The Stalker

50# Flash News

He left me with a kiss on my forehead and its appears like it happened just a second before..,It's been 3 months already,...
I joined the fellowship, last week.
Working on a chemical compound which cleans the chemical waste from the water resources and which will vapour in the air without causing any side effects....

It is a project of Dr. Shankara Narayanan. Me and 3 other people are appointed as a junior of him, helping him through his noble work. I am completely engrossed in the work. Daily eating, working, sleeping and my days goes along the same schedule. Adding to the schedule daily before going to sleep and waking up from sleep, I check my phone for his messages or calls which I know for sure "will not be there". Still I keep doing that, to keep me promised to accept his absence.

Today, we have a testing of the compound with a harsh dying agent. Me and my team met is doing it alone as the doctor and other one is going for a conference in some other building inside the campus.
Testing went well and it worked fine, and we began to record the things in our journal. Finishing the works, we both decided to work on the next formula. Checking the time, we changed the schedule to have a lunch and return back to the work after half an hour.
Having the lunch, I called my mother in law and mother next to next making sure they too had their lunch.

When I tried to put my phone in my bag, I heard that rang. It was from the In charge of the campus hostel. when I attended the call, she informed that My room door isn't locked properly and called me to check whether the belongings are safe. I informed my team mate and walked towards the hostel. I am sure that I locked the door in the morning. I hope that I will not face any such things that I faced in Bangalore. Within few minutes I reached my room and found the helper boy standing in-front of my room. The room door was open as they said. I slowly entered in and checked my cupboard. It remained locked. I felt relieved. I requested the helper Boy to inform the Incharge that No issues are there in my room. As soon as he left, I took a knife from my kitchen counter and advanced near the sofa. I felt someone's presence in my room as soon as I entered. I felt like handling this myself so sent the helper boy out.

As I guessed there was a figure lying on his stomach behind the sofa. When I moved closer, I realized that the person is not conscious. I tried to see his face. I turned the person and I got myself surprised. "Athaan!!!!!!" that was the only word I could spell. I rushed to the kitchen and took a glass full water to sprinkle on his face. When I did the same, He tried to open his eyes. I kept the glass away and kept his head on my lap. "Ammu," came his weak voice. He look much thinner and his loss of weight is much evident with the loose shirt he is wearing. I helped him to lie on my bed. There were marks of hurt all along his hand. I slowly removed his shirt to find gruesome buries allover his back and hands. My eyes welled up with tears. This is not the Ram I gave send off months ago. I took the first aid box and started to treat the injuries. Few injuries looked like it needed stiches. I tried my best to treat evrything. His legs are trembling all the time. I made him lie on the bed, covered his bare upper body with a blanket.

I took my phone to call Prabhu anna but I decided not too. I went to kitchen and prepared a cup of Kanji (Porridge ). when I returned he was sitting by resting his back with the support of a pillow. I had 1000 questions running in my head, still avoided those and started to feed him. Without any complaints he drank the whole cup. I kept the cup aside and took a long breath. He pulled me into his hold and that was the moment I was waiting for. My eyes started to shed tears again.

Its been months, I met him. Meeting him after a long gap may have affected me, But what affected more is the state he is now. After few minutes, He spoke," I am in mid of a serious work ammu. I felt like taking a break before moving into the major and last task of the project. I decided to surprise you, but unfortunately I fainted due to long travels." I hugged him more tight as he spoke. " Its alright thanga paiya, let me call my team mate and inform leave for one week. Will you here for one week?" I asked him in doubt. "Please inform no one about my presence with you. Just inform you need three days of leave as you have health issues. I am still under the undercover mission. Hope you understand." As soon as he said I smelt an untold truth. I called my team mate and informed the leave.

"I am hungry again Ammu, can you cook me something" he asked. Immediately I rushed to the kitchen and started to cook a meal that is full of vegetables and dhal. I helped him to come and eat in the dinning table. He started to eat in small portions. It clearly showed that its been atleast weeks he had a good meal. I filled a cup of apple juice and kept it near his plate. I really tried to be calm and relaxed. But I couldn't.

He finished his plate and juice cup. I asked him sleep. He without saying anything went and slept on my bed. I locked the room from outside and went to the grocery shop to buy vegetables and fruits. As I was returning I felt like someone was watching me from far, When I turned around no body was there. I started to get some bad vibes. I hurried back to the room.

He was still sleeping, I kissed his forehead and cooked another meal and sat in the sofa with my laptop. I checked my emails, recorded my research developments. I thought of calling Rakshita but decided not to remembering what he told. I rested my head in the sofa. unexpectedly my mom called me. First I silenced my phone, Had second thoughts of attending that call. Then I shut his door and attended the call. "Papa, Have you saw the news?" came her tensed voice. "No amma, I had a headache so took a half a leave and resting in my room , amma. What's the news?" I heard my father shouting in back, "Who asked you to call her now?, you are.. ". It is not right. "Amma what is happening there, why is appa shouting at you?" I think dad pulled the phone from my mom's hand and he spoke, "Yazhini maa, don't think much. We still don't have official news here. May be it's a fake news. You stay calm. Try to return back to nammakal as early as possible." As he spoke I couldn't understand anything. He disconnected the call.

I switched on the TV, Flash news was running. " Four IAS officers were brutally murdered. Two of them were from Hyderabad and Two are from Tamilnadu. It looks like they were working under Narcotics department. Their names are "Sundeep Sagar, Aadvik Mahadev, Jayaprakash, Ramanathan"

"Ramanathan" His name along with his photo is being flashed in every news channel for every minute. What is happening?

Yazhini Sundaram

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