Yes, I'm alive.
Thank you for not cursing me (you didn't, did you? *giving my best imitation of puppy eyes*)
P.s.: Important announcement below (um... kinda?)
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Anirudh's p.o.v
"Ji, Birendra babu mein apko aj raat se pehle hi bata dunga"
"Thoda jaldi karna beta" his pushing voice sounded from phone.
I rolled my eyes.
"Haan haan dekhte hai na... Mein apko raat se pehle hi bata dunga. Rakhta hoon"
I slammed the phone back and sighed heavily. Baba came up with this case only yesterday. Going through the details, I don't think he's told me the whole story – which mostly means he is on the wrong side. Moreover, the hearing of his case might clash with one of my other – one which should see the light of the day by all means. And I'll make sure of it. So before taking up this case, I need to do dome digging on Birendra babu. And I'll have to do that before the night. I should probably go and see Jahangir.
"Kya hua?" Bondita's light prodding voice reached my ears.
I looked ahead to see her standing by the door frame with a plate in her hand. Curiousness tinkled in her eyes. That's probably my lunch. I was so engrossed in work today that I forgot to eat.
"Birendra babu" I muttered and settled lazily onto my seat.
"Kya ap woh case lene maan gaye?" she walked towards me.
"Abhi tak nahi" I took my pen and continued my editing on the case report "Lekin aj raat se pehle unhe batana hoga"
"Apko unpar shak hai?" she placed the plate of food on the table and stood beside me.
I shrugged, still working on the report.
"Unke bare mein aur jaanna hoga. Uske baad hi mein kuch faisla le paunga"
"Shaam teen baje hogaye hai. Agar ap Jahangir se mil bhi gaye toh raat se pehle woh jaanch keise poora karega?" she voiced her thought.
"Pata hai Bondita, samay bohot kam hai" I discarded the pen and leaned back on my chair, rubbing my eyes tiredly "Lekin keise bhi karke aj hi yeh khatam karna hai"
Her warm fingers curled in my hair comfortingly and I realize with a beam that she's now standing behind me, massaging my scalp. I sighed contently, my eyes closed in relief.
"Toh ap Jahangir se milne ja rahe hai?"
"Hmm"
"Office mein?"
"Nahi. Woh office mein nahi hoga. Uske ghar jana hoga"
That's when I remembered it. I snatched her fingers and turned around apologetically.
"Bondita! Tumhara mukadma ki sunayi keise gayi? In sabke beech mein mein bhool gaya. Jeet gayi na, Barrister babu Bondita?"
She ruffled my hair, a mischievous smile playing at her lips.
"Apki shishya kabhi haar sakti hai?"
I just grinned back in response. She walked back to her position beside me.
"Jeet gayi apki Bondita. Isiliye ap woh baat chodiye aur..." she took the plate, tore a piece of Luchi, dipped it in the curry and extended it to me "jaldi jaldi khaana khaayiye. Apko Jahangir se milne jana hai. Khaane ke baad hi mein apko iss ghar se bahar jane dungi"
I smiled at her sheepishly before pulling her onto my lap. She landed with a light gasp.
"Aur mein jana bhi nahi chahta" I ate it from her hand.
She continued feeding me while I busied myself nagging her by pulling on her black strands when she suddenly jolted up and slammed a hand on her forehead.
"Ooho bhool gayi mein! Ap Jahangir ke ghar ja rahe hai na? Ap yeh khaana khaayiye mein paanch minute mein aayi" she started to storm out of the room.
"Lekin Bondita, kya hua?" I shouted after her.
She stopped at the door and turned back in a hurry.
"Uski Maa ko meri hath se bani Sandesh bohot pasand hai. Ap khaane ke baad gaadi tayaar kijiye, mein bhi aarahi hoon apke sath" she ran away.
I shook my head and chuckled lightly before continuing eating. I must say it tastes a hundred times better when she feeds me.
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"Bondita tum andar jao mein gaadi kahi chodke aata hoon" I told her when we reached his house.
"Ji Pati babu" she got off and walked away.
