Log Out !

There was something we all wanted to speak about.If the aspects of life we all wanted to speak about let us all down , then we would never need a question about our ethics. The blood veins bloated as Qutb and Fadr cracked under pressure. Leisure was not a question , failure was not an option.

In the other end of the line , there were two more people trying to create a bond .A rusty afternoon in rusty old city. Dreams infuriated as these people tried hard to maintain the silence.
It was tick tack toe to the sound of the keyboard. Aspects of life were in question again !

Smallest loss in a worldly city of desires. Wire tangled as we tried to uncover the mystery. Mistake at any point could lead to a loss. Loss of humanity , loss of desire. If the question of life stood up again ?


The very aspect of computing started with the concept of doping a semiconductor. The impurities gave the power to have more speed. Time was running past us , as it always did. It was as if in a moment of truth. Truth was sublime , we could not question the viability of truth being false and false being truth.

If the thermal runaway factor affected the mind , it would explode. The explosion would throw up molten lava all around us. The future would be back in the past. Heart beats lost track of life and took a new path of their own.

What if all of us were numb ? What if all up of were machines ? What if I failed to capture the spirit ? What if a cycle of year would be replaced by a cycle of clock.

All boiled to down to one single question , where to start ? Where to end ? I have lost track of time.

LOGOUT? ( Part I )

The keyboard creaked under the pressure of 120 wpm. The fingers running with mechanical precision in a marathon race on the strewn alphabets: pausing with dramatic effect once in a while, as if like predators waiting to swoop down for the kill.

Are you ready yet?, inquired Qutb. You think this is all child play?, answered Fadr, irritantly. The fake American accent is a dead giveaway. You always take too long. That is because you do not keep your trap shut...

We always tend to judge everything from before. Like tending to identify all archaic Moslem names as Islamic jehadis on a mission to terrorize. Like thinking that phony voices on the other side of a help line is that of a bloody native who resides in an obscure part of the globe. Like thinking that all stories tend to end on a positive note.

The wires traced all the way to through the jungle of heat vents into the server. Emotions, ideals, love, hate, life, death: all as one unidentifiable mass were being strangled into thoughts. It was all about ethics and conscience, wasn't it? But did the question really matter in the end? Who decided what was right and what was wrong?

The white code was now awash on the black screen. Commands, logic loops and variables: all in one indefinite chaos of a program. The virtual world seemed very unreal when it broke up into bits like these. We work in a world where everything seems so good to be true. When stripped to its spine we come to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Storing our 0s and 1s as electrical currents in one of the billion transistors in our mind.

ERROR Cx97531
UNEXECUTABLE OPERATION
ADMINSTRATOR RIGHTS RESERVED

Fadr was sweating profusely by now. He was fearing whether he could complete the task at hand or not. Failure was not an option. Is there something wrong?, barked Qutb. No, Fadr stuttered, nothing, nothing, rushing in to cover up. Fadr was never so tensed. His hands were shaking uncontrollably by now. A nervous breakdown was imminent. Complex problems always had simple, easy to understand wrong answers. Qutb suddenly lowered his voice. We have to leave, hurry up now: come on.

( To be continued by The Euphoric Dreamer )

ANNOUNCEMENT

"Different minds, different views, different ideas: merged together to form a thing...a story
The Collage of Our Brain Imprints"-unfortunately we are not following these words.....

Sorry friends......I'm quitting "The Collage" ...pardon me....

BEST OF LUCK TO "The Collage"

The Night (II)

Rohan picked up the call…

Who’s that?

Bip bip bip…. (call ended…)

Now this was irritating…..rohan started thinking even his cell phone is started playing with him at last….

Again..the phone starts ringing….

WHO’S THAT?????????????

Bip bip bip….. (call ended…)

(within next 2minutes ho got 6calls from that number…finally he thought may be it is priyanka…she is calling rohan… but lacks the courage to talk to him..& if this was earlier days… he would bother about the balance of his mobile... but itz the last night off his life… so finally he called up that no…& itz a female voice…)

Rohan- hello, who’s that.. I am getting calls from this no…but no one is talking…

Unknown voice- I am really sorry…

Rohan- ya it’s okay… but do I know you? Or may I know why did you dial up my no? who are you?

