Fiction

The secret

'Good night, son!'
'Good night'
Rumana switched off the light, left the room and closed the door carefully behind her. She came to the dining room
where three other people with eager faces were waiting for her.

Rumana sat down exhaustedly on a chair and presented a blank look to her companions.

Nazib, her husband said sympathetically to her-'It has been too much for you, darling. We all should go to bed now, especially you. You really need rest.

Rumana did not answer. She wasn't even looking at him. She was looking at one of her companions, this time not blankly but eagerly.

There was something in her look, deep pain, helplessness.
Her companion reacted immediately.
She came near Rumana and soothed her.
"Rumana' she said 'You don't need to worry how I'm here. I'll try my best. We'll just start from tomorrow morning.'

Rumana held her companions hand tightly. Then after a few seconds she said "You're the only hope, Keya. You're the only hope. My Nibir will never go to any psychriatist. Never.

That's why you've called me darling, isn't it?" Keya said 'For examining Nibir, for finding out his problem. And I promise I'll try my best.

Rumana didn't seem to hear Keya. As soon as she stopped, Rumana spoke again "I told him that you're only a friend of mine. He didn't know that you're a psychriatist. I cheated him. I cheated him.

'Rumana, its not cheating. Its only for the sake of your child, Nibir." Keya interrupted. Rumana looked meaningfully to Keya, then said meaningfully 'Yes, my only child, Nibir."

Everybody's eyes immediately turned to the show-case in the right corner of the room.

There was a photograph on it. It was that of a teenage boy with blue eyes.

Everybody observed the photograph silently. Then they kept silent.

There was pin-drop silence in the room. Tuhin, the only young main in room broke down the silence.

"Astonishing.'
He announced.
"Just why did you say that' Keya turned to him and asked.
Tuhin hesitated a little a then he indicated the photograph.
"I was a friend of Nirob. I am a friend of Nirob. I have been everything Aunty, I've seen his change. It all seemed astonishing for me.
"Why astonishing, Tuhin?"
"Isn't it astonishing? Tuhin replied immediately-"Nirob was a healthy boy-both mentally and physically. But suddenly he began to change. He was always afraid, always frightened of something."
"Something or someone?" asked Nazib-"I remember, one day. Nirob was standing on the balcony, and just when I suddenly keep my hand on his shoulder, he nearly jumped. I asked him politely why he was so afraid. He answered. "I' m afraid of him of him."

Didn't you ask him which he Nirob was preferring to?" Keya asked.

"I asked him several times. But he didn't Answer any more." Nazib sighed.

"He was --" Tuhin stopped for second and said "afraid of something on someone in this house, Aunty."
Keya turned to Tuhin.

"Afraid of this house? Impossible." Rumana said "No, Aunty. Tuhin protested "Nirob told me several times-Once he told me, who will live on that house, among so much hate?' and another time. If I was a little more young, I should left that house.

"Hate among this house? We're a happy couple. No, Tuhin. you're making up stories." Rumana said.

"No, Aunty." Tuhin protested strongly "Nirob even said 'If father and mother love me more is it my fault?" Nazib frowned
Then he said "Yes that was a problem. Do you remember Rumana, Nibir always used to complain that we love Nirob more? They used to quarrel about it?

Rumana sighed and said "Yes, but in the last days Nibir never said a word. He just used to look at Nirob."

"Yes-" Nazib remarked "rather strangely." But there was a terrible quarrel between them that night. I don't know what happened to Nirob, but he was just scolding and scolding Nibir," said Rumana.

"And Nibir, as usual, said nothing," said Nazib. "I think that affected my emotional child, Nirob. That's why-that's why he took such a decision that night." Rumana said with deep feeling in her voice.

"That's why he jumped from the roof," said Tuhin rather cruelly.

Rumana's eye became more painful. "I wonder how he could do that?" said Nazib "He was always so afraid of height."

"Its my fault," Rumana was really struggling to speak- "I saw a shadow passing my room that night. I knew someone was leaving his room and going to somewhere else. But I just thought there were two shadows. There were two persons going outside. I thought they were apologising each other. But there was only one shadow-only Nirob. I asked Nibir later on and he said he was not with Nirob."

"There must be some other reasons, there must be," Nazib said thoughtfully.

"There must be" repeated Tuhin "But we'll never know what was it."

"It affected Nibir so much- "Rumana was saying -- "He thought it was for him. Nirob committed suicide. He become more silent more reserved -- and then he began to change. Now, he is always afraid. He can't sleep properly also. He scream in his sleep "You died for me! For me ! I killed you or give me or give me! For me ! I killed you or give me or give me! Keya only you can save Nibir." Rumana Suddenly hold Keya's hand, "only you can make him alright.

This time Keya didn't say anything.

"The problem is" Nazib said-"We can't do anything, we don't know nothing. Nothing. If we knew why Nibir is doing these, why he is suffering, we could help him out. But.... "Don't you know?" Keya stood up "Don't you know why Nibir is behaving like that?

She looked at each and everyone-sad Rumana, annoyed Nazib and puzzled Tuhin.

Then she said with finality in their voice-can't do anything for Nibir. He's suffering for his own deeds. And all of you know what he had done, why he is suffering Ask yourselves. Tear the curtain before your eyes.

There was Again Pin-Drop Silence in the Room

By Anterdeep

This filmi life

In order to appear as the benevolent philanthropist everyone loves, I have yielded to the new maid's request to watch "a nice Bangla film" (her words, not mine) in the afternoons when everyone else is asleep.

Unknowingly, she has introduced me to a bizaree new world I have never come across before.

