This chapter was ready... So thought of posting it.. But I'm a bit disappointed and sad about the reviews for the promo... After trying for a long time, I finally managed to pen down a horror story... I know it's not upto the mark but still... Please let me know, whether I should continue or drop it... :-/
Chapter 1:-
It was a beautiful, bright morning, when, a car stopped in front of the main entrance of a very huge and royal looking building... A man in suit came out of it and tapped the window through which a little figure was staring at him...
Man:- Abhi..?
The little one looked up with wonder-waiting eyes... though he was completely aware of what should be done..
Abhi:(looked at him):- Papa... mai aau bahar?
Man:(smiles):- Yes beta.. aa jao.. bahar... come... dekho.. hum pohunch gaye...
A boy of 11 years, who seemed a lot younger and sweeter jumped out of the car... his face portraying a variety of emotions.. His heart was pounding in his chest... And his brain was confident yet unsure of his future...
Man:- Guitar?
Abhi:- Ha...
He pulled out his shining brand new guitar and managed its straps so that it didn't fall off his little shoulder.. He was a cute kid... not tied to his mom's apron strings but to his father's..
Man:(sits on his knees):- Kya hua hai beta? itna ghabraye huye kyun ho?
Abhi:(scared):- Papa.. yaha mai agar audition mein hi disqualify ho gaya toh
Man:(smiles):- Arey aisa nahi sochte bachche.. aap ACP Pradyuman ka beta the Great Abhijeet Singhaniya ho na?
So Abhijeet was the only son of ACP Pradyuman of CID Mumbai... No.. ACP didn't appear to be so calm and loving... His countenance was strict.. But the only person who always brought down the level of mercury in his brain was his son... or rather his son's innocent and cute smiling face... He could never utter a tough word on his face... Seeing Abhi quiet and thoughtful,
ACP:(cups his face):- Abhi.. beta kya hua hai batao.. aap ko kuchh chahiye? Chips? ya koi aur khane ki cheez?
Abhi looked at him... with a blank expression.. It was only the introvertish behaviour of his little one.. that made ACP worry about leaving him alone for a week...
Abhi:(low tone):- Papa
ACP:(coming out of trance):- Ha beta bolo (ruffles his hair) kya chahiye aap ko hm?
Abhi:- Papa akela rehna hai na yaha
Saying this, Abhijeet turned and gave a nervous look to the huge concrete structure standing beside them.. the one that was going to engulf him for a looooooooong week...
ACP:(holds his little hands):- Aap sher ho na? Strong ho na?
Abhi:- Ha... lekin mumma aur aap ke bina kaise rahunga
His face got redder and puffed up..
ACP:- Mumma and papa aap se milne aayenge na.. (showing a bag that was in his hand) yeh dekho.. is mein.. Phone hai na.. call karoge aap mujhe ya mumma ko..
Abhi:(puppy face):- Ha lekin agar.. agar mujhe... mumma se kissi lena hai.. ya aap se hug lena hai.. tab k.. kaise lu? (sniffs)
ACP could tolerate the worst criminal insulting him or trying to kill him but it always seemed impossible for him to bear his little SHER's teary eyes and puffed face...
ACP:(lovingly):- Mera bachcha.. aa jao.. beta
ACP hugged him and picked him up in his arms... Although Abhi was of eleven years, he seemed not more than a seven year old kid.. A 'tiny mini-sized human being' was the phrase that best described him..
Abhi:(giving way to his tears):- P..papa.. mu.. mujhe ghar jana hai.. n.. nahi reh.. rehna..
Saying this, Abhi wound his little hands around his PAPA's neck and hid his cute face in his shoulder...
ACP:(smiles):- Abhi.. beta.. aap ko yaha participate karna tha na beta? Hm..? bolo? aap ka dil karta tha na.. aap bhaag loge.. aap itna achha gate ho.. ha? hai na?
He tried his best.. to console his son.. or maybe to console himself.. as he as well as his wife and Abhi's MUMMA, Vrinda would find it very difficult, not having their beloved darling son, in front of their eyes... On receiving no response from Abhi, ACP moved his shoulder..