Unknown voice- I am Pronomita Banerjee… and I am really sorry… actually I was just dialling random no… I’ve no bad intension… please trust me… I… I … I was just…

Rohan- you were just what ma’am? What happened to you? Though I don’t know who are you… still it seems you are having some problems… now you can see luck plays the trick & you dialled up my no… so if you want you can confide in me… in any case.. It’ll be a secret… because I won’t be here from next morning… so I can assure you…

Pronomita – oh… so you are going some where?

Rohan- aah… well… let’s not talk about that... Tell me about your pain…

( Pronomita started her story… with a pause and a deep breath…. )

I’m a house wife… married for last 2yrs… I’ve nothing left which I don’t have… rich husband… small family… loads of maids…

Rohan (interrupting…) - then ma’am….

Pronomita- aah please Rohan…let me finish first… I need to say everything…

But there is not love… my husband is so busy in his life that he has no time for his wife… but I can’t give divorce to him… so… there is only one option that is suicide… rohan… can you remember your college days?

Rohan was shocked… he wasn’t expecting this question at all…after a few seconds he said… yaa he does…

Pronomita- so rohan?? How was it? Cool? Hip hop? Or what?

Rohan could not able to understand why the hell on this earth she is asking all these…still he said yaa he was quite popular in girls in his time…

Pronomita- can you remember all of their names?

Rohan- err… no... how can I? I didn’t ask any of the girls to like me…

Pronomita- I’m sure you are wondering why am I asking all these bullshits to you.. right? Well… you know in my college days I used to like a guy… but he never looked back at me… & when after all he did so.. He did all those for a purpose… he played with me, with my emotion. Then left me. I got married. I was so happy. But no. life has always some bad surprises in its store for me.

Rohan-and what was the surprise?

Pronomita- last week I saw that guy on the road. He was not well it seems. Because, his face was dull. His out fit was messed up. And I saw that I still think about him. God damn it! Why? Why? Why? Rohan.. Can you answer this question? & I followed him the whole week. Finally I got his number. But I didn’t call him up. I know if I give a call to him, mentally I’ll feel guilty for my husband. It’s not a question of love. It’s about honesty. & I’m not honest with my husband. And my mind is continuously provoking me towards that guy. I can’t control my emotion. What should I do rohan? What should I do?

Rohan- you should not remember that bustard… (he said this, but in his mind he thought may be somewhere someone thinks like this for him. He had done all these many times with many girls… LIFE… a play….)

Pronomita- don’t you think I should atleast contact him for once…one last time… though I doubt whether he can remember me…

Rohan- how you can be so loving? What if he can’t able to recognise you? Or may be he can… may be…

Pronomita- rohan can you remember a girl from economics department? Her name was preetha. Loved you a lot. But you ditched him?

It was tough for Rohan to remember…after a lot of hints he recognise that girl… though the image was not fully clear. And then suddenly he asked pronomita “how do you know her?”

Pronomita (with a mysterious laughter)- look, you can’t even able to remember her.. What if that girl still remember you? Still think of all those moments you shared with her in your mess? In shankarpur? & what if that girl is a grown up lady today & what if she is going to commit a suicide? & before that she just wants to hear her beloved ones voice for once?

Rohan- what are you saying? Who are you? ( loads of pictures came to his mind… shankarpur with that girl… & so many memories……) WHO ARE YOU???

Pronomita- you guessed it right rohan. Now I think I should keep the phone… I just wanted you to recognise me…

Rohan- don’t keep the phone…

But there is no sound but bip… bip… she has kept the phone…

Rohan became stunned…

Rohan couldn’t commit suicide… neither could he recover the address or anything about Preetha. He started living his life. With a regret. But life goes on…and on… and on…

The Night

Finally, Rohan had decided to commit suicide. The only question which was in his mind was "How". How should he free himself from these earthy shackles? Though he wanted to die, he didn't want an ugly death. So, he decided to have sleeping pills. To get lost in his dreams forever.

He wore his shirt and sleepers and went out to buy the pills. The day was a cloudy one. The road was muddy with puddles of water in between caused by rain. The whole environment had a grumpy thing associated with it and the sullenness didn't leave the people. Rohan went to a medicine shop and bought two sleeping pills and after half an hour he had already visited some more medicine shops. He had got around twenty sleeping pills.

