The Phoenyx

19.10.2009

“Its easy for the person who does the wrong to forget it. especially if he is under the illusion that he has ruined his victim beyond repair. He has crushed him to the ground, and he will never be able to raise his head.” Robin said.

“When Ravana touched Sita’s hand he never thought that he was inviting his own destruction. He thought he was abducting the wife of a poor sage.”

“He was sealing his own doom, such is the power of dignity and purity.”

“You can reduce it to ashes and it will rise out of it as a phoenyx.”

He was speaking to a small group of friends.

“Nothing in her threatened Kanai when he was chasing her for years.” He continued.

She was a small town girl. Heaven only knows what attracted a demon towards her. They did not had any similarities. She was from a educated, honourable family. His family had generations of criminal background.

She was not even good looking. Forget about being beautiful. May be it was the strength of her goodness and purity that attracted him to her. And he decided to snub that light so he could swallow her.

21.10.2009

It was her sheer misfortune that their paths crossed. She was a very shy, introvert girl, engrossed in her studies and college life.

Her neighbour was kanai aka kanu’s girlfriend. He used to spend his nights in her home often and used to see the girl in her home. The home had a high boundary wall, but was visible from the first floor window.

Kanu used to watch her in stealth while she spent hours in the garden. Sometimes studying and sometimes just relaxing. Her childish innocent ways were most probably irresistable to his twisted mind.

The mind which only looked for the darkness all of a sudden found a ray of light. He got so obsessed by the light that he forgot that to get that light he will have to get rid of his heart and soul’s darkness.

He started to crave for that light even at the cost of snuffing it out. Such is the reasoning of passion.

Lo!!!! They want the light but without the light, never even thinking that the moment light will stop being light it will become darkness.. so what was it that they actually wanted?

He first requested his girlfriend, then insisted and finally forced her to make arrangements of getting him married to the girl.

“She will never marry you. Her parents wont agree either.” She pouted. “They are not that type of persons kanu. Specially the girl.”

“You are her neighbour, If you want you will be able to find out a way.” He hissed. “If you cant do this little for me I will stop coming here from tomorrow.”

25.10.2009

Kanu left after issuing his order. His girlfriend spent the day fuming. She knew that if she ignores Kanu she will have to pack her bags, leaving behind every thing. He had that power on the town. He was the law there.

On the other hand listening to him meant she will lose access on her monthly instalments. He sure will not entertain her after marrying.

She dressed up and went to Sujata’s home. “Hi Jababhabhi, how are you?” Sujata smiled at her.

“Where is aunty?” Jaba smiled back.

“She is in the kitchen.” Sujata said. She went back to her studies.

“Come Jaba! What brought you here?” Ruma Sujata’s mother was genuinely surprised to see her rich neighbour visit her.

Jaba sat down at the chair which was offered to her, “You know aunty, I cant visit any one because I stay engrossed in my own work.”

“That doesnot means I don’t care about you.” She continued. “I have something important to tell you. But you will have to promise me that you wont tell it to any one else.”

“One of my friends, Kanai Dey has seen Sujata, and he wants to marry her.” Jaba said, sounding as casual as possible.

“The right hand of local MLA?” Ruma asked, hiding her shock.

“Yes, he, is not it a great news?” Jaba said.

“I will have to consult with Sujata’s father about that.” Ruma said. “Please have some tea.” She added seeing Jaba standing up.

“No aunty, I will be back tomorrow, Kanu I mean, Kanai is eager to know the answer.” Jaba said, walking toward the door.

27.10.2009

Ruma started to wait for Sujata’s father Tanmay to come home eagerly.

“Jaba gave me a surprise visit today.” She told him when they were alone in the night. “She was asking Sujata’s hand for Kanai Dey.”

Tanmay clenched his teeth. “That ……. I will rather strangle her myself.”

“Otherwise she will kill herself. But what can we do? We cant let her die or let him touch her.” Ruma asked in a frightened tone.

“When that … comes tomorrow buy some days from her, give her any excuse, but keep her at bay. I will find out some solution within a month.” Tanmay said.

As Ruma has anticipated, Jaba came the very next morning. “Hi aunty. Did you talked with uncle?” was her first sentence after sitting down, “Kanai is getting on my nerves.”

“He was happy beyond words. But he requested one thing, earnestly. Sujata’s final exams are six months later. He has asked me to beg you to keep Kanai waiting till then.” Ruma replied.

“If Sujata gets the air that her marriage is fixed she will go slack on studies and he always wanted that her daughter comes out of her college in flying colours.” Ruma added in an imploring tone.

She could see that the hammer has struck the nail, there was nothing to be suspicious in this request. Every guardian will want that their daughter performs the very best, especially if they have sacrificed a lot after her studies.

“Don’t worry, I will convince Kanai.” Jaba answered, “I can understand you.”

Jaba left happily, she too got six month time to woo him back to her again, while Sujata studies.

