Mystery! ... Mystery

We checked into a guest house of the tutorial institution after eight within the evening. Somehow at that specific moment, I could not remember the precise details of our prior journey, just concentrating on getting settled there. Why I used to be there that too I didn't quite bother about. However, since my colleague came alongside me I used to be confident enough that it had been a politician trip. That it had been a touch odd to not remember anything about the trip or the aim of the visit didn't cross my mind either.

The room was rectangular and looked fine, a touch was more spacious than standard rooms. From the doorway on the left segment of the space, there was the double bed; on the left side of the bed there was a sliding glass-paned window giving a view to the front side of the guest house; a cabinet at the corner opposite the bed; on the proper there was a table with three wooden cushioned chairs and beyond that, there was the door to the remainder room. I got curious once I saw another closed door on the left side of the remainder room door, that's to mention, on the farthest right corner from the doorway. From the planning of the ground, I used to be sure that the extra door couldn't hook up with another room. I made a decision to seek out later what that interesting door led to. There was another window on the proper side from the entrance; all curtains were drawn across since the AC was placed on.

My colleague Srijay asked me repeatedly if I used to be comfortable and if I needed something more. Getting assured from my answers he left for his room reminding me to order supper positively before ten o'clock at which era the limited dining facility closed down for the night. I saw him to the door thanking him for his concern. As I closed the door suddenly I felt someone's presence within the room. I whirled around to my left, and for a flash, I used to be paralyzed with an uncanny feeling. Standing before the drawn curtains of the window a brief, stocky and dark-skinned boy smiled up at me. I stared at him, nothing beginning of my frozen vocal cords. The boy grinned at me and said, Sir. you must've forgotten me! Why... I used to be the space service once you came here last time!"Yes, I came here earlier too, but somehow I could not place that boy, unable to recollect if I met him last time. quite that I used to be considered occupied with the considered how he came. The attendant left after putting my luggage so as, and nobody came after that; I used to be there with Srijay only. the very fact that my mind was already a touch blurred I took special care now to place things in proper focus, and my mind started racing which was interrupted by the boy again. Sir, do not be concerned .. you'll recollect later, obviously. Please call room service if you would like anything... and I'll come again" thereupon the boy unlocked the door, went out and closed it from outside, beat a languid motion.I stood there motionless for a few times. Finally, I forcibly put it out of my mind, and at an equivalent time, I made a decision to explore everything about the space. Immediately I headed for the interesting door past the remainder room. I moved the doorknob giving it a light push to understand if it had been locked from the opposite side.No, it wasn't. I pushed further and therefore the door opened into a large space giving the impression of some kind of a storeroom. But, why a storeroom was attached to the most room? Such a facility was never

offered in any hotel or guesthouse where I stayed within a previous couple of years. space had some old wooden furniture and few wooden racks scattered here and there. Straight ahead there was another door, and immediately I moved towards it to seek out out what was lying beyond, my curiosity at the height now. As I neared the door something moved on my right. There was an enormous old wooden rack covered fully with a white sheet from top to bottom, and below rock bottom shelf the material was hurriedly pulled inside. Someone must be hiding under it! I got really scared now, a chill running down my spine.
"Who the hell is there? I shouted at the highest of my voice. Nothing happened for a couple of moments. And then, the material was thrown aside, and there emerged the frame of frail wife with unkempt hair, sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones glaring at me, and during a flash trying to leap on me. She called call at a sick shrill, "Give me money... give me food... now... or... I'll devour you up, you wicked man! , More in fright than the danger of a physical assault I instinctively rushed towards the door because the sickly woman charged after me. during a flash, I opened the door, pushed the rushing figure through it and locked it from inside. I had no time to ascertain what lay beyond that door as I planned to earlier. I've locked this door, and now I'll keep that 'interesting' door of my room permanently locked never bothering about it, but I'll surely report this interest to the manager, I promised myself.

Outside the door the shrill rose to a crescendo now, and that I hurriedly rotated heading back for my room. I took only a couple of steps once I heard a scratching noise slowly rising in volume. I whirled around again watching the door. Someone was trying to crush open the door. Who could it be? That frail lady couldn't possibly emit such a lot of force? I stood there transfixed. The scratching became a hammering now. The door started shaking violently.
My God... it had been making a gift of, I watched in horror! the highest door hinge was almost gone; the center one was getting jerked uncontrollably. If that gave away the single-piece door would come off. I need to do something now... and fast.
Instinctively again, I rushed towards the door. My plan was to push the door out alongside the intruder to the opposite side, possibly crushing her or him under the door, then rush back to space, locking the 'interesting' door securely and call reception. just one factor was beyond my control I didn't know what lay beyond that door, and what was the number of my foes, only the woman or more...