"This will do" said Rohan to himself. He went back to his one-roomed flat, the rent of which was unpaid for five months and the landlord was threatening him every other day to throw him out of the room.

Once inside, Rohan sat on his rickety bed and started calculating his assets. Well, he didn't have much to calculate. His bank balance was nothing mentionable. He had a couple of hundred rupees after buying the pills. Other things were not much, too. Nothing more than the minimum requirement of a bachelor living alone. A bed, pillows, some bed sheets, some clothes, some books and magazines, a tape recorder with some cassettes and some stationary. That's all Rohan had managed to acquire in his twenty six years of life.
He absent mindedly picked a book and started browsing through it.
Some photographs came out of it. Priyanka smiling in one of them. In another he and Priyanka in a studio, some more photos, more memories…the happy memories of once.

Rohan checked his cell to see if Priyanka had replied to his sms. But no, the inbox was as empty as his life. He had sms’ed her saying that he was gonna commit suicide and would go far away from her life. He didn't think that Priyanka will come to his arms after reading the sms and will cancel her marriage with Siddartha. All he expected was a call from her : the goodbye call.

When he came back to the mortal life from his reverie, he felt he was tremendously hungry. And why not, it was six already. He had had his breakfast long ago and didn't have any lunch. He decided to have his last meal luxuriously. After all he wouldn't need any money from tomorrow.

After having a filling Chinese meal and some pegs of vodka, Rohan, a bit tipsy, came back at ten. Priyanka hadn't called or sms’ed so far. "Why" thought Rohan, "Why doesn't she make a single call. Is that too much to ask? Anyway..."
He changed into his pajamas and got the pills. He drank a gulp of water and took out a pill...

The phone started ringing.

To be continued...

An Announcement

This is to notify all the readers that "The Letter", the 1st story of The collage has complete. We are greatful to all the readers who encouraged us with their wonderful comments.Keep coming back to "The Collage". The next story will start very soon. Meanwhile you can read the whole story of "The Letter" and download it from here. This pdf version is free from all the typing mistakes and oher errors our posts had.
Keep visitng and enjoy the stories.
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"The Collage"

The Letter - 9

A tattered old piece of paper slid out of the envelope. The sheet was yellowing and showed frays at its ends. Four pairs of scrambling hands attempted to open it, all at the same time. The pulsing excitement was now at its peak - rushing adrenaline were now at the point of no return - they had to see it, no matter what.

To,

Sneha.

I don't know why I did what I did. Its just that I feel contented now. A bit unsatisfied too - but that's just because you didn't make my story come true.

I only know that it is going to happen again - in this same room. You made me do it and you will force his hand too. I hate you - why don't you free me from this curse?

I see you when I look into the mirror - I feel you when I am alone - I hear you when everything's silent - Why don't you let me rest?

You made me do what I did. And I know you are not sorry for making me do what I did.

God will bless the souls of my four friends...but how will mine be purged?

Enough said...you will not repeat this fiendish act again. I am going to end this pain of mine. And since you are me and I am you, you are going to end too.

Just stop making stories true.

Goodbye!

From,

Ashim.

"What a f***ing strange letter!", moaned Vicky. Avi complained, "I didn't understand a bit..." while Subir retorted, "After all it is supposed to mean to the person the letter is addressed to, isn't it?". Priya only nodded, but to whose comment, no one understood.

And the night passed away.


The Morning Herald

29th May, Monday, 2006

Staff Reporter, Reuters : Brutal murders took place yesterday night at a private hotel in Pelling. Police were informed about the homicides by the residing manager. The incident first came to his notice when one of the waiters' returned saying that the door to Room No. 111 was locked.. The manager himself had then gone there to check. On forcing the door open after repeated knocking for fifteen minutes he had found the three tourists and an unknown person sprawled on the floor. They seemed to have been stabbed with savage ferocity with a sharp weapon. He had immediately called the police. The victims were later confirmed dead. Police took away the bodies soon after to a local morgue for post-mortem. Official investigators suspect the motive to be a love 'quadrangle'. An incriminating piece of evidence, a letter written anonymously, was found at the crime site. According to it the girl who was engaged had a secret liason with one of her companions while the third one fancied her. In a shocking turn of events, the girl's fiancée also had arrived the previous evening to announce his breakup. The ensuing altercation between them took a violent turn and resulted in the gruesome murder of the four youths. Detectives presume the letter to be a false piece of evidence meant to mislead the investigation. The manager reports that one of the companions was missing. Investigators suspect him to be the perpetrator of these ghastly killings but till now all trails leading up to him have led to dead ends. With panic and fear running high in the minds of locals this is surely going to adversely affect the booming tourism industry in the sleepy town of Pelling.