29.10.09

A couple of months passed by, to Jaba’s deep anguish, Kanai started to skip his visits to her home. Whenever he needed to talk to her she was invited to his office, during office hours.

Well, there was only one topic.. Whats going on with Sujata.

A month later Jaba noted something was wrong with her neighbours. Sujata did not came out with her books for the third day in row.

She paid them a visit, she went to the kitchen uninterrupted, “Aunty, how are you?” she asked Ruma.

Ruma smiled faintly and asked her to sit down.

“Where is Sujata? I have not seen her in the garden since Wednesday?” she asked, “Is she unwell?”

Ruma blanched, “Well, she has gone to visit her aunty, your uncle’s sister in Delhi.” She said after gulping hard.

Jaba could see that she was lying, so she started to dig deep. Ruma could not fight her grilling for long, “That evil girl has eloped.” She started to sob.

“I think she guessed that her marriage has been fixed with Kanai and she eloped with one of her college mates. We don’t know where she is right now. She did not even called us once since Wednesday.”

Jaba said some consolatory words to her and excused herself before her face betrayed her happiness.

“Kanai, Sujata has eloped with a friend.” She was sitting in his office.

Kanai looked at her with his beady eyes, trying to gauge the truth behind her words, and if she was happy or sad.. but Jaba was a good actress.

“Lets see..” he sounded really ominous. “You can go now.”

She did not, she went outside his office and slithered back to his toilet through a back route which she has frequently used.

“Tanmoy Roy’s daughter has eloped with some boy, I don’t know his name, I will give you her photograph. I want to know about that girl within a month.” She could hear kanai hissing like a snake.

“Dada, it will be really tough for us to find out. Why don’t you ask your friend, Chatterjeebabu, the police officer?” she heard the voice of one of his henchmen.

She softly slunk out of the toilet, with the realization that Kanai wants that girl at any cost.

31.10.2009

“Dada, I will have to lose my job if these things get exposed.” Chatterjeebabu said pleadingly.

“Don’t worry, we will frame that girl falsely. I will get you half a dozen evidences who will say that they have seen Jaba’s handbag in her hands.”

“Try to keep the FIR secret, and conduct your searching in secret. In case things are exposed then only show that FIR.” Kanai said.

A false case was charged in her name, she has stolen Jaba’s handbag which Jaba has left at her home by mistake. More than half a dozen people have seen her using it.

Jaba has registered the case late because she came to know about the loss just a few days ago. She has been thinking all the while that she has stuffed it somewhere.

“I will suggest you one more thing dada, Chatterjeebabu said, I know a very good private detective. You can take his help too. But his rates are quite high.”

He was quite surprised by the way Kanu was chasing the girl. He has himself seen the girl, she used to pass the police station on her way to college.

Well he failed to realize one thing which Jaba instantly realized, vengefulness has taken over lust. Kanu was absolutely furious that the girl had the audacity of refusing him and selecting some one else.

She felt immense pity for the girl, because she knew with his power and vengefulness Kanu will sooner or later track her down.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAST PIECE OF UPDATION ON: 15,12.09
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The python:

I

Kanu appointed his men to keep a round-a-clock watch on Roy household and some of Sujata’s most intimate friends. It did not took him long to find out that Sujata was still within his clutches. Her parents have hidden her somewhere in Kolkata.

He tried his level best but could not get the address. Then Tanmay and Ruma were killed, by a burglar. Sujata came back for the funeral and last rites.

Kanu wanted to see her, he planned to visit her with Jaba, so he called her up, the phone was switched off. He went to her home, the home was locked. Neighbours said she has left without leaving any explanations last night.

His hopes of meeting Sujata was gone with her. He asked Chatterjeebabu to talk with Sujata’s uncle and ask him if he will get Sujata married to him.

Her uncle, as he lived in Kolkata and had his own position in the society bluntly said what Tanmay could not say.

“Really?” he hissed at Chatterjeebabu, “I will turn that girl into a criminal, and then I will see that she ends up into jail for the rest of her life.”

He married immediately after that incident, brought a beautiful bride from a distant state, whose parents did not had a roof over their head. He arranged a palace for them so they give their daughter away to him forever. And, in future, if she realizes the real source of Kanu’s income she just stays put.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONCLUDING STORY POSTED ON 17.12.09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
II

Sujata’s uncle and aunty were normal people like you and me, they thought that taking her away from there solved the whole problem. They were not very much aware of the dark side of human nature.

A year passed, Sujata joined college. Just like all girls she made friends, quite a few of them, not too many in numbers because she was introvert and serious natured.

One of them was Suparna, she was from a very poor family, her father ran a small tea stall. Her brother was a duffer, who stopped studying after class ten and utilized all his time in local clubs. Highly active in political field hoping that will earn him a well paying job.

Sujata used to visit Suparna regularly because she borrowed her notes. She was a girl of huge heart; she happily shared her notes, even her self prepared notes with Suparna. Slowly a deep friendship formed within them and Sujata started to spend her free evenings at her home, they lived nearby.

