October, 2023
Manika was a housewife who lived with her two children, Manohar and Sandiya and her husband, Rahul. The happy family lived in a house at Shanti Prem colony, Mumbai. The colony was looked after by the secretary, Risabh Patil. One day, Rishabh got a letter of request by an unknown person:
Dear Sir,
My name is Ramdas. I am of what profession that you do not need to know. I request to rent a room in your colony while the money I will always send to you through these letters. Please do not deny the offer! Let me know all about details of new room through the letters because you may rarely see me.
Risabh thought the person has a limerence with staying most of time outside. That is why he may rarely show his face. Though keeping his words, he took a good-looking room for the unknown person whose name only he knew.
On that day, Manika just now get to know about a new person going to enter the region of the colony from wife of secretary sahib, Mrs. Ranjana. Next day, manika was preparing breakfast for her two children while her Rahul already went for offices early in the morning. While making breakfast, she once remembered the words of Ranjana to which she cannot find any answer. The person did not talk about his profession and said he may rarely come to the colony but will send money of rent through envelopes and letters. It is a very mysterious kind of personality!
Few days passed, but neither she nor anyone ever saw anyone going nearby the room. Everyone wondered the person never came here to live but still pays money of the rent every month. On asking about it to Risabh, he answered, “Looks like the person is born with a silver spoon in his mouth but lacked intelligence that so many days passed but is still paying for it, which is his loss and we should not interfere with his choice. We need to enjoy that using his money only today the discontinued construction of nearby roads and replacement of dirty, rusted bulbs of street lights could be restarted.”
Days after days passed; the autumn season entered. With it, entered the great grand festival of Navaratri also came. Everywhere happiness was seen which touched the heart like a mellifluous sound! And the unique idols of Mother Durga at each pandal always be quintessence of the festival. The people of shanti prem colony also get involved in preparations for a huge pandal to welcome the Mother Goddess. Manika was guiding the workers how the pandal should look while her Manohar and Sandiya were playing in front of the room where the unknown person, Ramdas was said to be living. A delivery man entered the colony to give a delivery package to the unknown entity Ramdas and on seeing the door with his name, he immediately drifted towards the door to quickly give the package and go back to his house to celebrate the festival celebrations with his family. He pressed the door bell, sound was produced but about five minutes passed, no one opened the door. When delivery man knocked on the door, it opened and he entered the room. The door suddenly closed and Manika just heard the opening and closing of a door. When she asked about it to her children, Manohar answered, “A uncle with something inside a sealed package entered ram uncle’s room and for no reason closed the door.” Manika suspecting something unusual opened the door but found nobody was present there. She thought children were lying and scolded them and went towards home to prepare some great delicacies to eat. Manohar, being angry, said to Sandiya, “Sister, what wrong statement I said. Mommy told me to always tell the true and I performed it but still she did not believe me. Really a man entered ram uncle’s room.” Sandiya, supporting her brother, said, “Yes, whatever you said was right but to prove it the unknown uncle must be present but she mommy was unable to find him in the room. Did you think something wrong is going on here? I think we ourselves must check the room once.” Saying to Manohar, both entered the room and suddenly a scream was heard, “Help mommy, everything is moving, the room is collapsing aaahhhhhhh” Responding to their scream, Manika came out and asked, “Where are you two? Respond!” She just heard sounds of collapsing of a building inside Ramdas’s room and appeared towards it. She found except her others did not come out to know what was happening. Did they even hear the scream?
Manika was ready to face the music to somehow get her beloved. So, she opened the door but found again like previous incident nobody was present in the room. But she insisted upon entering the room. Again, the doors closed and entrance was blocked. The room started shaking. A block, in the shape of a puzzle piece, came out from the wall and started flying in the air. More and more such pieces came out from walls of the room as if the picture of the room was being seen by Manika was just made up of jigsaw puzzle pieces. Some of the pieces even hit several parts of Manika’s body and she fell asleep when one of them hit her head at a high speed!
