8:30 AM.
Mumin is still sitting on the bed. Staring at the wall. Reading the messages over and over. Three messages. All from the same number. All knowing the most secret parts of his life.
Who are they?
Mumin takes the phone and searches the number on Google. Finds nothing. Tries to track the number. Uses his hacking skills.
Since childhood he had control over computers. While others played sports, Mumin sat on YouTube. Watched how to code. How to break systems. Never told anyone anything. Just learned. In his own way.
Now that skill becomes useful.
He runs a few commands. Traces the IP. Finds the location.
A name appears on the phone screen-
Imolodia.
Mumin freezes.
Imolodia? He has never heard the name. A small country. Somewhere in Europe. He has to search the map to find it.
He goes deeper. This number is connected to an intelligence organization of Imolodia. The name-
Royal Intelligence Corps.
Mumin's hands tremble. An intelligence organization? Why with him?
He tries to extract more information. But the system blocks him. A message appears-
"You have come too far. Stop. Or there will be consequences."
Mumin puts the phone down. His head is spinning.
Musa slowly says, "What did you find?"
Mumin whispers, "An intelligence organization. From a country called Imolodia. They are targeting me."
Musa is silent. Then says, "Why?"
Mumin doesn't know. But he has to find out.
He stands up. Paces the room. Suddenly his eyes fall on an old file. Placed on top of the wardrobe. Covered in dust.
He opens the file-medical reports from a few years ago.
Name of the psychiatrist-Dr. Nazmul Hasan. Psychiatrist.
Mumin's hand freezes. He does not remember that time. Did Musa come out then?
He opens the file and reads-
Patient: Mumin Ahmed
Age: 17 years
Date: 15 January, 2018
Initial Diagnosis: Complex hallucination, paranoid disorder, possible Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Details: Patient claims another person lives inside him. Who acts against his will. He calls him 'Musa.' When Musa comes, the patient cannot remember anything. Time gaps are created. Repeated injury marks found on patient's hands. Due to punching the wall. Patient himself does not know when he does it.
Mumin's vision darkens.
He continues reading-
Recommendation: Regular counseling, medication, and family support required. The patient must be made to understand that Musa is part of himself. He must learn to manage him instead of suppressing him.
The file falls from Mumin's hand.
He sits on the floor.
Musa is silent.
Mumin says, "Musa, are you my illness?"
Musa stays silent for a long time. Then slowly says-
"I am not your illness. I am your way of surviving. When you were very small, very weak, very alone-I came. To save you. I took your anger. I took your pain. You survived."
Mumin begins to cry. "But you're not real. You're inside my head."
Musa says, "What is real? What you see, what you touch, that is real? Then is your crying not real? Is the pain in your chest not real? I am more real than you, Mumin. Because I speak from inside you. I am your truth."
Mumin collapses face-down on the floor. Keeps crying.
After some time he slowly calms down. Sits up. Takes the phone.
That unknown number. This time instead of messaging, he calls.
Once. Twice. Three times.
On the fourth time, someone answers.
The voice is distorted. Cannot tell if male or female.
"You have come very far, Mumin. Congratulations."
Mumin gathers courage and says, "Who are you? Why are you after me?"
The voice laughs. "We are the Royal Intelligence Corps. Imolodia. You are the center of our interest."
Mumin says, "Why? I am an ordinary person."
The voice says, "Not ordinary, Mumin. You are extraordinary. The power inside you-we want to use it."
Mumin is shocked. "What power?"
The voice says, "Musa. The one who lives inside you. Stronger than you. Braver. Fearless. We want him."
Mumin shouts, "Musa is my illness! What will you do with him?"
The voice laughs again. "Illness? No, Mumin. Musa is your superpower. We want to help you. Teach you how to control Musa. Then you will become the most powerful spy in the world."
Mumin drops the phone.
He is panting. His head spinning.
Musa starts laughing loudly. The laughter fills the room.
Musa says, "Did you hear? They want me. They know who I am. They know I'm better than you."
Mumin screams, "Shut up! You are my illness!"
Musa does not stop. Laughs louder.
"I'm your illness? Then why do you call me again and again? Whenever you are in pain, whenever you are alone, you think of me. I am your friend, Mumin. Your only friend."
Mumin presses his ears. But Musa's voice does not stop.
Suddenly he feels-his body is beginning to change.
Musa is coming.
Mumin starts reciting dua. "A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim..."
But Musa does not stop.
Mumin says one last time, "Musa, please... not today. Today I am very weak."
Musa becomes quiet. For a moment.
Then says, "Fine. I'll stay today. But don't forget them. They want me. And what they want-they get, one day or another."
Mumin sits on the floor. Looks at the phone.
A new message on the screen-
"We will wait, Mumin. You will find us when you are ready. Until then, get to know Musa well. Because one day, both of you will belong to us."
Mumin turns off the phone.
Outside, the sun has risen. The day is moving forward.
But for Mumin, today ended long ago.
He looks at the wall. The old marks. His history.
Musa is silent.
But this silence is the most terrifying.
Because when Musa is silent, something begins to happen.
And Mumin does not know-whether it is good or bad.