by Nihar Sharma
Torriyan sniffed and he left. All mice breathed fully, they held their air inside. One of them suggested for leaving this soul behind, they could not put their lives for sake of a soul. Vikram heard their conversation and left that place and entered into another tunnel which led to Human world directly.
He crossed the tunnel and reached there, but he encountered with a storm of dust and smoke, and then he saw a big stick coming towards him and hit on his head. He fell unconscious on the ground.
TORRIYAN’ TERRITORY
“Ouch” he flinched in pain, he raised his head and looked around, but nothing he could see except stones and dust, and he felt a pain on his back head there was a swelling where blood had coagulated due to the strike.
“What the hell?” he screeched, he was behind the same bars, started wondering “just a dream” he muttered. He was trying to recall that mouse Loka and strolling from one corner to another. Evil guards were watching over him.
He then heard whispering outside and hid in the corner and sat behind the cone shaped sharp stone near the toilet. Then the door creaked, someone entered into. All guards stood alert and hit spears on the ground, footsteps he could hear approaching towards him.
He raised his head and looked from his hide but there was nobody, so why the guards stood so alert. A breeze touched his head, soothing his fear and sweaty head.
“Hello” someone called from. He was surprised and turned around slowly and saw a same man in black loincloth standing in front of him, the same man who gave him the cup of the syrup to drink.
“That mouse, named Loka” the man asked “you miss her, don’t you?” he smiled.
“Loka… Lokaaa… who is Loka? I don’t know anyone by this name, sorry my lord” he stammered and looked threatened.
“Hope you remember me” he mocked and smirked at Vikram but he didn’t reply his mockery.
“Umm… I see” the man added “She is very nice mouse and with very heavy heart I must say…”
Vikram cut “is she killed and her husband Huster?”
The man leaned forward and exclaimed “No, she is alive”. Vikram sighed and then he questioned “by the way, how do you know Huster? I never mentioned his name.” It seemed like he had made a mistake by opening his mouth more than asked. Vikram squeezed his tongue under his teeth, and mumbled “Everybody knows him”.
“Everybody or who they help escaping?” the man asked briskly. Vikram had no answer and his pale face turned pale and sweaty due to fear.
“This is under world and you are in my supervision” the man emphasized.
His eyes swelled and he felt guilty about Loka and her husband Huster. “They tried to help me and now they are in trouble” Vikram muttered.
“Loka, she is imprisoned for centuries and her husband Huster is my pet for centuries” Torriyan added and winked. Vikram couldn’t understand what he just said about them ‘centuries’ and he smiled at Vikram and disappeared in thin air.
Vikram was confused “if she is captured for centuries then how could she appear to help me, and Huster, he loves her, how could he?” Vikram started scratching his head “if so then there is no hope for me to escape from here.”
---------------x---------------
“Suzanne” called Vikram, “what are doing here?” “The Dark Lord_____”
She came to meet her friend Vikram. Before he could complete she interrupted “the dark lord, don’t worry. He didn’t send me. Torriyan looks after this place” she smiled “I am here because I feel to meet you, you are also the part of our family know. We have enjoyed riding a lot together and lord also loves you like us, join the hands with dark lord and____”
“and what?” Vikram interrupted in anger.
“And, you will be the trustworthy hand of our lord” She added and smiled.
Again he threw his tantrum “leading massacre, breaking the truce, killing own kind and feel better like the master of nothing.”
She wore silence, seemed his logic had overcome her vision about what she was associated with. She didn’t react on his anger, looked at Vikram and sighed like she was unable to make his life easier.
She added “Vikram, the destiny knocked on your door, but you refused. And these people and truce that you are fighting for will no longer last. You are not the only prodigy soul; they will find another then, what will happen to you? They will torment you. I am just worried about you.” And looked at him, but he didn’t look back at her, she left him alone in that dark prison.
He was now lost in deep twisting storms of confusion. What was it that he was trying to protect; maybe they all were fighting for a right cause.
“Only Loka can help me” he whispered and kept head aligned on wall and closed his eyes to go to sleep and find her again in his dream.
‘Hello’ she pushed him hard to awake him “come on you lazy dog, wake up.”
“Loka” he found her. She smiled at him “You look crazy, look like you have seen me after long time.” She picked up a piece of bread and gave him to eat; they were of same size now “It smells, yak” he denied eating “I cannot eat this shit.”
“So what do you expect, should I go to a five star restaurant and bring a piece of bread for you” she teased him.
“No, no thanks, I am not hungry” he replied with a smile. “Am I dreaming?” he asked her.
“Dream!” she exclaimed “are you crazy?”
“Yes, Suzanne said___”
“Suzanne!” She screamed and jumped at him “What did you just say?”
“Suz..za..nne” he spelled out her name in trembled voice.
“Huh” she took long breath. “It has been centuries I have met her. How is she? And her sister Lithina”, “Are they looking younger than me? Of course not, they are older than me always and I am the only beauty queen.” She touched her silky cheeks “I am always the most beautiful in this universe” she bragged about herself.
