RASMOS'S DREAM
“I need your help!” a voice calls out. Startled, he slips on
his slippers and moves outside. An old plump figure stands close to his outside
wall of his house in Javier, New Mexico. Coming closer, he notices that it’s
Mr. Odavin, his neighbour.
“Sergeant, I plea you to help me. There was an explosion in
my house some time ago. It was these people, I -- I know them and they are here
for me.”
“Calm down, Mr. Odavin I need you to tell me exactly what happened.
Did someone break into your house? Was this a burglary?”
“Not any ordinary burglary sergeant. One with more lethal repercussions.
This is not a safe place to talk, can we go inside?”
Rasmos and Mr. Odavin enter the house. They go and sit near
the fireplace.
“Perhaps it is something that I have that they want. One
thing that is too valuable to them. I ran at the right moment but I got lucky
this time”
“Who were they?” asked Rasmos.
“It was -- It was the drug cartel! I have learned their
secrets and now I’m their primary target. They don’t want anyone to know. You
are a retired army soldier so I thought I could trust you”
“But how do you know that? How do you know their secrets?”
“That’s because I worked for them” he says in a hushed
voice. ”A few years ago they approached me and says they would kill me if I didn’t
work for them. They knew that I had the knowledge they needed, and the supply
of peroxides. And I can’t go to the police because I’m afraid they won’t
believe me and will take me in”.
Rasmos had a sudden sense of repulsion – like he had nothing
to do with this, that he should call the police instantly. But he couldn’t. Mr.
Odavin had cured his son from a lethal disease a few years ago. And somewhere
deep inside he knew that he was a good man.
Rasmos gets up to offer his neighbour a drink. As soon as he
gets closer to the counter there is a loud high pitched noise in the room and the
glass shatters to pieces. Rasmos runs to save Odavin and the next moment there is
a series of gunshots in the room through one of the walls. Bullets fly in the
air breaking the glass and destroying all the furniture. There are cotton
pieces from the sofa flying everywhere in the room.
Thankfully, Rasmos and Odavin had been hiding behind a steel
cabinet. One that did not allow the bullets to penetrate.
The bullets stopped and a bald scar faced man entered the
room. He moved things around and finally spoke.
“I know you’re in here. No hiding from me. Wherever you are
just come out. I have no time for this”
“It’s Razor, my old boss. We have to get out of here” whispered
Odavin. “This man is dangerous”
“I’m going to count till 5 and you should be out!” shouts
Razor.
Rasmos searches for a place to make a run for, but he is surrounded by walls and there is nowhere to go. He remembers keeping a pistol
under his sofa. He tries to reach for it.
“5”
He crawls towards the edge of the cabinet and stretches his
arms.
“4”
He can feel the gun in his hand but cannot take a hold of
it.
“3! And I’m getting ready to blow this place up!”
Frantically moving his arms he manages to grip the gun, but
it slips and moves further away.
“2!”
The door opens and a
woman enters the room.
No. It’s Patricia. Rasmos’s wife was supposed to be out for
her overnight job. Why is she here? Thought Rasmos.
“What is going on here?” Patricia exclaimed.
“So this must be your beautiful wife .The one you told me
about” barks Razor.
He holds her neck by his arms and aims the gun to her head.
“Come on out or she’s dead”
Rasmos lifts the sofa turning it the other side. He picks up
the gun and aims it at Razor. To his surprise he is facing a familiar face.
‘Razor’ was a man that he had encountered many times in his time of war. He had
killed many of his friends and had no remorse. Rasmos was the one responsible
for the scars on his face and had eventually won the war. He had no idea that
he was now part of a drug cartel.
Below him Mr. Odavin was still shaking behind the steel
cabinet. He was cut from view.
“So it’s you Rasmos, you’re the one here – this is your
house” hissed Razor.
“Leave her or I’ll kill you. You are very well acquainted
with my skills with a gun”. Rasmos aimed at him but had no intentions of taking
a shot.
“It’s not you who I want it’s Odavin”
“Leave her”
“I will -- But you know what? Here’s the deal. I want you to
bring that coward Odavin with you outside. If he doesn’t show up I will pull
the trigger”
“Just do it!” shouts Patricia. “Do whatever he says”
Razor takes a step back and leaves the building with Patricia.
Mr. Odavin jumps from his hiding place. “I can’t go out
they’ll kill me!”
Rasmos looks at Odavin and there is the sound of sirens
blowing in a distance.
“The police is here. Somebody must have called them because
of all the noise” says Odavin.
