.....Continuing after the Chapter 1
Chapter 2
It seemed not everyone had the permission to disappear. Sumit called someone and soon a small gate in 1 corner of the building opened up.
"Which is this area? I didn't even notice while coming"
"Don't bother. Just chill and know that no one is going to come here"
After passing through some doors and passages, they came to a staircase going down. Sumit was well versed with the way around. Soon they reached a dead end. But it was a farce wall. A small turn of a seemingly non existent knob and Nirvana's heavy noise greeted them with
"Come as you are.. As you were..as I want you to be.. as a friend.. as a friend"
The setting inside was somewhat like Amit had thought. Big Hall, Dim lights, one big corner reserved for rocking complete with guitars, drum and a piano. Music blared from the big speakers all around the big hall. There were not many people in there at this hour.
"What will you have? Any drink?"
"For now I need that bread omelet that you were making back home"
"Hahaha… we will have something to eat. Come"
Sumit lead Amit to another room where there was a small kitchen setup.
"what place is this dude"
"As I said.. Chill.. and Enjoy. Here, have some biscuits for now. I will make your bread omelet"
"Need any help?"
"Don't worry. You just eat", Sumit smiled as he busied himself.
"Who are these people here?"
"Friends"
"Do they live here only?"
"Some of them. Yes"
"So you have the sessions every night or on week ends?"
"Everyday is a party dude. You can come any time any day but just Come-as-you-are"
"Not many people at this time though"
"Its 12 already. They will start pouring in soon. Saturdays start early you see. "
"So what will you do?"
"Just have fun. Here is your omelet"
"Thanks. You have already started having fun", Amit said pointing to the Peg in Sumit's hands. "No Breakfast. Nothing. Straight Gum ka saathi Rum"
Sumit laughed slowly. "Ya..hey..I am sorry if I acted a bit strangely"
"Oh no problem. I understand"
"What do you think?"
"About what?"
"About these problems we continuously keep having.. you know riots and bandhs and all"
"Well I think education is the key. We should educate…."
"Bull Shit", Sumit interrupted. "What do you think? These people are not educated. They are dude. They are. But still they do it"
"May be.. But.."
"Do you know, who killed your family in the riots?", Sumit interrupted again.
"Well..No. I don't know", Amit was feeling uncomfortable. And Sumit was already on his second peg.
"Were they Hindus or Muslims?"
"I don't know. I was not there."
"It is a high chance that some Muslim mob killed your family right?"
"I don't know. How does it matter?". Amit was irritated.
"Do you hate them?"
"I don't know.. No…. I don't think Muslims could have done that. There weren't many Muslim groups killing people at that time. They were the ones being hunted", he said slowly, all the time looking down.
That uneasy feeling was growing within him. He experienced this strange feeling whenever he saw or heard something related to disturbance creating mobs, rioting mobs, killing mobs. There was a strain in the stomach and he was finding difficult to sit down or eat.
"So you are saying that.."
"Lets not talk about it"
"ok. You know about my family??"
Amit knew that the alcohol had started its work.
"Ya.. I know"
"No. You listen. Listen. Those damn bloody rioters. I am telling you fighting in the name of religion is just a farce. When a Hindu girl is marrying a Muslim boy - they have a problem. But while killing they had no problem. You know in front of my eyes.. They… Shit!!". He gulped down another peg in one shot. "Can't Hindus and Muslims be friends? Damn It. I played with Asif since I don't know when. And they killed him. Why??". "Why", he shouted.
"How can they kill people". Amit asked himself loudly. "That is out of ordinary. Killing some body is .. is.. not normal. How does anyone feel doing this?"
"That's what I would love to experience"
"What?"
"Nothing… hehehehe… Guess I am drunk..Nothing. C'mon lets go. Seems like guys have started rocking"
By the evening many people had gathered there. Amit too had some drinks and surprised himself by enjoying the proceedings. Sumit was busy - first with a guitar, and then inside a smoke filled room. After some time, Amit's head started paining with the heavy music and the smoke. He decided to get some fresh air. He couldn't find Sumit so he went up alone.
As he stepped out of the hidden door, everything became suddenly quiet.
"Be Careful", someone called out from the shadows, scaring Amit.
"What?"
"You know the rules. Don't get seen".
He didn't seem to know that Amit was there for the first time.
"Ya.."
