SHORT STORY



A boy was also coming regularly to the coffee shop since last one month. Like him, he also sat alone at a table. Eye-poppingly handsome, perhaps quite classy too. But sober. But he would get up at eight o'clock in the evening. Nandini noticed that just then a red colored BMW car came and stopped in front of the coffee shop with its hazard lights on.

It's ten o'clock at night. Nandini was sitting alone in the coffee shop. The coffee sugar was slowly stirring. Today he spends this time here for many years - until the cafe closes. But he is never so different-minded as today. In fact what happened a little while ago was completely unexpected to him.

Everyone knows Nandini in this fight, knows about her medical condition. Nandini has a strange illness. Very rare. Xeroderma pigmentosum. In plain Bengali, he is allergic to sunlight. This strange disease was diagnosed in childhood. Many treatments have not helped. Since childhood, Nandini's mother kept her close, she did not go out during the day. Home-schooling took place. Nandini's routine was different from others. His world of work was night time. He worked all night, and during the day he slept with the curtains drawnand the room dark.

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It was sad to hear everything. So when I went home on Puja vacation, I ran to Ankal's house first. Go and see where the old man! In his place sits a skeletal old man, bearded and moustached, wearing a dressing gown. When he saw me, he smiled and said, "There you are my boy!"

It was a long story. He listened to the story of my school like those old days. After saying that, he suddenly said, "When I'm gone, that silver pigeon is yours." Tears came to my eyes, I said, "Why is he talking?" He calmly said, "I have sinned, sin!" Only death can relieve me now.” Then again he smiled that natural smile and said, “Now run along boy. Puja holidays, enjoy. Oh look, I forgot to give your puja gift! Here, my mother's things. I found it while cleaning the old chest.I left it for you.” I came across a book of short stories printed long ago, Alice Perrin's collection of short stories 'East of Suez'.

On the day of Ashtami, mother fasted all day and went to offer Anjali in Sandhi Puja. We go too. This Sandhi Puja is late at night. After returning home with Anjali, I saw Dwijenda standing near the gate with a pangshu face. Said, "Caulfield Sahib was bitten by a fox, Babu went with Parimal Doctor." Mother said, "These few days I will cook light food and send it." It is better not to eat Ardali oil spiced cooking now.”

After Vijaya Dasami, how the whole city goes to sleep. After a few days of uproar, that little pill came back in Bengali life. Dwijenda exploded the bomb at that time. I went to Zahra Kali forest with my air gun. Going there, Dwijenda suddenly said, "Mani Bhai, I can't hold back one thing."

Dwijenda said, "First take the oath of Zahra mother, never tell Babu."

Today there is no father, so there is no obstacle to say. On the incident of hunting that coolie, Dwijenda began to say:

That afternoon Mr. Caulfield took another route. This is the first road to the crematorium. The birds seem to nest there more. It was a little late to leave in the afternoon, so the sun had set by the time we reached the edge of the swamp. A little late for Pratipad's moon to rise. Silence all around. Sometimes the wings of birds Silence all around. Sometimes the sound of birds flapping their wings. But on the way, some victims have been met. Saheb Maha Khushi, said, “Those Pin Tail Dak Dwijen. Marvelous! It will be worth coming here this time.”

Arriving at the crematorium, we leaned our rucksacks on a banyan tree and proceeded towards the water. A high mound is nearby. "Go behind the mound, and be very very quiet," said the gentleman. Slowly we came down to the water through the reeds behind the mound.

The aim is to go down to the water level and shoot within the reach of the bird's nest. Moving very cautiously, horse drawn ready to fire. Suddenly someone laughed out loud, and the birds were startled and flew all over the sky. I looked around and saw that old beggar on the mound at noon. Sahib then became blinded with anger, pointed the gun at him and pulled the trigger saying “you rascal”.

I was shocked to hear this. I said, "What is he! Did you kill the man?"

Dwijenda started saying-

The man seemed to fall on the mound. I said, "Sir, what did you do!" I quickly got out of the water and went to see. At first I could not see anything. I understood that the man fell from the top of the hill and rolled down. Dinbandhuda did not go into the water first, he was helping Sahib to come out of the water. I alone slowly started to descend down the back of the mound. There is a huge jungle of reeds and weeds towering overhead. I very carefully moved slowly through the bush jungle While trying to move forward inside, I was suddenly startled by a loud noise. Then what I saw in front of me made my heart freeze. I see a row of red eyes in the dark. A herd of foxes, all staring at me. A little distance away lies the beggar, with a wound near his chest, and the wound is being licked clean by a large female fox. As I stood there in shock, the female fox looked up at me and let out an angry growl.

From the other side of the hill, I heard Dinba

ndhu's voice, "Hey Dwizen, did you see anything?" As if I had regained consciousness, without saying a word, I slowly walked away from there. I came and saw how Sahib was sitting on the ground and looking at the floor, and sometimes he was barking. Me and Dinbandhuda brought Saheb back on his back. He has gone crazy ever since. I almost held my breath The day of Lakshmi Puja arrived. Kojagari Purnima! Got to wake up tonight. Mahalakshmi went from house to house calling, "Who wakes up?" All around is filled with the sweet smell of his body. The grain of rice grows in the farmer's field filled with the milk of the moon. On the way shown by Grandma and Grandmother, Ma and Kojagari left Bhog outside on the full moon night. The puja ends only when the jackal comes and takes that pleasure. But where is the fox in the city these days?

Father said, "Look, maybe this time the fox will really come and eat you.". At the end of the puja, mother went to enjoy the moonlight. Outside, the call of a fox was heard very close. After a while, it seemed as if mother was talking to someone outside. Who is this night again? After returning, he saw his father's questioning look and said, “A beggar. I said, why come so late? I left the food for the fox. A female jackal came and ate it. You'd rather have a hot lemon, take it. So he said, playing Shivaay makes me feel like mother. said and left."Father said, "Which beggar?" No one comes at such a time!”

Mother said, “I have never seen him before. Strange look, reminds me of Anubis. Wearing a towel and a face like a jackal."

My chest heaved. Dad is also staring at me.

At that time, Dwijenda entered the house panting. Said, “Mr. Caulfield's orderly has arrived, very nervous, calling for you. Sahib is not breathing, he seems to be dead.”

Since that night, as long as I was in Malda, I did not hear the call of the fox.