They rush outside to see that all the black cars that were
waiting outside have started to leave.
“No! Patricia! Get her back here!” shouts Rasmos.
But it’s too late. All the cars are at the horizon by now
and there was no way to catch them. On the other side, he could see the police
cars making their way towards the house.
“You can’t tell them about me. You will have to make up
another story” says Mr. Odavin. “They did not kill your wife I’m certain. It’s
me who they want and they know you will come to them to save your wife. In
return I will be taken. You can’t tell them about Razor or me. If the police
end up with Razor you know what’s going to happen”.
Police commissioner Jared makes his way into the house with
his team, equipped with ammunition.
As he enters he sees the two men standing in the living
room.
“I can explain” says Mr. Odavin as moves closer to Jared.
But he is stopped by Rasmos.
“These gunshots were made by me – in self-defence. There was
a man that I don’t know of who attacked me and Mr. Odavin here with the intentions
of trying to steal the valuables from my house”
“How do I know that
this wasn’t you trying to kill someone? Do you live alone? Where is your wife?’
says Jared. He looks around and sees family pictures on the wall.
“Search this place” calls Jared to his team.
The police team moves from room to room and searches the
whole house.
“Where is your wife?” shouts Jared. ”The neighbours told me
they saw your wife enter the house. And also a man, that must be one of you.
And what do you have to say about the explosion in the house next to yours?”
Suddenly there is another explosion. This time it is much
fiercer and Rasmos could feel the heat on the side of his arm. Outside his
window he could see houses and cars being burned out.
“This must be the bomb they had planted before leaving.
Thank god it wasn’t too close” whispered Mr. Odavin.
The police team makes a sudden run for the location of the
explosion.
Taking advantage of
the opportunity, Rasmos twists Jared’s wrist and grabs the gun from him. He then
knocks him hard on the head.
Jared collapses on the floor and faints.
Rasmos and Odavin make a run for it and jump out of the
window. They fall on a soft landing.
“Tell me where they are” says Rasmos.
They both break into a car, and manage to turn on the
engine. In minutes they are driving towards their new destination.
“We are no good against them” Odavin exclaimed. “Chances are
we are not getting out alive”
“Now you listen to me Odavin. My wife’s life is at stake. I
cannot allow anything to happen to her”
As the car drew closer to the courtyard that Odavin had directed
him to, Rasmos remembered the dream he had earlier. He remembered now, that the
events in his dream had been very similar to what had just happened. Only that
the images were very fuzzy and unclear, but he was certain that he experienced
this before in his dream. He was trying to remember what happened afterwards,
but he was cut by Odavin again –
“I don’t want you to take me there” He puts his hand over
the door and opens it as the car drives over the dark road.
Rasmos grabs his legs, trying to stop him from leaving the
moving car.
“This is insanity. You cannot simply jump from a car.”
“What’s the point? I’m dead anyways”
“You won’t! I won’t let them get you. I have a plan”
Mr. Odavin stops and looks at Rasmos’s stern face. He knows
from his serious expression that he really had something in mind.
As the car reaches the gate of the warehouse, Rasmos has
only one thing in mind. He has to get his wife out, without getting Odavin
taken. There was a slim chance of getting away with it, but he still has to go
for it.
There are men outside the gate that spotted them.
“I am here to deliver Odavin to your boss, Razor” says
Rasmos. “As part of our deal he must give back my wife”
“You’re lucky your wife is still in there. But for how
long?” smirked the grunt.
The gate was opened and both men were allowed to enter the
warehouse.
There he could see Razor, with some of his men in a dark
corner. His wife is seated and tied up with ropes.
“So we meet again” says Razor. “I knew you would come for
her”.
“Rasmos!” shouted Patricia.
“You made a deal, Razor. Now let her go – Odavin is here
with me” says Rasmos.
Suddenly, two men leap at Odavin, grabbing him and then
pinning him to the ground. A few other grunts surround Rasmos, with weapons in
hand.
“What is this?” exclaims Rasmos.
“Yes the deal was for you to get Odavin. But that deal was
for before. Now I get the chance to stop my plans from leaking and also get
revenge on my bitter rival”
The men hit Rasmos with their weapons. He blocks some of
them and tries to fight back.
Razor takes out a burning matchstick. He swirls it in the
air, playing with it and then brings it closer to Patricia.
“Watch her burn” barks Razor.
There is a moment of stillness in the air as a shot is fired
and Razor’s hand starts spilling blood.
