"Why have you chose to live this place again?" asked Ehsaan.
"My boy, I understand that it isn't easy, sometimes, some things should return, not only for joyous lives, but to explore a different part of a reality. This will make sense, when you see it and dig deeper into this. Do you know, where folklores came from?"
"Where?"
"The words that become history but turns into a myth. Your father was a good man and so special that the Mighty took him away. First, you know this place, you'll know what you are. Don't expect so high, son. It's just the beginning" said Ehsaan.
Ehsaan felt that, something will change for the better. It may seem a little odd, but in this town, he has a lot to learn. Until then, his habit of extreme questioning might turn into a disaster someday. Hence, mother and son have shown their affection almost like a cuddling baby with a bit of a boundary, similar to Mufasa's affection towards Simba right after the brawl in the Elephant Graveyard.
After that day, as usual, his introverted behavior seemed like a 'nobody' in school than a popular kid. After quite long, he attended in a proper assembly. A middle aged army like sports teacher gave a speech...it's mortifying.
"Good evening ladies and gentleman, this decade, I've seen some new people in our military territory".
"Oh not again!" uttered one of the students. Other students giggled.
"Oh...right...I forgot that I'm not in the army, anyway, in this session, I've seen some new kids in the block at school. First, can any of the newbies raise your hand, please?"
Only two raised their hand: Ehsaan and a girl, a year less than the other.
"Are there others who were readmitted?" asked the sports teacher.
Some of them raised hands. Especially, Hablu who raised while smiling as of a cartoon character.
"Good to see you again, Haroon Shikder or else, Hablu" said the sports teacher.
"Good to see you too, Ashraf sir. De la grande amour!" said Hablu.
Most of the kids cheered up due to his catchphrase. After a long speech, Ashraf sir hoisted a flag and all the kids sang national anthem along with the teachers. Only Hablu and Arhan were smiling. Few minutes later, Ashraf commanded the students to march or have a physical exercise. He was continuously saying "Left right, sit tight, one two, sleep tight, chest tight-excuse my French, you tight, me tight"
Ehsaan whispered "I only used to hear the 'left right' word. Now, why is he gibberish?"
"Rumors say, he was beaten with a bat while battling against the border and since then, he was always like this. He might be sharp but..."
Suddenly, Ashraf sir, the sports teacher stopped "HALT!"
All the students stopped and went to their respective classes except Hablu and Arhan whose familiar smiles had distracted Ashraf sir. He doubted that some of his things would be sabotaged. Ashraf just walked near them and his eyes were rounded with suspicion.
"Well, well, well Mr. Haroon Shikder, your readmission doesn't seem to change your ways of 'discipline'" sneered Ashraf.
"Sir Haroon of ALHARS, I'm so sorry that our smiles made it a subject of distraction. Perhaps, by now, you'll be knowing what's happening in your cabin"
"Let's see then..."
Suddenly, Ashraf, Hablu and Arhan heard a blast. When they look at the back of the field, chocolate bombs were giving some small blasts, similar to great fireworks. BOOM!
"Oh no, not again!" said the furious Ashraf sir.
When he looked at the front, he found nothing, except Hablu and Arhan ran away like a lunatic. To be fair, Ashraf's red face melted and muttered "incorrigible!"
On the other hand, Ashraf was a bit saddened of something that would unveil. Maybe some dark truth, or maybe something that might be a bit of an unfortunate event. Is it a secret that has been kept? Or more than that? Let's see...
Ehsaan's boring class did get on and on. Until, class dismissed, the bell rang, he sighed with relief and wiped his sweat on the forehead. Walking slowly, four bunch of goons: Saad, Bablu, Anthony and Farazul just blocked the gate.
"Are you the new stammering kid?" asked Anthony.
Anthony has a bucked teeth that was yellow. It seemed that, he didn't brush his teeth for a while. His curly hair had full of dandruff that disgusted him. But his eyes had a chunk of mysteries that some secrets were deeply necessary. Fairly, he was the leader of the gang.
"Y-Yes" stammered Ehsaan.
"Still stammering? Huh! Are you going home to see your mommy?" teased Saad.
Saad was tall, lean and wore uniform dirty. His eyes were of a vengeful tiger that lied on the disgust of a hunt. Even though they were kids, their aggression only could be seen in the eyes.
But the rest of the two bouncing a yoyo that scared Ehsaan to death. Flashbacks of his past triggered him for real. He was nine years old. Just washed his face. Until, he saw two aggressive guys, similar to the present 'bullies' in the mirror, he looked back and ran. They commanded him to go to the commode, but he smashed them violently. It was when the Principal hit him with the stick.
Getting back to the present, his hand was trembling with fear and his muscles almost led to an anxiety attack.
"Hey, I saw you and Hablu on the tea stall during the rainy time, while we were passing by! Is he scared?" teased Anthony.
"I..I don't know, maybe he was" stammered Ehsaan, scared.
The bully gang grabbed his collar. Their eyes turned wild. Anthony pushed him to the wall that almost heavily hit his spine. It shook Ehsaan's body to the abyss that has a strong rock and a lot of thorns. It was a grasp of epilepsy that he was about to witness. Anthony just was about to forcefully pick some pennies from his pocket, as a part of their hunting.
Until,
"Let him go, you son of a bitch! Leave the new guy alone!" screamed Arhan.
Hablu, Arhan, Ikhon and George assembled as a gang. Other than Anthony and Saad, the other two were petrified of their ferocious eyes, just as the mongoose were about to eat the snake. Anthony gently removed Ehsaan's collar with the distraction. It seemed that their rivalry has a shorter history than the rest of the earlier generations of the 'Altab Nagari'.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, you'll just beat the shit out of us and save the day. Now it's time to go and run. Take a chill pill" said Anthony sarcastically.
"Stop this utter crap! You always steal pocket money from the new and the weaklings, aren't you? I think, you're more of a scaredy cat than our Hablu Da. So we're not chilled and the pill is in your arse. Let's get these bullies to the vet. Shall we?" replied Arhan sarcastically.
"I'm not afraid of you! Fight me!" screamed Anthony.
He and Saad were closing their palm with a pressure of about to punch them.
"De La Grande, Mephistopheles! Yak Yak!"
They charged and ran over them by Hablu and the gang. While Hablu was using his martial arts skill on them, though it looked cartoony, Anthony, Saad, Bablu and Fazarul ran into the toilet. The rest of the gang chased Bablu and Fazarul by hitting them like a regular brawl in the marketplace. Arhan and Hablu hit the stones with their slingshots and dirt from the bins, whereas Anthony and Saad were running outside school by crying plus sucking their fingers like a toddler 'mommy!'
Hablu and the gang laughed with uproar. Until he found Ehsaan, laid petrified on the floor. The duo-Hablu and Arhan looked at him with a pity of his soul. Poor Ehsan, who was on his way home, facing some more aggressive bullies than the ones in Alta Dighi! Both Arhan and Hablu carried Ehsaan to Altab's Tea Stall. Whereas Ikhon and George captured Bablu and Fazarul to the principal's office.
Ehsaan was almost in fever with a trembling shake on his body-between dead and alive. Sazed was shocked to see him in such a condition.
"Uncle Sazed, please call Fardeen bro, immediately" said Hablu.
Hence, he went a near pharmacy store. It was labelled, 'Fardeen Pharmacy'. He got into it and called a young-aged bearded man "Fardeen, we have a patient to help!"
Fardeen, the pharmacist took his stethoscope and pressure machine with few meds to look at the patient. Looking at him, lying and shaking cold, he declared that the patient got traumatized. Hablu gave Ehsaan a glass of water and after drinking it, he got partly recovered.