I parked the car some distance away and made my way to the house. On account of his job, Jahangir is forced to live in the outskirts of the village away from prying eyes. Because his own job is to pry on others. He acts as a spy for most of the Barristers in Tulsipur. When I first met him, I wasn't exactly so fond of him. But he made me understand the importance of his profession. And in the due time, the risks involved in it too. It's only understandable that he creates a lot of enemies knowingly and unknowingly. Nobody likes to have a person digging on their private lives.
Anyhow, he's been loyal to me ever since he started working for me. And I'm also of the impression that I'm the only Barrister to whom he keeps that loyalty intact. A lot of Barristers had tried using him to look up on me but he's always refused them along with the lumpsum they offered him. He's collected information on other Barristers for me though...
I entered the hut seeing Bondita sitting on the ground talking to Jahangir's mother - Zahira kaki. The latter was enjoying the Sandesh she brought for her. The home wasn't exactly habitable. It had two makeshift bedrooms and a wooden stove at a corner of the living room on which something was brewing.
"Assalamualaikum Kaka" I greeted when I spotted Jahangir's father – Bilal kaka – at a corner, busy making athar.
"Wah-alaikum-salaam, beta" he smiled at me.
"Jahangir nahi hai?"
"Yahan hoon, Anirudh babu" he exited from a room and walked towards me "Ap mujhe haveli kyun nahi bulaye? Mein turant hi aa jata"
"Koyi baat nahi Jahangir. Suno, tumne Birendra Ghoshal naam suna hai?"
"Haan... Yahan ek factory hai na unka?"
"Exactly. Uske bare mein–"
I was interrupted when the front door opened and his sister entered the house. She had a baggage in her hand. I reckon she came back from the market. They have a stall there. Bila kaka's athars are famous in Tulsipur.
His sister visibly froze when she took us in. Her first expression was one of shock. Then she seemed like pondering over something. I haven't known her that well but I know she's a fierce one. She doesn't talk much. Jahangir had told me once that she knows to read and write Hindi and Bengali but she refuses to learn English. I once tried to get her a position in Mahila Ghar – mostly because the family needed financial support – but she rejected the offer through Jahangir.
"Manaal!" Bondita almost squealed seeing her.
I know for a fact that Bondita herself has talked to girl only a couple of times but she was so fond of her nonetheless. I would even say she's even impressed with the girl. She's always excited to talk about her.
"Namaste Bondita didi, Anirudh babu" she nodded at us curtly.
"Aao na. Meine Sandesh layi hai. Chakke toh dekho" Bondita encouraged her.
"Maaf kijiye. Mujhe abhi yaad aayi, meine ek cheez lena bhool gayi" she replied.
"Arre kal le lena. Ab wapas jana theek nahi hoga Manaal. Raat hone wala hai" her mother warned.
"Mujhe raat ki parwa nahi hai Amma" she answered her mother and turned to Bondita "Mein wapas aate hi apke Sandesh ka maza lungi"
With that, she stormed out of the house discarding the baggage at the door.
"Amma bhi na. Iss se baat karne gayi. Yeh kabhi kisi ke sunti hai?" Jahangir scoffed under his breath "Apko Birendra se kya lena dena?" he enquired.
"Uske bare mein sab kuch jaanna hai humein. Woh bhi aj raat se pehle"
"Theek hai. Kya kya jaanna chahte hai ap?"
"Avaid kaarobar. sampark. Sab galat baatein"
"Raat se pehle... samay bohot kam hai lekin nipta lunga. Ap Amma ke hathon ki chai peekar aaram kijiye mein do ghante mein wapas aunga" he nodded and exited the house.
This is why I trust him so much.
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By the time Manaal returned from the market, Bondita and I've had five cups of tea each. For a coffee lover, I still wouldn't understand why I'm so fond of Zahira kaki's tea. She used her own recipe of spices for the drink and that might be the reason behind its strange yet calming aroma. It had this mesmerising ability to soothe your nerves and relieve your stress.
"Chalo. Aagayi meri beti" Bilal kaka announced.
"Aao Manaal. Bondita kabse tumhari raah dekh rahi thi" Zahira kaki chastised her.
