Secret Organization in Haridwar

by Prashant Shukla

  Chapter 4

  With the doctor’s cell phone in his hands Amit dialed the number with the STD code of Varanasi. It would be picked by his mother, aunts or cousins. “Hello” said the voice. Had he dialed the wrong number? The voice was week and he was not able to put a face to that voice. “Hello” the voice came again. It was week and had pain in it. He was wondering who it can be. “Who is it” said it. Oh my God it is my father but what happened to him. Why is he sounding so week. Is he all right? “Papa it’s me Amit.” There was complete silence at the other side. He thought the connection had gone dead. He looked at the cell phone but it showed the line was well connected. “Papa it’s me Amit” he again said. Suddenly he could hear only heavy breathing and then came rush of sounds which were cries from the other side. Finally the voice said “It’s really you my son?” He also chocked feeling that it was his father who was crying. All the agonies of his disappearance were being washed away with those tears. He concluded that it was his disappearance what caused his father’s voice to become so weak. He replied with chocked voice. “Yes papa it is really me.” Tears started rolling down his face.

  After half an hour when the doctor returned he found Amit busy laughing in the phone. Amit had asked for the doctor’s number and given that at his home. They had dialed in his phone. He gave his phone to Amit and went for the rounds. This particular patient has taken most of the time this morning and he was very much late for his usual rounds. As he came back from his rounds he saw Amit laughing. He was happy that this has ended happily after a very bad beginning. But the doctor was in for a big surprise which would eventually lead him to ask his elder brother, a psychiatrist in Delhi, to help this patient. That would change the life of his elder brother for ever, he was not aware of. On seeing the doctor Amit said something slowly in the cell phone and ended the conversation. “Thank you doctor. Today I came to know how deeply they all love me and how badly they missed me. Do you know they took me as dead?” said Amit with tears all over his face. The tears were of joy, of being found to be alive and being loved. On seeing his face the doctor insistently liked Amit. Here is a good man who loves his family and is loved by them thought the good doctor. “I am happy for you young man. I hope that you remember where have you been and how you ended on the road to be found by the pilgrims?” asked the doctor Face of his patient twisted in agony. “I have not been able to remember anything since I crossed Haridwar.” Was his answer. There was so much sincerity in his voice and innocence in his face that the doctor understood that the young man lying on the bed of the hospital was telling the truth and he genuinely wanted to know what happened to him. At that moment he thought that he would get a chance he would help this young man. He did not know that he would be getting that opportunity very soon.

  Next two days were uneventful for Amit. He just waited for his someone to come and take him home. He was taken good care of in the hospital and there had nothing to worry. All he did was to rest while taking medicines given by the nurse. On the third day his father and brother arrived and took him home back Varanasi. For the next week he was kept busy by visiting family members and friends. All he could answer for various questions was that he could remember anything happened to him during the period he went missing. Sincerity of his answer was enough for them to believe him. Then he came back to Delhi to join his job. His family was against him being staying alone in Delhi as they were worried for his safety. But they could not do anything else than to bow down to his wishes. He was stubborn and they knew he would not allow them to tag him. On the first day back in the office he was given a grand welcome where almost every one in the office was present. It was a sort of party which he never expected from his colleagues. He was nearly in tears on finding them so much happy on his safe return. He returned home at around 10 in the night to find his brother, Ashok, in his living room watching TV. “What the hell are you doing here?” he was happy to find him but was worried that there may be others also who came along with him and he was not in the mood to humor them at this hour of the night. “Just came to see if you are all right”. He lived in nearby Noida and had keys to his apartment. “Hope you are alone” asked Amit eyeing the room half expecting others jumping out of shadows to surprise him. And how much would he hate such surprise even though he would not be able to say so. “Yes I am very much alone. You wanted someone else to come along?” Said he mischievously. “No way. I am totally exhausted and would not like anyone to intrude my life right now.” Said Amit putting his bag on to the table. “Had dinner or you want me to order something?” “No I came here after have my stomach full as I knew they were giving a party in the office on your return” smilingly. “You brought these?” asking his brother the question even after he knew that it could only be him as he did not had time to fill in the fridge eying the beer bottles. “Yes, I thought you would be thirsty” again smiled. “Do you want something?” Amit sensed that his brother want to tell him or ask something. “Yes” answered quickly Amit did not wait for any more words and went in the bed room to change after a quick bath. When he came out to the living room his brother was glued to the television watching