Ten years later.

28th May, Sunday , 2016.

Paradise Hotel, Pelling.

Room no : 111.

Evening.

Four friends sitting in a circle on the bed with a letter.

Sunayana started, "I found this letter in the drawer today you know...let us guess what's in the letter...it would be like a game of a sort - atleast until the electricity comes back."

"Is there any name of a sender or receiver written on the envelope? I mean, that can be a clue...", commented Partho, looking at the letter with eager eyes in the light of the candle.

"I think we should start only if someone gives me a bottle of rum - I think better when I am drunk...", exclaimed Krish.

"Its written - From Subir, To Sneha - does this deserve to be called a clue?", chuckled Sunayana. She resumed, "I think it will be better if you start with your version Ashim...".

A weird smile curled in his frail lips. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt that he had seen the letter somewhere before.

--- * ---

Meanwhile elsewhere...

"You have egged me on - made me commit horrendous sins - made me flee from the police and everyone - what do you still want? I am going to end this pain of mine today. And since you are me and I am you, you are going to end too.", said Subir, decisively.

He just didn't understand that we aren't black or white afterall - just different shades of gray. Questioning why we wear these human suits to hide our inner demons don't bring any answer in the end.

And with every ending will come a starting,

When the king and the pawn will unite for another parting.

Letter-8

The candle was giving light for the last few minutes of itz life... so priya passed Subir another candle... then started telling her thoughts about the letter... she was travelling in some other world when she starts the story...

Ashim a nice boy.... Loved sneha.. they were engaged... ashim thought that after marriage they'll settle in USA.... Life was not a roller coster ride for him... but sneha on the other hand was poll apart... life is not only a roller soater but also pains & troubles were there... one day sneha came here in sikkim for an excursion with old friends... after 2 dayz ashim reached there... without informing sneha... he wanted to give a surprise... &

It was 6pm of evening... Sneha was tired... the day was beautiful... the ruins of sikkim... the forest... & .... Suddenly her thoughts interrupted by a phone call... she saw local no...

Sneha- hi...

Ashim- hello darling... how are you? Howz ur day?

Sneha- ashim!!!!!!!

Ashim- surprise surprise.... I'm coming to your room tonight.... Room no 329 na?

Sneha- okk... yaa... but...

Ashim- come on... don't worry... I just wanna meet you... nothing else...

Sneha- okk...ashim please...don't get the wrong idea of me...

Ashim- see you at 8pm sharp... bbye...

And he hung up the phone...

That evening was nice... ashim came with some great gifts... sneha wanted him to meet her friendz with whome she came... but ashim didn't want that... at 9:30 suddenly he asked "sneha, are you happy?"

Sneha- what? I'm going to marry you ashim.. & whatz the crap yaar?

Ashim- No tell me... you are happy na?

Sneha- ashim itz late... I think you need to sleep now... it seems you are getting mad... now go......

The next morning... sneha when sneha came outside... the receptionist deliver this mail to her....

Sneha,

I don't know how to tell you all these... but I think itz the high time to take this decision... I am going to US next week... before that I'll go to pune day after... sneha... I always knew that you've a past.. ya everyone does... nothing wrong in it... but you never said a single word about it... yesterday... I was travelling in the ruins... it was awesome... but it reveals some truth to me... I saw your best friend... soham is your best friend na? & I realised he is the one... you never talked about him much... but I realised the reason... I don't know what happened between both of you... but what I experienced yesterday... from there I can draw only one conclusion if you marry me... no one will be happy... & soham expressed his love to you... when you are not married... we are only engaged... & I am gonna break our engagement...

I could never saw the love from you which I have for you... but I am not complaining... you were always so caring... so loving... but I was never able to become your love... I wlways tried to become your best friend... but I never succeeded... & today I know the reason...