This world has new laws of logic (and basic laws of motion) written here, which, I freely admit, I cannot understand. In a desperate effort to do so, I have listed my observations.

A man, provided he is the hero, is perfectly capable of beating twenty aggressors to pulp. They will obligingly attack one by one, and if two of them have the nerve to grab the hero's arms, he can perform a ballistic mixture of a leap in the air, two kicks and three punches. The most painful looking punch will be repeated thrice, with unconvincing sound effects.

The hero may posses a large noisy Vespa motorcycle, or an equally loud Mustang car. The vehicle may, at crucial points, be driven through a sturdy looking brick wall, a wrought-iron gate, or a glass door with no visible damage.

If the hero is a poor village boy, the heroine will be disgustingly rich to compensate.

A villain has the privilege to a maniacal laugh that echoes throughout his secret lair. This lair may be hidden in the basement of his mansion, on an uncharted island, or inside a volcano. In this lair, he is free to plot the downfall of the hero and his entire family, the destruction of the world, the assumption of dictatorship of the Indian subcontinent, or any other interesting hobby.

The villain is also provided with an army of mindless minions, preferably dressed in black leather and metal spikes. The chief henchman may indulge in a mild imitation of his boss's laugh, pick his teeth with an oversized toothpick, and act as the adoring audience to the villain's ingenious speeches.

There will be a song and dance sequence every twenty-five minutes. The lovers will perform the majority of these, but the evil villain may do one while meditating the sheer brilliance of his evil plan. In these scenes, twenty men and twenty women (all identically dressed) will obligingly appear and dance, and the disappear again to allow the lovers some privacy.

Despite his vindictive nature, the villain will have kidnapped the sibling of the hero or heroine twenty years ago, and tenderly brought the child up as his own. Near the end of three hours the identity of the adopted child will be revealed, and his or her mother will throw herself in front to save her long lost child from gunfire.

Having been shot, the mother may take up to half an hour to tell her children how much she loves them, forgive the villain for the kidnapping and bless the union of the hero or heroine before she finally gets round to dying.

During this dying interval, the police will arrive to arrest the remaining henchmen, but on no account, can a doctor or ambulance come to save the dying person. Also, despite the fact that the whole bunch of people crying over the dead body are covered with blood, the police will instinctively known they are the good guys and leave them to grieve in peace.

Note: we apologise for losing the byline please contact us next week.

Book Review

Those who have already read the classic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings written by J.R.R. Tolkien surely know about hobbits, the race which dwells in the West of Middle-Earth and played a mighty role in the War of the Ring (as Tolkien imagined). The Hobbit, another classic book of imagination by Tolkien, is basically about hobbits, a shorter-than-dwarf merry folk eating six meals a day and has hairy feet. This book is the predecessor of The Lord of the Rings, and many references and incidents in the latter book originate from it, such as the finding of the One Ring, about Gandalf etc. So reading The Hobbit is very helpful is anyone gets confused while reading The Lord of the Rings.

The plot of The Hobbit takes place in an imagined world made by Tolkien with every kind of detail in it. The writer is so specific about his description that it feels realistic. Readers will find themselves in a world of fantasy where hobbits, trolls, elves, goblins, wizards and other folks dwelling in a place which Tolkien calls Middle-Earth. The looks, habits, nature and the characteristics of the characters are so well described that you will feel you are a part of the story.

The central character is a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins who is leading an easy and relaxing life in The Shire, a place where most hobbits live. One day, the wizard Gandalf the Grey approaches Bilbo along with a band of thirteen homeless dwarves and invites him to be the fourteenth member of their great adventure. Unwillingly, Bilbo joins them thus starts their epic journey, where they face mountain-trolls, giant spiders, dangerous forests, savage wolves, menacing goblins (orcs) and other unknown dangers. And there, Bilbo plays the chief role in the adventure and facing great dangers prove his courage. Along with the dwarves, he hunts down the great dragon Smaúg. In the mountains, by chance, he meets Gollum, a withered creature and the possessor of the Ruling Ring of Sauron the Dark Lord. At Gollum's dwelling place, Bilbo finds the Ring and takes it, though he tells none about it. Thus the Ring comes in the hand of hobbits. In his journey, Bilbo also meets the elves and goes to Imladris (Rivendell) to meet Elrond, the lord of the elves. Thereafter, he and Elrond became good friends. After this long perilous journey, to the wonder of the Shire-folk, Bilbo returns to his home. This journey makes him a popular hobbit and the tales of his journey becomes widespread. Bilbo starts writing a book about his adventure named 'There and Back Again'.

The Hobbit is really a very enjoyable book. Tolkien guides you through the marvelous fantasy world. He keeps you on the edge of your seat as Bilbo and company pull off one miracle after another. But the names of so much hobbits and dwarves may confuse you and the story refers some characters and incidents that are not clearly described. Moreover, Tolkien used some quite difficult words when describing an action which makes the scene difficult to imagine. But as he is a master storyteller, the book never gets boring and persuades the reader to go on reading. The book is also filled with loads of fun. While reading the book I thought I was there: either in the mountains with goblins, or in the caves with the great Smaúg the dragon. The imagination of Tolkien is unmatchable and he is regarded as the father of fairy-tells in the modern age.

The Hobbit, though published in 1937, is still quite popular and has created millions of readers. That is why the Sunday Times remarks: "The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them."
The
Hobbit can be found in major book stores in Dhaka. The original edition costs around Tk. 700. But if your pocket is not enough healthy, head for the pirated edition found in New Market with a price-tag of Tk. 120.

By Dr Freak