Justice, it is like a big fucking joke in this lawless country where every case gets dragged for a long ass time with a messy verdict. The old files eat dusts and criminals run Scott's free. But for me it was different I was redeeming and atoning for the mistakes that I had made so that God will not punish me in the afterlife.
Let me go back to where it all began; I woke up in a hospital bed after slipping into a coma for seven months. How I end up like that you ask? Oh, I'll come to it soon but first….
"He is awake. Jesus, it's a miracle that he had survived the crash and lived to see the light of day. We struggled for seven months to see some movement and finally he has responded." The doctor.
I was still in shock and trembling.
"Easy son, can you speak? Do you remember your name son?" The doctor asked.
"Meera, my wife, where is she, is she okay?" I asked with a trembling voice.
"She….. She didn't make it." The doctor broke the horrifying news.
And just like that, my world turned upside down. Meera, my love, my anchor point left my ship abandoned.
[FLASHBACKS TO 2010]
"You look beautiful my love." I complemented her because I was our 1st anniversary of marriage.
"Stop it!" She was blushing.
I had it all, a decent job in THE CHRONICLES as an investigative journalist, a happy married life, a growing career and an abundance of wealth.
"[Car driving through the mountain side] So, where to ma'am?" I joked around; she loves it.
"Our happy place, CRYSTAL LAKE." She requested like it was her last and only wish that evening.
SUDDENLY
SFX: -SCREEEEEEECCCCHHHHH...….. AHHHHHHHHHHHH.........… CRASHHHHHHHHHHHH......
And then I hit rock bottom, the car was totaled and I dozed off. Everything just blurred and I couldn't see anything no more. Meera was juggling between the life and death.
"Hang on Meera, we'll get out...…. Ugh." I gave up.
SFX: -WEEE WOOO WEEE WOOOO... [SIRENS OF PARAMADICS.]
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
[PRESENT DAY]
I was a wreck; I was gulping more whiskey than I could digest and was popping pills to ease up my fucking pain. I missed her and I cried for her. And then came the melting point.
"[Sound of hammer cocking in the pistol.]" I put the barrel into my head but I couldn't do it.
SFX: -LOUD BANG ON THE DOOR AFTER A PUNCH.
"Hey do you mind?" The nosey neighbor was pissed with my constant whining.
I couldn't go on like this, and so I found solace at the local bar with my good friend, Subhas.
"Stop it, Anuj, she is going to come back, no matter how much you drink to forget her." He made it sound easy although it wasn't.
"I am heading home." I was done for the night.
"Let me drive." Subhas offered help.
[AT HOME.]
Back home it was time for some R and R.
"ugh…. Barfffffff..... oh, oh shit.... Fuck.... I should lay off the whiskey... oh, my fucking head!" I was self-loathing.
SFX: -KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK…..
"Letter from Meera? Is this a joke?" I don't know if someone was pranking but I opened it and then.
[DEAR ANUJ, I AM SORRY THAT I AM NOT THERE WITH YOU ANYMORE BUT IF YOU FIND THIS LATER AND THE CASSETTE, KNOW THAT I AM ALIVE AND WAITING AT OUT HAPPY PLACE, THE CRYSTAL LAKE. SO, COME, COME FIND ME, FIND THE TRUTH AND FREE ME.]
And then I played the cassette and it played me her favorite song.
[A WEEK LATER.]
I made it to the Crystal Lake. The local guide was selling a map.
"Map? Map? Map sir?" The hawker was shouting loudly to make a sell.
"How much?" I asked.
"10-taka dada!" He spoke with a Bengali accent.
"This doesn't add up, how can she be?" I muttered to myself.
SFX: -SLOW AND TENDER FOOTSTEPS WITH A SWEET AROMA OF LAVENDER ELEVATING THE AIR.
It smelt of something familiar and then I saw her or maybe someone like her.....
"Meera? No fucking way!" I squirmed.
"I don't know whom you are talking about MR but….. Mary here. New in town?" She was more extrovert and lively than Meera has been. She can't be Meera.
"I am sorry you look like someone familiar. Hie, Anuj, Anuj Shekhawat." I shook hand with the lady.
"The infamous Journalist from Malda, I know who you are? So, what brings you here?" she asked.
"I am looking for someone…. Or something?" I laid myself on the table.
"Aren't we all?" It was more like an escape mechanism in her end.
I am not sure of her angle here but I cannot make her part of my investigation as I cannot afford another lose.
"So, let's dig in together into whatever you are looking for?" She insisted.
I don't know if I can…..
"We'll see about that." I shrugged it off.
[ELSEWHERE.]
"He is here it seems Victor, what if he finds out?" A stranger.
"No, he will not." Victor Barbarosa.