What The Eyes Don't See

19 | So Close!

"Get in the van, asshole."

"Why?"

Sawant lowered his aviators and glared at Anay with his stony eyes. "Because you sent the guy to your house and then the accident happened. Come on, let's brainstorm and find the connection."

Kautuk stepped forward. "Sir, Vishwa was run down by a bus. Anay was not driving a bus."

Sawant gave a long hard look at Kautuk. "Oh, the lawyer's nephew. What are you two cooking up now?"

Kautuk and Anay were both lost for words.

Then Sawant laughed. He slapped Anay on the cheek in a lighthearted manner. "Don't worry. I'm just kidding. Didn't your friend tell you? We found out that that girl's death was actually an accident. Saw it in the camera footage of your building. It looked strange, but she fell by herself. Just stood there in the middle of the staircase, then toppled over backwards. Never saw anything like that. So that sets you free." Then he lowered his voice. "But take my advice and go to some tantrik or something. Why do all these accidents and deaths happen around you?"

"Sir... I will..."

Sawant laughed again. "Chin up, boy. And, yes, next time you want to make another... what you call, fuck buddy, take good care of her. Poor girl must have been so depressed with your performance that she committed suicide!"

The entire van shook with the laughter of the constables at that humorless joke. They were still laughing when they drove away.

"Jerk!" Anay cursed.

"Leave him," Kautuk said. "At least one thing is confirmed. You are off the hook."

"Of course, bud!"

"All right. So why was Vishwa in Versova?" Kautuk asked.

"He surely went to my house," said Anay. "But why?"

Kautuk drew a long puff and thought. "Perhaps to say goodbye to Renee or something. He is quite capable of such a thing. For all his tough exterior, he's a real sentimental softie."

"You think so?"

"I know Vish better than you do."

"And then he was so overwhelmed that he did not see a whole fucking bus on that narrow street?" Anay said.

"He is in mourning. He must not have seen."

Anay pulled his hair. "No! This is all part of the circle I am trapped in. Something happened to him. You know what? We were waiting for Mr Invisible to materialize at the hotel, but he chose to go to Vishwa instead. He didn't come to us because we were lying in wait. But he made his presence felt for sure."

Crushing the stubs under their feet, they rose. They decided to meet again the next day to check up on Vishwa. Anay went back to the hotel. Kautuk wanted to accompany him, but Anay could take his skepticism no more. He was getting used to the ghost in the house anyway, who did not seem to want to directly harm him but just fuck up his life in every other possible way. In a strange way, Anay was getting used to that.

That night, surprisingly, Anay had a restful sleep. He just threw his clothes on the floor and lay face down on the bed and instantly fell asleep. When he woke up again, it was bright morning and he was still on the bed in the same reverse spread-eagled position, and the drool from his mouth had created a footlong patch on the sheets. He quickly woke up, brushed his teeth and showered, and put on fresh clothes. He had to solve the puzzle of Vishwa's condition. Perhaps he could talk to him?

***

When he reached the hospital, it was 9 a.m. He stood in the corridor outside the operation theater, which was where his family had assembled the previous night. Today, he was met with only a creepy silence. What had happened overnight? Had the worst happened? He checked his phone. There were no messages. With a knot in his throat, he ran down the corridor and back to the reception desk. A warm and friendly lady asked him for the name of the patient. She looked up 'Vishwas Ghanekar' then and pointed to the casualty ward on the fifth floor. Anay let out a long and audible sigh of relief. The way things had been going, he had been priming himself to hear 'morgue' from the receptionist's mouth.

The family was on the fifth floor. Anay inquired about him. It was his brother Vineet who spoke to him. "The operation ran long, about five hours. Early in the morning, Vishwa was brought out of the OT. The doctors have patched him up. He will pull through, they say, but it will take time."

"That's good to hear," Anay said it and meant it.

"There is one thing I just remembered," Vineet said.

"What?"

"Just before entering the OT, Vishwa gave something to the doctor to give it to Anay Ghosh. That's you, right?"

Anay's heartbeat quickened. "Yeah, that's me."

Vineet went near the benches where his mother and uncle were sitting. They had a couple of bags with them. He rummaged in those bags and brought out something in a brown envelope. It had a bloodstain on its top corner.

"I don't know what it is." Vineet handed over the package. "As he was being prepared for the operation, Vishwa momentarily opened his eyes and said: 'Tell Anay I was given this at his house.'"

Anay looked at it curiously. 'I was given this?' Who gave it to him? "Thanks!" he said and walked into a corner.

What was this object? The only way to find out was to open it. But that required courage too. What new evil would he witness in there and was he ready for it? With trembling fingers, he probed the envelope. It looked like a book in there. Harmless, mostly. Using his fingers, Anay tore the paper.

He immediately recognized it. It was a book.

A long-forgotten book, really. One that he had lost long ago and was now brought back to him by this bizarre turn of events.