It was 10:12 AM. I stood beneath Meem's apartment building. Last night, she had called, mentioning she needed urgent help with something today. It's hard to refuse her. She doesn't take "no" for an answer and backs her requests with a thousand questions and a hint of force. There was no proper seating nearby, so I stood by, checking the time on my phone repeatedly, signaling to passersby that I was waiting for someone. Their curious stares didn't help. Just then, Meem showed up, saving me.
I was baffled but relented. She had a way of getting what she wanted. Since I always kept my word, we boarded a bus heading toward Gulshan.
By noon, we reached Jamuna Future Park. The place wasn't bad, but it was bustling with people. Crowded spaces aren't my favorite. The park, a seven-story building with a massive adjacent park, reminded me of Amagi Brilliant Park, a unique anime series. This was the largest shopping mall in Bangladesh.
Upon entering the first floor, we passed shops selling clothes, jewelry, and food.
"What are you planning to buy?" I asked Meem.
"Let's watch a movie first," she replied.
"An animated movie?" I asked eagerly.
"You want to watch an animated movie now?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Why not?" I smiled.
With a sigh, she said, "Fine. Let's check it out."
On the fifth floor, we found a mix of activities: play areas for kids, gyms, bowling alleys, swimming pools, and even karaoke rooms. It felt like a Japanese shopping mall. We turned left and reached the theater. Unfortunately, no animated movie was playing; instead, an old English Avengers movie was being screened. Meem was eager to watch it, leaving me with no choice but to join her.
We chose seats in the middle of the theater. There weren't many people. As the movie began, Meem seemed to enjoy it immensely, inspiring me to watch it. However, 3D movies aren't my thing, and the story didn't appeal to me. Before long, I dozed off.
The movie lasted two hours, during which Meem had a great time. At least one of us enjoyed it, so that was enough.
As we exited the theater, Meem asked, "Want to try bowling?"
"Sure, let's go."
We started a match: Meem versus Sakib.
"The loser treats for lunch," Meem declared.
Fueled by competitive spirit, I agreed. The game consisted of ten rounds, with two chances per round and three in the last one. Despite having seen bowling in numerous anime, playing it was harder than it looked. I struggled to land strikes or spares, losing by a wide margin in the first six rounds. Though I improved in the final four rounds, I still lost overall.
As per the bet, I treated her to lunch at a food stall on the same floor.
Midway through our meal, a small girl approached and sat beside me. She had an air of royalty, her attire suggesting she came from a wealthy family. She exuded maturity far beyond her years, maybe 7 or 8. Meem kept glancing between her and me.
"What's your name?" I asked the girl.
She glared at me, clearly annoyed.
"Would you like something to eat?" I tried again.
Her frustration grew, and she puffed her cheeks in silence. Meem whispered, "She seems upset. Try to cheer her up, like Mr. Bean."
"How?" I asked. "I'm no Mr. Bean!"
"Just try," Meem urged.
Reluctantly, I made silly faces at the girl, who finally spoke, "So lame!"
Her blunt remark startled me. Then her stomach growled. I called a waiter and ordered a burger for her.
"What's your name?" Meem asked her.
"Faiza," she replied curtly.
So that's her name!
"Where are your parents? I don't see anyone with you," Meem inquired.
Instead of answering, Faiza sipped from her glass of water, leaving us puzzled.
Finally, she said, "I came with Mama and Papa, but I can't find them now."
Ah, she's lost. Despite her young age, Faiza displayed remarkable composure.
"Don't worry. Finish your meal, and we'll help you find them," Meem reassured her.
After eating, we took Faiza to the mall's control center, but her parents weren't there.
"What now?" I asked Meem.
"We'll have to wait. Her parents must be worried sick," she said.
Faiza pulled at Meem's dress lightly and asked, "What are your names?"
"I'm Meem, and he's Sakib," Meem replied.
Faiza giggled, "Heh! Can't even introduce himself."
She continued to surprise me with her wit and audacity.
"Why did you get lost if you're so smart?" I teased.
She glared at me briefly before returning to her usual composure. "If I had a phone, I wouldn't need your help."
"Do you know your dad's contact number?" I asked.
Nodding, she took my phone, typed the number, and handed it back. I dialed.
"Assalamu Alaikum. Who is this?" a man answered.
"This is Sakib. Your daughter gave me your number. She's with us now," I explained.
The voice on the other end grew emotional. "Alhamdulillah! Where are you? We'll come right away!"
I told him our location.
Fifteen minutes later, we waited near the stairs, but Faiza's parents still hadn't arrived.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Meem asked.
"I don't know," I replied. "I'll call again."
Her father explained, "We're stuck. There's been a theft in one of the shops, and the police aren't letting anyone leave."
I said, "Tell me where you are, and we'll come."
She gave the address and hung up.
I told Faiza, "Let's go. Your parents are on the second floor."
Faiza got up from the chair after hearing me. We went to the second floor. There was a huge crowd, and we weren't allowed to enter. Police and media were present.
"Gold worth nearly 1200 grams has disappeared from two or three shops."
"What? How did it disappear?"
"The CCTV footage shows that the items were there a minute ago. In just one minute, everything vanished."
"How is that even possible?"
Hearing such bizarre conversations from the people around us, we were astonished. So many valuables were stolen, yet the cameras couldn't capture anything. I noticed that Meem was very curious about the matter. Before she could say anything, I said, "Look, there isn't anyone here like Hasan's uncle, who'd be willing to help us just because you ask. Let's rely on them and see if they can solve this. For now, let's drop Faiza off with her parents and leave. That's the best thing to do for now."
Meem agreed. After some convincing, I handed Faiza over to her parents through a nearby police officer.
It was close to 5 PM. We got on the bus and took seats at the front. I sat beside Meem by the window. She was holding my hand and looked very worried. Meem didn't get a chance to shop today.
"I know what you're thinking. You're probably wondering how we would solve this if it were up to us?"
Meem looked at me. She said, "How do you know what I'm thinking?"
I smiled slightly. She asked, "Then tell me nicely, how would you solve this?"
"Look, first of all, we couldn't visit the crime scene, so a lot of things remain unknown. We only heard one statement."
"Yes, that everything disappeared in a minute right before their eyes."
"These kinds of things are usually seen in shows about Aladdin or similar magical performances. Remember, I once explained how magicians operate?"
"Yes, using a kind of scientific technique that deceives our eyes."
"Exactly. I think something like that might be at play here too. Perhaps someone has discovered a scientific method to make themselves and objects invisible."
"Really! Then how would you catch them?"
"I don't know. Maybe we could put a tracker on valuable items to catch them."
Meem looked surprised. I told her, "It's a possibility. It might not work, though."
Meem laughed and replied, "Whether it works or not, I'm satisfied. That itch I had about this is now gone."
I laughed too. We reached home around 7 PM.