Vikram couldn’t resist laughing; she furrowed her eyes in anger. “No my lady, I am just happy to be with the most beautiful lady in this universe” he praised her in cynical way.
“Oh that is great cleverness” she teased him again. “So you met Suzanne, did she talk about me.”
“No actually, I just saw her, couldn’t talk to her as she was so fast.” He smiled.
“Then how can you say that was Suzanne, it could be Lithina too” she stared at him and he had no answer except changing the topic so he mumbled “What about Huster?”
“Huster, oh my darling” she made her face like a baby face in love “he is with other mice and he will join us on the bank of black river, so let’s hurry. It is only five hundred meters from here and I can smell its water.”
“Black river” he surprised “where is it?”
“Oh it is near, you know I love to drink its water, very tasty” she looked very excited.
“Yes I can see your will for the water of black river” he muttering. He was also thirsty.
“What is that smell?” he asked.
“We are almost there, I can’t believe it, and we are reaching to my favorite place. Actually it is ours favorite place” she added joyfully.
“It smells like gutter” he disgusted and covered his nose and walked with her. It seemed like they reached there. Loka jumped into that water already filled with mice. “Oh god, this is shit” he cursed “they call it river it is a sewage line, a gutter.”
“Come on jump in, Vikram. It is wonderful” she insisted. He gave her a wan smile, because if he had said no or something against their so called holy black river or gutter then definitely they would eat his flesh.”
Then a mouse from his behind pushed him into their holy river.
“Yeah” all mice cheered. “Oh shit” Vikram screamed in disgust.’
He woke up from the sleep and found himself lying near that wall, he felt something in his mouth disgusting, he spat it out “Shit” he stepped back and started spitting again and again. He got litter in his mouth.
&n
bsp; First time he was hit on his head and now the sewage in his mouth, both happened during the dream with Loka. Vikram was now confused more than before, it had happened twice, twice he met Loka in dream and both times dream turned ended into realty. “How is it possible?” Vikram thought then he could see a shadow following his steps; his shadow was on the wall then whose shadow was this? He took the candle in his hand from the stand and walked two steps farther towards the gate and peeped out of the bar.
All he could hear the snoring sounds of guards sleeping outside the bars, and the shadow disappeared. He tried to keep his head little outer to the bar then suddenly he felt a cold shivering in his body, a cold came down in his spine. A threat of being caught and tortured made his whole body trembled.
He sat on the stone and he was fidgeting his legs. He closed his eyes and a sudden thought crossed his mind ‘leave the fear behind, you are already dead’. Loka once told him in his dream. Vikram determined to cross the bar.
He took deep breath and extended his right hand first through the bar and then left hand and then head on the bar. He pushed his head between two bars and he felt the cold touch of bars inside his head, then his head squeezed painfully between two rods of the gate, but he didn’t flinch for a while otherwise guards would get up and catch him, and finally he couldn’t believe this, it just happened. He had come out of the bar.
He smiled at his own stupid act but it is fruitful. Then he whispered “Loka”.
THE GOAT’S TRIBE:
The light stroke his eyes, “Hah” he touched his head in shock. “Lie down, please. We will be reaching soon” a goat spoke off.
Aaditya opened his eyes and found himself on a boat with a goat sailing on, a talking goat with huge head and two horns little twisted in two different directions. His hands were covered with black hair and there were only two fingers and legs were well muscled; he looked quickly at its body.
He managed himself to get into the corner, opposite pole of the boat. He tried resisting staring at that goat but it was alluring his mind again and again.
“Where are we?” asked Aaditya looking around the sea. “This is huge sea and no mark of island, so we are going….”
“Umm…” goat smiled and looked at him and answered “this is not sea, this is a lake and so we are not going to any island.”
He held the both sides of boat tight and asked “may I know your name?”
“Name” he smiled again “what is in name? We all are bound to be known by our deeds, aren’t we?” goat started singing.
He gathered his courage to interrupt in between his melodious song “We are going to meet him, dark lord, aren’t we?”
“Haha haha….” The goat chuckled “who says we are going to meet him.”
“Then” he asked briskly, “Are you taking me to heaven?”
“I wish I could” goat added “we are going to a barbarian group, goat tribes.”
“Goat tribes” he amused. He heard about them, “they are very loyal to heaven guards. They always serve to betterment of human. They have their spies across the universe and they are always neutral when there is a peace. They always step into protect human world.” He recalled what he learnt in school, “but is it true” he again thought.
“Yes, goat tribe” he replied “it seems that you know lot about us.”
Aaditya shrugged in his tune “not that much.”
“Here we come” goat was excited and the boat just landed on the bank. “We have reached boy.” The dense foliage and nothing else, a deep forest behind that foliage and fog covered the whole bank; nothing was visible beyond few meters. Aaditya stepped down from the boat and put his right foot on bank and cold water made him chilled felt.
The goat took out the horn shell, and blew it. After his blowing the shell, a horde came from the dense foliage, almost all looked alike. He was confused with all same looking faces.
A little she-goat approached running wearing a beautiful smile at her face, “Oh my little princess” He knelt down and widened his both arms for her to hug. She jumped into his arms “Daddy, daddy” and he started kissing his little daughter then his wife joined them.
