“No, let’s go to the police station,” I told her and turned towards the kids and told “I am sorry for your loss. I promise you and your brother a wonderful life,” I smiled and left.
I hated myself for the condition he is in because of me, there is only a way to wash away my sins, protect all the kids from Simon Robs and his Golden mask army.
“I now know who my parents are,” I smiled at Sofia.
“Am happy, we found the last link to your destination,” she replied.
“So, you found to be a very rich guy,” she mocked me.
“Take me to any higher officials. I need to file a case against Simon Robs,” I asked Sofia and continued to explain, “You already told that many of your family members are from the police department and at higher positions”
“You are taking a huge risk,” she suggested.
“Am a rich guy,” I told winking my eye.
She took me to S.I Varoon, her cousin; named as the most sincere official of the entire department as told by her.
“Your choice is the best,” I praised her.
“Let’s meet him, come on,” she said; later on, she took me in and introduced to him. This was the first introduction into this world without a name. I laughed myself.
“We can’t file a case against him unless we have a standard proof,” he told after listening to my entire conversation.
“Don’t we have any way to close him?” I asked.
“Even I badly want to catch him, all his crimes are well-known to everyone, but not even a single person has ever raised a word. Am happy you came this far to protest at least. I’ll definitely ease you.” he reinforced in me.
“I have an idea. File a case on him for kidnapping children from slums and using them as humanoids for performing experiments. Once you start interrogation you will definitely stick to more clues” I gave him an idea.
“I’ll try the best I can do. For now, I am charging an FIR against him. If the case isn’t proven, then you will have a dangerous penalty,” he warned me.
“I am ready,” I said confidently.
We rushed outside. Every part of my body is excited to go home, and we drove to dad’s home. Once we are near the arena; guards started to recognize me and everyone are shocked to see me. I called a guy near to me and asked: “Why are you all shocked looking at me?”
“Sir, everyone thought you were dead. Your relations are making a mess in,” he explained.
It is quite obvious that I am at the right place. I am super excited to meet my parents, I am very eager to tell them about my journey home. I wanted to hug my mother and tell how much I missed her.
My house is nothing less than a huge palace.
“Why relatives, where are my parents?” I interrogated him.
“Sir, ” he paused and asked me to follow him.
When we entered into the mansion, it is huge like a palace, so amusing and prosperous. There are more than 20 people in the hall itself. Few are hanging out and others sleeping on the floor, it is worse than the mess.
Sofia poked me to look at a photo frame on the wall. I raised my head slowly and saw a photograph of my parents along with me decorated with garland.
Both of them left the world before I could reach them. I couldn’t control my tears; the unbalanced ambivalence compressed my happiness that I reached home. There is no meaning left; if I reached a place where there are no parents. Am still an orphan in this world with no memories of the past, even to reminisce my happy moments with them.
Sofia tried to console me a lot, but in vain. This pain is uncontrollable. Tears flooded out of my eyes continuously. I cried the whole day looking at their photos trying to recollect those days with them, my dad looks very handsome and fit, while mom a epitome of dignity, no one could replace their loss to me.
It took about a week for me to come out and show my face to someone. I sat alone in my room crying all day long. Sofia is available to me all the time; trying to cherish my mood. She is the best example for a perfect friend. I promised her to be a best friend and help her all her way long, but it ended up; she helps me at every moment.
On 8th day after I reached my home a guy came to me and introduced himself “Sir, I am Jane personal secretary of yours,” and stood straight.
“Hello,” Sofia and I said in unison.
7. Sparks of the Past
“Jane, tell me what kind of person I was?” I asked him.
“Sir, ” he replied scared to answer.
“Tell me, I want to know about the real me. Be frank,” I commanded.
“Sir, you were an arrogant guy, who has proud even in a breath, yours fathers money danced on your face. I guess there is no worker in this house, including women who didn’t get a slap from you,” he told frankly.
“Cool, don’t stress yourself,” Sofia again consoled me with the same statement.
“I want to know my entire story,” I asked Jane.
“Sir, I guess you have a habit of writing a diary. You can read it and find it by yourself,” he proposed.
“Where are they?” I asked like a fool, even after knowing they would certainly be in my room.
“In your room, the precise location is not known to me,” he told.
Sofia and I searched for a little spell and found them on a shelf in my room. I pretty much scared to read them, Sofia and I sat on my bed, thinking when to complete all those books.
“Those are your personal diary, it’s better you read them by hand,” she suggested.
“You are no less important than anything in my life,” I told honestly.
“I am pleased” she smiled but the discomfort in her heart is clear
“Did you really mean it?” I asked
“What?” she asked, unable to recollect
“You were about to say something and paused at ‘I wish it is true’ at the signal on MJ road when I met that girl, did you really mean; I must be your lover?” I asked her for the reason that I am able to guess her feelings, she loves me.
