30- POST-WAR RECESSION 1971
Past dawn, Rahat secretly got out of the mansion.
He crept past the guards to Dr. Nitra's doctor chamber. Rahat's thought emerged with the situation that the lock was opened and forgot to close it up. Usually, the doctors' office weren't supposed to open till 9 o clock in the morning and it was dawn past 5 am. Was it a trap or a setup done by Dr. Nitra?
He sneaked inside the chamber where it was quite dark. He took out the small torch from his pocket and slowly ascended near the table. It was hollow and dark, which Rahat never experienced as a teenager, unlike his adult arrogant self who just whined about everything by jumping into conclusion. The bunch of files were on its side, but one of the file was quite odd: written as 'MISSING PEOPLE'.
Why was it in Nitra's room? It was quite understandable to say that, both Rahat and Nitra were investigating about the same but what's more to the missing person? The actual connection of the murder of Madame Ruby's guard? Something doesn't add up? How is Madame Ruby connected to all these people? It was done even before she arrived in the scene.
He opened up and unfolded the files. The pages of the newspapers and its clips were more scattered than ever. Most of those missing people were connected to most of the people either Kashem helped or familiarized with. Until an article showed up at the end on the file:
March 29, 1971
KASHEM: MURDERER OR VICTIM?
Crime Desk
JAHANGIRNAGAR, DHAKA: A hooligan and a former US Student have murdered a guard as a need of money and fame.
Kashem, 27 have murdered Jamshed Miah, 51 guarding a house with the respected magistrate, Madame Ruby. She has claimed that Kashem is involved in several missing people.
"What! It doesn't add up!" mumbled the shocked Rahat.
Rahat continued....
According to the source, Rahat was at the orphanage on a meeting with the matron. He ran away from the police after he got informed about the murder.
"This is the reason why sister Nitra wept, by holding the article in the breast! Where were Selim, Chikku and Gyankosh?" whispered Rahat.
Therefore, he looked at the pregnancy charts, as well as the posters of the campaign against female child killings and abortion. Rahat quickly got out and had gone through the abandoned orphanage. It was more of a Victorian era than what the 70s would have been. Hence, it was opened and haunted, he crept into upstairs, reminiscing the memories of Rahat's visit to Kashem.
Suddenly, someone just patted his shoulder. He looked back with anxiety, but felt safe when he saw a familiar face: Nitra.
"Rahat, I've been following you, since you've got out of my chamber. What is it that you're looking for?" asked Nitra.
"Ever since I've a dream last night, that Kashem Bhai is about to get hanged on the gallows, despite being a fugitive, something strikes me: even you to investigate the whereabouts of him"
The dwarf entered.
"I know where Kashem is..."
Meanwhile, hours passed, Kashem sat, cooking on the campfire as the kids were looking at him. Chikku and Gyankosh were looking at the ladies who were dancing the traditional Bengali-tribal dance by the name of Bizhu by tapping their feet with the pearls. They wore colorful saris and a dot at their forehead plus black blouse inside. Their hairs were covered with the Chinese chopsticks. The music was used with drums made of lion's skin and covered with the silver crystal rocks. Drumsticks were made out of the woods.
Music with drums and the pearls have added up with their lyrical song that were traditionally sung by their ancestors. The singing of the girls were so symphonious that mesmerized the little boys to its core.
Kashem flew the kites along with the children, two. It was so good with the sunshine and the spring wind that popped up as such that the mountains looked more green and gold with it. The flowers were blooming and the cool breeze increased the beauty of what the wings could show. It was such that, he heard a familiar voice.
"Kashem!! My love!!" screamed Nitra.
"Nitra aunty...Nitra?" exclaimed Jawad, clearing his throat.
Nitra was the one who helped Sabeda to bring Jawad to world. Since then, she used to visit him for mental checkups and physical ones. That smile on her face did familiarize with him as a teenager, who saw her photos. Anyway, she ran by uplifting her arms and hugged him like a cat meowing to its owner. Her soft hands reminded him of when he was a baby, brought to the world.
"Where have you been all these long?" cried Nitra and kissed his cheeks.
"I'm dirty!"
"I don't care, dirty boy!!" said Nitra, continued to kiss his cheeks and nibbled his neck with her head, like never before in life.
Their moments interrupted when Selim and Rahat arrived. Kashem was surprised to see the youngest version of his father, exactly the way he imagined in the original timeline: skinny, curly haired, tall, more like a hero compare to healthy mustached and darker counterpart. In the 1985 timeline, he started to get a bit chubby and grittier.
Rahat was shocked to see Kashem alive, as everyone knew him as a fugitive, some claimed him dead. Rahat and Kashem danced, similar to the street weddings which could only be found in the South Asian culture. Then they hugged.
"Bro! Where have you been all my life?" cried Rahat.
"Wowzer! It's a long story!"
"I'm willing to listen" said Rahat.
Rahat and Nitra were introduced to the tribes. An old woman, sitting outside the tent in the floor. She saw Nitra and said "please take care of him, dear, he's a nice young man to ever love you more than ever could. He even showed me your picture from the wallet. You're more beautiful than it".
It was the first time, when Kashem was healed, the old woman was outside the mountainous area, like a beggar. Until a car was about to pass. A man hoped out.
"Why the hell are you here?" screamed the man.
"I am here to beg!! I need food, son!" said the old lady softly.
"This is no place for you! Stay out of this fucking road!"
He took out the whip and hit off the old lady continuously. Until, Kashem arrived at the scene with the eyes, red and the anger of such that it turned into something unbearable. His muscles pumped out and he pressed the palm of his hands. His veins were full as such that he punched the man's face, as he fell down to the ground.
"DO YOU KNOW WHO THE FUCK AM I? I AM THE KING OF THIS JUNGLE!" said Kashem angrily.
Kashem grabbed his whip, slapped, hit and kicked him!
"Bro, please stop! I'm sorry" the man wept. Accidentally, he peed his pants, with the terror invented by Kashem. When he was about to whip him again, the old woman stopped Kashem.
"My son, this man is just a child. Don't worry" said the old woman calmly.
They stepped back and Kashem took her to the woods.
Back to the present, Nitra was amazed by Kashem's greatness and responsibilities because, even with his hooligan activities he helped a lot of people such as claimed the land to the rightful owners, exposing the corrupts, helping people to be educated and employed. To the contrast, it was discouraged by Rahat's father, Salaam. Nitra tried her best to defend Kashem's actions also and even her father passed away in the war, leaving her an orphan. What's with the orphan connection with Selim, Kashem and Nitra?
The children were screaming "Bhabi, bhabi (Sister-in-law)".
Everyone rounded, while Chief Krishnandu arrived. His grand presence silenced but gave warmth to the tribes, also including Kashem, Selim, Rahat and Nitra, while Chikku and Gyankosh came late. Krishnandu's fatherly smile offered Nitra to come to the front.
"Child, I've seen the love between you and Kashem are extremely...strong. Your dear Kashem brought joy to the lives of our community with grace and humility. I understand the consequences made by Ruby who was once my student of Archeology in Kolkata. I wasn't a Chieftain back then, but I was a Professor of the University of Kolkata. Until, my father, the former Chieftain died, I ended up to be a Chieftain and serve all the people who were helpless. I don't understand the corruption of the outer world but this simplicity might made us savage but a bit civilized. Your fiancé (or future husband), Kashem reminded me of that root that I was from. Your love conquers it all, dear" said Krishnandu.
"Thank you, chief, you're really a kind person" Nitra bowed her head.
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