Collision of Destinies

Branch 1: Social Mystery with Romance 

“The history is getting repeated and as it happened in the yesteryear, your Mafia is going to lose the battle.” Uncle Vincent said to Ruth. Seated on a chair kept at corner of the submarine den and tied with ropes around, Uncle Vincent sat there like a smart old man, who was perhaps a puppet for long time but had taken control of his string now.

“Free me Ruth, if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, discovering things you wish too.” Uncle Vincent went ahead to say.

Ruth glared at Uncle Vincent and wondered what would be the end of this spine-chiller tale.

“You mean you know the end of this mystery, Uncle Vincent?” Asked Ruth twisting his water proof wrist-watch to which Uncle Vincent nodded. It had been few months from now that he had detained Uncle Vincent inside the den without knowing the reason for his detention.

“You know Mafia is a wicked fox. Let me go Ruth if you want to save an innocent life.” The plea from Uncle Vincent’s eyes reflected inside Ruth’s retina, but alas, Ruth was helpless. He would be savaged if he went against the Mafia. Tilting his head from side to side, Ruth kept racking his brains to figure out whose life was in danger.

“You are growing dangerous Abhay.” Charu screamed as Abhay gripped her shoulders tightly. Abhay’s jealousy escalated towards an explosive level when he saw Yuvaan getting released on bail.

“Damn him! If I could murder him.” Abhay felt a burning sensation in his stomach as he watched Yuvaan walking away from him. The tiff between Abhay and Yuvaan roared in a way an angry sky blasted its lightning, distressing everything around. Though Charu’s mind didn’t give Yuvaan a clean chit, somehow, she trusted Yuvaan’s innocent eyes more than Abhay’s obsession drama. She looked in Abhay’s eyes still glaring with rage, but hidden inside his rage was a fiery love, which since left unexpressed was creating chaos inside his mind.

“Your behavior confuses me Abhay. Why can’t you be normal.” It was that lover’s tiff where Charu wished to hug him tightly while Abhay would die to feel the first sensation of love touching his skin but they stood silently looking at each other.

“I am going to murder that wily Yuvaan.” Abhay mumbled and walked towards the police station.

“Jealousy only eats up the beauty of love…” A dejected Charu ambled away from Abhay and started walking on an endless journey where she was stuck between love and mystery. The streets of Fort Kochi seemed to absorb Charu’s emotions as a distinctly gloomy atmosphere spread across the area. But the crowd of the street had a life of its own where there were chatters of sellers, vibrant greetings of friends catching up and amid these chatters, a women seated in the shade of a canopy called out for Charu.

“Hey you the girl in black jeans. A bit of tarot reading with a dash of decoding the mystery?” The old woman who looked like a gypsy asked Charu.

“I don’t believe in this stuff.” Charu said and noticed the woman had worn a peasant blouse with fluffy sleeves and a bright blue long skirt. Her dangling long earrings got covered with layers of scarfs around her neck and though old, she looked ravishing in that vibrant dress of hers.

“Try your luck.” The Gypsy woman said and started spreading the tarot cards on a table placed besides her. Some occult force pushed Charu towards her and in a state of trance Charu picked up four cards. The old tarot reader placed the cards and muttered the names of picked cards.

“Well, you picked the ace of Khopesh sword, wheel of fortune, a death card and justice card.” The old gypsy ducked her chin to hide her neck while her hands rushed towards her mouth to cover them and then she squeezed her eyes shut to open it again as she gazed at Charu.

“That’s impossible!” She said in a disbelieving tone.

“What’s impossible?” Charu asked and blanky watched the old woman tremble while she was fixed on her chair.

“Same cards. Same cards were picked by a woman many years back. I remember very clearly because she picked up the Ace of Khopesh sword, which is so unique. I remember. How can I forget her fortune?” She shuddered to think about this obscure coincidence.

“And what did you say about her fortune?” Charu asked.

“I warned her.”

“Warned her of what?”

“Her lover was about to murder a person. You see the death card resembles that.”

“And?”

“And she ran away to stop him committing the crime. I recollect that she didn’t pay my fees too.” The old Gypsy’s gaze was fixed at Charu possibly to match her features with the lady she had met many years back.

“There is collision of destinies. Your destiny matches with her perfectly. How’s that possible? No, but my cards can’t lie.” The old lady swayed in the enigma of the most puzzling phenomenon.

“Do you know who that woman was? Was her name Sheryl Varghese?” Charu asked just to figure out this weird dichotomy.

“No. No. I don’t remember that. But my advice will be same for you. Stop your lover to commit that crime. Go run. Stop him.” Her voice echoed inside Charu’s brain and her head started spinning rapidly.

‘The juice of vengeance is stirring strongly inside Abhay. Surely he can murder Yuvaan.’ Charu’s mind said. Somehow, she felt like believing the old Gypsy. This time Charu paid the fees and ran towards Yuvaan’s home.