She suddenly gave a strange expression. Girls are never predictable. I don’t know if it is true or not. Then she continued with a weird smile
“When you were admitted to my hospital after the accident, you met with, the very 1st moment I saw you, I liked you, I don’t know why; there was some innocence in you which fascinated me. I took great care of you. Finally, I was able to save you. When you woke I was very blissful. But eventually, I learned you are younger to me and that isn’t a big problem at all but you are someone else gift,” she hardly managed to smile.
It is obvious that she felt dejected.
“Can I leave? I hope you can manage and deal with those books, ” she told and left even before I answered.
I am happy that I have someone who loves me a lot, and took good care of me and I promised myself to keep her happy in her entire life
I sat all day staring at those diaries; it is scary to read them. From the day I woke up, I am eager to know about my bygone and the moment, everything is in front of me I am unable to read them. I wanted all this to be a hallucination.
I walked out and stood in my verandah gazing at the sky. I fictioned sky to be my life and every star a good in me which needed to shine; more stars went on disappearing as the more I learnt about myself. But she always shined as the moon amidst all the odds of mine, the darkness. I wanted to see her. I went in dared to open the 1st diary written in the year 2003.
2003, May
“Hello dairy, I am in a new world now, in a new rich world. Everything here is so good and shining like a spark.
But I miss granny and Mayan, my best friend. I am no more an orphan and I have parents.
My dad is Mr. and Mrs. Dev. And you are my best friend from now on dairy and I name you Sunny.
June
Today I brought so many clothes, toys and enjoyed a lot. I had brought a few for Mayan too.
I went to a new school; the school building was so huge. I understood nothing.
; July
I started to love this life; my parents took me to the hospital for a regular checkup though I was all fit.
September
Mom cooked so many sweets for me today.
2004, March
Dad promised me a Canada trip if I top the class. Though I didn’t top the class, I visited Canada with my father. He is the best dad in the world.
My 1st trip in the flight was overwhelming.
April
I started loving this luxury; I fell in love with this money; money surpassed my character.
I was taken to the doctor very often though I was fit and well; I hated it.
2005, June
I was in high school this year.
I was the star of the school because I was the richest guy in school. I loved this false fame of which money brought.
August
Money started making me arrogant, that’s what people say; I am unable to control it. I didn’t want to be so, but I was helpless as I was in the race.
December
I slapped a friend of mine at school., I regret my behavior, but my anger is becoming intense.
2007, June
Mayan was adopted a dad’s friend, on my request.
July
We often met and he joined the same school I was. We were 14 years old now.
August
School headmaster complained my parents about my arrogant behavior at school; Mom requested me to control my anger. But I couldn’t change.
2008, September
A serious complaint from school because of my misbehavior with a teacher; Dad had to come to school to apologize to the teacher. Sunny, suggest me how do I overcome this amassed madness of fame and money on me.
Dad requested me to control my anger and he promised me an Australian trip if I could control my unsteady path and be a good boy.
Though I wasn’t able to control my anger; dad took me to Australia.
2009, October
I was in 10th standard now, 16 years old.
A girl named Naina proposed me in school; I insulted her in front of everyone.
She had to quit school because of me. Mom scolded me for my misbehavior and she asked me to apologize to her.
Though I apologized her, she didn’t come back to school. I regretted my behavior, but I couldn’t change.
December
I made many party type friends; they encouraged me to get addicted to drinking and smoking.
I was never willing to drink or smoke, but I was addicted to them and was unable to come out of that.
2010, July
I joined inter college; my parents were scared to send me far. So I joined a college in my city.
Bunking, partying became more common, I don’t even remember a day when I studied in college.
October
I continued to lie at home and was in a worse condition in compulsion and the only thing I did all day is just a booze and fag.
I copied and passed the exams.
December
I slapped a worker at my home,
Aggressive worker abused me back telling I was an orphan who deserves to beg on the streets rather than stay at the royal palace like this. He reminded me where I was from, what my level was and what my parents gave me here.
Dad was damn angry at me that I slapped a worker, but he couldn’t punish me as he loved me a lot.
Money can change anyone. I was a victim of this for money-minded society, I know I was a victim, but the world treated me like an accused. I really want to do something for my parents.
2011
I turned 18,
Though I had many chances to go abroad to do my bachelor’s, my parents wanted me to stay with them. They brought me a seat in an engineering college in the city.
Mom asked me to promise to stay as a good boy.
I decided very firmly to be a good boy; Mayan joined the same college. We made a 5 member batch.
They were more addicted to money and other bad habits, I was more prone to addiction compared to the past.
2015
My last year of B.tech.
I hardly went to college in these 3 years; I don’t even know my own classmates.
I never went home in a drunken state. But last day I made it sunny, I came home drunk.
My dad lost his temper and slapped me for the first time in his entire life.