some talk show. He went near as volume was down to hear what they were talking about. Before able to hear anything he saw a scroll flashing. “give you view at this number” “What are they asking about?” asked Amit thinking that it must be again some unnecessary question put to viewers about some unnecessary thing. “You do not know?” surprise was written on his brother’s face. “How could I know? I just came in now!” was his reply. They gone to a small break and advertisements where playing on the screen. “If you ask me these people should be hanged publicly, how can they turn a private grief into a spectacle?” his brother was furious. “What happened? Why are you so agitated?” Amit was surprised by his brother’s out burst. “They have asked the viewers to give their opinion on where you were those 45 days!” his brother said getting angrier by the minute. “What?” It was now his turn to raise his voice. “There you go! You do not have any idea how these people turned the whole thing into a circus. They just are unrelenting. I had to persuade them to slow down on their witch hunt they were conducting since you disappeared.” Said Ashok seriously. “Persuade!” He did not want to imagine how Ashok was able to persuade these guys but he knew it would have been any where near being a polite request. He knew his brother can be quite persuasive if he want to be. “What did they do?” asked a surprised Amit putting the television off. “Hey hey what are you doing?” Ashok getting worked up. “It is not nice for children to watch TV at this hour. It is not a good habit.” Said Amit smilingly. “But I wanted to know the views” Ashok said with all the sincerity he could muster in his voice. “So that you can hurl abuses at them? What will happen? Would they be able to hear you?” asked Amit getting annoyed. He knew Ashok actually loves to watch such useless talk shows and then hurl abuses at the television to frustration off his chest. But now he did not want to his brother to get all pumped up. All he wanted was a quiet chat before they went off to sleep, if it was possible. Ashok looked at Amit with pleading eyes. Amit knew he had to distract him from the views of the talk show guys so he asked him the reason he was here. “I came here to ask you the same question” replied his brother. “Which is what?” questioned Amit. “Where had you been all those days?” was the question Ashok dreaded he had to ask his brother. “I have told this many times, I do not remember” replied Amit with some annoyance in his voice. He had started to feel that it would have been better off that he would have allowed his brother to the television instead of questioning him. But this had to be done with as he could not run from Ashok for ever. He had to be made to look at his memory loss as truth. “And how do you suppose that I should take that for an answer?” quizzed Ashok. “As truth” replied Amit. “And why is that so? It is such a lame excuse” said an amused Ashok “This is what you think it is? A lame excuse?” queried Amit. “Yes it a lame excuse! How can I believe that of all persons you have a memory loss?
“You never ever forget anything in your life and now you just forgot where you have been for past 45 days. How convenient?” sarcastically replied. “There is no reason to be sarcastic here. I think you of all people should believe me.” Said Amit with emphasis. “But you have not given me any reason to believe you. Have you? You just went out that day messaging me that you would be out for some days. You did not even bothered to call or tell me in detail where were you going. And what we get to after two days? Your favorite car being fished out from the river and no trace of you in it. ” replied Ashok with sadness in his voice. “So that is the reason” Quipped Amit. “What reason” annoyance of in his eyes. “That I went for a vacation with you or not even telling you. You are just jealous that I might had fun without you.” Said Amit with twinkle in his eyes. “As much I know you, you do not have it in you to have fun without even telling me.” “Then why do you accuse me of such thing?” “I am not accusing you. I am worried that something might had happened to you without anyone of us ever knowing about it. And that is what we thought for so many days that you were all gone and would not return” sadness in his eyes was very much there for Amit to see. He was getting sucked in the conversation which he dreaded that he would have to regret sooner than later. He obviously had no idea where had he been for so many days but for now he was happy to be back and also enjoying a little attention which he got from all. “Look my dear brother, nothing happened to me and I am safely with you all now.” Said Amit forcing a smile on his face. “But where were you going?” enquired Ashok. “For a quiet vacation. I wanted to be out to a place where there was no one to disturb me” his eyes vacant in a distance. “So you staged you own accident” mocked his bother. “There is no way that I would have deliberately put my favorite car into the river. Do you think I would do that?” was answer to his brother. “I can really believe that you would not have done that thing to you precious car.” “Then why do not you believe me?” there was anger in his voice. “Because I am not able to comprehend that you of all people can forget some thing” was an honest statement from his brother. He was having trouble to digest the fact that his big brother forgot something. “But I really did forgot it.” Said a smiling Amit. How Ashok hated Amit when he flashed one of his smile always thinking that he would get what he want just by a smile. There was some significance in it as Amit was