The unlock - liberation trip

Finally!! the contours of the seaside can be seen. What a refreshing sight with the tall pine and coconut trees gradually getting closer and closer. The tiny hamlet with scattered ‘kucha pakka’ households becoming slowly and steadily visible now – Wow!! have almost reached ….the fragrance of the countryside caressing the body with a welcoming freshness.

It has been quite a testing time; must say and irritating feeling of a sense of harassment what else can be concluded. “How difficult it is to stay confined into the four walls of your home for weeks…My God! What a pain man!” – Som lamented. He was blessed with his name shortened to Som from Somya by his childhood buddies. Somya by profession is a freelance journalist and who loves his outdoor ventures both for work or just simply travelling for leisure as part of his lifestyle.

It was quite a tough condition due to the enforced curfew and on top of that the cyclonic weather had made the situation even more difficult and the feeling of restlessness was brewing like hot molten lava inside…could just burst out any moment. In the hindsight Somya was thinking; good that he had postponed his marriage for a while, otherwise god knows what would have been the situation at home. He knew his girlfriend turned fiancé Soma very well…she too loves the outdoors more than staying at home. Actually, they got so close to each other during their long drives and time spent on travelling together on various work assignments, both being from the same profession.

Both of them being in their early thirties and the last couple of years planning to settle down as pressure from friends and families was mounting. Generally, as it happens even to this day when live-together and marrying at a time of convenience is in vogue and not an age bound and time-bound affair, anymore.

Som is a champion athlete and maintains his daily fitness regime to the core, though a foodie as well, who equally loves his dumbbells and dum-biryani, barbells and barbeques... Also by now it is but understood that one of his other passion is long-distance drive. He had just exchanged his longstanding ‘Santro i20’ and bought this new ‘Creta’, since then was dying to go for his weekend destination-drives, which was pending now for a long while, on account of various exigencies. A typical Bong - never misses his favourite football whenever he gets to be with his local club team and at the Salt Lake stadium a regular attendee in all the derby matches, shouting and yelling his heart out with his yellow-red attire. This has led to a few fistfights as well post the matches earlier but with Soma stepping into the ring – he has long but thrown in the towel and keeps himself restrained a lot now. Well, who doesn’t these days isn’t it?

The recent stay at home due to the curfew had rattled Som to the core and he called Soma on the landline – “I am on my way to our favourite sea-side trip…with less traffic, these days will take just a few hours to reach. Will return by the evening only..…where should I pick you from?” The call went for a while and failing to convince her for the trip, Som said to himself…come what may – Boss I am on my way…this is it. As things have eased down from yesterday and here I go… 'The Unlock - Journey of Liberty’…ha…ha…

Badly needed a time out for the day, just being away and breathe in some fresh air and have some countryside delicacies – the fried fish, chicken kosha accompanied with homemade desi liquor & coconut water…awesome combo, Som can’t wait for it anymore as he shuffles his foot between brake paddle and accelerator.

The day was so fascinating, Som loved the old-time charm of the seashore, so very calm and serene as eyes could see. This time the usual and well-known stoppage place - ‘Charu kaka’s tea stall’ by the road-side, was not to be, cause it seemed to be dismantled for some reason. But why? Where is Charu Kaka? where is his family now? His cute little daughter, who was his lifeline, always hopping around the tea-stall with the rugged teddy in her hand. How she loved the chocolates which Som usually carried for her. He loved to see the twinkle in her eyes, which sparkled and shone more than the golden wrapper of her goodies in the hand and then she would start chirping in her tiny voice of all that she had been doing since morning and chatter on with her never-ending stories, was so enticing in the milieu around but where is she now?? The ruined remains of the tinned roof, the broken wooden benches and the remains of distant memories of hot cuppa of the ‘kadhak chai’ accompanied with the leisurely drag of king-size Goldflake…wow times would appear to simply standstill.

Som never changed his preferred brand till date though Marlboro Lights is what Soma prefers mostly. Slowly driving into the village side, Som noticed that the country liquor shop ‘Dilip’s Den’ as he had named it, which was one of his happy hunting ground – was also in shambles. As he parked his car and got down to take a stroll around the tranquillity of the sea-side suddenly his mind wandered off, the nostalgia of the last time he was here and what a great time they had with the entire gang of friends, from the city.

Nevertheless, Som did not want to let the day go by, just on musings and past reminiscence. He settled down with whatever he could find around, got his arrangements made by the help of some of his previous acquaintances and other locals of the place. His favourite delicacies were all arranged for though the usual sociability was lacking but he kind of ignored it. Though a realization had begun to set in that, things looked to have changed a lot around this place and many known faces were not to be seen at all. Well, it can also be that this time of the year people are busy in their fields on cultivation work as well, probably that’s the reason or maybe they have gone to the nearby town for some errands, but most of the known folks were missing, quite strange though?....anyways who cares…relax!! Som told himself, you are on a kind of a detox-trip, just chill out ..Enjoy!