ACP:(kisses his cheeks):- Hum hai na aap ke sath beta? Aap ko jab bhi zaroorat padega aap call kar lena hume.. waise toh (holds one of Abhi's hands) Mumma aur Papa ko bhi bohot problem hone wala hai..
Abhi:(moving closer to his father):- Mujhe nahi dena audition... ghar chale jate hai
ACP:- No bachche.. aap ne kitna mehnat kiya hai na is audition ke liye ha? ghar jayenge agar toh aap ka sapna incomplete reh jayega hai na?
Abhi:(teary eyes):- Koi baat nahi papa.. sapna baad mein.. mai.. (again his face gets puffed) mai kaise r.. rahunga aap dono bhi raho na mere sath..
ACP:- Beta (cuddles him) aap ab bade ho gaye ho na? abhi toh aap ko mumma papa ke bina rehna seekhna hai hai na Abhi?
Abhi:- Matlab mai.. mai jab (sniffs) aurbhi bada ho jaunga.. bohoooooot bada singer ban jaunga mujhe aap logon ke bina rehna padega?
ACP:- Nahi beta humesha thodi na rehna hai humare bina.. but socho.. agar koi concert ho ya koi programme mein ja rahe ho aap toh humesha mumma ya mai rahenge kya aap ke sath?
Abhi:- Mujhe yaha khana kon khilayega papa.. mumma toh mujhe khila deti hai.. aur mujhe na.. achhi achhi.. stories sunati hai (excited) aur sula deti hai.. woh sab toh nahi ho payega na.. yaha toh boarding jaisa behave karenge sab hai na..
ACP:- Arey nahi nahi.. bachche.. kyun boarding jaisa kyun? Ek hafte ki toh baat hai.. kitne pyare puare sweet sweet dost milenge na aap ko.. dekhna aap ke itneeeee sare dost ban jayenge.. thik hai? Hmm?
ACP was trying his level best to slow down the innocent heart's flow of thoughts.. But his repeated attempts were all in vain.. after all he himself was in no mood or preparation to leave his little Abhi all alone.. among some unknown people.. Yes, he has always been an ardent follower of the DOCTRINES of CID.. that included YOU SHOULDN'T BE EMOTIONAL.. Still.. seeing his HEART and his LIFE.. in such a helpless condition, he couldn't help a tear that naughtily escaped his eye..
ACP was in deep thoughts thinking about what he could do to help his son or rather himself, when an excited and chirpy scream banged his ear drum.. Abhi, who was still in his arms, looked at his PAPA's face with a questioning gaze.. waiting for a satisfactory reason for the interruption in the father-son moment.. Little Abhi narrowed his eyes and his lips transformed to an inverted 'U'..
Getting an intuition about what would come next.. he realised, if he had to save his ear drum, he had to react against the disturbance..
ACP:(Hugs Abhi and asks loudly):- Kon hai? Kisne chillaya aise? Kiske wajah se mera Prince.. ko bura laga.. hm?
Abhi 's face changed back to normal.. His father had supported him.. Now, he would get to see his SUPERMAN PAPA.. hitting a BAD VILLAIN.. But his trail of thoughts were disrupted by another voice coming from behind..
Voice:- SHOOOORRYYYYY ACP uncle...
ACP:- Arey yeh awaz toh suna suna lagta hai.. lekin kahaaa
Meanwhile, Abhi was not feeling well... up till then, he wasn't wanting to go inside the building but suddenly, he started to feel an attraction towards it... His little brain couldn't make out the reason and he started to stare at it with big eyes... An uneasy feeling was slowly creeping inside him... He didn't know why.. He wanted to pull his PAPA's hand and ask him to take him back... but when he was just going to turn his face away from it, he felt as if he had no control over his body.. He couldn't look away..!!! Something... something had transformed him into a breathing statue...
On stressing his brain, ACP remembered an incident, when a school bus was hijacked by terrorists.. three years back.. there was a GOL MATOL boy, who had caught his attention..
(FLASHBACK)
Inside a school campus,
ACP:- Dekhiye sir.. yeh sahi mein bohot galat kiya hai aap ne...
