as well as unravel the mysteries surrounding the city of Lucknow. To gain access to this enigmatic place, they must embark on their journey with utmost urgency.

Harish had booked the flights for ladakh. There were many people around them, who were also travelling to ladakh.  Intrigued by the rich history of Lucknow, Vihaan expressed his curiosity about the famous Bada Imambara to his companion, Karan. He asked, “I’ve heard many rumors about the Bada Imambara in this city. What’s the story behind it?”

Karan replied, “Well, it’s quite an intriguing mystery.”
Vihaan responded, “I have time to listen. We can take our time to reach there.”
Karan continued, “They say there’s a mysterious ‘bhool bhulaiya’ within the complex.”
Vihaan asked, “Bhool Bhulaiya? Wasn’t that just a movie?”
Karan clarified, “No, the term ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ refers to a place where you can easily lose your way and get lost. The architectural marvel of the bhool bhulaiya at the Bada Imambara consists of over 1,000 passages and around 489 identical doorways. When you have a guide, they challenge you to guess which of the four doorways is the correct one.”

Vihaan mused, “That’s quite peculiar.”
Karan continued, “If you guess the wrong door, your guide will climb the stairs while you realize it takes you further down instead of going up. The place surprises you at every turn.”
Vihaan remarked, “Indeed, it sounds like a fascinating place.”
He then asked, “But why was it built?”

Vihaan replied, “The Bada Imambara was constructed with a noble intention. During a famine in the Awadh estate, the Nawab envisioned building this structure to generate employment and provide food to the people in exchange for their services.”

He added, “Interestingly, the Bada Imambara also features a network of hundreds of tunnels and passages, some of which are underground. It is believed that these tunnels were used as escape routes in case of enemy attacks.”
As their journey pressed on, their conversations continued to flow, but amidst the unfolding narrative, Vihaan excused himself to visit the washroom, seeking a momentary respite.  When he returned to his seat, a disquieting absence greeted him—Karan was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he had ventured off to seek assistance from one of the air hostesses, Vihaan speculated. Settling back into his seat, a sense of unease tinged his thoughts.

Then, a vision of beauty materialized before him, as a captivating air hostess approached, seemingly drawn to Vihaan’s presence. Her steps carried her closer, and with a voice both melodious and tinged with concern, she inquired, “Are you okay, sir?”
Startled, Vihaan replied, “Yes,” though his curiosity compelled him to inquire further, “Why do you ask?”
With gentle yet somber eyes, she revealed the unsettling truth, “Your eyes… they are bleeding, sir.”

Perplexed and growing increasingly apprehensive, Vihaan instinctively reached up to touch his eyes. To his horror, his fingertips came away stained with crimson. The darkness surrounding him seemed to intensify, as if it were a harbinger of looming doom. Casting a glance at his fellow passengers, their gazes fixed upon him, Vihaan sensed an air of disbelief and shock, their eyes transfixed by the macabre spectacle before them.

Desperate for answers, he turned to the air hostess, his voice betraying his anxiety, “Where is Karan? My friend, the one who accompanied me?”
Her response struck him like a bolt of lightning, plunging him deeper into a chasm of dread, “Sir, you arrived alone on this flight.”
Vihaan’s heart sank, a surge of worry consuming him. The enigmatic circumstances entwined with his bleeding eyes and the disappearance of his dear friend painted a foreboding canvas of uncertainty. The darkness that surrounded him now seeped into his very being, shrouding his thoughts with a chilling embrace.

Vihaan saw something strange again. Vihaan saw a small boy standing lonely on streets and looking towards him. Suddenly big waves of waters comes running down the streets and takes the boy away with it. Maybe the floods. He saw the same scene a few days ago.
Perched near the window seat, Vihaan’s gaze extended beyond the aircraft’s confines. His surroundings underwent an eerie transformation, freezing in time, while the passengers themselves appeared trapped in suspended animation. In this haunting tableau, his inner voices seized the opportunity to assail him mercilessly.

Confusion and self-doubt plagued his mind as he grappled with existential questions. “What is happening? Who am I?” A perverse desire emerged, yearning for constant turmoil and the onslaught of misfortune. It was as though a dark allure called for chaos to envelop his very existence.
These turbulent thoughts resonated with echoes from a past narrative, reminiscent of the unnamed narrator in the film “Fight Club” released in 2008. Like that protagonist, Vihaan found himself bewildered by the enigma of his own life, ensnared within a labyrinth of his own making. Lost in the labyrinthine corridors of his mind, he was entangled in a state of perpetual disarray.
As the disquietude prevailed, Vihaan’s attention was drawn to a disheartening sight: the pilot, a figure once embodying control and authority, now appeared to have relinquished command. The plane hurtled towards an imminent crash, the pilot’s announcement echoing the grim fate that awaited them all.

In the encroaching darkness, Vihaan’s reality became increasingly distorted, teetering on the precipice of an uncertain and potentially catastrophic future.
Vihaan stirred from his sleep, finding himself once again in the clutches of a vivid nightmare. As his consciousness reasserted itself, he noticed Karan sitting beside him, a comforting presence in the waking world.
Karan’s voice broke through the remnants of the haunting dream, his concern palpable. “Hey, are you alright?”
Confusion clouded Vihaan’s mind as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. They were seated in a car, likely a taxi, their journey progressing through unfamiliar terrain. Seeking clarity, Vihaan voiced his uncertainty. “Where are we?”
Karan, ever the steadfast friend, reassured him, “We’re in the taxi. We have arrived in Ladakh, an hour earlier than anticipated. You were sound asleep during the journey.”

Vihaan’s mind struggled to catch up with the sudden shift in reality. “What? Ladakh? Already?” he questioned, his mind still grappling with the remnants of the unsettling dream.
Karan nodded, a sense of urgency entering his tone. “Yes, time is of the essence. We need to get moving. We’ve reached our destination.”
As the remnants of the nightmare dissipated, replaced by the crisp air and the promise of adventure in Ladakh, Vihaan felt a mixture of relief and anticipation. It was time to embrace the present moment and embark on the path that awaited them.

Vihaan’s torment escalated with each passing day, as his mind became a battleground for incessant nightmares. The insidious grip of these haunting dreams had transformed into a formidable adversary, thrusting him into a sinister realm of psychological turmoil.
Within the depths of his subconscious, a recurring motif emerged – the piercing gaze of crimson eyes, an ominous harbinger of impending challenges and hidden dilemmas. The significance was clear: Vihaan’s own life teetered on the precipice of uncertainty. Sickness, an untapped reservoir of talent, and strained relationships all converged within the dark recesses of his mind, casting an oppressive pall over his waking hours.
As he grappled with the relentless onslaught of these nocturnal terrors, Vihaan’s hold on reality grew increasingly tenuous. Each night, the boundaries blurred between the illusory realm of dreams and the tangible world he once knew. The labyrinthine passages of his mind threatened to ensnare him, their intricate corridors leading him deeper into the abyss of hallucinations and nightmares.
In this ever-encroaching darkness, a crucial realization emerged: Vihaan held the key to his own destiny. Amidst the chaos and torment, he needed to remember his own agency, lest he become forever lost in the mire of his own mind. The crimson-eyed apparitions served as a grim reminder that he alone possessed the power to navigate the treacherous paths ahead, to conquer the challenges that lay in wait.

Armed with this newfound awareness, Vihaan prepared to confront the enigmas that plagued his existence. As the line between reality and illusion blurred, he steeled himself for the battles yet to come, determined to reclaim his sanity and forge a path towards redemption.