The Last Note

Chapter 4 : Trust in flame

As Allen and Colton separated their ways from the Dark Disciples, Oliver, Brandon, Elvis and I (Richard) knocked on Shawn's door.

"He might get us some information. We just need to find the teacher. The one who abandoned us." Oliver cleared.

Elvis seemed uninterested as always. Something was going on with him.

What if I am wrong? What if the teacher said that simplicity was better?

The door was answered inside 5 seconds.

"Yes? Did the bread got over already?" Shawn was astounded.

"No, it's something different. We know that you had connections with our teacher. You started to help us since that age when our teacher was a student."

"Yes, that's true. Come on in first."

Oliver and Brandon saw each other and nodded. It seemed that he knew something about the teacher. He wouldn't let us in if he didn't have answers. It looked like he knew this already. He somehow looked ready.

We sat on the couch and were left in amazement. The interior looked as if it was a whole new world. I was still waiting for something important to happen so that I can note it. I wasn't able to note anything until Shawn spoke.

"I know it. You are here to know about your teacher."

Wait what? How does he know??? Everyone around me also look astonished.

"Your teacher always knew that you are going to come here one day. He instructed me to wait for you and give this to you." Shawn added.

It was a piece of paper with two paragraphs written.

"I am glad you are here. You must be curious to know about me. Let me start off quickly. When I was a part of the Dark Disciples, I got bored. I became incurious about everything the dark disciples offered. I ran away without telling anyone. I explored the actual world. The world where you are currently standing. Once, I was walking on the footpath and saw a little girl standing on the road. A car was incoming. I dashed sideways to save her and pushed her away. The incoming car stopped and another car was about to hit her. I COULDN'T DO IT. That was the most important moment of my life. What if I had not saved her? She would be okay. Fortunately, she was just extremely injured. I took responsibility to heal her. From that point, I am part of this beautiful world."

It's not your fault that I am in bed right now. You did the right thing! Thank you.

But it is. I am extremely sorry.

"My body wasn't able to digest the girl's response. How could anyone practice forgiveness in situations like these. Maybe it was her mom who insisted to thank me. Maybe it was the God who insisted her mom to tell her daughter to thank me. People here are still followers but better ones. They follow a system that makes sense. Dark Disciples was a religion which was always wrong. You were unfortunate to be a part of it. But I was different. I don't follow religion. I was forced to follow the Dark Disciples. Eventually, I got out of that hell. A hell where people are blindfolded and restricted to explore a new perspective. My eyes were always fine. I was the special one. Religion. The same chain that binds people living here. Religion or should I say FEAR? We are manipulated. Manipulated to be kind. Manipulated to pray. Just like that girl. That fear does create a better society. The only chain to control humans is FEAR. Trust? What exactly is trust? We trust our system because even others do. We fear because others do. You know who I trust? MYSELF. Let me act on my own will and you will do the same. Sorry but I am not your teacher anymore. I declare that a thing such as Dark Disciples doesn't even exist. You can live on your own will. I am your former teacher and I am my own religion!"

For almost a minute, everyone's mind has something to process. A single piece of text shattered the system we believed in.

The teacher assumes that only his eyes were fine. That's not true. If the Upper Disciples hadn't decided to see this perspective, then we wouldn't end up here. Yes, they decided to see this perspective.

"Tell me where the Teacher is." Elvis ordered as he was looking at the paper. A dominant order. It felt urgent. An urgency that alternatively meant RIGHT NOW!

- Kshitij Mujumdar