Sujata had a very big flaw, her curiosity level was extremely low, so she never got curious about certain things, like why the girls who mix so freely with her don’t mix with Suparna or why none but her visit her home.

Soon she started to see that a lot of boys and girls, especially who were from the nearby areas were avoiding her though they were her good friends before she became Suparna’s friend. But again she did not paid any attention to these things and concentrated on her only close friend.

Suparna’s father and brother used to be present at home often when she went there. Slowly, with a little uneasiness she started to observe that she was hearing “one too many” nasty remarks in the street. She thought it might have some connection with her karate classes or wearing jeans. None of which are normal affairs in kolkata till date. People still prefer “girls acting like girls”.

Later when she looked back at those days, she wished that her parents had taught her a little worldly wisdom. Then again, they never thought that devil’s eyes will fall on her or they will pass away all of a sudden and she will end up with her uncle.

Sujata’s uncle Tarumay and aunty Tanima were very soft natured people, they simply did not had least experience with the evil or nasty type. They lived in their self made Shangri-La of literature and literary minded friends. They loved Sujata a lot though they were not rich but they were happy to share their bread with her.

But sweetest fruits become fondest home of worms, there only son Parth was a money hungry young man. He was in his early thirties. Working in Railways as a junior clerk but that was not enough to satisfy his greed, because he wanted to have every thing in the world. Before stretching out his hands for a thing he never bothered to ask the price, that wounded his ego, as a result he has formed huge debts.




III

Parth got married the very year Sujata completed her graduation, his wife Mithu was nice to only one person in the whole home… her husband. But she was too cunning to show her true nature to anyone, even her husband.

From the very first day she started to give all hints that Sujata was a burden on the family. She did not had any right to live there and share their bread.

Sujata became desperate to get a job and soon landed in one, its been hardly a few weeks since her joining she saw that her boss’s behaviour has drastically changed. He has become so mean and abusive that she had to change the job. It started to happen everywhere, no one it seemed wanted to keep her more than a few months, and every where she went she was sure to meet a colleague, a female colleague glorifying the lives of women of easy virtue, who make the moolah these days.

Slowly she started to lose her faith on life, at home Mithu was always ready to get on her nerves and out on street some people always popped up from thin air to crack nasty comments at her.

She discussed her problems with some of her friends but they said that she was imagining things.

One of them referred her to an office of his cousin, a detective and she joined him as computer operator. He was a very nice guy. A few months passed there and to her utter surprise she noted that no one was disturbing her here.

A few months more passed and her boss proposed to her. “I have loved you since your college days, you have never noticed me but I used to have my office right opposite your college that time.”

“I asked Garbito to give you my office address when he told me about the problems you were facing.”

“One month after you joined, two men came to meet me, local political hotshots, they said that you have a case against you in your hometown, of theft and the local police suspects that you have terrorist links.”

“They said that they will send one of their cadres to keep an eye on you, because that’s necessary.”

“I told them to get going and never mess with me. Then I asked some of my men to find out the story.”

“They gave me the story a few months back, I asked them to collect some photographs. They did.”

“Mr. demon had his eyes on you since you were a kid, he approached your parents for your hand but they arranged your staying with your uncle, instead of giving in to him.”

“That freaked him out and he started to search you, finally he saw you with your uncle and asked him again to give your hand to him. This time he received blunt refusal and he decided to ruin you.”

“Your cousin sister in law is one of his pet beauties, so was your college mate Suparna, thats why your other friends avoided her, your cousin owed Mithu's father a huge sum of money. That money was transferred to Kanubabu’s hand and your cousin became his slave.”

“She used to inform him about your whereabouts and his beauties and beasts used to stalk you. Apart from her, the tea stall which opened after your return from your hometown was opened by none other but Kanubabu.”

“So you were under his constant vigilance. Neither you nor your poor uncles imagined any thing such twisted, that gave him greater advantage.

“Now do you want that filthy rat to be punished or forget the past? He is the one behind your parent’s accident, my men are almost sanguine but we don’t have any proof for that. But I have proof for some other things which are really fantastic. But before we do that you will have to leave India with your only well wishers, your uncle and aunty.”

“I am basically from USA, I came to India to settle down but it seems I came here to meet and marry you.” He laughed.

“So if you give me green signal, we will get married next month, after that we will go to USA and my men will do the rest.”

Three months later Kanu went to his office and saw the door was locked.

“Dada, Sir has asked you to meet him before joining office.” His peon said.

He entered the chamber of the local leader of his party. He was sitting in his chamber.

“Your political career is gone I believe!” he said on seeing him, “The party will have to suspend you at-least for now.”

“These leaflets have been distributed to every house last night, even the jhuggis have not been spared.”

That was a small book, to be precise, full of colourful pictures of him with multiple women, in not very sweet positions and the rest of the book contained the proofs of most of his dark deeds.

He felt faint, he returned home. His wife was not there, nor was his baby son.

“Boudi left after you left for office.” His servant said. She never returned. Her parents said she has not come to them either.