And sneha... sometimes life gives us no 2nd chance... & you are lucky... you got the chance... you got the person who loves you... who knows you... who is your best friend... accept the truth sneha... not everyone is as lucky as you are...

This is my last letter to you... I am leaving India soon... with no hard feelings... but with memories of those nice & sweet moments I shared with you... I'll keep them to myself all my life... & will be your well wisher...

Best of luck for your future...

I think we won't meet each other again... coz I'll leave this hotel within 8am...

So, check the envelope there you'll find the engagement ring... I want to make you free...

Bbye...

Take care...

Kunal

Vicky- priya!!!!

Priya- aarg sorry... I mean Ashim... aah...subir can you please pass me the water?

Subir- yaa sure...

And everyone became silent...

Time was flowing... no one of them knows how long they were sitting there unmoved...

Suddenly Vicky stood up & ask avi... hey you idiot... may I know whatz happening between both of you??? Oh you are such an idiot... I always knew about the fact that you both share feel for each other... but now... I am sure... & priya... don't you ever dare to talk to me... first wipe off your tears... & just tell me... if kunal was here... why didn't you tell us?? Not fair...

Priya stood up & went to the terrace...

Subir was never that close to priya... but he followed priya....

Subir- priya... kunal is right... life gives you a second chance... accept it...

Priya- Subir, you know nothing... think about my family... & what about avi? Can't he express his love once?

Subir- oh avi is an idiot... but atleast he said this before your marriage na? And we are all with you... so we'll talk to uncle & aunty if you can't manage them...

Priya- hmm... thanks...

Subir- hey... itz okk... but priya if avi never expressed his feelings... you also did the same na? You were busy in your own life with loads of boy friends... he was busy in his own life with his share of girl friends...

Priya- but...

Subir- no if's & but's... you both are great idiots... you never look into your own minds... you two just did all these to make each other jealous... but if any of you had brains then instead of doing all these you should've express your love... & here comes the lover boy...

Avi came silently.... & Subir went with a twinkling smile on his face...

Avi- pri...

Pri- shut up...

Avi –will you marry me??

Pri- what about your other girl friends?????

Avi- even you'll break so many hearts... & right now if we don't get inside of the hotel I am sure both of us will freeze...

They came inside.....

Vicky give a glance to all and said but guys now can we please open the letter????? If all problems have been resolved???

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa (everyone with a shout)

& Vicky opened the letter...

To be contd......

Letter 7

As the shimmering flames of candles where swallowed amongst the dark minds of the beholders.The night progressed.They were not used to such darkness and such silence amongst the darkness.

The road ran just outside the guest house , the only road that dissected the small hilly town of peling.It was not really the season for visitors and so the town was almost free of usual tourists.The inhabitants of the hilly town was handful.The only noise that reached them was the noise of insects chanting away thier savouring songs. An occasional jeep disturbed the orchestra.

The setting was perfect for them to move forward in life.But with each page of the letter being told , they seemed to open an untold chapter in their life.The chapter which they like the shimmering candle flame lay eclipsed in some shadowy corner of thier life.

As the limelight faded of Vicky , it shifted to Subir.He was the most shadowy person in thier life.After college no one really cared for him.In the dark alleys of life.He found himself lay trodden riding against the wave of reality.


He spoke out breaking the silence with a measured voice.Three pairs of inquistive eyes lay fixed on him.The smoke from the cigarette vicky was smoking seemed to form a mist accross the table.It was dark outside where the mist was evident, it was dark inside , in the room and in Subir's heart.He wanted to spread the darkness.


This was what Subir said without wasting a word.

"Dear Sneha,

Life plays trickkery at every turn.Some find it good and some find it bad.Life is long enough to commit mistakes and correct them.I am not sure about reaction to this letter.You have always wanted to know more about me , havent you ? You never really asked but your eyes gave away.

In business , the producer and the consumer never exchange words except the commodity.You sell sex , I bought it from you.Our story could have ended there in the dirty brothel hut.I could have never come back to you.Our story did not end there.Night after night I came back to you and only you.You never questioned , its not a rule in your life to question the likes of people.Your eyes said time and again to me in midst of our passionate exchanges ..bring me to life.It was evident that life had betrayed you.