always able to get his way by flashing his smile. “You really do not remember anything about those days?” sounding worried for the first time. “Do you think I would lie to you?” innocently asked Amit. “No you will never lie to me that I am sure of.” Was his brother’s reply. “Then why you doubt me?” “I do not know” “If the interrogation is over then I would like to sleep. It had been a busy day for me in the office.” Said Amit standing up and going towards his bed room. “Ok you go I will watch some more rubbish on the television and then would go to sleep” “Ok, but do not spend the whole night abusing those guys on TV.” “Ok good night” Ashok woke up suddenly on the sofa he fell asleep while watching the TV. He thought he heard Amit shouting. Then hearing nothing he thought he must have dreamt about it. He switched of the television and started to go towards another room to get some rest then he heard it again. “No…I don’t….No..” Ashok rushed to his brother’s room which was at least not bolted from inside. He saw his brother trying to fend himself from something or someone invisible. He switched on the light and shook Amit. He opened his eyes and watched intensely around him. “You are in your bed room bro.” told Ashok. “Take this water” Ashok brought a bottle of water for him. Amit was sweating and was dazed to find Ashok besides him even though he was relieved to find his brother at this time. “Do you want to tell me something now” asked Ashok after handing a bottle of beer to Amit. “I do not know where to begin?” said Amit after taking two sips from the bottle. Ashok waited for Amit to calm down and sat besides him. He let Amit take his time to gather his thoughts. “I have been having nightmares” “I don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to detect that” said Ashok. “I feel like someone is stalking me, someone who wants me to keep quiet. They want to take me away in my dreams but I somehow escape them.” “Who are they?” inquired Ashok. “I don’t know. I never see their faces.”. “Since when did you start having these dreams?” questioned Ashok. “Since I came back” said Amit innocently. “That also I know but specifically when?” asked Ashok with probing eyes on his brother’s face. “It first started when I was in Varanasi”. “Ok. Anything you can tell me about those dreams? Who they are or why they want you to take with them” “No. I have no idea why I keep dreaming the same dream.” “You need help” said Ashok concluding the conversation “Sleep tight and we will talk about this in the morning.” He switched off the light and went to sleep while emptying the bottle in one large gulp. He came to here to find something which was worrying him and he was glad he did came. Since his return his brother had vacant eyes even though he tried to behave normally in front of others. But Ashok had seen something frightening in his eyes and knew he should confront him alone. Now what he needed was professional help and he knew exactly whom to call. In the morning Ashok dialed a number given to him by the doctor in Haridwar hospital. He had said specifically that he should keep this number as he is sure that Amit would need professional help sooner or later. He was very keen to help him and therefore was giving Ashok phone number of his elder brother who worked a psychologist in Delhi. He wanted Ashok to take Amit to his brother if and when he needed. “Hello” asked a deep voice. “Is it Dr. Singh” inquired Ashok. “If you have dialed DR. Singh’s number then it must be him. May I know who is calling and how you got my number?” asked the voice. “I am Ashok Sharma and your number was given to me by your brother in Haridwar” replied Ashok. “Oh ho! Mr. Ashok, brother of Amit Sharma, I presume.” Said the voice which had cheered up. “Yes doctor” “How can I help you?” “I want you to help my brother” Ashok explained everything to the doctor. “You can come at my office around 11 this morning. Please note down the address” The doctor gave Ashok the address of his office. Now is the time to tell Amit about this. He feared Amit may put up some resistance in seeking help from a psychiatrist. But he knew he had to take him to the doctor to help him. “Would you like to get up?” Ashok said while entering the room of Amit. “I am already awake and would like to lye down as I am having a mild headache” his eyes were slightly red and swollen. “You did not sleep well? Did you?” “No” “Get up and get ready, we are going to get help for you” “Help? Now only a doctor who treats mad man would be able to help me” “That doctor is called psychiatrist and that where we are going” Ashok was stunned to here that Amit was also thinking on same lines. He took it as good signs as there would not be any resistance from his brother in seeking psychiatric help. “And you a psychiatrist just by yourself?” asked Amit “or did you looked at yellow pages?” “I would had preferred and online search.” Said Ashok with mock frustration “No I did not look up in any book or internet and I did not know him all by myself. The doctor at the Haridwar hospital gave this number to me.” Ashok said looking in his brother’s eyes. He wanted to shout at him for going all alone to his vacation which was the reason he was having the problems. “That doctor gave you number of a psychiatrist? That sounds puzzling. This psychiatrist must be his brother I suppose.” “How do you know? This doctor in Delhi is the elder brother of the doctor in Haridwar. He had told me that while observing you and seeing your condition he had concluded that you may require help from a psychiatrist.” “Wow! I think I have developed ESP. I just told you two things which you wanted to tell me. I really need a psychiatrist. Lets go and see the doctor. May be he can cheer me up.” “And I would like to you to meet someone else.” “Who?” “Someone I trust and I hope he would be able to keep track of things around you” “He! I hoped a she instead of he” “You would but right I don not think you should fool around” said Ashok. “I thought I was the serious type in the family” said Amit jokingly. “Yes you are still and for now I woul
