Note - This is purely a work of fiction.
It was an another Sunday for Maya Menon, a lawyer and an human rights activist from Kerala. She was ready to visit the remand home, her weekly ritual, which she had been following for the past two decades.
Just before starting her car, she receives a call from an unknown number. Maya normally disliked the habit of using a mobile phone. But she had to develop the habit for the sake of her only daughter, Joby.
Since she was already getting late to the remand home, Maya cuts the call and leaves to work. Soon after a while, she receives a message from the same number.
Maya had till date had solved around thousands of cases. She was well educated. She was the only woman from her family to have a masters from Harvard. Despite all the difficulties she had been through in her life, Maya never lost her grit.
But, that morning she was in for a test. A message from an unknown number was perhaps the worst thing that could happen to her life. Just like she fought for her clients, the message was precise to the point. It read, ‘Your Joby has been kidnapped and she is safe. Can we have a conversation over a cup of coffee? Also, I don’t think you should be taking the help of police at this point of time. I guess only a stupid would afford to take such risks. I repeat again, your daughter is in safe hands. Kindly follow the shared location. I guess, it shall take an hour’.
Maya was always a courageous woman. Most of her subordinates considered her as a ballsy activist. But, now she was literally down. She wanted a shoulder to rest. She desired some moral support. She wanted someone to console her. She just wanted someone to tell her that her daughter would soon come back home.
Without killing any time, she races to the location given by the abductor. Unlike the caller had mentioned, she took more than an hour to reach the place.
It was on the outskirts of the city. The place was isolated and there were no people around, but for a rusted tuk tuk which was perhaps owned by a debt-ridden guy.
‘Hello Miss Maya. You must’ve been looking for me. Aren’t you?’
So, you’re the guy who abducted my daughter, said a grieved Maya’.
She just wanted to see Joby. She wanted to see if her only girl was doing fine.
‘Yes mam, it was me who called you. It is me who kidnapped your beloved daughter. Just consider I don’t have a name. Now, can we take a walk to my place’, said the abductor with a devilish smile’.
‘I don’t know who you are. I haven’t seen you at all. As per my knowledge, I don’t think I’ve caused harm to anybody. Is my daughter safe? What’s your motive? What’s your demands? If it’s money, just quote your price, it shall reach your place in an hour. I’m an hard working woman and a single parent’.
Maya had never been this submissive in her life. Had it not been for her daughter, she would’ve taken the guy to a task by now. Thanks to her self-defence classes.
‘It’s too sultry mam. I guess we must go to my place. Let’s talk over a cup of coffee. I shall surely answer all your questions’.
The helpless Maya had no choice but to accept his request. Soon after a silent walk, she reached the place.
‘Kindly do me a favour of switching off your phone mam. I don’t like anyone coming in between the three of us’.
Though she felt a bit hesitant initially, Maya turned her mobile off fearing he would cause harm to Joby.
The place was just fine. Apart from an apartment and a railway track, there was nothing that could help Maya and her daughter.’
‘Stop wasting your time. This place is isolated. It’s far from the city. The apartment you see is under construction and unfortunately, it's tagged as a haunted place. I guess I’m good at planning things, isn’t it mam?’
‘Look! I need my daughter. She is innocent. She is just 16 and she doesn’t deserve to die. Stop doing this to us. At least, tell me what’s in your mind? Why the hell are you doing this to us?’
‘Take a chill pill mam. Have this coffee. It’s fresh. I just made it a while back and I kept in a flask. I cook well too. We shall start talking after this. I promise’.
Maya could do nothing but to nod her head to every goddamn thing he said. She had the coffee as fast as she could and waited eagerly to see him speak.
‘I’ve finished it. Now tell me. Where is Joby?’, said a crying Maya.
Before she could complete the next sentence, Maya felt a bit giddy and soon after a couple of seconds, she was unconscious.
The floor was damp. The mild speed of the fan gave some relief to Maya as she regained consciousness. Before she could react further, Maya was tied up to a chair.
‘Are you a fucking psychopath? Ok! You can kill me. Do whatever you want. Just leave my daughter. She’s an innocent kid. Please...’, said Maya crying out loud and screaming for help.