Patricia falls from her chair and reaches close to Rasmos
who is badly bruised. Odavin stares in amazement as Jared walks in from a dark
corner with a gun in hand.
“I knew there was something strange going on. So I followed
you” he says looking at Rasmos, flashing his gun towards the men at the same
time. He shoots a few of his men but he too is eventually outnumbered.
“This is going to be fun” says Razor moving his head up while
lying on the floor. “The more the merrier. Now, no one can stop me not even the
police”
Rasmos looks around the room. With his head fixed to a
point. He remembers through his dream that there is a massive explosion to
follow. As the images fade from his head he sees a large number of crates
marked peroxide on his right.
That’s it! He thought to himself. With a burst of energy he
signals Mr. Odavin, who now also sees the crates. He grabs the matchsticks that lie
close to him and flings them towards Rasmos. Rasmos grabs them and holds
Patricia close to him.
The men aim their weapons at Rasmos but their expression
fades when they see the matchsticks in his hand.
Mr. Odavin and Rasmos along with Patricia make a run for the
window. Rasmos flings the matchstick at the crates of peroxide. There is a
small blast that lights up a part of the room for a short while.
They break open the window and fall on the ground. They see
Razor’s face looking back at them as they fall.
Before they know it, a huge flame covers the entire floor
with waves of fire coming out of the windows. The whole building explodes with
an intense amount of fire.
Unfortunately, Jared is left in the flames. There was no way
they could have helped him.
“Peroxide. It is highly combustible. Good thing that I knew
about it” says Rasmos.
There are sirens heard at a distance and eventually Jared’s
team find the trio near the broken glass windows.
They tell them about the whole incident and that Jared could
not be saved.
“We know for sure that Jared followed you here and he had
told us before leaving his car that what you were saying was the truth. However
we now know that Mr. Odavin has been involved in drug trafficking and for going
against the law we must arrest him” says a member of the team.
Mr. Odavin is handcuffed and is forced to sit in one of the
police cars.
“You can’t run away from it” says Rasmos.
Later, when the couple finally arrive home, they see a
number of fire brigades and police cars waiting in front of their home.
“You did it. You actually did it” says Patricia.
Rasmos feeling pride and also with a lot of guilt, makes his
way to the bedroom. He closes his eyes and falls asleep.
THE END
(Written by – Mitul
Magu)
24th
April, 2016
I'll say it so I don’t have to repeat myself. I do not like people judging me. I do not like people messing with what I’m going through, like they have a clue. I have to say, what the world has brought down on me it feels safe to say that I do not care what they think or what they have to say. Period.
ZEEMAN'S JOURNEY
So when I woke up today, having no memory of how I got there, I did not care if they were one of my silly mistakes that got me here. Not another drink overdose or whatever they call it. I’m fine and I’m going to get back somehow.
I looked around and it was pitch black. No sign of anyone or anything. Just plain walls that concealed me, but two entries in both towards my immediate left and right. There were sounds, one familiar and the other rather violent coming from each side. They were slow, steady noises that gave me a chill.
I remember staying awake last night, in my room, yes.. right there in my room Zeeman. But how did I get here? I have no clue. That familiar sound sounds like a sweet symphony that sounds quiet haunting given where I was. The other was the sound of sharp metal scraping on another metal.
I turn towards my left, where the symphony is, which makes sense right? Probably someone I can talk to. I end up moving through a row of hallways which zig-zag through the area. But they don’t make sense. They don’t look like hallways with rooms in between. They’re just hallways. Hallways and more hallways. It doesn’t even seem like a normal building.
Finally I reach a small room with spray canisters on the floor. They seem to have been used some time back. There is a small lamp hanging with a manhole at the center. It won’t budge. I try to pull handle again and again but it won’t move.
I see a shadow ahead of me. A dark hooded figure enters the room. “Your exit is here” he says, in a calm voice. “No need to panic”. Before I can respond he vanishes. The room is already too dark. Where did he go? I can’t see anything.
I try everything to open the door. My hand starts to sweat a little and it gets even more difficult. I decide to walk towards where I saw the man. But it’s just another dark hallway. As I reach towards the end I find a door. I open it. And what I see is the complete opposite of where I was.
I’m in a massive hall. The lights shine brighter then what I have ever seen. There is music playing loudly. On the table are dark hooded people seated with arms crossed. They start whispering when they see me. One of them gets up and walks towards me.
“You don’t belong here. You must go” he says. “Where am I?” He looks down and then looks back at me. “You have travelled a long distance my friend. You have done something that not everyone is able to do. You have crossed your dimension and made your way into this one. We see more like you every now and then. But not everyone makes it back”
“Then tell me. How to go back”.
