“Hey please slow down, I am unable to walk as fast as you…”
He stopped on hearing a voice; turned back in the direction of the voice to find the person behind it. Shyam walked up a narrow lane, the lane ahead of him split into three. He looked around to find the voice, he saw on the left a home being built, it was lacked roof trusses and framed windows, on the right a hilly path paved originally by footsteps then laid over by concrete rolled ahead, he had cradled in his arms an infant no older than 10 months, the child was slim, yet had plump cheeks; and light grey hair. He had looked at the lane on the extreme left, he had found the owner of the voice, yet the mist covered her face in a haze, as he strained his focus to see her. Shyam awake and realised he was in a dream.
The dream which haunting him during the sleep and he began to hallucinate after that dream had passed. However, haunting the dream was still a ray of hope for him.
The outer world turned to a thought for him. Shyam awake but held his eyes unopened as he had no passion to open his eyes. With open eyes, he had no dream to see. For a long time, he was lost in the dark. Shyam was not certain whether it was a day or night.
He fell asleep whenever he felt and would never try to open his eyes when he awake. The time and calendar were stagnant for him.
Recently, he was feeling cold. The warm blanket he urged for, and they granted his demand. He could feel the winter had started.
Shyam was disturbed by three facts. One was the foot sound of the person coming to provide him with the meals, second anybody came and interrogated him beating and the third one was the dream.
He was shaken the greatest by the dream. However he could hear dogs barking, he was not annoyed by that.
Shyam was adapted to barking and howling of the dogs. The yelling and howling were from the distance hence it was not a disturbance for him. Sometimes he heard the hootings of owls and larks and he could envision it must be midnight now.
That dream haunting him for years now no more torment for him. He was less upset now due to that dream. He took the dream as a wonder in beginnings but as he didn’t know the girl in the dream. Now he had no questions who the girl was… which place it was…
However, he could not recognise the face seen in the dream due to the mist but deepest in his heart he felt she was Archana Sagar as she was only the girl who entered and occupied deepest in his heart. She began to be his life string.
The unknown girl of the dream whom he began to search, and he trapped in the dark cell instead of turning the dream into reality. He was not sure since how long he was here and how long he would be here.
He had only three dates in his memory.
November 9 – Archana’s birthday.
November 14, 2014 – his first meeting with Archana.
July 25, 2016 – the last date.
The last date was in his memory because he had seen that date last on his mobile screen. He had forgotten the time since he had no freedom to count the time as Robinson Crusoe.
He didn’t know when the day and night changed.
The room was spacious but dark. The curtains were rolled down making the room blind inside. Shyam opened the eyes. It was dark and his eyes took some time to be stable. He could see the door was locked and chained. His hands and feet were solidly bound together with the same colour of thin but strong nylon rope used in the fishing net. Shyam was on the floor and three men peered down at him from their chairs and Shyam was filled with a feeling of fear.
Shyam tried to speak but he couldn’t. He felt duct tape over his mouth. One of them led over to a leather backpack on a baggage rack, opened it and took out nails and a hammer. He settled them on the floor beside Shyam. Shyam stirred with fear. The second man rose on his heels from the chair and stepped to Shyam. Shyam felt they would nail his hands and feet. Shyam understood they must be men of Archana’s father. He had seen Archana’s father many times, and he was sure no one of them was Archana’s father. But he was certain they must be his men.
The men were bad enough in looks to frighten Shyam but their faces were hidden behind the mask and Shyam could not see their faces and saved from sudden fright. The man rose and went toward the locked door. He pressed some switches on switchboard on the wall near the left of the door and the room lit up by a light shining in Shyam’s face. Shyam looked at trio standing around him. He saw them in light and accepted none was Archana’s father.
The first fellow who brought nails and hammer removed the duct tape over his mouth. Shyam tried to speak but he couldn’t. The man pulled the handkerchief from his mouth which was stuffed in his mouth and taped so Shyam couldn’t produce any sound.
“Who are you?” Shyam could only speak.
“Agent, you are not authorised to ask any questions. You are here to answer us.”
“Agent?” Shyam exclaimed.
“Agent Shyam, we know all about you and hope you will tell us what we don’t know.”
“My name is Shyam but I am not an agent.”
The man who removed the duct pulled the hammer and smashed it savagely against Shyam’s nose. Shyam screamed in pain. He was suffocating in his own blood.
“Who is agent Malik?”
“I don’t hear any Malik before.” Shyam was fighting for breath as the blood was flowing into his throat so fast he could hardly speak.
“You can’t make us fool, Agent.” The second man kicked him in the ribs.
Shyam tried to breathe and thought these were not men of Archana’s father.
“I am not an agent. I swear to God.”
The third man untied Shyam’s hands. Shyam relieved thinking they trusted his words. Shyam sat up.
“Where are Rozy and Christy?” that fellow asked after untieing his hands.
“Rozy....?Christy...?” there was a great puzzlement in his voice. “I don’t know any Rozy or Christy.”