‘Ssshhhh! Don’t be noisy. It shall not help. No one can hear you. We are too far. Anyway, I’ve brought you here for a reason. Before I start speaking, you should perhaps have a look at this mam’. Here it is.
Maya had never in her wildest dreams had imagined that she would face a day like this. The abductor had already killed her only daughter. She just realised that he brought her here to share the heart-wrenching news.
‘You rotten piece of shit’. Why did you kill my daughter? How could that little innocent girl could bring harm to you? You asshole! Do I deserve this?
‘Oh Oh Oh. Enough mam. If you dare to utter another word, I swear to god, I’m going to chop you down into pieces. I’ve brought you here to listen and answer a couple of questions. You are here just to pay attention and give me what I want. Period’.
‘So, I heard you help criminals mam. Isn’t that true?
I’m a human activist and a criminal lawyer by profession. I solve cases and help people’.
‘No mam’. That’s wrong. You might justify it differently. But you’ve got a massive reputation of fighting for Maoists, rapists and criminals. I sometimes wonder how can someone have a job description that’s all about showing pity to the accused’.
‘I’m here with my research mam. In the past two decades, you’ve solved many cases. Thanks to you, we have many criminals, juvenile rapists and Maoists roaming free today in broad daylight’. Thanks to your so-called humanitarian grounds’.
‘While you let these morons free, there are hundreds of people who want them dead. Though none of my family members has gone through such trauma, I decided to seek justice and teach people like you a lesson’.
‘But now, I’m feeling a bit different mam. After brutally killing your daughter, I fear the outcome of my actions. Maybe, I should’ve tried a simple way to convey my perspective’.
‘Anyway, I think I’ll be fine. You are there to save me, mam. I know you’ll definitely fight for me. I think you have an army of people who love showing pity towards the cynical and psychopathic murderers like me’.
‘I’d love to live mam. I have a dream. I always wanted to become a lawyer and bring a fresh narrative to the table. I fear I won’t be able to become one if I go to jail. Just look at the positive side of me, mam. I might have killed your daughter. I know that’s painful. But, what about me mam? Don’t I deserve a second chance like all those criminals who gained freedom through your hands? Come on, it’s your duty to save me’.
Maya finally realised what was his motive. She realised the blunders she committed all these years. But it was too late. Her daughter was dead and her clients are still free.
‘Look, whatever your name is, I’m sorry. Yes, I never saw things from a different perspective. I now realise after losing my daughter. I know this would haunt me forever. But, I’ll try my best to put those criminals behind the bars. It’s my promise’.
‘That’s an interesting transformation mam. It’s good to see that you’ve changed. Thanks to your daughter. She would be proud of you. I guess I shall release you now. You are now a new person. But, I shall be watching you mam and I hope you fight for the needy’.
‘AND yes, before you go, you can take your daughter along’.
All of a sudden, Maya got a shocker. Was that the best moment in her life? No one could deny that. Little did she know that the abductor had a positive side.
‘What are you saying? Is Joby alive? Tell me you didn’t kill her. Were you lying all the time?’
‘I’m not like those cold-blooded criminals who easily get acquitted from the hands of the law. I just wanted to make you understand about the atrocities you’ve done. Yes, you are a strong woman. You are highly educated. But, your version of the law was stupid. It never justified a good cause. You fought for the bad and left the good to suffer. Your daughter is doing good in the other room. I don’t think you would change your views after leaving this place. Joby is watching us. The photo I showed you was a staged one. I hope this sums up everything mam’.
Though Maya was finally relieved to see Joby, she was exposed completely in the eyes of her daughter. She never committed a crime. But if she continued her actions like before, she would definitely feel guilty. A feeling that would haunt her for long.
‘You can leave now mam. I’m sorry again to trouble you both. I just wanted to explain how wrong you were all these years. By the way, don’t you dare go near the apartment? I must have lied before about Joby, but that’s indeed a haunted place’.
‘How are you so sure about it? asked Joby in a curious tone.
‘That’s because I reside there!’
Written by Vishal Aryan Komara.