d like you to be more serious than ever.” “Ok boss what ever you say. I think you know what you are doing.” “Lets hope every thing turns out right” “Yeah me too” said Amit with all the hope he could muster. They reached the address given by the doctor to Ashok five minutes before. Amit on looking where they had reached said “I think that doctor played a joke on you. No way that you can find a doctor’s clinic in here. Any office here would be of some high flying finance guy or a lawyer” Ashok was also having his doubts. It was an area which would be better of for a financial business office than a clinic of a psychiatrist but then who may know this doctor may be doing very well in terms of patients. And after all people now are not too much afraid to take help of a psychiatrist for metal problems. “Let us go and find out if he is for true.” “After you” said Amit. He was hoping that they would not find the address given by the doctor. He did not wanted to come here but also did not want to start an argument with his brother so he came as he knew that Ashok would bring him here even he had to practically carry him on his shoulders. On the second floor they found the name of the doctor. “So this is the right address” In there they were greeted by smiling Nisha and were shown the door of the doctor’s chamber. Dr. Singh talked about things and said he would like Amit to come the next day alone. Then he would think what should be done in this matter. They paid the fee and went out. Then Ashok parked his car in front of another building and asked Amit to come along. They stood in front of a door that proclaimed to be an office of private detective. “Private detective?” asked Amit amusingly. “Yes I want you to take his help. See what he can unearth” “You are really serious about this aren’t you?” asked Amit. “Yes I want you to be free from what ever is troubling you soon as possible” They enter the office to find just a table and four plastic chairs in the room. The walls were without any hangings or photographs. It felt that there was not much work for the person who had this place. A tall fellow came in along with them in the room. “How are you my boy” said the person looking directly at Ashok. “Hahaha. I hoped to find you in your chair” said Ashok. “Well as you can see there is not much work here so I tend not to sit here.” Said the man. “So what brings you here?” “This is my elder brother Amit” They shook hands. Amit felt pain while grasping the hand of the man. He was nearing forty by looks and was well built. “I think I can guess what I have to do” said the man introduced as Narendra Parmar by his brother. “Have been hearing a lot of your episode lately” “Not my fault” said Amit defensively “Yes but media is trying to make it like you are guilty of something” said Narendra laughingly. “And what is you take on this?” asked Ashok while sitting on one of the chairs. “I don not have any opinion on it. Most of the time media is trying to sensationalize things which are not appropriate. And there are people who know how to handle media and many a times they play it right and get unwanted sympathy by using media for themselves. ” said Narendra Amit thought he is going to like this man. He spoke from his heart which is a bad thing to do in the business he was in and that may be the reason he was not doing well. “Tell me how can I help you?” asked the detective looking towards Amit. “I don’t know. It was Ashok who brought me here” “So Ashok you tell what you expect me to do in this case” “Actually I wanted your opinion” “My opinion would not matter much right know. The do not know any facts but what I gather from the rubbish they have been doling out since you disappeared is that” said Narendra looking at Amit “you are in big trouble” “And that is why we are here” said Ashok. “I know that but what do you want me to do? Keep Amit out of trouble or solve the case? Because solving the case may unearth something which ought to be kept hidden, from your brother’s point of view.” Said the detective “I know what you are getting at” said Amit “But be assured I do not have any thing to hide. I am sure of it as I am sure that I am sitting here.” “Means you remember where you have been all those days when you were missing?” asked Narendra “No and that is the real problem” answered Amit. “Yes it is the only problem as far as I can see”. There was a brief pause as every one sitting there was having his own thoughts on the matter in hand. Then Ashok said “We have started looking for help and you are not the first person we have been to” “Really? Whom have you met other than me?” “No one from your fraternity I can assure you but we have been to Dr. Singh the psychiatrist” said Ashok. “It seems both of you really want it to be solved” asked Narendra. “Yes sooner the better” said Amit. “I guess I can at least try to help you and then see where do we get in the end. But unlawful activity from your part would not help you if you me to handle this.” “I do not think I did any think unlawful ever to be afraid of” said Amit. “We will see” said Narendra and asked Amit to come the next day after meeting with the doctor.

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