Time: 6.30 Pm
It's heavily raining outside..
Thunder accompanies along with lightening.. Siren of vehicles could be is heard louder from the roadside. Vehicles are blocked in heavy traffic.. Traffic blocks are often in Chennai. Traffic police is trying to clear the blocks.. The water level in the road seems to be increasing.. Is it gonna flood..?? Hmm..It seems like..
Anand sets out from his table, cleared all the mess in the office. He is already late today. He has got bulk of works to finish up everyday since he is a fresher in the office. It is almost one month that Anad is in Ashok Leyland. He took his umbrella from the draw, signed the register before he leaves and walked out quickly.. Meanwhile the block was cleared.
He pulled the door in the entrance and opened his umbrella. And walked to the place where his car was parked. And he inserted his hands in pocket to grab the key.
Godamn.. Forgotten the keys. It might be in the draw. Forgotten to take it from draw after clearing all the mess. He ran back to the office to get his keys and was back within no time. He got into the car and before starting, he just picked up his phone to switch on to the general mode from silent. It was then that he noticed the miscalls. Thirty missed calls from his wife Radhika.
'Oh gosh.. I forgot..
She might be angry with me. What would I do to console her..' Anad's mind was searching of a solution to console his wife.
These days I don't remember anything at all. I had promised her to go for shopping in the eve since it was our first wedding anniversary. And everything was forgotten due to this overload.. This job is very stressful, each day I'm going through lot of tensions and problems.. and the firing from that fucking manger too.. Unbearable..!! It's already late now.. It takes almost 2 hours to reach there. But, speed at 80Km/hr may help..
He drove fast thinking to take her for shopping even if it is late.
It was raining still. While taking a turn near by the Nanmangalam forest, a man leaped infront of his car. He was waving his hands to stop the car. He just twisted his car, and just rescued without hitting him and moved forward cursing him. He was leaping still.. and was in a desperate mood. Tears were rolling down from his eyes, but was unseen in the rain. He was not having any umbrella to hold on. Not even a thing was there with him. Heavy breaths, shabby appearance, torn dress, grown up beard and moustache made him unapproachable. He was stinking too.. Since Anand was late to reach his wife, he was not bothered. But even after few minutes, the pitiful face of the man still remained in his mind and made him to stop the car. He made a reverse and was back to him. He opened the door and let that man in.
Water was pouring down through his cloths to the car. The seats were wet. He forwarded a towel to that man to dry his hair. He stroked through the hair and wiped away the water. Meanwhile Anand enquired his details.
Anand: Where do you wanna go?
Stranger: Where ever you go..
What? Pardon.. asked Anand.
Yeah.. I told you already, wherever you go.
I mean, where should I drop you?
I have no particular destination to go. So you may drop me wherever you stop.
But, you must be having a destination to reach.. Said Anand.
Yeah.. I do. But, my present condition doesn't allow me to reach there. And I don't have any means to reach there. And even if I say the exact destination, you won't even dare to drop me there. So, what's the use of knowing my destination? It's better to drop me wherever you end your journey.
But, I'm going to my home. So, were you asking me to take you to my home?
Nope.. You may drop me in the very next town near by your home. That's okay for me.
Hmm.. That's fine. Said Anand.
He cut the conversation just like that. And therefore, Anand didn't raised anymore questions to him. The stranger seems very serious, experienced, matured, philosophical, thoughtful and mysterious. But, this person seems to be problematic. He is not at all ready to reveal the destination either. It's hard to keep quiet when a passenger is sitting beside us. And soon Anand ended up speaking about himself.
Well, I'm Anand. Working in Ashok Leyland. And may I know your name please?
Name... What's there in a name? A name has nothing to do with.. We call people by their name only to identify them in public. Since we are only two, I guess there is no need for you to know my name. And after all, you never gonna meet me again.. So let me remain as a stranger to you. And that's fine for me. Hope you too will be OK with that.
Yeah.. It's okay..!! Anand answered with bit reluctance thinking why this man remain mysterious and hesitates to open up. It seems like he had offered me a lift and I'm sitting in his car.. and asking me to shut up.. Hmm !! What a man he is..!
Actually I had become troublesome for you. Right? Am sorry for wetting the seats of your car.. Said the stranger.
Never mind. It's okay. Anad said.