I did as I planned. I managed to push the door freed from its hinges to the incorrect side outside. However, the falling door did not crush anyone under its weight. To my surprise and horror, there was only that frail old sick lady outside, and she or he dexterously succeeded in wriggling herself out of the falling door.
Eyes blazing, breathing venom, hair and hands flailing and shrieking wildly the lady was dancing during a seizure of insanity. , Give me money. give me food.. you crooked fool!, I did not retreat inside, as if paralyzed by the spectacular dance of insanity ahead of me as if trying vainly to research what it had been all about. I lost a couple of precious moments within the process. In those seconds the wild cavorting spectacle in

deadly throes took hold of a little iron table and came rushing to hit me. I pulled my mind out of wondering about how she could come to possess such a lot of energy, so ominously potent, and targeting my next crucial move.

My self-defense reaction now turned to the attacking mode as I removed within the open trying to frolic her eluding her, trying to tire her out and to catch the foremost opportune moment to deactivate her. For the primary time I used to be aware that it had been an open space, sort of a backyard, and there have been few building blocks surrounding the space. there have been some heads and voices too within the lighted balconies of some blocks, but nobody tried to intervene or help either folk. you can't expect anything from these zombies; at the foremost, they're going to remove their mobiles, take selfies and luxuriate in, I mused bitterly as I ran around the space with the specter giving a relentless chase. Give me money. give me food.. you wretched devil!

Perhaps there came divine intervention. therein seemingly endless run and chase, one moment came to me when she was close enough to me on my right close to rotating to confront me. I accepted that moment just like the proverbial straw; caught hold of her and therefore the iron table using both of my hands, gave her an almighty shove and ran headlong towards my room-through the broken door and thru that enigmatic door. Unnaturally powerful as she was, the frail lady couldn't make it this point reeling, cursing and falling with a thud at the farthest side of the space, the iron table on top of her. That gave me ok time to seal my protection.

I activated all the locks available thereon mysterious door, and sat down on the bed panting with a rush of blood to my head. Shrill shrieks of the insane woman could not be heard now. However, at this particular moment, things again got a touch blurred, I had no idea in the least why. At that specific moment I should have done the foremost obvious thing-call up reception, report that emergency and urge them to require immediate preventive steps. But instead, I only felt pangs of hunger in my belly and considered taking preventive steps for that only. I checked out my watch. Oh God... it had been quarter past ten, no point calling the canteen now, I assumed despondently.
My mobile rang. within the commotion, I totally forgot about my phone which was lying abandoned at the bedside table. Now that lively gadget somehow brought me a touch closer to reality, it seemed. it had been Srijay flashing on the screen as I answered it.

"Sir, have you ever taken your supper? Are you already in bed?"
"Neither. I forgot to order on time. Few odd things happening here that I'll tell you tomorrow at leisure. For the instant I'm famished and that I do not know what to do! No vehicle available to venture bent the town."
"Sorry to listen to that, Sir. Anyway, don't be concerned. there's a joint, reasonably good, nearby. From the most entrance of the guest house turn right and you will find it 100 meters away."

For good or bad I used to be unsure at that point, my hunger pangs got the higher of me submerging my earlier queer experiences into an understanding with reality. How I came out of the guest house without confronting anyone within the reception I didn't provide a thought thereto time and neither could I remember now. The whys and hows in my narrative were still refusing to reveal themselves, to my utter helplessness.

Anyway, I exited from the guest house gate and turned right as instructed. The scenario puzzled me quite a lot. As I remembered from my earlier visit or visits the guest house was located during a small township of the institution with only a highway and classroom and administrative blocks and staff quarters scattered around with open spaces lined with trees. Coming outside now I found several other roads connecting to the most road, and much of lighted shopping or eating enclosures all around. However, there have been lonely stretches of maybe a hundred meters each on either side of the guest house. I even found distant hills silhouetting a dim skyline opposite to the guest house which was definitely no there once I came last. Queer thoughts creeping in again I quickened my steps towards the eatery...