When Manika opened her eyes, she saw a huge verdant of land in front of her. She stood and screamed, “Manohar! Sandiya! Where are you two?” On getting no answer, she was scared and started searching for them and came across a river. Near by the river, a board was seen. On it was written: “Beware of Gustave, the sanguinolent crocodile who wants flesh and blood of humans to fulfill his appetite”. This kind of warning scared Manika. But biggest question how did she reached there? Suddenly from the bushes surrounding her a sound of another creature was heard growling. Without wastage of time, she immediately jumped into the river. She swimmed as much she can do to save own life. On looking at back, the predator crocodile, Gustava more than about 20 feet in height and 910 kg in weight, gave a worst sight of his eyes to her and quickly swimmed through the water like a speed-boat. Manika climbed upon a huge rock to protect herself for a while. Gustava went inside the water. Now she was more scared as from which side can this monstrous creature attack. A huge mouth came from the water with two to three Dogfishes in its mouth, struggling to escape away but cannot, and immediately went into the water with a huge splash that caused Manika to lose balance. Unfortunately, she fell into the river. Now without hesitation she swimmed towards other shore of the river. But the crocodile attacked her by catching her feet in its jaw. Manika was screaming in pain and distress. A branch of tree was swimming through waves of the river. She grabbed the branch and stabbed it into the eyes of the beast. A lot of blood was released- of both, the victim and predator. Manika just somehow escaped from its grip. She finally reached the other shore. In front of her eyes, she saw the same door through which she was separated from her children and came into this weird world. She was traveling with one foot while other was injured due to the great bite of the crocodile. Gustava was right behind her. She ran at the upmost speed. She fell. But crawled to be much far away from it. When she touched the handle of door and opened it, a shine came from other side and as if, she disappeared in air! Minutes later, she still had one injured foot and was standing in front a barren desert. She cannot withstand the heat but had to walk a few kilometers for survival. She asked God, pointing her head to the sky, “God, if you really exist, know of each and every good and bad actions of me, punish me, kill me and keep me in this hell forever but please, let my children live!” After this, she came across a city. She saw women wearing beautiful and attractive-colorful dresses with face color on their faces showing them as ghostly skeleton. Dancing with their husbands, who wore tight pants, beautiful designed shawl-like cloth around body and long hats on head like those of cowboys. She identified she reached the land of Mexico! Before she fainted, she saw someone coming towards her to help. The moment she woke up, she found herself inside a room completely decorated with fine pictures of artesania (Mexican folk arts). In front of her was present a beautiful girl with white, blondie hair, glass-brown eyes and wearing a typical Mexican head-dress on head. The girl introduced herself as Isabella. Thanking her, Manika asked her in English, “Can you answer me where am I?” Isabella answered, “Esta es la ciudad de Guadalajara.” “What did you say, I cannot understand?” asked Manika. “This is the city of Guadalajara”, explained Isabella in English.
Manika asked what date is it now. Isabella answered, “22nd April, 1992”. Pointing to the huge injury on Manika’s leg, upon which she applied a special herb as panacea to cure the cuts and prevent the body from facing infection, she asked, “How did it happen?”. Answering to her question, Manika replied she was bitten by a huge crocodile but as expected, she laughed to Manika’s statement. Before they could talk more, a huge sound of bomb blast was heard! Nearly ten times they bear the sound. On opening the window, they found everything and everyone were burning. Isabella helped Manika to at least run upto the entrance door because the fire slowly entered their room also. Leaving Manika at the spot, she said to run away for sake of life and never turn back. While Isabella ran towards other part of the house to receive her parents. On coming to ground floor, a small blast was heard. Before she could react much, a body, roasted in black, fell on road in front of her and was burning. On closely observing, she found it was poor Isabella! After this, more bodies fell to ground while Manika ran as much, she could go anywhere with her injured foot. While running, she started memorizing the good moments she spent with her children but immediately along her side a truck passed by which contained many doors but all burning but among them only one door was not burning which was of Ramdas.
Considering it a great chance, she took a bicycle and ride over it to reach upto the truck. While following it the truck met with an accident and petrol was leaking from the other car. A woman from inside of that car screamed for help. Manika helped her by somehow breaking door of the car with a strong steel rod. The woman told her Gracias (thank you) and immediately left the spot. While Manika touched the handle on the door and opened it. Again, shining came and surrounded Manika where she again disappeared in air before those cars hugely exploded.