It was getting dark very soon, time just flew and as he was driving back ‘Som’ was in a great mood, humming his choicest songs and upbeat to start with the office the next day on. Well yes, possibly there will be a whole lot of explanations to be given to Soma and truce to be made but that’s ok. Now that he’s got his elixir and the right rhythm to carry on…

As on the way now, it started getting more and more darker outside, Som switched the headlights full on and speeded up only to be stopped by a police patrol van in a few yards. The officer who stepped out and was about to confront him was rather taken by surprise and smiled at him and said – ‘Hey Som what are doing here bro? Where are you coming from?” Som could make out from the lights of both the vehicles around the known face of his once classmate and now ASI of police Arunabha Sommadar, alias Arun; possibly in charge of this area around. Last time around he had heard some stories about him being a tough but also very helpful policeman, who was equally dreaded and liked by the locals.

Arun has always been that guy who loves to jump into social work since school days. Community work and being of assistance and helping the needy with selfless devotion. Som did have a secret admiration for Arun always but guess he was a bit lazy to get into such social service forums and activities.

Som looked at Arun and replied - ‘Just been out to relax and soothe the nerves a bit – the last two weeks were tough. And working from home was killing me, man…just drove to this sea-side village. Last time I had been there I guess almost more than a year back. So how about you Arun? The man on duty as usual?”

Som casually parked the car and lit a cigarette as he came out and offered one to Arunabha. Lighting the fag Arun asked with worrying tone – “Which village, you are talking about the one you used to frequent earlier as you told me last time we met – that place some 10 KM behind this road right? is it the one you referring to?”

“Yes, exactly but it seemed bit strange this time around…everything seemed to have changed and people have become very quiet and unassuming, missed the warmth, the exuberance I had felt last time around….don’t know why was it so, or am I just thinking too much??”

“Well Som, I don’t know what you are talking about. Whom did you meet out there? Barely anyone staying there these days, except for few vagabonds and petty criminals…the entire village was kind off wiped out by a strange and widespread disease, last year. A very few who survived have left for the nearby town.” Arun started to explain.

“In-fact I have personally witnessed the whole pandemonium of the villagers dying all over the place, very traumatic days…the medical teams, all of us in the administration tried but as luck would have it…things happened so fast that nothing much could be done and before any medical solution could be worked out…rampantly people just fell ill and passed away. You know Som…many couldn’t be given a due and proper funeral also as people feared the contamination and stayed away…panic gripped all…”

“What the hell Arun…?” exclaimed Som. “What are you saying…I saw so some of the old-timers and previous acquaintances, I just met them sometime back…the fish fry…the country liquor…how, wherefrom…how did they know what I like and how did they get all arranged for, just the way it used to be in the past? No, they weren’t the so-called outlaws but very much the villagers I had known…but how come?”

Som kept explaining - “Yes, as I said lots were missing, people did look bit strange but I did walk around and spoke to people…had my favourite fish fry’s and the country liquor…and..and…!” Som was almost choking now.

Arun asked him – “Tell me Som…did you see those people’s faces…do you really remember watching them making things for you…what do you recollect Som…think Som..think…who were they…?”

Som was now reeling on the front door of the car…his body was trembling…he was losing his senses, throat dried up, as his mind was racing upon a flashback of the what he encountered throughout the day. Were they all really dead and gone then whom did he meet up with? Who were these village folks? Who served him the food and drinks..Who Who..? Som was almost passing out but somehow could regain his senses and as he called out “Arun…Arun..where are you?” To his astonishment, there was no one around but emptiness engulfing the ever-increasing darkness of the night. Nothing in the near visibility, no police van..no human or any living being in the vicinity, only the buzzing of the fireflies around.

Where’s Arun, the police van, the other policemen, where have they vanished?…now his voice is giving in…he tried hard to call out again but alas couldn’t…just couldn’t…Oh, God! Help!

Creekkkk….creekkk…..the alarm bell went off…Som jumped up in his bed …Oh God…was I dreaming?…was it a nightmare? He could feel his body almost soaked in perspiration, as he reached out for the bottle of water. It took some time for Som, to get off the bed and as he kept reminded himself - office re-opening today need to get back in the grove.

There was a whole barrage of thoughts still clouding his mind and Som knew that he had to now find out the real truth of his nightmare, who knows what it may turn out to be and could well be his next weekend musings for the magazine.

He was heading for the restroom but paused a bit and turned back picked up, slid in the sanitizer bottle in his office bag and checked for his face mask and also the pair of gloves for safety. Life is precious – keeping caution is the key and keep get going with the new normal…..!