The eatery appeared to me as an Italian food joint with largely nutriment items most of which weren't even known to me. People were crowding, leaning and craning over the counter for purchasing order coupons since it had been a self-service restaurant. However, to my surprise, there was hardly any noise, an eerie silence prevailed.

As I approached the counter for a look-in at the things available the nagging thought came to me again; since checking in I didn't call my even once wife informing her of my whereabouts, albeit I wanted to inform her very first thing after arrival; but somehow, I never cared to require up the mobile and dial her number. Let me order the food first then I'll call her, I assured myself again.
I searched for the menu, but there was none; only names of some dishes were scribbled on the blackboard behind the counter. I squeezed my eyes to specialize in the things, but couldn't read properly, and therefore the real problem was I used to be not in the least sure what ingredients those dishes were made from. I looked here and there for a few quite help and guidance. My eyes riveted on a little boy, in early teens, standing ahead of a table within the eating area beckoning to me to return to him. I found him too young for a waiter and immediately warned myself that he might be a part of a racket to fleece vulnerable customers. So I made a decision to ignore him and pushed my way through to the person behind the counter.

I asked him for a menu card or to inform me about the ingredients utilized in making various items on display. He checked out me a touch oddly, called someone from the backside, and instructed me to follow the person for the advisory. the person was tall and had an athletic build with bulging biceps and chest muscles threatening to tear through the sunshine T-shirt he wore. He sized me up haughtily and ordered me to follow him. Is he getting to take me to the kitchen, I wondered.

I followed him obediently as he walked by the side of the restaurant that led to a wooden staircase. He climbed briskly up the steps and that I had trouble keeping track of him as many people were either rising or coming down the steps , I did not understand why. We received a broad spacious wooden platform crowded with people scattered here and there. I froze as I managed to require a better look.

Most of the people, there have been physically deformed or poor beggars or both. I guessed a number of them might be leprosy-affected too. They were lying on the ground in helpless sprawls making odd noises. a number of them were moaning, some crying and a few shrieking calls at agony, 'Help us... help us... help us... !' other able-bodied guys were trudging through the fleshy spread of human bodies, examining them, taking photos... but making no effort to assist them in any way.
My moment of the paralyzing shock cost me dearly. I lost track of the muscular guy. He appeared to have vanished into nothingness. How is it possible, how a bulky bodybuilder like him can vanish like that, I had a way of panic rising within me. There was no exit from the platform on the opposite side as there have been brick walls around with a couple of wooden windows strewn here and there, mostly closed; any visitor must use the staircase for departing too. Now, the disfigured, the agonized and therefore the helpless bodies on the ground suddenly became conscious of me standing there uncertainly, and their noises began to be directed at me. I shook myself out of the paralysis and began trying to find a fast escape.

Luckily, I didn't lose my way and therefore the staircase was still there. I almost ran towards it and plummeted down the steps sort of a cursed meteor . an awesome sense of relief flooded my whole self as I arrived back at the front side of the restaurant.
With relief the hunger pangs returned too. As I contemplated my next move I noticed an individual, wearing a civilized manner and bespectacled, taking tons of interest in me and was coming towards me. I took him for a professor of the institution and wasn't in the least averse to meeting him. In fact, I thought, an area professor might be a really good guide on behalf of me. I waited for him to hitch me.

He was lean and of medium height; smiling eyes behind the glasses and black curly hair. He said to me immediately,
Hello, you seem to be a stranger during this a part of the world, I suppose! I'm Akhter, a businessman from Mumbai.
So he wasn't an area professor and an equal stranger like me, I assumed dully. I said to him loud,
"Well, not exactly. I visited this place earlier, but this point I'm finding it a touch strange. Anyway, I'm Hridayesh from Kolkata. Nice meeting you!" We shook hands.
You look a touch ruffled up, are you in some kind of trouble?" he asked. I know this place well. Tell me, I can assist you out.
I told him about my predicament finding a supper. He took me to a close-by shop, bought cigarettes, lighted him and offered me one. I politely refused. He relaxed, making me relax too. We continued our conversation, but I lost track of the thread aside from the very fact that he promised to require me to an honest food

joint. After finishing his fag he asked me to return with him. We hit the most road and walked within the direction which I assumed took us farther faraway from the guest house. At this point, I felt confident of finally quashing my hunger protests. a couple of yards on the most road we turned right towards a lane, at the top of the lane I could see an illuminated restaurant. His steps became quicker as I followed him in...
The one-storied longish block housed a store on our right and a restaurant cum bar on the opposite. The kitchen was most likely located behind the shop, because I saw several waiters beginning with loaded trays and a few getting into perhaps for more food orders. My friend appeared to have locked his eyes with the big-bellied elderly managers at the cash counter which served both the bar and therefore the store. Suddenly, Akhter began shaking in excitement.

