Mirror Travel

A sage had been doing penance near the forest region with utmost sincerity to the Lord. The lush greenery coupled with silent atmosphere provided him the conducive ambience needed to immerse deeply in penance.  A crazy dog happened to see the sage which kindled the eccentricity within it. Out of nowhere it started barking as if to break his penance. Rishi happened to pass by the spot and he quickly noticed the dog all set to break the sage's concentration. He picked up a stone and chased the dog away. After a few minutes, the sage opened his eyes to see Rishi.
'You have chased that dog away. As a token of respect I would like to give you this magical mirror. If you sit in front of it and recite a hymn it takes you to a different country of your choice. You will be able to navigate between the two countries initially. Remember, whichever country you choose, you would be able to get cash in your pocket of that country's currency.  If you continue to walk on the right path and uphold righteousness then using it you could travel to different countries,' the sage said.
Rishi marvelled at the sight of the mirror which made him widen his eyes in wonder. He patted himself on the back for securing a magical deal which human beings hardly acquire.
'Be careful! If you do not walk on the right path, the mirror may break any time and you would not be able to leverage it's super power,' the sage warned.
Rishi nodded his head in acknowledgment. He prostrated before the sage gleefully and went back home with the mirror.

Rishi packed the mirror in a gift bag before keeping it secretly at secret spot in a storage room. He chose not to divulge the secret to his wife Siri. Just a few months away, Siri had given birth to a baby boy. He slumped on the sofa musing about which country to travel using the mirror. His wife came with a mug of milk
'How was your day?' she asked.
'Indeed a very tiring day. I would need some rest,' he said.
'By all means. You can have this milk and then take rest,' she said.
From the corner of his eyes, he gazed at his wife going to the room to have a sleep.
'I will come after some time. Please have a peaceful sleep,' he said.
'Okay, no worries,' she laid on the bed and quickly caught up with the slumber.
Rishi briskly walked into the storage room to uncover the mirror given by the sage. He glanced at himself in the mirror only to see a white moustache adorning his above lip area thanks to the consumption of milk. He quickly wiped it with a towel before nestling it against a wall. He sat in front of it and he couldn't resist closing his eyes and reciting a shloka which the sage had suggested. At the end he uttered the word South Korea which quickly deposited him straight into the Australian land. A mixture of fear and bliss courses through his spine. He couldn't believe what just had transpired. A magic conjured out of thin air rendered adrenaline rush. He could find some South Korean wons in his pocket which reinforced his elation.
'What if my wife wakes up and searches me? I will land in trouble. Let me quickly get back to India for now. Then I will cook up a story and come back here.'
He used the mirror again to travel back to his home. He peered through the window to see his wife sleeping with the baby on the cradle. Rishi went back to sleep excited about the prospect of visiting South Korea again.

The morning sunlight squeezed into the room door replacing darkness with light. Rishi woke up hearing the crying sound of his baby. He picked the baby up from the cradle and gently stroked it's hair. He made up his mind to cook up a story to fly to Korea.
'You have woken up early, today. It's surprising,' Siri smiled.
'I forgot to say this Siri. I am going to South Korea today. I will not be available for a week,' he said.
'South Korea? What business you have over there?' she asked.
'There is some business work over there. Don't be afraid. I will be back soon. We shall keep in touch over call,' he said.
'Even I have not seen South Korea. How about you take me and the baby along with you?' she said.
'I am so sorry, Siri. Family members are not allowed since it is a business trip. I will personally take you out some day. Please don't feel sad,' he tried to convince her to stay at home.
'Okay, fine. I wouldn't stick my nose in your professional business. But I am an indispensable part of your personal business, don't forget that,' she said.
Rishi was waiting for this moment and his face reflected his happy mood.

In the evening, Rishi packed his bags on the pretext of flying in the plane but he covertly packed the mirror also in the bag. He waved a bye to his wife and baby before disappearing into the forest region. He then placed the mirror against the trunk of a tree before reciting a shloka which transported him into South Korea. Rishi also got cash needed to seamlessly traverse through the country. The beautiful country laden with beautiful people seemed to attract him. His mind went into a tizzy watching Korean women who seemed to have appeared all the way from heaven. Since he had money, he thought of luring a woman into marriage. Despite knowing that he had been married to Siri, his mind persuaded him to catch another woman and start a new life here. He went to a pub with an intention of zeroing in on a woman. He could see ladies grooving to the music and setting the dance stage on fire. His eyes glued to a slim lady who seemed to be in search of a man. Seizing the golden opportunity, he thrust himself to the spot and offered his hands to dance. The lady named Jin-Kyong gleefully accepted the offer and they both danced drenching in the rain of ecstacy. It didn't take much time for him to lure the lady. He even bought her lunch and gifts which moved her. Using the moment as a leverage he proposed her to marry him. She went into silence mode for a few seconds which scared him but eventually accepted him. He got hitched to her which turned out to be his second marriage which was covertly brushed under the carpet. Rishi booked a new home for her completing misusing the money. He seemed to have completely forgotten what the sage had said. Instead of walking on the right path he chose to strode on the unrighteous path.