The questioner jumped forward and Shyam heard the sound of his left hand cracking at the same time instant he felt the searing pain. Shyam screamed loudly but there was no else to hear his screams and the trio want to hear replies to their questions, not screams.
“I know nothing. I can’t answer you even if you kill me.”
“We will kill you after breaking all of the limbs you have.!” he laughed. “The last chance for you. Where is the data?”
Shyam was fond of Hollywood movies especially thriller movies. Niyam Lison was his favourite one. He had seen all parts of Taken. Shyam understood this was the case of mistaken identity. They must be any mafias or official of secret agencies. Shyam read somewhere that the kidnapper won’t kill you until you provide them with the information they want. Shyam thought if he let them know he was not an agent, they would kill him as they would think him no use. He had no way except to suffer torturing to keep his breath continue.
“Where is the data?” the man repeated.
Shyam knew the answer ‘I don’t know’ would send him to the death. He was silent as silence could keep him alive for more seconds. The man took out the gun from nowhere and placed the pistol on his forehead.
“I am going to shoot you.” The man tried to scare Shyam. Shyam closed his eyes.
“Go and fuck yourself” Shyam spat the blood, the blood stored in his mouth.
He held his pistol in one hand and took mobile from his jeans pocket using another hand. He called someone and spoke on the phone, “Sir, We have tortured him except the death but he is not speaking anything. We must kill him.”
Shyam’s heart was thumping and struggling to come out from his chest.
“Okay, sir. As you wish.”
Will the mistaken identity cost me my life? Shyam thought, but he had no option except to wait.
He looked at his companion. “Balbeer, lucky boy. Bloke wants him alive up to the election.”
Shyam felt a great relaxation in his heart. They wouldn’t kill him, at least not now, not up to a poll.
“I don’t think we should let him alive. He is no more useful to us. Is he?”
“I also think so. But the chief wants him alive. God knows when we require him.”
Balbeer came forward. The man put the gun in his pocket. Balbeer tied Shyam’s hands again . he stuffed the handkerchief in his mouth and shut his lips using duct tape. he also covered his face with a black cloth. Balbeer dragged him to the floor and threw Shyam into a van.
When they removed the cloth, Shyam found himself in the cell.
Shyam had only one way to alive, and it was to follow their every instruction strictly and he was following them since he was thrown here.
From instruction, he came to know they knew all about them. Shyam again thought about the dream. Why does this dream not stop to chase and haunt me? He startled as he heard some sound. It was foot stepping. No, it was not only foot stepping. Something more. he opened his eyes and paid attention to the sound. Someone was groaning the footsteps and moaning was approaching.
Suddenly the room filled with the faint light.
He was in light after a long time, dim light but light. But the joy of seeing light soon melted.
Why is the bulb lighted?
Do they not need him anymore?
Was the poll completed? He knew what they were going to do after the poll.
The door opened and daylight came into the room splitting the fading light of the bulb and with the daylight, he could see a girl at the door. He could not see the face of the girl as it was covered with blood and earth. She was in a pink half sleeved T-shirt. Her both hands and skin were filled with bruises. She was standing little bending. Having seen the lady, Shyam realised again how violent they were. The body of that lady describing the remand and torment were beyond the limit.
Two men appeared either side of her. Shyam recognized them. One was Balbeer and the other whose name he hadn’t heard yet was his companion. The companion in the black shirt tried to push the lady inside the room. But at first sight, the girl seemed weak and feeble had still energy in her. She resisted stepping ahead.
Shyam felt proud for her bravery. She was wounded still resisting. Shyam felt ashamed of him as he was following their instruction as an obedient child does.
But how long a girl can resist those devils?
She was a helpless girl after all trapped among the wild hounds.
The bull- Balbeer took charge in his hand. He stepped back a little. He banged the butt of his rifle which caught her head. Shyam could have screamed, but he covered his mouth with his palms and not let any sound come out from his mouth. Shyam didn’t want to scream and come in light when Balbeer the beast one was ready to show his animality and barbarism.
But that girl had no fear. She screamed and collapsed on the ground.
Shyam pushed his palms over his head tightly.
Balbeer dragged the girl and threw her in the middle of the cell. Shyam’s heart filled with anger but he was helpless. He could help the girl no way. Balbeer looked at his comrade and smiled showing how cruel he was!
They threw a glance over the room and left the room. The door closed with a slam as usual.But something was not as a routine.What was that? Shyam understood what the exceptional was. They lit the bulb before opening the door and the bulb was still lightening. They forgot to switch off the bulb after closing the door.
She didn’t faint in contrast to Shyam’s assumption. The girl tried to sit up as soon as the door closed. She wasn’t shocked seeing him in the dim light. She just asked, “since when are you here?”
“Don’t know. Last time I saw the date on my mobile screen and it was July 25, 2016.” Shyam sighed, “Which date is today?”
“A long vacation! Today is November 11.”
“25 July to 11 November... only three and a half months?” he shouted to himself.
“Yaar (Friend), isn’t three and a half month enough?” she spoke with little laughter as if she were envying of him.