And as he said that Anand looked at him. It was then that Anand noticed that the stranger lack a hand. What's wrong? Had my eyes gone blind? Or is it my hallucination after getting introduced to this man? I haven't drunk either..!! Thought Anand. He examined the stranger carefully. Yeah.. His hand has been cut out from the knees. Since he wear full sleeve shirt, it was unnoticed. And he happened to notice the blood oozing from that hand through the sleeve of the shirt..
He just stopped his car.. Look.. Blood is oozing from your hand and you stay carefree. How could you..?
Aaahh... It's nothing..
What? Nothing?? See.. It's something serious.. Blood is not stopping.. Let's go to the hospital..!! Telling that Anand stopped the car.
Hey no.. It's alright man.. A cloth or a towel would help to stop this blood. That's all enough. No need of going to hospital and all.
Being bit flayed, Anand asked.
Tell me... Who are you? You are hiding something from me, tell me who are you? YOU.. TERRIORIST?? Are you a terrorist!? Why do you get into my car? What's your aim? What is that you wanted from me??
It was recently that news about Maoist terrorists were published in the newspapers. Recollecting all those news items and the place where that happened to be, he questioned that stranger again.
Tell me, I wanna know now. And since I'm taking you in my car, I've the right to know it.
Who are you? And what is that you want from me? What is your target?
Hearing this, Stranger laughed.. Haha.. You are so funny.. Are you scared? Tell me that first..
Why should I? I'm not.. Anand answers hesitantly
Well.. I got into your car because you stopped. I was trying to get a vehicle for an hour.. But no one stopped. You were kind enough to give me a lift eventhough you demur for the first time. So I'm in your car. About target, right now I have no target other than traveling with you. And about me, let me remain as a stranger to you. No use of knowing about me other than wasting your time. So leave it. And about that question of terrorist, yeah.. I have been with terrorists. Anything else??
So you mean, you are a terrorist?? Ain't you?
With a sarcastic smile on his face he said. You could interpret it as you like.
What the fuck.. What a troublesome man he is.. He is not that agitating but he stays mysterious.. I don't know what to do with him. Should I drop him near by so that I would be relieved from further tensions? Is he a terrorist in real? If he were not, why should he stay with them? I'm baffled. Thought Anand.
Eventhough he was bit frightened, Anand asked. OK then, let me know how your hand got wounded..?
Hmm.. Won't you allow me to stay quite..? Asked the stranger.
I thought not to speak much to you. But you won't allow me to stay idle.. Well, it's almost 2 months that I had talked to someone like this. So right now I'm comfortable in staying silent. But since you don't allow me to, I'll say. I was not like this reserved before. I was a talkative person just like you. But, the conditions and situations that I had undergone made me to get confined to myself. I was not exposed to outside world these two months which finally tuned me to be a rough and tough person. Right now, I really forgot how to interact with people either.
Telling you about me, I should start from Krishnanagar. I was there in Krishnanagar for the sake of my job. It's after a long strive that I got a job there. I was there for coal mining. We were eight. We stayed in a lodge. Mining is in done in an interior region where no much transport facilities were available. It was a hilly as well as forest area. Population over there is also less. We get up early at 5 o'clock and have to arrive at the spot at 7.30 and will leave when we finish off our daily tasks. If we don't finish up our tasks before 7.30, we will miss our last bus at 8 o'clock to reach the lodge and we will get stucked in the midst of the road. So we will finish our works before the time.
That was bit cloudy day, Mining was bit tough for us since there was no essential light. So we were late to finish up our work that day. Ram, my friend is a man of humours and blunders. We might had got the last bus but it was because of him that we missed it. He is a man who is very conscious about the cleanliness. After our works we changed our uniforms and while we were back, his sandals were worn out and he slipped and fall down in the mud. His cloths were dirty. So he went back to cleanse it. We had to walk a bit to reach the main road. And for the difference of 5min we lost our bus.
We got stucked amidst of the road. We thought to get some private vehicle to reach our lodge. Since population was less in that area, probability of reaching our lodge was also less. And moreover, people over there won't normally give lift to strangers as well. Since we were not from that area, we were ignored by them while we were waving our hands for a lift. Two or three vehicles passed by, but none of them were stopped. We were in trouble in that forest. It was then that we saw a headlight.
Sure, it's a vehicle said Ram.
Yeah.. We know that, but the question is whether it will stop or not.