Now some parts of body burned and an injured foot, Manika did not open her eyes for some time because she knew something unexpected will be waiting to end her. She heard cries of many people and gun shots. Still Manika felt languor to open her eyes. But immediately opened her eyes when she heard the screams of Manohar and Sandiya among other screams of people. She found herself in a small hut. On coming out from the hut, she saw hundreds of people being arrested by guys having huge guns in their hands and transporting them to another region with the help of vehicles. One of them saw manika and arrested her also.
They pushed her inside a huge truck with other captives and closed the door. While traveling, one of the captives asked her, “chúng tôi chưa bao giờ thấy bạn ở khu vực này, bạn là ai? (we never saw you in this region, who are you?)”. But Manika cannot understand anything and cried in sorrow emotions. They took everyone to a particular region where black cloth was tied on each person’s eyes and sent them inside a castle-like structure. One of the official of this unknown organization asked, “bạn thuộc về cộng đồng nào? (To which community you belong to?).” She cannot answer anything but spoke in Hindi to them, “Please! Let me go. I do not who you all are. Also, I do not belong to your region. I suddenly came here by mistake to search for my children. I do not want to be killed” On not being able to understand her language, the officials called a special person who may act as translator to communicate. The person asked her in English, “Who are you?” Manika answered, “I am Manika. I am from India. I do not belong to your region. I accidently landed here by mistake to search for my children. Please let me go to my country with my children if they are with you.” The translator went to talk with higher official about her condition. While that time Manika was thrown into a cell. Later same official and said, “Though you are foreigner but you saw what is going on here. Sorry to say but you will also be assassinated with those foolish Muslims, Christians, Vietnamese, Chinese and Cham people.” Manika asked, “Where am I and what is the date?” Giving a last glance, translator said, “This is Cambodia, under the leadership of our greatest leader – Pol Pot, and date is 17th April, 1975.” Now Manika sitting at one corner of the cell started to cry loudly remembering the happy memories she spent with her husband, her children, and the people of Shanti Prem colony. Those celebrations of various festivals, the fun they got at picnic, those moments by spending time with colony’s women in shopping. All will just vanish away.
Suddenly the words of her mother hit her mind, “Again you are crying. Oh! So, the senior boys again bullied you. But why are you sad? What do you think only by just getting happiness means competition of life. No, anytime in life, you will one day face rebellion against you. But if you have strong will and positive thought then you will surely win. And after this, blessings of Mother Durga are always upon us. So, do not think about consequence, just fight against the wrong!”
Manika remembering the words of her mother, planned to somehow escape.
From the window, she saw the massacre started and millions of innocents were assassinated in front of her eyes. The pristine, grassy land was in a few times filled with bodies, blood, and screams!
Taking advantage, Manika extended her hand, pressed the neck of one of the guards near her cell and using other hand, cut his throat with the sharp, pointed tip of her bangle. She slowly laid him on the ground, took the keys and opened the door of the cell. She ten cut the throat of other guard also heard the sound opening of cell. Biggest problem came when she heard the footsteps of many people coming towards the cell. This time this was not that Manika who was in fear and just running away from trouble but a new one who now was ready to take lives also to get back her children. Taking one of the guns from the guard’s dead body, she hides behind a big pillar. The soldiers came there entering the room and might have told some to inform their commander that the mysterious girl flee from her cage. Two soldiers were left, given the duty to search for any evidence to look for her, when one of them came near the pillar, she attacked and hit on his head with the gun instantly which made him asleep. When he screamed, other soldier came but to prevent being caught, she again hide behind the pillar. When other soldier lifts him then manika appearing in front of him, hit his head also with the gun.
Leaving them at the spot, Manika came out of the jail room and again start to search for her children and the magical door. A huge burden came upon her head, the door was present in ground floor, behind the spot where the victims were being killed. Manika without thinking continued her path. During her journey, she even shot three soldiers by knowing the fact, the massacres were being conducted with guns. So, most people will think sound was produced during the assassination of the victims. She reached the ground floor after visiting every side and room of the building. Without hesitation, putting a black cloth on eyes, manika jumped among the crowd and started shooting anyone in any direction but her destination was straight towards the door. At last, somewhat covered in blood, Manika reached her zenith. She furiously kicked on the door and opened it. Again, the same light entered passed through her body and disappeared in thin air again, as expected.
