Come with me, a man dressed in khaki, hold Vasu's hand. Vasu looked at the man and tried to escape from his grips. The policeman spoke in a soft voice "come with me or else the mob will kill you", he pointed at the gathering of people at the restaurant.
The policeman was dealing with Vasu in such a way which don't suit his profession nor his personality. Vasu didn't protest and walked along. But the grip of the policeman grew stronger as they walked towards the road.
Vastav realised that the grip was not a friendly grip. He tried to shout but couldn't shout.
A deserted two-storied boat totally damaged caught Vastav's attention. As they neared the boat, Vastav speedily released himself from the strong grip and vanished into the darkness.
When he came to his senses, he found himself inside an iron container. His recent past memories faded. For him, he has just escaped from a man who was trying take him away and have taken refuge in the boat. He could hear somebody shouting outside and hitting the sides of the boat with a stick.
Vasu remained totally silent and heard the sound of boots fading away. The place seemed to be a secured place. Vasu judged the corners of the cabin by smelling. He noticed the underground floor of the boat was divided into square sections almost 5ft *5ft by metallic beams. Though it was total dark inside the boat, he could see almost clearly the withered leaves scattered here and there and the walls totally damaged with rust.
His whole body started shivering with cold and the bare feet coming in contact with the metal, couldn't bear the ultimate cold of December night, that too in a metallic container. As Vasu was struggling with death, he could hear the crushing sound of withered leaves as if somebody was walking near him. He totally felt the presence of someone but couldn't see anything physically. As the sound became fainter, Vastav shouted, " Don't underestimate me, I will end your terror".He started hitting the walls with his fists. The extreme pain made him forget the sensation of cold and his body adopted the adverse condition.
Vastav felt the taste of iron in is tongue tip and started swallowing with a strong resolution "May the Devine Light heal me of all my wounds. A soothing sensation energized his palms and he fell fast asleep. As Vasu closed his eyes, the sound of the footsteps on the withered leaves once again became audible. Vasu lost into a deep sleep. A shadow silently crept near Vasu's body as if it's presence made all evil forces fled. But Vasu's existence will be possible only if he keeps himself awake. If Vasu gets lost in darkness and his soul parts from his body, noone will know where he disappeared.
The deserted metal boat will be the only witness. Vasu's body slowly and slowly turned into a corpse which still couldn't part with the soul.
For Vasu, his struggle ended but his responsibility as a son, as a brother as a a hidden disciple of an unknown guru proved its weightage heavier than claws of death.
"Where is my restaurant, what am I doing here". Vastav got with a sudden realization that he should be in Alfresco.... the floating restaurant. He jumped out of the deserted metallic boat and headed towards a light which was the only source of hope for him.
As he moved closer and closer to the light, he started feeling a warm sensation running throughout his entire body. The entire restaurant didn't made him aware that he asked been there just a few hours ago. Vastav climbed the stairs and saw a 100 watt tungsten filament bulb glowing and not even a single trace of human habitation there. With bare feet and naked body except his trousers, he joined his palms in traditional Namaste posture… ..
GURUJI please guide me, I am lost somewhere in space. I do know that I exists but lost my way to roots of my existence". Vastav stood like a lifeless statue with big eyes gazing at the bulb.
A drowning man tries each and every support near him for his survival, not letting even a small twig to escape. Vasu's present condition was an exact replica. His fading strength regained its vigor, felt the flow of current running in his veins and his research-based mindset knocked at a a hidden corner of his intelligence arising from a network mostly located in the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain.
"I need footwear, the photon particles emerging from the bulb is entering my eyes and I can make it energise my cells to keep me tough enough to fight this chilly December night".
As Vasu started talking with himself, he started looking here and there for an insulator which will forbid his energy from escaping into the huge metal deposit... Alfresco.
Vasu was trying to get an electric energy punch instead he was acting as a conductor as a human body is 60% water and 0.4 %salt...… a perfect conductor.
Vasu's brain started working, he left the place immediately still shivering with cold. Finally, he found a door on the boat.
"Hello, hello, is anybody here?" But he didn't got any response. Luckily he saw a pair of slippers lying near the door and put them on. "My journey started from Kanu Baidou's place, Beltola, at any cost I'll have to reach there." His memory started showing him his way out of darkness.
It was almost 3:30 A.M. when Vasu left Alfresco. He started walking on the footpath opposite to Machkhowa Bazaar. Vasu forgot the way to Kanu's place but he took the right path just as a migratory bird finds its perfect destination.
Animal instinct, the power with which every child is born and fades away with time, as he becomes a social being, is now acting as the extraterrestrial radar for Vasu. The footpath seemed like a Death Valley, totally silent and no existence of human. A man with a typical beard preparing himself for something, caught Vasu's attention. In fact, the wear out shawl on the man's body was his need. "Cacha, I am feeling very cold, can I get your shawl."
The man looked at Vasu astonishingly . "Wait for some time, let me complete my Namaz." Vastav looked at the man closing his eyes and praying to Allah.
He doesn't know the way how Muslims pay their gratitude to Allah but bowed his head and spoke mentally, "Oh God, Bhagwan, Allah since you have helped me in my most crucial period I surrender me to thee; send me home send me home, send me home." "So, you are feeling cold; take this" The man took out his shawl and gave it to Vasu.
Vastav noticed the man's body almost like a skeleton with the epidermal layer of skin indicating that he have not taken food for many days. "But Sir, how will you survive."
"See gentleman, I am a roadside beggar. I am used to this environment, this chilly night gives me energy. The extreme cold makes me realise who am I. It is a common scene to me, people dropping coins at my plate. But for the first time, somebody thought that I can afford something, it's you stranger!!! May Allah bless you."
Vastav wrapped the worn-out green coloured shawl around his body. A gentle breeze surrounded the two — — whereas Vastav set out for his destination the beggar sat on the footpath and continued, "Allah ke naam pe kuch de de baba."