Aut viam invéniam aut Faciam which in Latin means: "either I will find a way or I will make one"…
Chapter-1
Chapter-1
HONK…WAAM...The sound of train passing in the subway reaches his ear. He touches his locket looking at himself in the mirror. He hums a tune. THIS IS IT.
Few years back…
He is on the street buying groceries when he hears it in a distant. The tune so familiar. He follows it. So melodious, so sad yet beautiful. He is drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
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FLASHBACK
Sister: “Mamma, can I have it? It sounds so good.”
Mother: “Next time. Right now we don’t have time.”
Sister: “But I want it.”
Brother: “You can’t have it...hahaha.”
Sister: “Why do you do this, make fun…I hate you.”
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It’s a music box. He hums along the tune. “I am taking it. How much?”
“That’s 20 bucks.”
It’s her birthday coming up, worth it.
He is heading to his room thinking about the winter break when he can head home and gift it to her. She would be thrilled. He watches people glued on the TV screen outside a café. Apparently there has been a train bombing in India. His phone rings. “Hello?” A voice explains. “Nooo…” Can’t be. “The ticket has been arranged. Please come home.” Home? There’s no home now. He is glued to the spot looks up to the screen. Fuck. Tears roll out. He drops the bag. (The tune comes out.) He looks down, sees the box and kicks it away. He runs into a dark alley thinking it’s a dream. “I'll wake up anytime.”
Back to the present...
TICK…TICK..TICK.
“Hopefully someone will notice this”, he thinks. “What I am about to do. Maybe they can figure it out.”
The tune runs again. It never leaves you. Never lets you rest. “No more running from now, I am free.”
KABOOM!!!
“Breaking News…Police are investigating a suicide bombing which happened at 1:15pm here in New York. There are more than 15 people dead and many injured. As you can see there is nothing left, however the police have found a locket which is suspected to have been worn by the suicide bomber.”
“This just in. The suicide bomber has been recognized as… Family was killed in a train bombing in India. Police are not sure as to what was motive behind this attack. Apparently he went missing since last year.”
Chapter-2
Chapter-2
Few months back…
HONK…WAAM... (Train goes past. He sits up near the railway track). He has nowhere to go, no money. This is life. Pfff… He takes out the cigarette. (CLICK…Click.) “Damn, lighter.” He sees a guy staring at him. “You got a problem there, man.” The person approaches. He explains how he would be given food, clothes, nice place to live almost every luxury if in turn he does what he’s asked to. “Without questions. You understand.” He nods. Right now he can hear only food. He gets in the car. “Oh dear…you need some new clothes right away.”
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FLASHBACK
Girl: “You never listen…I hate you.”
Boy: “Hahaha”
Girl: “That’s my locket I got it from the market as my b-day gift.”
Boy: “And now it’s mine.”
Girl: “Why do you do this…don’t you love me.” Tears fall down the cheek.
Boy: “Hahaha…cry baby.”
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He misses her so much. She tried to call but he left his phone...threw it away that day.
Tears roll out. “I couldn't even say I love you to her...”
“Who you taking to kid?” “Strange, he talks to himself”, say the guy with the gun.
“Boss brings all the whackos here…”
“Boss brings all the whackos here…”
Chapter-3
Few hours back…
TICK…TICK…TICK.
“The plan has been set. You know your part, right?” He nods. “You are doing us all proud. Allah will set your pains free. You will be accepted by him and there will be no fear.” “Go with Rahim, he will drop you at your target.”
He closes his eyes as he walks past the security room towards the subway station. “If anything goes wrong, I'll still do it.”
(Crowd talking)
“This is where we part. Allah be with you.”
He approaches the stop...stands there waiting for the train.
Little Girl: “Wow, you are so tall. Mamma I wanna be so tall.”
The train door open, he steps in, heart pounding. He sits and starts his prayers. He has his hands on the phone. The number he has to ring is imprinted in his brain.
“Wow, so nice locket. Can I see it?” He opens his eyes. It’s the same girl. Idiot girl stay away.
“I wanna have it. Can I atleast touch it?” She reaches out.
“Hey back off…stupid girl.” He says.
Tears flow out. Those tears something so familiar about them.
“What did I do…I hate you.
Mommm...”
Mommm...”
WAMM!! WAAM!! A train goes past. He looks at the watch but can’t seem to focus. He hears laughter in a distant. His own laughter. It comes back to him. The little girl reminded him of someone…someone very close. He hears the laughter again. He thought the memories had left him. The pain, the fear. The girl now with her mother, eyes red. He sees those tears. They haunted him so much.
The train stops. Doors open.
“I can’t do this”. He gets out. He has the security personnel card to get out without being noticed.
“I can come clean. I haven’t taken anything.”
(exits outside)
BOOM!!! BOOM!
Shriek everywhere. Something happened. This is bad. Phone rings.
“You didn’t do what you were told.”
“I couldn’t…I don’t want to.”
“It’s okay…we had a backup plan.”
“What?”. His eyes contract, he looks around. There’s smoke coming from the subway station.
“Rahim is going to pick you up”. ”Stay there. Hide somewhere.”
The phone hangs up. He looks around. “What backup? What did he mean?”
He hears it in distant…the sound of the ambulance siren. “ Let’s get out of here. Someone just bombed the subway train.” He hears the person talking to his wife.
The train…the girl…gone! "Those bunch of assholes". He runs away raging with anger.
Chapter-4
Chapter-4
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FLASHBACK
Girl: “You know this locket is my lucky charm. I wanna give it to you.”
Boy: “why?”
Girl: “You are going to a new country. You should wear it. It will protect you.”
Boy: “what about you?”
Girl: “Just take it. A reminder. Just don’t forget me.” (tears fall)
Boy(tearful): “ I have to go now. I’ll be late for the flight.”
Girl:”I love you.”
She waves. He doesn’t look back, just runs. He can’t look back.
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Same corridor. He knows it. The red door.
212-555-7824. He dials on his phone.
"Hey I thought the boss said Rahim was going to bring you in."
BEEP.
"Hey...can't go in. He's busy. Just sit down, I'll go talk to him."
BEEP.
As the door open, he bursts in.
"What the....?" "Are you crazy?"
Images pop infront of him...The little girl...The crying face at the airport. Their faces blur. Somehow it seems as if they are smiling. He grabs the locket. "Please forgive me..."
BEEP...
KABOOM!!!
Epilogue
"Breaking News...The suicide bombing that happened today, Police report says that those 15 killed in the bombing were related to Al-Queda and were planning a major attack at the Pentagon. They were also responsible for the subway bombing that happened earlier today. Police say that a major catastrophe has been averted all thanks to the suicide bomber. Police have yet to figure out the motive behind this attack…”
The tune plays out.
“At my signal, unleash hell...”
This is a short story written by me. I hope you liked it. I have the tune too. Listen to it. I find it quite beautiful.
Harshal Singh.
Here's the tune:
(if u don't see it visit [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_SChDmSedM ] )