Furiously opening her eyes, she saw the same room. She found herself at a beach-like place. On seeing her covered in blood and carrying a gun, many people got scared and left the spot at once. But she cannot understand where to go. Suddenly the New York Police team officers entered the region and pointing gun to her, said to raise hands in air. Manika agreed to arrest herself but again she heard the screams of her children calling for help. But one of the female guards grabbed her and prevent her to run away. The screams of her children continued and she had no choice to shot the woman dead. This created chaos among the public and taking advantage, Manika escaped the spot. On a board, she saw the date was 11th September, 2001. She understood what will happen next. Tracing the sound, she reached the twin towers of World Trade Center. On coming close, the sounds stopped. So, she using the gun only she scared the guards at the entrance and the common people to give way. She tried to use the lift but did not work as they were under repair. So, she chose stairs to travel. She did not count how stairs and how many floors she had gone through. More and more security guards started to chase her. She threw a pot, with plant on it, upon one of the heads of the guards! She threw whatever and threw it towards them. Still, they were behind her. At last, she takes a fire extinguisher and released all foam towards them. When she found they were distracted, she continued her way. Many doors she banged and broke down but did not find Manohar and Sandiya. But once more, she heard them screaming and reached upto a huge door which she cannot break alone. Using the same fire extinguisher, she smashed multiple times on the door and opened it. Entering the place, she saw the children were locked inside a cupboard. Furiously opening the cupboard also with the same weapon, she free them. After long fight with time, she met and hugged her children hardly. Tears of happiness flow from her eyes. Suddenly she saw a plane was moving towards the building. She immediately starts to search for the door. But surprisingly it was present in that room only. Taking her children, she opened the door and again the light passed through the bodies and they disappeared in air again. After they disappeared, the plane crashed on the building and happened the famous 9/11 attacks of USA.
On appearing on another land, Manika opened her eyes. But found they were in room of Ramdas, the known-unknown person. Coming put from the room, Manika saw preparations of Navaratri was over. She was happy because she thought everything was over. But really?
Her children raced to their house to see who will firstly get the plate of rasgullas, a type of Indian sweet, kept covered on the plate. Later, she also walked to her house. A weird thing she discovered. The door was open and a drops of red fluid was observed on floor. She saw her Manohar and Sandiya lying on floor and blood coming out from a hole on their head, as if someone shot them dead!
In next moment, a women appeared to their side while Manika hides behind the door. By looking for a glance, she saw it was known person. She was Seema. The woman who was her rival during college times and during graduation warned Manika that she will completely destroy her happiness as well as life. Giving hand along her body, her beloved husband, Rahul was also present there and said, “Darling, these trashes are ended but what about the real trash, Manika?” Answering to his question, Seema giving an evil smile, said, “No worries, the moment she will enter this room, she will automatically she her sorrow and end at once.” Happiness may stay to you for short time, this phrase was easily understood by Manika.
Immediately opening the door, Seema’s hand was hit by it and the gun dropped on floor. pushing them back, Manika picked up the gun. “You really said that I will get sorrow but you and my beloved Rahul will get to see end first.”, said Manika after shooting both dead. Tears came out of her eyes. She succeeded but failed. No one was present with her, neither her children nor her husband. Everything was perished but only memories were left. Recollecting the memories, she immediately ran upto the room of Ramdas, opened the door, went inside, and locked it from inside. Next day, the police came to see the four dead bodies and suspected Manika might be behind as she was the only one not present in the society. But they never found her. But biggest question left was who is this Ramdas? Is he even a human or something else? If something else, why he made the door and what was the aim by making it? Looks like some questions need to be unanswered.
During the last phrase, Manika was present among the people of jew community at the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. One morning, the prisoners were taken to a large room where it was said they water will be sprinkled over them to bath. But it was a gas chamber and after closing the huge door, poisonous gas was released into the chamber. Everyone screamed and suffered. Blood oozed out from eyes, nose, and ears. Slowly, slowly people were dying. While our fighter, Manika was standing still. Though blood was coming out at a high rate from her body parts also. Her ribs can prominently be seen. Few minutes later, she collapsed on ground and closed her eyes. Her eyes never opened to see the cruel world. Alas! We lost a legend.
