As I am back at Kolkata, So as Rahman (as promised).
This issue was written quite a few days ago. In fact, before I went outside Kolkata.
First Issue: Click Here (This issue combines all prior issues)
Second Issue: Click Here
Third Issue: Click Here
Fourth Issue: Click Here
Rahman and Ziah was walking together through a narrow walking path in a not-too-dense forest. Then Ziah asked Rahman, “Tell me your story? How come you get here?... Ok, wait a second. I’m too tired to walk anymore. Let’s sit under this banyan tree and tal
k”
Rahman told his full story to Ziah. How his father died at his age of six, what hardships his mother faced while bringing him up and how she too succumbed to the hardships of the world and died when he was fifteen. How Sadhan uncle ill-treated him in every possible occasion, and finally he started walking the path. How he met the dying old woman and how he got the coin and how he met the first stop people who told him that he was in a sacred journey.
“So you actually didn’t have any choice. In whatever position you are now, you weren’t any better off at Sadhan’s.”, said Ziah.
Now that’s it. Rahman knew that what Ziah was saying was correct. But getting a certificate on how bad you are from an other person doesn’t always feel good. Yet Rahman kept his mum. It is because of this soft-spoken nature of his character every other person gets successful in pushing him.
Ziah continued, “My case is totally different although. I never had any problem regarding money. My dad runs a big grocery store in the main market where I live. I used to get more money than I actually needed.”
“Then why did you left your home?” asked an astonished Rahman.
“Why wouldn’t I? should I stay at home just to have the crap study and give the crap exam? Life was so boring. So I left home. Failing in the exam worked as a catalyst although.”, Ziah said with curving her lips in a peculiar way.
“So you left home just because you failed in an exam?”
“Oh… not for that damn exam yaar… I told you, it only worked as a catalyst. I left home because there was no charm in my life. Life was so clumsy, so unexciting. Tell me one thing. What’s point in living that way? If you live that way, do things you do not like and do the same things day after day, year after year, you are not actually living. You are just waiting for death.”
“I think you should get back to your parents.”, said Rahman.
“No way. If I get back now they will surely lock me up in a room and make my life more miserable. Plus they will make me married as soon as possible. Dad had already started the talks with the son of the owner of the main market, who is a criminal by profession.”
Ziah paused for a second or two. Then continued, “Don’t worry! I will surely get back to my parents. There is no doubt in that. But first let me find out the charms of life. Let me continue my journey as a sacred walker. We are among the chosen few, remember?”
“Chosen few? You mean there are more that just me and you?”
“Of courses there are. But I am not very sure how many of them are still alive. The path is really dangerous.
“That is why I will again tell you to go back to your parents.”
Ziah got furious at this. She shouted, “I have already decided what to do. I have made it very clear that I am not gonna get back until I finish the sacred path. And by the way, you are no one to advise me. And if you keep nagging me any further I will forget about the alliance and go on my own.”
Rahman did not push her any more on this. Not because he cared for the alliance but because he knew how stubborn the girl is and he didn’t want to let her face the path alone. I must be there with her all the way, Rahman thought.
“what happened after you left home?” asked Rahman.
“that is in itself a history. I will tell you some other day. Everything was fine till my pocket money lasted. but as the money was nearing it’s end, I gradually becoming hard to cope up you know. But you see, you have to face hardship in achieving anything great”, Ziah said as if she had a lot of experience regarding life.
Ziah continued, “One day as I was sitting in a park, I noticed that a coin fell in the grass from the bowl of a blind beggar. I picked them up but as I was going to give that back to the beggar, he was gone. I searched the whole park but he was nowhere. There was something unusual about the coin as you must know. It was the fucking direction coin for God’s sake.
“How did you lost your coin?” asked Rahman. It is because of this Ziah and Rahman was together. Ziah lost her direction coin somehow in the path. On the other hand Rahman lacked information. This made them natural partners in the journey.
“It fell in the river. It was in my hand while I was crossing the river through the bamboo pool. It just fell from my hand and sank in the river.”
“You should not be that much careless” said Rahman.
“See, whatever gone is gone. There is no point in mourning over and over on the same point. Look, I can not carry on without the coin. You too can not carry on because you are a know-nothing-looser and you are by character so dumb. So it makes sense if we carry on together. And for that do not piss me off in such a way that I have to carry on alone.”
Somebody please teach this girl how to talk properly! Thought Rahman.