“Vacation? Why are you laughing?” Shyam both annoyed and wondered.
“Yaar, I never get so long vacation anytime. No work and resting all day isn’t a vacation?” she spoke wiping the blood over her face with the sleeve of her T-shirt.
Shyam wondered how can anyone talk so frankly in such a wounded position. He asked, “What is your name?”
“Charmi, all call me Chutti in my office. What is your name, man?”
“Shyam. Do you read the newspaper?” Shyam bluntly asked.
“Why?” She astonished by Shyam’s question.
“They are going to keep me alive up to the poll.” Shyam’s voice mixed with his own sobbing.
“Which election?” she also looked a little frightened.
“I don’t know but when they caught me, they talking they kill me after the poll but I couldn’t know which poll.
‘then why don’t you trying to escape instead waiting for the election to come and they will kill you.” Her voice had a scolding tone.
“How can I escape? The door remains closed for twenty-four hours. The door had live electric current when it is closed and there are two fierce hounds out the door, one is a Lebra and another is pit bull. There have watchmen with a gun; he will shoot me if I try to escape. They warned me on the first day.”
“The game is something great.” She was serious now. She tried to stretch her hand to pick a glass near the water pot. Again, she screamed. Her hands were swollen and could not able for any movements. Shyam rose to his feet and went to the water pot. He filled the glass with water and gave it to her. Shyam doubted she might be involved to them and pretending here as a victim to know the answers they want from his stomach. But his doubt soon melted as he looked at her swollen hands and blood-covered face. She had grey jeans covered with mud and Pink-T-shirt changed to a little grey due to earth. Her clothes describing they must have dragged her on asphalt road. Her blood and earth covered face still looking beautiful.
Shyam understood she had struggled hard to escape before brought here. She was staring at him and lips were slightly open.
Shyam believed a lovely girl can make anybody fulfil her wish but today seeing her he realised he was wrong. Her pale blue eyes and appealing face dragging Shyam’s mind toward her.
Hearing the footsteps, Shyam went to his formal place. The door opened and Balbeer appeared with two plates one above another in his hand. He put one plate near Charmi and then another against Shyam. He went out, and the door was closed after him as usual.
Shyam was weak to hunger. He started to eat as soon as Balbeer went out. He had been served the same food stale and tasteless for the last three months. Shyam was eating neglecting the taste. Suddenly he realised the presence of the girl in the cell. He looked at her. She was still gazing at her through her pale blue magic eyes. Shyam rose to keep his plate in his hand and sat beside her.
“Please do eat,” Shyam spoke in Gujarati but soon realised his mistake. He repeated in Hindi. Shyam wondered why the words uttered in Gujarati even after so much time. The mother tongue and the motherland can never be forgotten.
“Are you Gujarati?” she astonished.
“Yes, I am.”
“You know I know Gujarati.” She filled with joy and forgot she was in the cell.
“Good for me. You know Gujarati. I forget your name.”
“Charmi”
“Charmi, Please take the meal.”
She remained mute. Shyam handed the plate in her hand.
She began to eat. They emptied their plates and put them aside.
“The pig will pick the empty plates when he comes to serve food again,” Shyam explained Charmi.
Charmi was staring at him.
“Why are you looking at me?”
“Why? Have you any issue?”
“Why should I have any problem but?.”
“But what..?” she chuckled.
Shyam annoyed this girl had no fear or anxiety in such a situation.
“By the way, we must escape from here.” Shyam tried to change the topic, “We don’t know when they will kill us.”
“We can only rescue from here if we know who kidnapped us and why? What is their intent?” Charmi was right in her thinking. They could only think about the outbreak if they knew why they were captured.
“That is the issue. I have no idea why they seized me. I don’t know what they want from me.” Shyam was confused, “Who are they? I know nothing.”
Shyam took a deep sigh.
“How were you kidnapped and from where?” Charmi asked him in a style of a detective.
“I don’t know how I was here. I could only know by their inquiry they mistook me for somebody else. This is a case of mistaken identity.”
“Mistaken identity? What you mean by them?” Charmi confused, “can you be a slight clear so that I can get you.”
Shyam was worried and nervous hence he couldn’t tell her what he wanted to say and her Hindi a grammatical incorrect was more confusion to her.
“How can I explain to you?’ Shyam annoyed.
“Say in Gujarati. I know Gujarati but please speak a little slow.” She spoke seriously, “You go in flashback. You can tell me something so that I can understand what the matter is.”
“I am doing the same since I was kidnapped. I thought and went into a memory again and again but...”
“But what? What is the issue?”
“The questions are waiting in the past. I couldn’t find any clue.”
“You should sleep now. Remove all your worry and take the rest. You need sleep. You were alone here for long times and you are mentally upset.”
“How can I sleep? Is it possible?” Shyam burst into tears.
“Why not? I am feeling drowsy.” Charmi stretched herself on the floor with no more questions.
Shyam was staring at her face in confusion. He slipped into thoughts.
***
To be continue...