It will.. I guess those people in in that will be kind enough. Ram said.
Haha.. It's because of the kindness of the people over here that we are standing here like a statue. Someone among us commented.
Hey stop teasing.. There are good people too.. If someone didn't stop, that doesn't mean that all of them are like that. Ram said.
Hmm.. Let's see.. I told.
Well, it's a jeep..
Yeah.. It is.. Oh god.. Let that vehicle Stop..! "Stop.. Stop.. stop.." Ram folded his hands together and prayed to Muruga just like a child.
Someone waved hands inorder to ask a lift.
Well, may be because of Ram's prayer or not, vehicle stopped. We asked for a lift and they let us in. They were speaking some other language which we were not familiar with.. That was Thulu. But, we managed to convey our idea somehow. They were four, wearing uniforms of military police. We were happy because they were from military.
Ram told, I told you no.. "They will stop.." And how is it now? You know what? I was right..!! See, "this military people are always service minded. I really salute them for their service." They really struggles to keep our country safe from enemies..
Could you please stop Ram. Stop being a nuisancer.
Array, look them, they don't have that military caps nor no badge or any Id.. I guess they are not from military.Veer said.
Jeepers..!!! Don't they?? I asked..
Then Ram said. You guys don't worry. I will ask them. After all, I'm good in mimicry and therefore I'll be able to communicate the idea properly. Let me give a try.
Ram started to do all sorts of actions and gestures to make them speak. Oh,, you had got guns.. If thou are not from military, are you hunters? Are you gonna hunt in this late night? Will you teach us to hunt?
Stop speaking nonsense Ram. Said Veer.
The driver murmured, It's better for you to keep quiet.
They started to look him furiously and when he was intolerable, one of them pointed the gun towards him.
But why this uniform? May be because, not to get identified easily, right? Asked Ram.
Hey crack, normally people go to hunt in forest only during nights. Orelse they will be scolded by the police. Said Veer.
I know it, I just asked to create a merry mood.. Said Ram in defence.
The military man was still holding his gun pointing Ram.
If they are not gonna hunt, are they going to kill misquitoes with those guns?
Array.. I asked simply. Leave that gun. I'll sit quietly. Said Ram with little fright in his eyes.
You know what Ram, "this military people are always service minded, I always salute them for their service " we teased him in chorus.
Allo... Stop it guys..!! Stop mocking at me. Ram said irritably.
It was then that we noticed the jeep taking a turn from the main road which we must go and it was going through a narrow road which leads to Nanmangalam forest.
Array.. Stop it man.. We have to get down here. We are supposed to go through the main road, not this way. So stop it. We are gonna climb down. Said Manjeeth.
We stood up inorder to get down. The keep was going through gutters. They increased the speed of the vehicle. The other military man too pointed his gun on others. Everything changed within seconds.. The happy mode changed. We were forced to sit down. We were at the tip of the gun, forced to place ourselves like a statue. We were not even allowed to speak. It took time for us to understand what is happening.. We were taken to the forest like criminals. The vehicle took some hectic turns. We were not sure where we are taken to. But we realised that they understands what we say but don't know how to speak it up properly. They gave us orders to keep silence and to remain calmly in our language. They gave us instructions fragmentarily. Since we were under the guns, we were forced to obey them hesitantly.
After teaching the midst of the forest, they stopped the vehicle. Many tents were there. And there were many others who wear the same uniform. What's going on? We were not able to understand. The man who got down from the jeep gave some instructions to them and each of them came to us with a rope, tired our hands with it and take us to a room which was recently build up. While taking us to the room, they told, "we are terrorists.. It's better for you to obey us orelse you will be shot down without a second chance. And don't dare to act too smart by trying to escape. Even the cry of the birds and the movement of the leaves are signals for us.." And then they dumped us there like hens. It was then that we realised that we were trapped. After half an hour, an old man, who seems like their leader took up his wireless phone and was calling our manager. He spoke up bit Thulu and bit Hindi. He was bargaining.. Bailing indeed.. They were asking 20 lakhs to release us. And that was 20 times more than our whole salary. Actually, we were kidnapped. Our struggles to survive started there.