The CID team was present having the principal of the school in front of them.. His head was lowered as he knew that the hijack of the bus involved his carelessness.. and that would succumb the lives of a hundred blooming buds..
ACP:- Jab kaha gaya tha ki aaj ka din khatre se bhara hua hai.. Newspapers mein itneee bade bade headlines chhape gaye the.. political strike hai aaj.. aur kuchh national security ka mamla hai.. yeh toh har school authority ko mail kiya gaya tha toh aap ko aisa kyun laga ki bachcho ko jane de.. ek excursion cancel ho jata toh konsi badi baat ho jati?
Principal:- I'm so sorry sir.. maine socha har baar ki tarah is baar bhi kuchh bhi nahi hone wala hai isliye
ACP:- Isliye sarkari notice ko bhula diya jaye aur bachcho ki jaane musibat mein daal diya jaye?
Principal:- I'm really sorry sir.. mera koi bhi galat irada nahi tha.. mujhse bohot badi bhool huyi hai sir.. is baar ke liye maff kar dijiye.. ainda aisi galti dobara nahi hogi..
ACP:- Ha aur agar hui na toh pehle aap ko andar jana padega ha.. samjh gaye na
Principal:- Ji sir...
ACP:- Thik hai lekin ab se yeh school ke upar humare nigahein honge.. toh kuchh bhi idhar udhar nahi honi chahiye..
Principal:- Nahi hoga sir..
ACP:- Thik hai aap ja sakte hai
Principal:- Sir aap se ek baat kehni thi..
ACP:- ha ha boliye
Principal:- Humare school ka annual function organize kiya gaya hai.. Next week mein hai.. sir.. (smiles) hum chahte hai ki waha pe hum kisi reel hero ko nahi balki aap jaise real hero ko chief guest banaye.. sir.. toh
He forwarded a letter to ACP..
Principal:(smiles and says respectfully):- Sir.. aap yeh please accept kariye.. yeh sirf hum nahi.. pure school ke sare bachche chahte hai ki aap hi chief guest bane.. sir.. yeh invitation card hai..
ACP (smiles):- Arey aisi baat hai kya?
He opened the card...
ACP:- Tab toh aana hi padega.. (smiles) bachche chahte hai toh mai zaroor koshish karunga... waise aap ko toh pata hi hai.. ki humari duty kaisi hai.. achanak se bulawa aa gaya toh jana padega but yeah.. I'll definitely try..
Principal:- Thank you so much sir...
Principal leaves...
ACP was also on the verge of leaving, when, his eyes fell upon something... something very sweet as well as interesting.. there were some children of almost the same age.. gathered in a particular place and one among them, RUTHLESSLY scolding the others in an under-developed shrill voice... he was of a GOLU MOLU appearance and had a badge on his shirt... just above his left pocket.. on it was written.. in golden colour MONITOR... in a black background... The little one was proud enough of the POST.. he was ceremoniously allotted...
Boy 1 (Monitor):- Kyun mara tunne usse?
Boy 2:(frightened tone):- Usne mujhe mara pehle
Boy 1 (to Boy 3):- Tunne mara usse?
Boy 3(nods in no):- Nahi.. maine toh kabhi nahi mara (scared) waise tu sir ko batane wala hai kya?
Boy 1:(proudly):- Monitor mai hoon ya tu? Mai na? Toh yeh mera duty hai mera farz hai.. samjha?
Boy 2:- But tu toh friend hai na mera ha? (tearfully) sir maarenge.. ladkiyon ke sath bitha denge.. tu mat bol na yaar... hum dost
Boy 1(shows his palm):- Dekho aap sab.. hum monitor hai.. hum pe bohot vishwas karke aur bharosa bhi karke yeh post diya gaya hai.. yeh jo badge hai na (showing his badge) yeh sirf badge nahi bharosa hai sabka.. mai usse todunga nahi
Boy 2:- Lekin we are friends na?
Boy 1(dramatically):- Dosti ek taraf aur farz ek taraf... duty ke agge koi rishta Maiine nahi rakhta... samjhe???
ACP was smiling, looking at them.. When, the lecture was over, he approached the group...
The chapter ends..
Friends plz review...
Regards
-Babli-