His single slap and anger at me brought a great change in me. I decided to change myself. I understood that he loves me. And I wanted to change by myself to make them happy.
I stopped talking to Mayan and my other best friends. On my mother’s request, I somehow managed to pass B. Tech.
My mom accompanied me most of the time; my parents helped me a lot to get out of that addiction.
Anger and arrogance were still accompanied me.
My little change made my parents very happy. I decided to give them this happiness throughout their life.
8. Learn from a Deed
By now I am able to understand what I was, an orphan adopted by Mr. Dev and how money over took my character, how an innocent orphan boy turned out to be a paradise boy. I opened the diary in 2015, the last diary I have written before I lost my memory, I opened it scared; what disgusting things I would have done last year, but now the every word I read is seen dwelling in front of eyes.
2015
I am a B. Tech graduate now and learning business tips from my dad, as I am the sole heir of all his business. An accident prone sensor is a new product from our company. We yet need to get acceptance from one of our allies in Sealands.
“Please father, let me do this single deal. I guarantee you 100% success,” I requested my father.
He never said no to me, but he is now really scared to send me alone for this huge deal.
“I won’t do anything stupid, I swear,” I continued to plead him.
“I can’t take the risk, ” he told openly,
“It’s okay, you can send a trustworthy person, to look after me,” I suggested.
“You are an intelligent guy, I knew it, ” he smirked.
“Hello, sir, I am Jane, your personal secretary from today,” a guy told after he entered into my room.
I laughed loud looking at his fat body and chubby face and asked, “Why would I need a secretary?”
“I am here to inform your dad about your deeds every day, ” he explained his job.
“Then how come, you are termed a personal assistant to me; you are a personal informer to him,” I ridiculed.
“You can ask the same to your dad,” Jane reacted. I understood my father’s intention and ran to my father; he was resting leisurely conversing on the phone. I ran down through the staircase and asked, “Why did you do this to me?”
“It was your idea, my son, ” he mocked.
“Father; it’s fine, he can stay with me, but I want to do this deal alone. I don’t need his company in Sealands,” I told forthrightly.
“Okay, ” he agreed and continued to speak “I have already decided another person who would accompany you to Sealands, who also is a part of the project as well as takes good care of you, “ he explained and turned to Jane and said, “Go and do the few assignment’s left.”
“Am not a kid,” I told and continued, “Who by the way?”
“Daughter of Uncle Bob, she did engineering from your college,” he told.
“Daughter of uncle Bob graduated from my college?” I asked, shocked, “I didn’t even know.”
“You would have known, if you ever go to college,” he insulted me.
“I do go to college,” I said with a gloomy face, and he laughed at the face I made.
My inner-self imagined Bob uncle’s daughter, would she be like him? Fat and ugly with weird expressions.
“She is here; let me introduce you to her,” my dad told me and I turned towards the guest bedroom on the first floor and he shouted “Aria”
“Yes, uncle,” a honeyed voice told, her voice is so
soothing, I felt excited to see her and wished her to be exactly the opposite to her father.
Her footsteps became audible, and excitement in me grew higher. I waited and my eyes widened to see her; she started to get down using the stairs. My heart flew looking at that angel.
She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, perfect and fit; her smile would make anyone warm. She looks like a moon during the day.
She is charming; her eyes can make you a puppet of her. She slowly walked towards us and waved a smile at me. I stood still spellbound at her beauty.
I stood looking straight into her eyes; she threw smiles with her eyes. I wanted to hear her voice again. It would be the best I ever heard. She then said,“Hello; I am Aria” and extended her hand for a shake. We started our relation with a handshake, it might be friendship for her, but I fell for her long back.
Jane poked me to come back to this world and warned me that my father is watching.
I smiled and said, “I am glad to meet you.”
This was our first meet. I fell for her, I was in the depths which would take centuries to swim back, but I would love to be in those depths waiting for her to come.
My father, though busy took the pain to accompany and drop me at the railway station, while we started to trip. It is Aria who decided to take the railway over flight. I would have easily accommodated for a chopper.
“Aria’s parents accompanied her. I still regret how I could miss someone in college for 4 years, but destiny made me meet her after graduation.
She came towards me waving a smile. She wore blue jeans and a black top, her hair loose. She is far more than outstanding. I would sit for years alone, gazing at her beauty. I smiled and still excited to hear her voice.
She told “Hello uncle,” once she approached us and said “Hi” turning towards me. I happily told “Hello.”
“Aria, you know everything. Please take care of him,” my father pleaded her.
“I’ll be a good boy and we will carry back good news,” I guaranteed my dad.
I know my dad is least bothered about the new product contract, in fact, he is more bothered about me.
“We will be fine uncle” she assured my father. My father signaled me to stay back; Aria and my father walked ahead and spoke something. It’s palpable that it would be about me.
You Are Never a Stranger Page 4