They were the noted terrorists by our police. And we came to know it later. The attempts of police to catch them fails each time. And finally, we were trapped in their hands too. Days passed. First, we were having a great expectation that we will be released soon. We thought that or company manager will help us to get back. But they didn't.. Who cares to spend huge money on workers like us..? After all, we are not his blood relation too. Manager might had given advertisement to get new workers by then. But, still bargaining was going on between the leader of the team and manager.. May be because he didn't get new workers. Hmm..!!
At first, we we were served bread and chappathis while we were hungry. But later, realising that we are least wanted by our company, the care and consideration towards us was diminished meantime. Two weeks over, all food stuffs were over too. We were kept starving. Water was less, we even compete for droplets of water and for food particles too. And when two more weeks was over we were used to starving. Those days were really suffocating. We drank muddy water to wet or throats though it was bad to drink. But, there was no other way for us to sustain. All these days we were gulping nothing other than our saliva. We ate up the fruits that were available in the forest albeit we were under strict observation. We missed everything, everyone in our life. It seems like we were left alone in this whole world. We slept in the late nights along with mosquitoes. We were really shivering in the cold winter with no blankets to hold on. We were quite exposed to the nature.. Exposed to the hard truths of the nature. Our expectation to be out of the forest was rescueless. And we realised that we will end up or lives in the forest since our manager doesn't take any initiative to save us. So we planned to escape from there by ourselves. We were really waiting for a chance. One day, for our luck.. Terrorists were in a party mood. They got some whisky and some vodka to drink. They were drunk enough and were busy with playing cards. We waited for the apt time. All were falling asleep and we stepped silently. After a limited distance we started to run.. But the sounds were heard aloud as we were stamping the dry leaves. Since the whole forest was covered with the fallen leaves the way was not clear. We got scattered and run for our life. And while running, I happened to fall in a pit. Since it was covered with the leaves I failed to notice it. I tired my best to get out of it but the trench was big enough for me to climb up. Some of my friends came to rescue me. But the loud thud made them awake. I screamed out to my friends to scoot over. Some of them ran away. Some were caught red-handed. And finally me too was picked up from the trench by them. We were scolded. They counted our heads and found that two were missing. They were in a rage and shoot down my friend Ram infront of my eyes. Still their anger was not diminished. And they cut down my hands or of their anger.. and we were punished hardly. They were really harsh to us from that day onwards. And the blood kept on oozing from my hands. And stopped eventually when one of my friend applied juice of medicinal plants. This happened few weeks back. I don't know how I escaped. Still I can't believe that I'm free from them. It's been 2 months by now.
It was the day of our shifting of the settlement. Our place was traced out by the police and all were in a hurry packing up. They tied our hands back. For the first time, being handicapped paved the way for my escape. I was set free when others were tied up. I stepped back when they were busy tying.. And somehow I happened to be out of their sight. Since all things were in a mess, and due to the constraints of the time they left me as such and escaped with the rest. I ran through the forest, through the unknown routes, ways, exposed to the thorns and stones on the way and was bruised badly.. I crossed the hectic river although I was washed-up in the strong fall of water. I happened to cross it somehow though I was done with it. I lost my way, my hope but still I kept trying.. I happened to see the wild elephants and some monkeys. For god's sake, I haven't seen much. On the way, my hands were wounded again and blood started oozing since it was not dried properly. And somehow after a long struggle and tiring attempts, I happened to jump before your car. And this is how I'm here.
Anand: O my god.. What a story.. Your life is full of tragedies.. Right?
Stranger : May be.. But it's this tragedies that mould us strong and courageous enough to face any other upcoming problems in our life..
Anand: Actually where do you wanna go? Since you had opened up yourself, I think you don't care to tell that too..
Stranger: Well, I feel relaxed now after telling it to you. Yeah.. It's too long that I had gone to my home in Salem. I miss my mom badly. And it's been two months that I haven't even posted a letter to her. Since there is no range in those region, having a phone is a crap. My mother would be worried about me and might be complaining.. But I have no way to reach there. Even I don't have a single penny to call her up to tell her that I'm safe.
Anand: Hey, don't worry pal.. I could help you to reach out your mom as well as your home.
Stranger: If it's so that would be a great help for me and I'll be grateful to you through out my life. I may return your money when I reach my home then.
Anand: Yack.. It's OK dude.. No need of returning money and all. By the way, where do you plan to stay this night?
Stranger: Actually.. I don't have any idea. And I don't have money too.. Most probably, I may end up lying down in the street I guess..
Anand : If you don't mind you may stay in my home tonight.