This maybe a decent place, have your drinks and food in comfort, he said to me. "I must go now. Sorry to not be with you. Because I need to have a one-night-stand with my packets... " and with these strange words he vanished behind the shop ...
I stood there for a few times, not knowing what to form of the words just uttered by my erstwhile friend, and what to try to next. However, I made a decision to try to to the foremost sensible thing at that moment. I went heading for the bar. As I pushed my way through the revolving glass doors I came to a standstill again watching the spectacle.

The the bar was spacious, rectangular in size, with a full glass wall giving a view of the road outside and a wood-paneled wall on the opposite side. To my utter surprise and shock, the entire interior was crammed with thick layers of smoke rising up to the false ceiling. How on earth they were allowed to smoke inside, I assumed in dismay; my mind taking a summary of all the steps taken by the general public authorities in recent years to save lots of people from exposure to passive smoking. What amazed me next were the purchasers there.

Most of them were young boys and girls. Almost everyone was smoking, throwing out rings of smoke upwards. Some were looking up squealing in ecstasy while a couple of others were bent over the tables, jerky, and sneezing; some were staring around with total disinterest and glazed eyes; some were either howling or moaning or plain crying and a few others were swaying from side to side in their merriment with their bodies hitting or brushing against other bodies. It didn't take long to know what was happening.

It was obviously a drug bar, and that I was astounded on how this might be done so openly and in such a brazen manner. My first impulse was to dial the police if any during this strange place, but somehow my mobile and that I became different within the happenings thus far. a couple of addicts became conscious of me standing uncertainly ahead of the doorway, and that they stared at me as if trying to gauge me; a couple of appeared to jeer at me while some others communicated to me pitifully, 'give us sustenance... give us sustenance... please! My amazement fast giving thanks to fear I made a hasty retreat.

Out of the bar, I walked disoriented and aimless for a couple of minutes, not in the least bothered about the streets or the landscape or the skyline. Suddenly again, I found myself ahead of a restaurant which, to my great relief, seemed like a standard one with two rows of neatly arranged desks and chairs and normal looking waiters traveling taking orders from customers scrutinizing the menus. However, something else was expecting me inside.

As I entered the open doorway heading for an empty table the manager behind the cash counter moved around at great speed, and walking past me slapped a waiter busy taking orders unawares; he repeated his unprecedented acts on three other waiters, slapping them with fury and vehemence. As I used to be destined that night I stood transfixed there, another time. Now, the manager was shouting sort of a madman.

There was a flash of absolute silence within the restaurant following the manager's acts with customers and staff alike stunned and immobilized. From the incoherent words of the manager, I surmised that sometime back the hotel owner's daughter with a couple of her friends visited the restaurant for dinner, and one or more waiters misbehaved with them, not knowing their credentials or just ignoring them. The daughter and group left during a huff, and therefore the manager got a powerful bashing from the owner over the phone. So he acted upon it immediately. However, before his action fully justified his fury something more dramatic happened.

Three goons with guns ready and pointed in their hands entered the restaurant. one among them stood guarding the doorway, one aimed his gun point-blank at the manager's head and therefore the third one took a position at the buttocks . and that I was sort of a duck sitting pretty amid the strangest scenario. This cannot continue anymore as far as my safety cares, I decided. I used to be an accidental bystander and thus there was no reason why I should compromise my safety. I started moving towards the doorway slowly as a heated exchange of words was happening between the manager and therefore the gun-toting goon.

I almost made it. But unfortunately, just at the ultimate moment of exit I accidentally brushed against the goon standing there, and his gun fell to the bottom. Before the goon could react thereto I acted impulsively and with an honest presence of mind. I instantly stooped down, picked up the gun and handed it over to him with a sweet smile. The bewildered thug also managed a smile, and as I made my last move to exit he said to me during a rather paralyzing perplexity, "You gotta be an honest man! But many good guys gotta die before others! Nah..? he hollered in great merriment over his own humor. Enjoy the night, goodbye! I smiled weakly back at him and slowly removed. The goon leaned out of the doorway to observe me, still giggling.

