The Unventured Passions

Truth behind the Facade

By dawn's early light, two dark silhouette came, creeping inside the RayBahadur palace as the sun opened up as a flower on the horizon, rising to send those petals of gold to warm the earth - mind, soul and body. But darkness had still loomed over the huge study hall where Neelmoni Mukherjee had just spent his sleepless night, sipping his expensive scotch, and dreaming about the destruction of the man who he thought, was about to destroy his reputation. The walls felt colder than usual as the two shawl clad figures bent forward to pay their homage to the influential RayBahadur.

"Is it done?" Neelmoni Mukherjee's voice was gruff and hoarse, partly from age and partly from the nightlong destructive undertones that his mind had relayed.

"Yes, Mai baap."
One of the men spoke up.
"It was a little difficult to enter the court and rig the telephone line owing to the heavy police guard, but..."

"Did you do it right? Yes or No?" Neelmoni growled in impatience.

"Yes, I did... Mai baap, I'm your loyal..."

Neelmoni didn't let the man complete his words as he almost threw a rectangular folded piece of paper tied with a red string at him.
The man quickly picked it up and clutched it to his thin chest, almost in tears.

"Thank you... Thank you so much. You are my god... This land is my forefathers... Now I'll be able to die in peace... Thank..."

Neelmoni Mukherjee raised his hand to stop him.
"Leave the city... At once... and you know what would happen if you ever speak."

The man bowed down again and rushed out of the door, clutching the property papers with his body, probably thanking his stars and praying to his god never to meet this heartless old man again.

"And you?" Neelmoni had turned towards the other man.

"I did... Yes."
The man's voice was low.

"What's your name again?"
Neelmoni asked disdainfully.

"Koreem. Koreem Mia, Saheb."
The man removed the sheath from his head revealing his poverty stricken shrunken face.

"Daughter's marriage, isn't it?"

"Ji Saheb."

"Telephone lines are tricky things Karim Mia... Specially the house lines, once rigged, it can be fixed in hours." Neelmoni let out a sigh.

"No Saheb, as I had said. Barring me, only the Almighty can find the fault where I rigged it." Koreem hung his head low and spoke with a firmness in his voice.

"Hmm.." Neelmoni hummed.
"But, I want you to stay at watch."
He picked up a sealed envelope and waved it at the poor man.
"And, you'll get it once the work is done."

"What work Saheb?" Koreem folded his hands and asked.

"Not yours... You may leave." Neelmoni growled at the man as Koreem lowered his gaze and turned towards the door.
"And, now... Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury... Let's see which God of your's saves your soul!"

Koreem left, as quietly as he had entered, as the indoors of the entire RayBahadur palace as well as it's walls echoed Neelmoni Mukherjee's dark sinister laughter.

"Baba!"

The soft voice had made him stop, as RayBahadur Neelmoni Mukherjee turned around to face the only soul on earth he cared for.

"Rai Maa??" He exclaimed.

"Baba... You promised..." Raimoti's voice had ripples in it.

"I know Maa... " The old man replied slowly.
"But, aren't promises meant to be broken?" He got up from his imported lounge chair and staggered towards his daughter.
"You know what they say? Everything is fair in love and war..." He inched closer to her and tried to touch her head lovingly.
Raimoti stepped back.