It was an another Sunday for Maya Menon, a lawyer and an human rights activist from Kerala. She was ready to visit the remand home, her weekly ritual, which she had been following for the past two decades.
Just before starting her car, she receives a call from an unknown number. Maya normally disliked the habit of using a mobile phone. But she had to develop the habit for the sake of her only daughter, Joby.
Since she was already getting late to the remand home, Maya cuts the call and leaves to work. Soon after a while, she receives a message from the same number.
Maya had till date had solved around thousands of cases. She was well educated. She was the only woman from her family to have a masters from Harvard. Despite all the difficulties she had been through in her life, Maya never lost her grit.
But, that morning she was in for a test. A message from an unknown number was perhaps the worst thing that could happen to her life. Just like she fought for her clients, the message was precise to the point. It read, ‘Your Joby has been kidnapped and she is safe. Can we have a conversation over a cup of coffee? Also, I don’t think you should be taking the help of police at this point of time. I guess only a stupid would afford to take such risks. I repeat again, your daughter is in safe hands. Kindly follow the shared location. I guess, it shall take an hour’.
Maya was always a courageous woman. Most of her subordinates considered her as a ballsy activist. But, now she was literally down. She wanted a shoulder to rest. She desired some moral support. She wanted someone to console her. She just wanted someone to tell her that her daughter would soon come back home.
Without killing any time, she races to the location given by the abductor. Unlike the caller had mentioned, she took more than an hour to reach the place.
It was on the outskirts of the city. The place was isolated and there were no people around, but for a rusted tuk tuk which was perhaps owned by a debt-ridden guy.
‘Hello Miss Maya. You must’ve been looking for me. Aren’t you?’
So, you’re the guy who abducted my daughter, said a grieved Maya’.
She just wanted to see Joby. She wanted to see if her only girl was doing fine.
‘Yes mam, it was me who called you. It is me who kidnapped your beloved daughter. Just consider I don’t have a name. Now, can we take a walk to my place’, said the abductor with a devilish smile’.
‘I don’t know who you are. I haven’t seen you at all. As per my knowledge, I don’t think I’ve caused harm to anybody. Is my daughter safe? What’s your motive? What’s your demands? If it’s money, just quote your price, it shall reach your place in an hour. I’m an hard working woman and a single parent’.
Maya had never been this submissive in her life. Had it not been for her daughter, she would’ve taken the guy to a task by now. Thanks to her self-defence classes.
‘It’s too sultry mam. I guess we must go to my place. Let’s talk over a cup of coffee. I shall surely answer all your questions’.
The helpless Maya had no choice but to accept his request. Soon after a silent walk, she reached the place.
‘Kindly do me a favour of switching off your phone mam. I don’t like anyone coming in between the three of us’.
Though she felt a bit hesitant initially, Maya turned her mobile off fearing he would cause harm to Joby.
The place was just fine. Apart from an apartment and a railway track, there was nothing that could help Maya and her daughter.’
‘Stop wasting your time. This place is isolated. It’s far from the city. The apartment you see is under construction and unfortunately, it's tagged as a haunted place. I guess I’m good at planning things, isn’t it mam?’
‘Look! I need my daughter. She is innocent. She is just 16 and she doesn’t deserve to die. Stop doing this to us. At least, tell me what’s in your mind? Why the hell are you doing this to us?’
‘Take a chill pill mam. Have this coffee. It’s fresh. I just made it a while back and I kept in a flask. I cook well too. We shall start talking after this. I promise’.
Maya could do nothing but to nod her head to every goddamn thing he said. She had the coffee as fast as she could and waited eagerly to see him speak.
‘I’ve finished it. Now tell me. Where is Joby?’, said a crying Maya.
Before she could complete the next sentence, Maya felt a bit giddy and soon after a couple of seconds, she was unconscious.
The floor was damp. The mild speed of the fan gave some relief to Maya as she regained consciousness. Before she could react further, Maya was tied up to a chair.
‘Are you a fucking psychopath? Ok! You can kill me. Do whatever you want. Just leave my daughter. She’s an innocent kid. Please...’, said Maya crying out loud and screaming for help.