After a week, he secretly used the mirror to travel back to India to meet his wife Siri who was oblivious to his misdeeds.
'I am back Siri,' he looked excited.
Siri embraced him which reflected her utter trust placed upon him. He had already broke that trust.
'I hope you will not leave me alone,' she said.
'Why would I leave you alone, my dear wife? You are like a moon in the night sky. There can be multiple stars but only one moon. You are the only lady in my life and I won't even see other ladies leave alone flirt with them,' he pretended to be a gentleman.
'I know about my husband. You are like Lord Ram of Tretayuga. I trust you more than I trust myself,' Siri became emotional.
'I am always there for you,' he winked his eyes.
No remorse bogged him down. He misused the super power he possessed from the mirror. He thought of balancing between two wives using mirror as a catalyst to ensure his two wives don't cross their paths. He even quit his job so that he could utilise that time to jump to Korea.

One day, in the wee hours of the morning he went to forest region on the pretext of going to job early. One of his neighbours observed him disappearing into the dense foliage of the forest. He wondered what business he had in the forest. He came to Siri's house to intimate her about what he had witnessed.
'Madam, I saw your husband running into the forest. Did you ask him to buy some medicinal leaves or what?' he asked.
'No, he went to office,' she told.
'The forest will not take anyone to office. Both are present in dead opposite ends. I don't know why he was going to forest,' he said in surprise.
'You might have seen a wrong person and mistook him for Rishi,' she said.
'Madam, I am not the one who enjoys pitting husband and wife against each other. I have clearly seen him in my own eyes. My eyes had never betrayed me. I am telling this out of concern. Better check with him once he is back,' he insisted.
'I will talk to him once he is back,' she looked dazed by what she had just heard.

Rishi materialized in South Korea to meet his other wife Jin-Kyong.
'I have a good news for you,' she said.
'What is that?' he asked.
'I am pregnant to your baby,' she told.
'Oh my God! This is indeed the best news I have heard over a long time,' he carried his wife by arms and went two circles.
'When was the last time you heard a good news?' she asked.
'When I had a baby boy,' he said.
His words shook him to the core.
'What do you mean? Baby boy? Are you already married to someone?' she asked.
He seemed to be caught off guard. He cursed himself for this predicament and he found a way to eject himself out of it.
'I am so sorry. When I had baby corn I enjoyed it. By mistake my tongue slipped. I don't endorse polygamy by any means,' he lied.
She heaved a deep sigh of relief. 'Thank God! For a second I had my heart jump to my mouth.'
'Okay, as you know I have night job. So it is turning dark I need to go,' he said.
She waved him a bye but a cloud of doubt had already sprouted in her mind. She followed him only to see him go to a deserted spot within four sides of a almirah.
'What the hell is he doing inside?' she wondered.
She waited there for a while but couldn't see him coming out of it. Out of curiosity, she opened the door of the almirah but couldn't find him which stirred her fear. She couldn't reconcile with her thoughts. This seemed something beyond comprehension. She had clearly seen him going inside but did not come out of it. This spun her head into a daze and she believed his husband was hiding something from her. She drilled a hole to ensure she catches him red handed next time he enters the almirah.

Rishi materialized in India to meet his wife Siri who took had questions stored in her mind and was ready to toss it out.
'Why do you look serious, Siri? What happened? Anything wrong? Is baby alright?' he asked.
'Did you go to office today?' she asked.
'Yes, of course! I did go to office today,' he replied.
'But you were going to a forest,' she said.
Her words laced with doubt exploded his heart wondering whether she followed him. He seemed to lose his composure but some how regained his semblance.
'Why what did you see?' he asked in surprise.
'Our neighbour watched you going to the forest early morning. You were supposed to go to office, right?' she fired a question that bewildered him.
'I don't know why these neighbours try to make our relationship bitter. What business do I have in forest? Am I a wild animal? He seemed to have seen a wrong person and mistook him for me. Why do you believe in neighbours? So you trust me or them?' he asked plethora of questions at once overwhelming Siri.
'I am so sorry. I trust you more than anybody,' she said.
Rishi felt relieved after seeing his wife quickly side with him.
'Please do not encourage these neighbours. If we are happy, these people get a lump in my throat,' Rishi said.

Rishi sauntered down the street to a different place instead of forest to ensure he doesn't get caught by his neighbours. He slipped into South Korea to meet his other wife.
'Where did you go at night?' she questioned.
'I had told you that I would go to office,' he responded.
'Where does it come? In the right or left direction?'
'In the right direction.'
It became clear to Jin-Kyong that he was lying and was hiding some secret from her.
'Why? Do you have any doubts?' he asked.
'No, just asked our of curiosity,' she justified.
Rishi wondered why both his wives had started doubting him. He thought of being careful. He pretended to walk on the right direction but took a short cut and strode towards the left side towards the almirah. Opening the almirah, he sat with the mirror in front. Little did he know that his wife had followed him like a detective. She peered through the hole she had made to see him disappear away along with the mirror which sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't believe her eyes. This was beyond her comprehension. Is he really a human being? What is he up to? She decided to confront him in person to make him spill the beans about his identity.