"Maaf kijiye... Zyada vakt lag gayi" Manaal replied apologetically "Ek nikamma lomdi ne raasta kaata tha" she muttered under her breath.
"Lomdi?" Bondita gasped and rushed to her "Tum theek ho na? Mein kabse bol rahi hoon ap sabse ki yahan jangal ke paas rehna khatarnaak hai. Gaav ke paas hi ek ghar kyun nahi dhund lete hum?" she crossed her arms and suggested tersely.
"Nahi didi uski koyi zaroorat nahi hai, dekhiye mujhe... mein bilkul theek hoon" Manaal assured "Aur weise bhi, woh lomdi toh ab pachta raha hoga" something in her voice made me feel like there was an altogether different meaning to her talk – like she was enjoying a private joke.
"Humesha galat jagah mazak karti rehti hai yeh ladki" Zahira kaki slapped her on the arm exasperated.
"Acha yeh sab chodo. Manaal theek hai toh sab sahi hai. Chaliye Anirudh babu, Bondita beti khaana tayaar hai" Bilal kaka offered.
"Nahi kaka... woh KSJ hai na, humare intzar mein honge. Pati babu ne toh dopahar bhi unke sath khaana nahi khaye. Agar raat bhi aisa hua toh aj shayad bahar hi sona padega inko" Bondita quipped.
"Haan, yeh toh sahi hai" I laughed with her "Koyi baat nahi kaka, chai se hi mann bhar gaya humara. Kyun Bondita?"
"Bilkul sahi"
"Anirudh babu! Anirudh babu, ap hai andar?!"
Somebody yelled from outside.
"Kaun hai?" kaka tried to get to the door and we followed.
A man stood in front of the door. He was anxious about something. He was covered in sweat and his eyes roamed around the locality like he was expecting someone to pop out of the darkness.
"Ji, kaun hai ap?" I enquired.
"Ap Anirudh babu hai na? Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhary?" the man stuttered.
"Haan, mein hoon Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhary. Kya hua hai apko? Ap theek nahi lag rahe. Bondita, pani lao inke liye"
Bondita nodded and rushed inside.
"Ap beithiye" I made him sit on the veranda "Saas le lijiye aur aaram se mujhe batayiye ki apko kya chahiye. Theek hai?"
The man nodded weakly, eyes still searching for someone. I myself was forced to take a look around but I spotted nothing. After taking few shaky sips of water, he started speaking slowly.
"Anirudh babu. Kya hua hai yeh mein apko bata nahi sakta. Tab tak nahi jab tak ap mere sath wahan tak pahunchte nahi" he drawled out between pants.
"Kahan tak?"
"Yahan paas hi hai" he clutched at my hands pleadingly "Agar ap mere sath nahi aayenge toh uska jaan... Apko mere sath aana hi hoga Anirudh babu"
"Kiska jaan? Ap kya keh rahe hai, mein kuch samjha nahi"
"Ap kripaya mere sath aa jayiye Anirudh babu. Agar usko kuch hogaya toh... toh mein apne apko kabhi maaf nahi kar paunga. Apke wajah se ek jaan chale jaye, ap yeh toh nahi chahenge na?"
"Kabhi bhi nahi. Lekin ap–"
When all the man did was to continue grabbing at my hand and begging helplessly, I agreed to go with him.
"Mein bhi aarahi hoon apke sath" Bondita ordered.
"Nahi Bondita, tum yahi raho. Mein jaldi hi wapas–"
"Mein aarahi hoon matlab aarahi hoon Pati babu! Mujhe kuch sahi nahi lag rahi. Aur ap akele jayenge toh meri pareshani aur bad jayegi"
I got that gut feeling too. That's exactly why I don't want you accompanying me.
"Lekin Bondita–"
"Ap mujhe rok nahi sakte!" she crossed her arms and stared straight ahead, obstinacy screaming from her eyes.
I sighed resignedly and started walking when kaka voiced his interest to accompany us.
"Bilkul bhi nahi kaka. Mera yakeen kijiye Bondita aur mein hi kaafi hoon iske liye" I opposed it.
"Aur weise bhi raat hogayi hai. Bohot thand hai bahar. Ap bimar pad jayenge. Ap fikar mat kijiye hum sambhal lenge" Bondita added.