“It was the manhole”
“But I couldn’t open it”
“And you made it here without opening it. You can’t go back now. The door you came in will lead you to another dimension.”
“Again?”
“Yes, you have crossed many already”
“But I need to go back!”
The man looks back and then again faces him. “There may be a way but I need you to hurry. I’m Ovin and my friends here are scavengers. They feed on the dead. The more time you take to get back the faster you will age. And these scavengers will hunt you down. They haven’t been fed for a long time and have already planned to absorb your life force. Stay away from them. I was long lost just like you. But I come from a dimension where I cannot die, so I need you to listen to me. Jump down this chute and you will eventually see a guarded gate. Beyond it is the place under the manhole. I will meet you there”
“Guarded by who?”
“You need to leave now. It is your only chance. Be wise”.
I drop myself into the chute.
***
“Judy, come back here”
“Catch me” says Cassidy.
“Give me back my earrings or I swear I’ll tell mom!”
Judy runs after Cassidy in the dining hall of their large mansion and there is a sudden noise.
“It was the kitchen!” says Judy.
Both the young girls run towards the direction of the noise, but feel a sharp sensation on the back of their necks as soon as they enter the room.
The sisters are warped from their location into an unfamiliar room.
“What just happened?” says Cassidy.
“You tell me” says Judy.
“Where are we now?”
“No idea”
They find themselves in a dark room with two entries on both sides. Unpleasant sounds come from both the directions.
“Did we just …?” says Cassidy.
“No we didn’t warp to another dimension like what daddy is studying about. No way.”
“But this isn’t our kitchen”
Judy looked around to make sense of the situation. There is a thin layer of fog close to their feet.
“The sound of the symphony, let’s go there”
“Whatever you say” says Cassidy.
Before they can leave the room, a huge dark figure appears from the room with the sharp metallic noise. It tries to take a hold of them but the girls move back in time.
Screaming they run for the other door. Zigzag hallways lay ahead of them. They run as fast as they can and reach a room spray canisters on the floor. They spot a manhole at the center.
Judy tries to open the door but it’s locked and is covered with sweat.
“Don’t you get it?” says Cassidy.
“Get what?”
Cassidy picks up a spray canister.
“That’s not a real manhole, it’s just an image”
She turns around to see if the man that was following them is still there. But it’s too dark to see anything.
“This is one of those dimension holes. They don’t want us to get out”
“But then there must be another manhole somewhere”
They move around the room and find a sharp metallic object, fixed to the floor.
“This is it” says Judy.
Both the girls slide through the small entrance that had been concealed and collapse on the floor below.
***
As I drop myself down the chute, there are whispering voices to be heard in all directions. Where am I? This looks more like an old castle. The old brick walls with torches hanging seem to suggest that. The path turns steeper up ahead.
As I make my way, I stop. I don’t want to move any further. In front of me is an old wooden gate, guarded by .. a Minotaur. The Minotaur looks intimidating, standing on horse legs at least 7 feet with huge puffs of gas which it releases through its nostrils. Its horns seem to be covering most part of its head which is shadowing over its huge red body.
It has seen me, I have nowhere to go. “You shall not pass” it says.
“I’m only looking for my own dimension. I believe this is yours and I want no part of it”
“What you say is true. But why should I let you through?” says the Minotaur.
“I’m lost and I just want to go home”
“Then you must answer a simple question”
“What is it?” I say.
“Tell me mortal, what is long when it’s young and short when it’s old?”
What could he be referring to?
“Nothing from my dimension” I say.
“I believe that is not the case. If you wait too long there will be circumstances”
He walks towards me and I fall on the ground. My eyes catch the attention of the torches on the wall. The light from the torch seems to be lively and strong in some and very weak in the others.
“A candle!”
“Very good. A candle’s light dies out as it gets old. You may pass”
The Minotaur steps aside and opens the wooden door. It feels more like a trap. I get up and make my way through. I almost make contact with that thing.
As I walk through, the door behind me closes. Where to now?
I look at my arm and there are hair springing out of my arm that weren’t there before. They make their way down to my feet. I’m getting old, and I have no way to stop it. I have to make it back.
As I walk forward I see two young girls, looking lost near the opposite wall. Finally, a human after so long. As I approach them, they see me and then suddenly look towards their right. There is a look of pure horror on their faces. They turn to run away.
There is a Scavenger now where they were standing.
(To be continued..)
No comments:
Post a Comment