Non-erotic The Scarface I Hated by Trambak

[Ramesh_Rocky]

The city looked nice and normal but Imran bypassed the main town and soon we were moving towards our eventual destination.

There was a perceptible change in the nature of the trees and the surroundings. The jungle had turned deeper and darker. The tall 'Sal' trees were swinging with the wind in a drunken stupor, the tops straining to touch each other and then moving apart. The roads were silent. The car moved and Imran concentrated on the road. Slowly, we were deep inside the jungle. We hardly met any other vehicles or humans.

At a particularly dark jungle Imran stopped the car and asked me to come out. Though I felt a little afraid but I stood out and looked inquisitively at Imran. Before I could say something, he put his fingers on the lips and said in a low voice, "Listen carefully, don't speak".

I listened carefully. For a moment, everything appeared normal. I looked back at him. He tenderly put his palm on my eyes and whispered, "Close your eyes and listen."

And I did as instruct and then I could hear the swishing sound of the wind blowing through the Sal trees. I could suddenly hear a 'tik tik' sound just behind me then another one to my right. All of a sudden, a croak was on my left. The 'tik tik' vanished and the croak replaced it. In no time, I could hear myriad sounds all different and unique. I was literally surrounded by them, so near that I could touch them. After a long time, I opened my eyes and found Imran smiling at me. It was an experience that I haven't forgotten till date.

We continued to move through this unprecedented serenity and quiet till we reached a town called Daltonganj. Imran stopped the car at a roadside shack and ordered tea. The small boy rushed to clean the single bench and the shop owner made fresh tea. He cleaned two cups vigorously reserved only for VIPs like us. It was a simple tea in a blue white ceramic cup lined by hairline cracks, smoke emerging from the surface and filling me with an incredible aroma. The tea with two "ledo" biscuits (rural rusk) simply made my day.

I looked around and nudged Imran. He was thinking something and turned towards me a bit startled. I said casually, "You have been here before. Haven't you?"

He looked at me with an interesting gaze and said quietly, "I know this place like the back of my hands. I can never forget this place."

I was suddenly alert and asked him carefully observing his reaction, "Have you been here recently."

Imran looked towards the road dreamily and said with a slow drawl, "No, not recently. I was here years back but the memories are too strong."

"Will you tell me about them?"

"Yes, I will. Maa has sent us here for that. Only I am not sure."

"Why?"

"I don't know whether the time is right or not?"

"Of course, it is right. I am ready and I am curious."

"I know but give me some time." Imran said.

We kept sitting. The solitude and the tea shop were our companion.

Chapter-20

The last few sentences by Imran alerted me. Knowing Kiana, I was very convinced that our journey to Netarhat held more secrets than the simple conjugal bliss that was being portrayed. The terrain and Imran's intimacy with the locality obviously hid recollections of his younger days. And they appeared to be firmly imprinted in his memories. Whether these were happy or sad, only he could tell. But he appeared a little unwilling to do so at the present time and it wouldn't be prudent for me to push the issue now.

After some time, we moved again. This time the road climbed uphill. The forest became lighter. The sun filtered through and the trees looked red. Thrilling, absolutely. Stunning, absolutely.

Since Imran was still taking his time to think about his own life, I thought I could get a few inputs on something else.