"Jahangir se kehna ki mein wapas aunga" I shouted while rushing to the spot along with the man.
Upon reaching the place, nothing caught our eye or attention other than stark darkness. I took a cautious examination of the area – looking for any sign of movement or sound. But nothing came by in sight or sound. I was about to ask the man if he's brought us to the wrong place when I comprehend he was nowhere in sight. There was no trace of him anywhere.
This must be a trap.
I grabbed Bondita's hand and held her close to me.
"Pati babu humein nikalna hoga"
"Shh... Dheere peeche chalo Bondita"
"Hmm"
We both took inaudible baby step backwards when a black something covered my sight and I realize my head is covered in a black sack. Though the awareness that terrified me the most was that Bondita's hand was not in mine anymore.
"Bondita! Bondita!" I yelled and scrabbled around crazily, fighting against the hands restraining me.
"Pati babu! Pati babu, ap theek hai na?" I heard her yelling back, her voice a mixture of rage and anxiousness.
"Bondita kahan ho tum? Tumhe kuch hua toh nahi na?" I responded madly.
"Mein theek hoon Pati babu. Ap keise–"
"Ooho chup karo!" A masculine voice roared from my right "Tum donon mare nahi ho ab tak"
"Kaun ho tum?" Bondita and I asked together.
"Sab samay aane par samajh jayenge"
With that, my hands were tied behind my back and then I was dragged away to god knows where.
"Kyun kar rahe ho ap log yeh sab? Kya dushmani hai ap logon ka humare sath?" I heard Bondita asking them heatedly.
When all she got back was silence, she continued cursing and threatening them - all in vain.
Who was behind this? Is it Greenwood? Will he stoop so low as to kidnap us like this? Does Jessica know about this? If he was the one, I swear I'm going to skin him alive the moment I free Bondita and myself from these people, literally.
After a few more minutes of pushing and grunting and cursing and threatening, I heard a door creaking open and I was shoved to my front. I can hear Bondita gasping from beside me. She might be near me.
"Bondita? Bondita tum hai na yahan?"
"Haan Pati babu" she seethed lowly.
The room suddenly went dead silent and I heard sounds of a chair shuffling, the door closing and forced whispers.
Just... where are we?
As though on cue, the cloth got wrenched out of my head and my eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lit room lighted by fire emitting flambeaus. My eyes first searched for Bondita, who was looking at a man facing us. The man – probably in his fifties – stood directly in front of us a couple of feet away. His black hair was neither short nor long and had grey streaks at the sides. His black eyes were fixed on me in a lazy impassiveness. It unnerved me. And I have no idea why.
I let my eyes strain away and take in the twenty-some people standing around us along the corners – their hands clasped back, standing ramrod stiff and all dressed in black like the man in the middle.
This can't be Greenwood.
Another enemy of mine? From London? Culcutta? Indrajit babu?
I looked at Bondita again. She was still staring at the man. But this time, I notice something unreadable flashing in her eyes. Does she know him?
"Apse akhirkaar mil hi gaye, Anirudh babu" the man spoke up.
"Baba?"
Bondita's voice came out in a weak, suspicious, pained whisper.
Baba? Wait... Baba? What Baba? What does she mean? He isn't... He's not...
I looked back at the man in bewilderment.
"Aj meri apni beti ka apharan karna pad raha hai mujhe... Aur yeh sab ho raha hai" he stopped for dramatic effect and clutched his hands behind his back "apke wajah se, Anirudh babu"
I blinked. Excuse me?
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Was that a surprise enough? *he he he evil laugh*
So... there's this thing I wanted to tell you all.
I've started a new book in Wattpad. It's not a fan-fiction but a creation of my own. The title is 'The Septem Servatores'. Not an Indian novel. I like to call it cross-lingual... and cross-cultural. At least that's how I want it to be. I've posted some three to four chaps now. So, if you guys into fantasy, romance, adventure, mystery, drama sorta thing, do check it out. Link in the comment section. Thank you my Jaanus.
How have you all been???
I Jeene ki Wajah You All
Love,
MS