Keeping the secret

Dear reader,

This month I present to you a story that I wrote in 2017 for a short story competition of "Times of India". The task and criteria were given by author Ashwin Sanghi. One of the criteria was to write the story in first person. Yes, I didn't win. But hope you will shower your love on this old effort of mine.

That night seemed to be the darkest one. It was a devastating scene to see my soldier husband die before me in his crimson turned white shirt and cream trousers soaked in mud, red at knees. The Labefaction gang had shot him for he had been successful in his investigations on them and was going to disclose the name of the only soldier who linked them to the information of army.

 He couldn’t say a word. The only thing he did was that he pointed ‘Allahabad’ in a large map of India hung beside the mantelpiece. I could easily interpret what he said. He told me to escape to Allahabad with our 6 years old Vicky. I did so. Even today I feel how could I do that- not dropping a single tear at the death of my husband, packing my bag, collecting all the money there at home and off to Allahabad from Delhi at midnight leaving Vijendra’s dead body lie on the sofa.
 Thank God, Vicky was asleep and didn’t see anything but what’s this, he held a small paper in his hand. I took it and read and became red in fear. The intimidating note said-

Time’s up for Vijendra and family.
                                                - Labefaction Gang

My breath ran faster now and legs too. My pounding heart and fiery eyes added to the adversity. In light, I feared myself being visible and in the dark, them being invisible. Silences seemed to be ominous and noises made me suspicious. It was such a confusing situation that my breath sounded me like the waves of tsunami and my heartbeats were like explosions. I reached the main road and luckily got a taxi. But the whole way to the airport I looked at the driver’s expressions. He did the same. May be he thought of the reasons when a woman had to rush to airport at midnight with a baby but he was a generous one and did not ask me anything. I reached the airport, bought a ticket and sat down with Vicky in the plane.
I felt little relaxed and thought where would I stay in Allahabad. Oh yes!  Vijendra’s childhood friend, Sunil lived there. He also was a soldier. His wife had died in an accident three years ago and he did not marry again. The awesome thing about Vijendra’s and Sunil’s friendship was that they were champions in keeping secret but spitted out all before each other.

After an hour, I reach the Allahabad airport and to my surprise found Sunil reversing his car.
 “Ah! Is that Mrs Singhania?” he said with a smile on his face, “I had come to take my mother but she informed me now that she missed the flight so I was going back but this is a pleasant surprise.”
 I was expressionless and when he felt that, he said, “What happened Bhabhi ? Where is Viju?”
At this I began to cry and he was astonished. He immediately made me sit into the car and I told him everything. He immediately drove us home. I felt completely safe now. I was in the company of one, my husband relied the most.

 Years went by but not as easily as you read this sentence. Each day and night seemed to be a year to me. However, Sunil had been very helpful. He got us a small house and visited us frequently to fulfil our needs. We kept a secret. We didn’t tell Vicky (Vikram) that his father was a cop and a secret agent. We told him both his father and his Sunil uncle were scientists and worked for a laboratory. His father died in a chemical accident. Sunil also temporarily joined ‘Grand labs’, a scientific laboratory to firm this belief.
Vicky was in intermediate. I, as a mother was over-concerned for Vicky. I didn’t allow him to go with friends to a restaurant rather called them home. I preferred internet to playground for him.
Sunil once advised me, “You should control his online activities, he will be spoilt.”
But I had just one principle for Vicky- Better spoilt than endangered.
One day Vicky came shouting to me, “Mom, you know today I posted a photo of mine on facebook and…”
“Oh Vicky! I am not too free to hear your online stuff.” I interrupted him because I was busy working with some bank documents but felt that he was disappointed so immediately asked, “Ok tell then what happened?”
He answered, “Nothing, I got many likes and comments that say...”
“My son is handsome, dashing etc. Isn’t it?” I completed his sentence, smiled and began my work again. He too smiled faintly.

Years passed. Vicky grew into a tall young man. Fortunately, his college friends were all trustworthy and I allowed him to go in their company to different cities for his computer training. One day, he came to me with an appealing face and said, “Mom, I never demanded you anything for I got them without asking but today I want to make a demand. Please don’t say no.”
I thought I would definitely say yes if he demanded anything other than knowledge about his father.
“ I want to go to delhi, Mom.” My face became red with fear and I screamed, “But why in this world you got to go to that place?”
He didn’t answer, rather questioned very politely, “But why can’t I go there Mom? You allowed me for other places and I shall go with me friends this time too.”
I could not answer him now and so reluctantly allowed him. But I also went there with him to prevent any misfortune. I knew I could not stay with him all time but at least I will be in touch with him.

In Delhi, we lived in the same hotel but in different rooms. Vicky lived with his friends. Oh! In this business I forgot to tell Sunil about this trip and he was furious because of that.
Well, I remember the attachment between me and Vicky strengthened here as if the blessings of Vijendra floated in the air of Delhi. All was well till…

One day while walking on the road (for I had become a bit fearless) a beaming black car went through my side mistakenly dropping a hotel ticket on road. There was no response to my call. I knew the car person would feel insulted in the hotel. I picked up the ticket and examined it. Oh yes! It was the hotel I stayed in and there was mobile no. written on it. What was my duty as a human? Yes I called the no. from my phone and told the situation, I felt as if Vijendra was on call from other side. From here the scenario changed and adversities began.