About twenty yards ahead the road turned right, and if I used to be ready to round that corner I might finally move out of his sight. I watched many movies and skim many thrillers where the villains seemed to be very suave, sophisticated and benevolent, but at the climax, they wont to murder the victims mercilessly. Those twenty yards appeared to be an eternity as I started moving slowly ahead measuring every step
 

and at an equivalent time keeping an absolute outward calm. the approaching probability that he might put a bullet through my back any time was a horrific thought that refused to go away my mind.
Nothing happened for about ten yards. I quickened my pace only by a fraction now so that it didn't get noticed, suppressing my extreme desire to interrupt into a dead run, and just vanish around the corner... and escape...
Two yards more to beat ... and that I would be a free man, a minimum of for the nonce. I could not hear his laughter and dared not reminisce. Perhaps he really appreciated my gesture in not using the chance offered by the falling gun; that he was only joking about 'good guys' which he wasn't getting to shoot me down in the least. On the opposite hand, had any murders taken place at the hotel afterward I might are a major witness as I had seen all three thugs from close quarters. therein eventuality I might remain a marked man for eternity. But there were no thanks to realizing it for a certainty. Anyway, it might be very clear very soon.

I nearly stopped at the ultimate point of the curve, gripped by persisting tension and fear. Taking a moment to resolve to form the ultimate dash to flee I rounded the turning successfully. No shots rang call in the air. then I ran... I ran the sort of a rabbit in pursuit, releasing the built-up tension and relishing my escape. Surprisingly, I never got out of breath; running at that sort of break-neck speed seemed effortless on my behalf me. I didn't bother that. What I bothered about was to forego my supper, revisit to the guest house at any cost and live out that horrible night.

And I lost my way. The landscape was entirely different; it appeared to be a forest road with dense overgrowth on each side, and that I had no indicators to seek out my way back to the guest house. Suddenly, I confronted a steep rise within the road ahead. I ended running and began climbing, again effortlessly. As I reached the very best point of the incline I ended and looked ahead expectantly. However, a replacement world was waiting to greet me.

There opened before me the vast expanse of the modernity-a big city with multi-lane brilliantly-lit streets, flyovers, high rises, shopping malls and hundreds and many vehicles moving both ways. I used to be stunned, utterly failing to react. Basically, because I never expected such a spectacle, and after being confronted thereupon I found absolutely no clue to acknowledge that city which appeared to have materialized out of nowhere. I never knew the existence of such an enormous city so almost the town of our known guest house.

Keeping raging my mind on top of things I moved along the road controlling my intense urge to ask the faceless pedestrians the name of the town. Perhaps my ego prevented me from doing that, because I used to be alleged to be a frequent traveler, a minimum of within India, and it had been utterly insulting on behalf of me to not have any idea a few huge cities just a walk-off from my latest destination. I also reasoned inside my mind that I might determine very soon.

My expectations soared as I saw a sprawling bus stand on my right which to my mind appeared to be an inter-state bus terminus. I quickly crossed over to the opposite side of the road and entered the campus trying to find ticket counters with possible names of stations or destinations. I got angry, frustrated and depressed not having the ability to seek out any indicator that would have satiated my quest. I stood still within the middle of the expansive concrete floor, not knowing what to try to to. I assumed of queuing up during a counter and ask the booking clerk; but what would I ask him having no idea where I used to be or where I used to be to travel. I might be an absolute laughing stock; I made a decision to drop the thought.

Somebody called me out from behind sending a chilly chill down my spine. for a few time I froze not daring to seem back, unable to maneuver a muscle, such was the shock and surprise inherent therein sound. Because the sound was very familiar; it had been an integral part of me; it had been inseparable from me; there was no way to not recognize that sound. it had been my wife, my dearest life-partner of quite twenty years calling me to call at her sweet tone.

Finally I whirled around, and there she stood, smiling sweetly at me, with no mark of any tension or surprise or anxiety or indignation or sentiment. it had been I who started having most of those emotions. What she was doing there? Why she was there? I left her reception hale and hearty only last evening, and suddenly she stood there before me like an apparition. Again I had to use full control in order that my already tortured mind didn't go raving out. Her calmness and naturalness also had an impression on my future course of action.

I decided to act normally too. Of course, I asked her what she was doing there to which she gave some incoherent reply, and that i decided against pursuing it. Instead, we walked together towards a marble bench carved out of the sidewall of the building and sat down talking about nothing especially. then my mind started talking, talking rapid, and raging insane...