It was night time and the full moon was out. To avoid being spotted Amit went through a small nook into the backyard. There were high walls here. The place seemed to be a kind of factory. Suddenly Amit heard some voices behind him. He quickly hid behind a pillar. It was Sumit with another guy. The guy gave a packet to Sumit. He had a look at the contents, talked something in hush voices and then the guy left. Sumit came through the nook into the backyard.
"What are you doing here", Sumit said without looking at Amit.
"What is this? Some drugs. So you also… "
"You want to see?"
"Yes… if it is.."
"Then see", said Sumit taking it out of the wrapper.
"Oh Shit.. What is this?"
"Sshh.. Don't tell anyone..C'mon let's have a drink". Sumit gave a smile. Amit couldn't decipher, if it was an evil one or a naughty one.
Chapter 3
"Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word
Hello, hello, hello, how low?"
Sumit was on is guitar when Amit groggily came out of the room.
"Hi. Good Morning", Sumit said in a singing tone with a strum on his guitar.
"Good Morning"
"How are you?"
"After last night, how can I be? Moreover, you don't tell me what that is for?.. And what is this. You are watching news today. Where has the sun risen from today?"
"Watch the news dude. Just… watch the news"
"What. Same yesterday's news"
"Yes. But it has spread here too. These bloody people. They need a lesson in religion themselves"
"So you are going to give them a lesson in religion??"
"Naah... But I am going to teach them some lesson for sure"
"What does that mean now?"
"Load up the guns and bring your friends… It's fun to lose and to pretend… ", Sumit went to the kitchen singing.
"Oh Shit. What are you up to Sumit?"
"Nothing yaar. Some juice??"
"Ya.. OK..", Amit said some what confused. "See Sumit. Being revengeful is not correct. Try forgiveness. Don't carry so much hatred in you"
"Listen. I cannot be you and you cannot be me. You have not seen what I have. For you it is easy to talk of peace and forgiveness. Not me. OK"
There was an uneasy silence for some seconds.
"Here". Sumit handed over the juice.
"Thanks"
It was 8 PM when he woke up. His head was hurting. Then he realized that he had been drugged. It must be the juice.
"Where the hell is he?"
The TV was on. They were showing some news of some people getting shot.
Amit kept on watching the news for some time. There had been a mob fury. There were the pictures which had become so common now days – burning bus, People pelting stones, police firing tear gas shells and water canon.
"What the hell?" He needed some water. Then the news moved to death of some people from the mob. The police denied that they had fired shots.
Suddenly it dawned on Amit that it could have been Sumit. He had taken the gun yesterday. He was acting strangely since yesterday. As the news continued, it told that around 10 persons had been shot mysteriously – some of them from close range. 3 of them were allegedly trying to put a bus on fire. The killer's identity was not known till now. The police suspected that he was either one of their own or dressed like the mob.
"Oh Shit", Amit thought. "Was it Sumit?"
He waited for an hour for him. But then his desperation got the better of him. He decided to go to Disappear. It was the only place he could find him.
But Amit didn't know the way properly. He had tried to remember it on the way back. But he wasn't too sure. He decided to leave anyway. To his own surprise, he had remembered the way quite well. He rushed to the small door and tapped it hard. No response.
"Please open. It's urgent. I am not carrying my mobile"
A small window opened followed by the small gate. The person was red with anger. “C’mon you know the rules. This is the first and the last time”
“What damn rules”, Amit thought.
Amit rushed in. As he opened the door hidden in the wall, a burst of sound hit him.
It was Nirvana playing on the big speakers.
"We passed upon the stairs,
We spoke of was and when
Although I wasn't there
He said I was his friend"
He looked around the hall. Sumit was not there. He went into the adjacent smoke filled room and got a few smiling glances. "Bloody dopers". He thought.
Then he moved to the kitchen.
"Oh no, not me,
We never lost control,
You're face to face,
With the man who sold the world"
There he was.
"I have been waiting for you", Sumit said smiling.
"It was you. Wasn't it?"
"It was 'we' dude. It was WE".
"What do you mean??"
"Well… hmm… ok.. how did you know the way to this place. You have been here only once right?"
"I remembered it last night"
"haaa.. remembered it last night. It's not that easy dude. OK leave it. You know that the killer today was wearing the same dress as the mob. Bandana and all"
"Yes"
"Then I don't suppose you looked into the mirror since you got up"
Amit turned to the big broken mirror on the wall.
The music outside stopped. For a few moments there was complete silence.
Then someone came from outside.
"C'mon dude. On the guitar. Let's have some Live stuff"
Soon Amit was on the guitar singing.
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don’t just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
All the three chapters also available here: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2350152/1/
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