‘Ssshhhh! Don’t be noisy. It shall not help. No one can hear you. We are too far. Anyway, I’ve brought you here for a reason. Before I start speaking, you should perhaps have a look at this mam’. Here it is.
Maya had never in her wildest dreams had imagined that she would face a day like this. The abductor had already killed her only daughter. She just realised that he brought her here to share the heart-wrenching news.
‘You rotten piece of shit’. Why did you kill my daughter? How could that little innocent girl could bring harm to you? You asshole! Do I deserve this?
‘Oh Oh Oh. Enough mam. If you dare to utter another word, I swear to god, I’m going to chop you down into pieces. I’ve brought you here to listen and answer a couple of questions. You are here just to pay attention and give me what I want. Period’.
‘So, I heard you help criminals mam. Isn’t that true?
I’m a human activist and a criminal lawyer by profession. I solve cases and help people’.
‘No mam’. That’s wrong. You might justify it differently. But you’ve got a massive reputation of fighting for Maoists, rapists and criminals. I sometimes wonder how can someone have a job description that’s all about showing pity to the accused’.
‘I’m here with my research mam. In the past two decades, you’ve solved many cases. Thanks to you, we have many criminals, juvenile rapists and Maoists roaming free today in broad daylight’. Thanks to your so-called humanitarian grounds’.
‘While you let these morons free, there are hundreds of people who want them dead. Though none of my family members has gone through such trauma, I decided to seek justice and teach people like you a lesson’.
‘But now, I’m feeling a bit different mam. After brutally killing your daughter, I fear the outcome of my actions. Maybe, I should’ve tried a simple way to convey my perspective’.
‘Anyway, I think I’ll be fine. You are there to save me, mam. I know you’ll definitely fight for me. I think you have an army of people who love showing pity towards the cynical and psychopathic murderers like me’.
‘I’d love to live mam. I have a dream. I always wanted to become a lawyer and bring a fresh narrative to the table. I fear I won’t be able to become one if I go to jail. Just look at the positive side of me, mam. I might have killed your daughter. I know that’s painful. But, what about me mam? Don’t I deserve a second chance like all those criminals who gained freedom through your hands? Come on, it’s your duty to save me’.
Maya finally realised what was his motive. She realised the blunders she committed all these years. But it was too late. Her daughter was dead and her clients are still free.
‘Look, whatever your name is, I’m sorry. Yes, I never saw things from a different perspective. I now realise after losing my daughter. I know this would haunt me forever. But, I’ll try my best to put those criminals behind the bars. It’s my promise’.
‘That’s an interesting transformation mam. It’s good to see that you’ve changed. Thanks to your daughter. She would be proud of you. I guess I shall release you now. You are now a new person. But, I shall be watching you mam and I hope you fight for the needy’.
‘AND yes, before you go, you can take your daughter along’.
All of a sudden, Maya got a shocker. Was that the best moment in her life? No one could deny that. Little did she know that the abductor had a positive side.
‘What are you saying? Is Joby alive? Tell me you didn’t kill her. Were you lying all the time?’
‘I’m not like those cold-blooded criminals who easily get acquitted from the hands of the law. I just wanted to make you understand about the atrocities you’ve done. Yes, you are a strong woman. You are highly educated. But, your version of the law was stupid. It never justified a good cause. You fought for the bad and left the good to suffer. Your daughter is doing good in the other room. I don’t think you would change your views after leaving this place. Joby is watching us. The photo I showed you was a staged one. I hope this sums up everything mam’.
Though Maya was finally relieved to see Joby, she was exposed completely in the eyes of her daughter. She never committed a crime. But if she continued her actions like before, she would definitely feel guilty. A feeling that would haunt her for long.
‘You can leave now mam. I’m sorry again to trouble you both. I just wanted to explain how wrong you were all these years. By the way, don’t you dare go near the apartment? I must have lied before about Joby, but that’s indeed a haunted place’.
‘How are you so sure about it? asked Joby in a curious tone.
‘That’s because I reside there!’
Written by Vishal Aryan Komara.
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