Rishi came back to India not anticipating a confrontation with his wife, Siri.
'Where did you go?' she took him by surprise.
'What do you mean? Don't you know that I work in a company?' he told.
'I had a discussion with your manager and he told you had quit the company many months ago,' she looked angry.
'I work in some other company,' he tried to justify.
'I had seen you using a mirror and disappearing somewhere. You are not the old Rishi anymore. Who are you? Are you a ghost?' she broke down.
'Whats wrong with you? Looks like you have seen a nightmare. Go and take rest,' he advised.
'Please do not lie me anymore. I cannot trust my neighbours, agreed but my own eyes can't deceive me.'
'Please do not harbour resentment on your hubby. This will not end well,' he warned.
'What do you mean? Are you warning me? Tell me who are you?' she persisted.
'When you no longer trust me, I don't need to deal with you anymore. I will live with my other wife,' he broke her heart.
Siri couldn't grapple with the bitter reality which seemed to lock her in a grim-hold of a shock.
'You married another woman?' she cried.
'Yes, I married a beautiful woman. You are nothing in front of her beauty. I am also becoming a father to her baby,' he hit the truth on the head.
Siri pulled his collar and punished him with a barrage of slaps for having an extra marital affair despite being active with his first wife.
'I won't spare you for your sins. I will sue you for  perpetuating a crime against this relationship. You don't deserve a relationship,' she screamed.
'Do you think I will allow you to live anymore? There wouldn't be a bigger fool than me if I allow you to go free. I will kill you and then settle with my second wife,' he pulled her inside the room.
Despite her resistance, he smothered her to death leaving the baby alone. He then used the mirror to escape to South Korea thinking his misdeeds in India would not follow him in Korea.

Rishi thought of having a good time with his Korean wife but little did he know that she too had seen him disappearing through a mirror. He glanced at his serious wife staring down his throat.
'Whats up, my dear? Seriousness doesn't suit your face. You look pretty with a smile on your face,' he suggested.
'I am not here to smile to show my pretty face. You deserve a serious looking face now,' she looked dead serious.
'There is something fishy,' he muttered under his breath.
'Who are you?' she asked.
Rishi had already committed a sin and now was stupefied to see his other wife doubting his identity.
'Whats wrong with you guys?' he pressed.
'Guys! Whom are you referring to? Are you dealing with some other women wearing a camouflage?' she questioned.
Rishi clenched his fist overcome by a sudden surge in anger but controlled himself from doing anything untoward.
'You are the only angel in my life. I don't even see other woman leave alone dealing with them,' he pretended.
'You are not a honest man. You are a liar,' she persisted.
Rishi doubted whether she unearthed his truth which made him sweat profusely.
'I have seen you slipping into almirah and disappearing through a mirror somehowere. You are a black magician
You married me to sacrifice my life. I don't trust you anymore. You are a cheater,' she vented out her frustrations.
Rishi couldn't believe his ears. On the heels of killing his Indian wife, he was expecting a happy life with the Korean wife but things went otherwise.
'No, you might have seen a dream,' he said.
'My eyes won't lie me. You are not a human being. I will alert the police. You have come here to betray our country. You are a traitor,' she slapped him hard.
Rishi touched the corner of his lips only to feel a blood trickling down which enraged him. Like a man possessed he slapped his wife and stabbed her with a scissor placed on the table thereby committing double murder. He had escaped from India thinking Korea will be a safe haven but here too he faced the same ordeal. Now, his contaminated mind came up with an idea to escape to a different country. He placed the mirror in the room and recited a hymn but it backfired suddenly breaking the mirror. He reminisced about the statement by the sage not to walk on the unrighteous path. But he did otherwise. Consequently, he lost the super powers of the mirror. Before he could come to terms with the bitter reality, things had already spiralled out of control. He thought of escaping into another country with whatever money he had to evade arrest. Dread filled his gut; anxiety tore through his heart. The double whammy of killing his wives and losing his super powers depleted his confidence and courage. His mind compelled him to escape to another country. He booked a ticket to escape to London. At night, he dumped the dead body of his Korean wife behind the garden digging a grave. Unfortunately, it did not go unnoticed. A neighbour watched his act quietly and tipped off the police. Before Rishi could leave the house to fly to London, he met with the police. They caught him and also exhumed the dead body of his wife to render him a jail punishment for life. Rishi sobbed incessantly for having misused the super powers of the mirror. The sage had pressed on walking on the righteous path but for his sense gratification he let that warning go up the smoke.