Life betrays everyone , time and again.Love fades aways into
the shallow waters of betrayal.You understood my preferences in food , drink and music very easily as we spent time together.I touched you , I played with your body , I kissed you.But you never really questioned.Your painful looks put hooks of into my skins , bleeding me as I put seeds of time inside you.


Do all dark alleys end in a dead end ? Did I fall in love with you ?
Did smell the soul inside your body.I know you have been cut , dissected and played with in our life a lot.But in my arms I saw you relax.I saw you find dignity amidst my looks.You cried often but never really spoke.You did not really want to share ,but I wanted to listen.


Quite calm shadows that we cast in time were shady but however were permanent.Respect for me comes from the inner souls of mankind.I respected you , I really did.And my love for you shone more and more into prominence as I growed close to you.


I wanted to take you aways from the shades . put you in colour and give you a new life your eyes asked from you.But claws of society are deep, I wanted to rebel, voiceless rebellian against society by marrying you, by giving you a name.

Its life and life again which calls the shots in the game.I am going
away from this place for the shear fact I will die.Sooner or later , I shall close my eyes to call of death.

In the this last letter of mine , I seal it with drops of my blood.I seal it with purity of my tears and with it lies a new life for you.Your eyes spoke to me , I read them.I cant reward with arraige.But that all dear.


From ,
Ashim


( Enclosed with the letter was a will of inheritance and lawyers address for her way to new
life ).
"

Subir gasped as he reached out for the water bottle , and drank the cold water.The reaction from his friends seemed to be as cold as the water.

The extended eyes seemed to put a strange question put forward to him. No one questioned , no one dared to question and moments of silence followed his long narration.It was all to odd for Subir , to be in the limelight.He was sure someone thought it was his story, it wasnt he told himself.



Priya stood up and opened the window as the clouds flowed into the room.It has been a long day, it was too much to accept mentally.In the mountains she had lost track of time and she seemed to want to delibarety, loose it. She called upon Avi , and said "look can you see the Kanchanguanga ?".Avi nodded impracticaly.The moonlight on the snowclad mountain cast a magical spell and warm hearts. In thier hearts , they soaked in the drops of mountain mist and enjoying their new found love.Priya thought , after all these years ,she was happy as she could be, having the magical words from her choiced friend.The list of adjective that grown from unknown to being a friend and best friend , had finally turned them into lovers.But what next ? She did not want to think.

Vicky called back and with a sudden thrust ," Hey you inseparable friends , can we get back to the table and close that window, its cold at night when your 14000 feet above sea level if you dont remember." She walked back and in her mind thought she could not even tell Vicky that Avi had
confessed his love for her ,how would she face it back home.It was her choice , completely her choice.


Avi closed the windows and walked back , the candle seemed to hurt a bit his eyes after the glorious moon had cast a sweet smell on his life.


Night moved forward in the peaceful quite hilly town in north sikkim.Life for people there seemed to have come to pause except for four souls who were ruthlessly engaged in a game which was unconvincingly wierd and yet had a thrill. They all wanted to read the letter they had found in
a chance.It was continuation that followed.

To be Continued

There might be some spelling mistakes , will read and correct them later for its 2:30 at night now :)

THE LETTER-6

Who me??????? Err… okk…. But guyz can u tell me one thing??? Can I start the story after ritesh’s entry???!!!Avi gave him an weird look…. & priya disgustedly said.. shoot Vicky…whatever you think…...please try to be original…Vicky – okk okk… guyz Vicky – hey, hey, I haven’t finished yet… & Subir don’t look at me like that…Else I’m not gonna tell you the climax…

Come on guyz… let him complete the story…. Please…. Priya said in an irritated voice…

Vicky resumes his story…"Then ashim thought that he’ll deliver the letter to her cousin shreya… but suddenly one morning he woke up & thought that he should leave this letter here… may be some day some stupid group of people will find out the letter ; play some silly game… now itz enough guyz… I need to fag now… this is my story…
Priya – Vicky … you know something…. I am thinking whether you are more weird or your story… such a revolting story yaar…

Agreed!!!! (Subir & avi in chorus)

Avi – now.. who’ll continue now….
Priya – Subir… itz your turn now… start your story…
Vicky - & Subir if you start saying anything mordant like yourself.. I promise I will kill you…
Subir – hmmm…




To be continued……