Just like everyday at
the same time, he was lying down in the same place. The same sound started
coming. It was the same leather heel shoes marching in the alley.
Just like everyday it
was someone’s turn to get free. The creaking voice of the door opening was
about to come.
But what has happened
today? They opened door of his cell this time. But why?
He was lying down
keeping his feet towards the door. He lifted his neck and tried to see why they
opened his gate instead of someone else’s. He could only see the silhouettes of
the guards as there was bright light coming from the door only getting blocked
by the bodies of those guards. There was no need for him to know who they were
and what their names were. He knew their identities very well.
After spending twenty years
in the same jail anybody would know which guard consumes how much sugar in his
tea, let alone the names of the guard on duty at this hour.
These twenty years were
not easy for him. First three years were the most difficult. Not for him, but
for other prisoners. Until first three years no one knew who he was; why he was
here. Not even his cellmate knew any of this. He was always quiet, never spoke
a single word to anybody. Not because he was afraid of people, it was because
he was dangerous.
His face was enough to
tell how unsafe it could be for any prisoner to go near him. So no one ever dared.
Today, everybody knows
his name. But still nobody knows what heinous crime he did. There were rumors
all around the walls that he is a cold blooded murderer and has granted death to
not less than 40 people. May be that was the reason no one has ever dared to go
within 10 meter radius of him.
“Azhar Sultan, You are
free now.” A guard of the two said.
“It couldn’t be 18
march. It surprising how fast the time went by.” He said to himself.
“Give me five minutes. Let
me take all my belongings with me.” He requested.
“Be fast.” This time
another Guard replied.
They took him to the Superintendent’s
office. He signed on some register and was set free.
Still he wasn’t fully
independent as he still had to cross the play ground and step outside the jail.
As soon as he reached
the playground, everybody stopped playing. There went silence all around. And after
a few seconds, everybody started talking about him forgetting about all the
games they were playing.
“Is he getting
released? Don’t you think the jailor should use his powers to increase his
confinement duration? He is still not fit for social acquaintances. He is so
much dangerous to the society.” A prisoner
said to another.
He didn’t care and
started walking towards the main gate. He was heading slowly in his own rhythm,
lost in his dreams wearing a little smile on his face.
As he was about to step
outside someone put a hand on his shoulder. He stopped, looked behind. He found
his only friend Mutthu standing and smiling at him having tears in his eyes.
“kyon Pyaare? You were
planning to escape without seeing off your best friend?
“There was no way I
could have come to see you.” He answered and continued. “When a person promises
a friend to live his whole life together with him and then leaves him like this,
do you think he can look into his eyes with proud? Let alone the see-off.” He said with his head kept lowered.
Mutthu put his hand
below his chin and made Azhar’s eyes meet his’ and said. “Who said you are back
stabbing me. I will be out of here in next two years. You will be the first
person whom I will meet. That’s my promise.”
Azhar listened calmly
and smiled.
“Where will you go? Where
will you stay” Muthhu asked with a care
in his voice.
“The first thing I will
do is buy a beautiful bouquet and will go straight away to meet my loving wife.”
He had a big blushing smile on his face as he finished.
“Oh yes! You must be
having a family too. You never spoke about your family. I am glad you did it
now. Give my blessings to Bhabhi Ji.” He said.
“Sure. Khuda Hafiz.”
With these last two words he hugged Mutthu and stepped outside, towards his independence.
He did not waste a
single moment and went to a flower shop, bought some fresh red roses and asked
the owner to make a lovely bouquet of it. He then boarded the bus for his home.
He got lost in his own
deep thoughts as he comfortably sat in the bus. All those beautiful moments
spent with his wife started pouring in one by one in his dreams. He got so much
flown in the current that the day came flashing in right in front of him. The
same day when he did that crime for which he spent half his life in jail.
It didn’t take a moment
to change that beautiful dream into a nightmare. As a result he woke up with a jolt.
And it was that nightmare
moment which helped him to remember something important.
“Oh no! I have
forgotten the exact location where I buried her.” He said to himself.