Yuvaan’s palatial bungalow was brimmed with anger. His dad was upset by the entire episode, particularly Yuvaan’s friendship with Charu.

“One girl comes from New York and you are set to ruin your life for her? “

“Dad!! She is my friend.”

“O come on Yuvaan. Come out of this lovey-dovey friendship and romance. Behave like a grown up. This kind of stupid adventure can tarnish my reputation. Don’t forget you are a son of Fort Kochi’s corporator.” Yuvaan’s dad gave him a warning glare, influencing Yuvaan not to meet Charu again. His dad’s biting remark lingered in Yuvaan’s mind as he watched his father barging out of his room. Yuvaan went towards the window and observed that deary night sky where tiny sparkling stars were trying to conquer the eternal darkness. ‘A small spark is enough to illuminate the dark mystery.’ Said his philosophical mind. A faint tring-tring sound of the landline interrupted Yuvaan’s thoughts as he picked up the receiver, but before he could exchange his hello, he heard a hoarse voice speaking with his father who had picked up the parallel line of landline.

“Hello Subhash.”

“Hey Don… What’s wrong? A call at this time?” Yuvaan’s dad said.

The hearing being accidental, the purpose of listening to their conversation connoted eavesdropping, as Yuvaan sensed something fishy in that voice. His hands were shivering alongwith the receiver placed on his ears as he heard the hoarse voice of Don saying:

“No trouble from that He-Man Abhay. Much sure he will give the original Khopesh to me. That beefy man is trapped.” Mafia’s voice erupted into a manic cackle.

Yuvaan felt the world crashing down around him. His dad and Mafia Don were connected. The shivering doubled as this was the first time Yuvaan had tapped his dad’s phone and heard such hysterical stuff. The two of them had sneaked behind everyone’s back, conspiring against Abhay and actually making a fool of him. He continued to be a fly on the wall of that conversation.

“How about that old ailing Grandma?” Asked Yuvaan’s dad.

“Subu dear!!! Don’t worry. She is under my control. We need her as she is the only one who knows composition of making the mind control drug. Extraction of elements for making the drug is almost complete.” Said the Mafia. Yuvaan couldn’t believe his ears as Mafia called his dad “Subu” a nickname for his name ‘Subhash’ which till now only Yuvaan’s grandparents had called.

Somehow, Yuvaan felt he had heard the Mafia’s voice somewhere. “But where?” Yuvaan whispered.

“Don’t be over confident Mafia. That Abhay is a crazy man with one good athletic body. Dangerous for us. “

“That freak has a deal with me. He will hand over the Khopesh to me tomorrow. “Mafia said.

“Can’t understand the reason behind the deal? Perhaps, I am probing a lot as not sure about this boy.” Yuvaan’s dad said skeptically. Yuvaan’s dad strongly felt that Abhay’s deal with Mafia was just to hurt someone and after releasing his strong emotions, Abhay would promptly drop his malice facade and turn into a virtuous man.

“Remember Mafia, we need the Khopesh as a medium of transport to our Egyptian syndicate. No one will ever wonder drugs getting exported inside an antique.”

“Once I get the Khopesh from Abhay I will coax Grandma to spill that magical formula of mind control drug.”

“And then we will rule this world.” Yuvaan’s dad said. The evil laughter from both the sides pounded inside Yuvaan’s ears. Shaking his head in denial, Yuvaan collapsed on his bed.

After a period of silence, Yuvaan looked at the clock. It had been two hours he had been sitting on his bed.

 ‘Where had the time gone?’ He questioned himself and at that instant some object bashed on his head. The blow rocked his body and Yuvaan turned his head to see who had hit him but all he felt was a dull pain. He felt his eyelids closing and then he felt nothing. At the same moment, there was a knock on Yuvaan’s main door. Charu stood at the entrance while her feverish eyes waited for door to open. Her inner voice wished for safety of Yuvaan and her increased heartbeat begged for Abhay’s calmness. 

“Open the door quickly.” Said her shaky voice. Charu knew she was running short of time and every millisecond was important to save Yuvaan’s life.

‘I better hop inside his bedroom.’ Charu said and rushed towards the back side of the bungalow. Thankfully, Yuvaan’s bedroom was placed on the bottom floor of the duplex bungalow which had a slit window. As Charu neared the back side, she heard the window panes making creaking noise as violent winds were bumping upon them.

“His window is open. Strange?” Charu said and jumped inside his bedroom. Charu’s face turned white while she wrapped her arms around her belly and stood looking at Yuvaan’s motionless body lying on the floor.

In that same dark night, a silhouette entered Oomen’s villa and headed towards Grandma’s room.

“Who is it”? Grandma squealed in fright.