That evening I remember, fire was lit in the mantelpiece, Vicky and all his friends sat with me to hear a story when my cellphone ringed. I picked up the phone and answered in a light mood, “Hello”

“Yes, I know you are Martyr Vijendra’s wife, your husband was killed for working against us and now you are determined to lose your son.” the caller said.
I was shivering from head to toe but I had to hide it from Vicky who was staring at me.
The voice from the other side continued, “You called the secret agent of army working against us today morning. We traced your call and know that you must have been in contact with him. I warn you that if you don’t help us finish him off we shall kill your son.”
“I will definitely help you.” I answered very politely but even then Vicky understood something. He and his friends requested me a lot to tell what happened but I didn’t. That evening, Vicky laid down with his head in my lap asking again and again about the call, but I changed the topic every time.

In love for my son, I forgot that I was going to help them kill the son of Mother India but here I was selfish. I began observing the agents activities. He stayed in his room for most of the time. Only once at sharp 11.00pm he would come out of the room to make a call from hotel’s landline and after that would enter again and not come out for the whole day. I could never see his face because he tied a black silk cloth around it and wore goggles. The hotel staff said that he had some infectious patches on his face and eyes. So, he covered it in public.

I inform all this to the Labefaction gang. They were cruel and told me to kill him. I denied but remembering the threat I asserted. Yes I know that’s astonishing but I accepted to do someone’s murder. The day was decided and I was uneasy for the whole day. That day, I called Vicky alone in my room and convinced him to go back home next day early in the morning with me or without me. He asked me the reason a hundred times but I did not tell him. At last he said, “Then I will also complete my work tonight.” and went to his friends room. The sentence was striking, “What work did he have to complete?” I didn’t put much of my time thinking about it because I also had to do a work today. The task had become more difficult because ‘Grand Lab’ employees were scattered all around the rooms and corridors. Yes, it was the lab Sunil worked in. Probably it had its head office here in Delhi and had some exhibition here.

 Well my first task was to enter the agent’s room. It wasn’t easy. But it became because the door of his room was open. I entered the dark room. I could figure him out lying on the bed facing opposite side. As I walked towards him with the pistol (supplied by gang) in my hand and finger on the trigger, he turned the other side and I quickly hid behind the almirah. I was so quick that I didn’t even look at him, though I was curious to see him because his personality resembled Vijendra a lot. As I hid behind the almirah, he got up, lit the light and went straight into the washroom. In the mean time I examined his room. It was five minutes for 11 in his watch. I was astonished to find Vijendra’s secret briefcase in his room. I became more curious but could hear the washroom door open. So, I hid again. He came out wiping his face with towel, again not showing his face and switched off the light. He wore his black cloak and the silk cloth around his face and began walking towards the door. I wanted to tell him that he forgot wearing his goggles but kept silent and I observed him carefully as he walked to the door. I knew that time was running out but suppressed the urge to check my watch. I took a deep breath and started counting in reverse under my breath. "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."
“Hey young man, show me your face before you die.” I said to him in my mind. The telepathy worked or may be it striked him that he had forgotten his goggles. Yes, he turned. I could see his eyes, only eyes but they were enough. He was Vicky. I silently whispered, “Vicky” and he shot a bullet towards me at the sound of stranger in his room. Phew, went my mind and I fell on the floor. Few of the next moments I don’t know what happened? But then I found my son beside me sprinkling water over me and saying with tears in his eyes, “Mom, get up else I too shall die. How could I not identify your voice? Shame on me.” No, I wasn’t watching this from heaven, I was alive. The bullet had hit the almirah. I hugged Vicky. We were both in tears.

Then I said, “Come on Vicky, lets inform your friends”
“Yes Mom, they are here” and he opened the secret door between his room and the room he pretended to live in and all his friends (all soldiers) came in.
“And yes the lab employees will also help us. Let’s inform them as well.” I said as I walked towards the door.
Vicky stopped me saying, “Mom, Lab does not mean Laboratory for them. It’s Labefaction.” I held my hand against my widely opened mouth in shock.
“We must escape now.” said one of Vicky’s friends and we did so though not so easily. The gang members (or say the lab employees) entered the room and and started firing. But Vicky and his friends bravely responded and we were successful in the escape.

We had to go to a quiet and safe place and so we went to our old house as only army members were allowed to go there.

I was overwhelmed with the scenes. Everything became live before my eyes. With tears in my eyes I touched the sofa on which Vijendra died and then got up and started wiping the map as I said to Vicky, “You must be coming here for the first time after we left Delhi?”
“Second” he answered, “Mom, I had joined this network long before but kept it secret and I wanted to join it the day I got comments that my face looks like Late Martyr Vijendra Singhania on facebook. Coming to Delhi was a part of mission Dad laid his life for and I came here in the black car the day you went on walk. Here I found his briefcase and got all evidences against the person Dad was going to disclose.”
At this my wiping hand struck to some rough mud kind of thing on the map. It was the blood stain turned black over ‘Allahabad’. I remembered and said, “We should inform Sunil about this. Otherwise he will be tensed.”
They began smiling. I didn’t understand why?
Vicky said, “Mom, Dad was a brave person, he never told you to escape. This blood mark was to indicate the villain and you have trusted him for years.”
I was speechless but then I gathered my strength, gulped through my dry throat and said slowly, “Sunil? Villain?”
“Yes Mom, Dad was mistaken that “they spitted out all secrets before each other” and today I have all the evidences against Sunil” said Vicky as he held the briefcase in his hand. But then a bullet came from behind the map and hit Vicky’s left arm.
“Oh just missed. I thought to shoot at the chest as I did with Viju but damn it.” it was Sunil.
My anger abetted me to kill Sunil but the officers prevented me from doing the crime and Sunil was arrested.