Stranger: Oh.. Thanks again.. I never expected that you would tell me this.. This would be a great help for me.
Meanwhile they passed a famous hotel near by. Anand started speaking about that hotel. This is one of the famous hotel in our area. Almost all the people pass by have their food from here. It was raised up recently..
Stranger: Anand.. I wanna tell you something..
Anand: Yeah.. Tell me man..
Stranger: Actually, I kept starving all these days. It's almost two months that I had eaten something that is tasty. And I'm hungry too.. If you don't mind would you get something for me to eat?
Anand: Oh I'm sorry dude.. I had forgotten that, I'll get something from that hotel.
Telling that Anand put the reverse gear and went back to that hotel. Meanwhile, the manager was about to close it. Anand stopped the car and ran to him. He succeeded in convincing that manager and got a parcel of biriyani for him. The stranger snatched it away from him and had it greedily as if he had never eaten biriyani. After food, he washed it off with the water in the bottle. He wanted his face too.. And he kept on washing his nose again and again. Anand happened to notice it and keenly observed him. It is then that he happened to see the oozing of blood from his nose. At first, he thought it might be the blood that is oozing from his wounded hand.. But, it was not.
Anand cried out.. "Hey man... Look.. Your nose is bleeding.."
Hearing this the stranger swipe his nose and watched his hands.. It was full with blood. He was super cool.. With no change in in his expressions. He wiped it out with his towel, he glanced it and said with a light smile in his face.. "It's gone now.. Let's go.."
Anand: What the hell?? How could you stay so cool like this?? It's bleeding man.. Don't you know its seriousness? Surely you should go to a hospital..
Stranger: Dude, it's not new for me.. I had gone through this before.
Anand: What do you mean?
Stranger: It happened earlier.. One day when I was busy finishing up my work, I happened to faint down and blood was oozing like this. I was taken to the hospital that was near by our company. Doctor checked out and confirmed that it's blood cancer and I have a tumor growing in my head. I didn't go for further treatment since I don't have enough money to pay for that. So I just skipped it.
Anand: How miserable your life is.. Do your mother knows this?
Stranger: Not yet.. It's better not to tell her. She will simply worry over this.. I don't wanted her to get worry over me.
Anand: But you know, it's not a silly thing to avoid like this. It's something serious..
Stranger: Aye, I know..
They reached home within no time. Mrs. Anand was not in good mood. She opened the door complaining about his careless and irresponsible behavior. She scolded him for being late, for forgetting her, for not attending her calls.. She stopped all of a sudden when she noticed the stranger stepping out from the car. She stayed calm and quiet obediently like a kid. Anand introduced him to his wife.
They freshen up and talked a while. After that Anand booked a ticket for the stranger so that he may go home by the train next day morning. Anand took him to the upstairs and showed him the room to sleep..
Anand: I will call you at 4.15. The Rajadhani express is at 5 o'clock. It takes almost 20 minutes to reach the railway station. Have a nice sleep.
Stranger: Thank you Anand.. Thanks a lot.. You did a lot for me..
Anand: Yack, stop all these things.. It's okay man.. We are no more strangers I guess.. And there is no need of all these things between friends.. Isn't it?
Stranger: Yeah.. Alright pal.. Sleep tight..
Anand went back to his room. He consoled his wife. He narrated the whole story. And the reason for being late. After all, just like any other man, he too studied how to make one's wife happy.
Anand: See Radhika.. I'm really sorry for all this mess.. And I really mean it. It's not because that I had forgotten you. It's because I was really stucked with all this mess. But even then, I was thinking about my sweety angel and this dull, naughty and angry face of yours..! Do you know... You look so cute when you get angry that I even feels like kissing you..like this..
Telling that, he kissed her. All her anger was vanished within seconds. No matter how much angry your wife is.. You could make it out with.. 'an apology, a kiss, lovely and praising words that shows your concern towards her.'
Anand wake up hearing the bang sound of Alarm. He went to call the stranger with a bed coffee. Her kept the coffee aside and called him. He was still sleeping. Anand turned him and patted him to wake him up. But he had no intention of getting up. After several attempts, he moved his hands slowly towards the nose of the stranger and Anand was stucked. The stranger didn't wake up. He was in a sleep.. A deep sleep which no one wakes up. Yes, it was an escape... A narrow escape (from terrorists) to the death.
*****