Aaditya stepped forward then a goat beside him stopped him with his long stick in his hand “Hmm…” He looked at him and that goat nodded his head “Stay here.” Aaditya had to follow the orders because he was in their tribe.
“Oh! Who is this young boy?” asked the wife.
“Oh yes, my friend Aaditya, and Aaditya she is my wife Slista, and meet my cutest doll and my princess Naida” he introduced Aaditya to his family.
“Honor to meet you my lady and you too cute angel” Aaditya showed honor and gratitude.
“Oh! My dear, no need to be so formal, we are like your own family” Slista smiled and whispered to her husband “Hades, couldn’t you tell me this before, so I could arrange something for our new guest?”
Aaditya listened to them but smiled looking at the ground, a talk between husband and wife.
Then they all started walking through the dense forest, Aaditya was not scared any more on the contrary he felt safer. After reaching to their village Aaditya was taken to the separate guest house where hot water for bathing, the soft bed for sleep and fruits were kept to eat.
It was heaven for him, after so much of troubles at last he was paid well. He jumped into the bath tub then Naida knocked on the door “may I come in?”
“Oh yes, please in” Aaditya permitted her with affection.
“Daddy asks you for dinner with us, please come hurry” she left.
THE BLACK PRISON
Vikram was walking in streets, escaping from guards and reached to a tunnel. He found a script at the top of the tunnel but in ancient language. He tried to interpret but it seemed very hard to recognize its letters.
The tunnel was going downwards, and there was no guard inside the tunnel. The breathing echoes sounded hissings of giant snakes. The fear in their hearts but had to step forward to cross the tunnel.
“Should I enter or not” Vikram thought and looked confused “but if Suzanne was right then Loka must be in prison and her husband betrayed her and her clan.” He was sandwiched between his thoughts.
He stepped in with his trembling feet into that tunnel, a stepping stone rolled down at his foot’s lightest touch, and created a noise, in fear he escaped near the wall of the tunnel till the sound didn’t stop echoing.
“Who is this idiot?” sound echoed in the tunnel. “Huh, who is this, who disturbed me?” she again screamed.
“The voice is identical, I heard this voice before” he muttered and then he recalled “Loka”. He followed that voice and rushed.
“Yaha…” a mouse was screaming, hands on her both ears and dancing up and down.
“Loka” Vikram called her again “Loka.”
She stopped and removed her hands from ears, turned around and looked at Vikram “Is it you, Vikram?” she asked briskly. Vikram was amused when she recognized him.
“How do you know my name?” he asked her.
“Oh, we both have tried to flee, remember” she replied.
“But that was a dream, and that was my dream. I know you because it was my dream but how can you know me?” he asked her again to confirm the dream was real or some kind of tricks.
“Oh dear Vikram, there is nothing called your dream and my dream, we both have tried to flee. Actually that wasn’t a dream that was the portal of subconscious mind, the best chance to escape just skipped from our hands” she sighed.
“Portal of subconscious mind” Vikram surprised, “Everything you said, I really haven’t understood so will you please elaborate?”
She stared at him with her big killer eyes and asked “Shall we go out of here first?”
“Oh, yes. Why not” Vikram opened the door and set Loka free out of the prison.
“Do you know how it feels like free after centuries of imprisonment?” she sighed and stretched her whole body and yawned “Let’s go.”
“Why were you dancing in that prison when the echoes stopped?” Vikram asked sarcastically.
“That was paining my ears, leave it” she ran out of the tunnel and breathed out in relaxed.
Vikram followed her and looked at the top again, where those ancient letters were embedded. “What is written?” he asked her. “THE BLACK PRISON” she replied.
“You must know Suzanne” Vikram asked again. She stopped in between “Oh that half human half horse kind bitch” she replied and shot an angry look “Yes, I know that witch.”
“She said that your husband Huster who betrayed” Vikram added.
“Shut your dirty mouth” she yelled, her eyes were wet, looked like he hurt her. She fingered at him “Suzanne had promised us to help in escaping but she had betrayed every one. Huster had done to save all of us and you” and she started walking.
“Hmm…” Vikram nodded and followed her steps outside the tunnel. Vikram again stared at the top portion before entering into a chamber. She held his hand and pulled him inside, he looked at her, “look, the guards” she alerted.
“Shh…” she kept finger at his lips “silence.” They were now inside the old library of netherworld, the greatest collection of books, maps, blueprints and history of the universe.
“What is this place?” whispered Vikram.
“Library!” Vikram was amused with open wide eyes in awe, the netherworld had their own library “What is the dark lord’s private library?” he whispered.
She entered into a wooden huge rack. She opened the cover of that rack and whistled lightly to Vikram. He responded at her whistle and looked at her “come on” she waved.
Vikram stepped towards that wooden rack and hid behind the pillar of the library, there were some guards who were almost invisible for the protection of the library. She was waiting for the guard standing just right to him to move. That guard must have sensed that’s why standing there for while and looking carefully around. Vikram was scared; if he got caught the punishment had been worse than imagination. They would like to put him into pot of boiling oil.