It is said that debts never remain overdue, at last, they are paid. Heard since childhood that trees are shadowy and provide the shelter of shadow to everybody, but here, the strongest trees with tallest branches stood innocently in the shadow of the buildings. Around two years had passed since the death of actress Sadhna. The air peeping from the sky, coming through the refuge of the buildings, was stroking the trees and it gave enjoyment to that little white dog which was just now kept standing by its owner near the bench and she was jogging on the lawn.

Full Novel

1

AQAAB - 1

It is said that debts never remain overdue, at last, they are paid. Heard since childhood that trees are and provide the shelter of shadow to everybody, but here, the strongest trees with tallest branches stood innocently in the shadow of the buildings. Around two years had passed since the death of actress Sadhna. The air peeping from the sky, coming through the refuge of the buildings, was stroking the trees and it gave enjoyment to that little white dog which was just now kept standin ...Read More

2

AQAAB - 2

When both of the guests from the Philippines went to the guest room after drinking coffee in this villa on the sea coast outside the Dublin city, the owner of the villa picked up his mobile and reclined on the sofa. It was 2 a.m. Though he knew very well that no voice went outside of this room, still he was talking in a muffled voice on the phone. The owner’s name was John Altamash. From the other side suddenly came a loud laugh. Such was the crispiness that it felt like many instruments had started playing at once in this deserted night. He became alert and abruptly looked from his feet to the waist. Then after getting assured, he put the phone next to his ear. It wasn’t a video call, he thought and remained in the reclining position. Now more than the astonishment, he felt joy. He thought of not letting the time pass. ...Read More

3

AQAAB - 4

That large bungalow which was built on the corner of a deserted lane on the outskirts of Texas City desolate. But it did not mean that there was nobody inside. The people who lived there were inside and the bungalow’s garden was full of activity. Only the two little kids had gone to their respective schools and it was about time they came back. Three cars were parked there one behind the other and a sports car was there as well parked adjacent to a tall, skinny tree. Nobody could have guessed seeing its colour that this was a vehicle for kids. Indeed, it was a vehicle for kids only. The sober slaty colour was evidence of the royal choice and style of the kids who were its owners whereas the other three cars were coloured dark red, dark blue and dark green. ...Read More

4

AQAAB - 3

Tanishk’s mother used to call him Ten. Once a Lama came in their village, a Buddhist monk named Gomang. lived there for three-four days. He gave a proper name to Ten. He said, Name him Tanishk. He is very sharp. He will see the world, he will not keep sitting here. Gomang was the guest of those people in whose farmhouse Ten’s parents worked. He was with them for two-three days and then he left. Ten or Tanishk was very young then. One day, when Gomang told his life story to his parents then Tanishk heard it too. But little Tanishk understood some things and some he did not. ...Read More

5

AQAAB - 5

The world went into a shock. The media termed it as the most painful event of the twenty-first century. Nobody have imagined that the stars would plan such a tragedy for an innocent and joyful place. The idea that the world which was considered to be safe and developed would be destroyed in such a satanic way, was beyond imagination The media called it the extremity’s biggest attack on liberality. The Twin Towers located in New York City of the U.S., which were considered to be the largest centre of the world trade, were demolished in an aerial attack. Those skyscrapers, from which the world’s largest companies were operated and where the measures of the operations of financial strategies were made, were turned into a heap of iron, cement and stones in front of everybody. ...Read More

6

AQAAB - 6

Because of her need to go to New York every now and then, Selina Nanda had bought a house where she lived along with some of her local staff. Even when she worked in shows or projects of other countries, the people liked to talk or deal here only. Whether the shooting was in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan or Uzbekistan, the projects got a thumbs up here only. The person who talked here, used to find himself in the largest theatre in the world. Los Angeles and Miami were connected from here. That evening Selina was feeling half-hearted. She was suffering from fever and fatigue. She wanted to take a break and take some rest. Her body was revolting after so many back to back rounds of parties and meetings with VVIPs. She did not feel the need to call her staff as she had already told them to take rest in the evening. She knew that the others must also be feeling the same which she was, after so much work. ...Read More

7

AQAAB - 7

Altamash had seen three places overall. One was near Beirut in Lebanon. There was a small hotel on an island. outside the hotel, there were many small stones placed inside the water. People belonging to different countries and races could have been made to sit on the stones to create a grand stage on the hotel’s balcony for Selina. The second one was in Goa in India. A cruise full of the audience could be filmed there. The third one was in the U.S.. This was a cavelike structure below the ground where many canals flowed forming a maze. Here, the audience could have been filmed in various boats, with Selina amid the stone caves. This place, known as Howe Caverns, was a bit away from the crowd. If hurried, this was only a day’s work but experienced Altamash had booked Selina for two days, without caring for the money. ...Read More

8

AQAAB - 8

No-no, not here...no...oh girl, what you doing? Oh, no...man! The boy poured some more drink in the old man’s pot from the bottle. The old man looked at the girl with his timid eyes and kept drinking. His eyes had reddened. He was taking hiccups in between. The boy came near him and grabbed his arm to take his pot clutching hand closer to himself and filled the pot again up to the brim with the foamy liquor. The old man blinked his eyes and looked at him with a little smile and affinity. The boy was standing with such alertness as if letting the old man drink satisfactorily was his only job. Now the old man was not paying any attention towards the girl. He was indifferent to what she was up to. The boy supported the old man to make him sit on a bedstead nearby. He did not want to sit but the boy put pressure on his waist as if he wanted him to sit there. ...Read More

9

AQAAB - 9

Though Tanishk was engulfed in the city crowd after Masru Uncle’s death, he had become alone from the inside. he had earned money, fame and his customers' satisfaction from his salon on 56th Street, now he had become disinterested in this. Whenever he had time, he would go, with the utmost respect, to one of the memory pools near the World Trade Centre, on whose walls Masru Uncle’s name was engraved forever along with hundreds of others. He would then place a yellow rose on his name. But now Tanishk was loathing this solitude. Now his mind would not get busy with the Sheikh’s talks as he used to travel a lot to expand his business. ...Read More

10

AQAAB - 10

All those things which Masru Uncle avoided telling him and never said anything about, were now in front of like an open book. Now it was very easy to know the reason because of which Masru Uncle was so angry from his family that he neither remembered them nor did he try to meet them. In two meetings, Tanishk came to know everything. He even brought the Uncle’s family to his home. But the family that Tansihk had met was not completely Uncle’s. Ananya was not Uncle’s daughter as Uncle had married her mother after she was born, she was with her mother already. Now Ananya lived in Leh and taught children in a monastery. Her mother had started making garlands and bouquets in a shop in Leh after her husband had left her. ...Read More

11

AQAAB - 11

‘If thousands of innocents die by drawing a line on the earth then what is the need to do This was the theme of the movie that was being made for a museum in Washington, D.C. But the project was cancelled. Not only the money that was being given for the project was stopped but its recovery was also initiated. Some of the people associated with the unit which had begged the project, were found to be linked with the terrorist activities. They were also found to be behind the sensational serial blasts in a European country which had taken place a few days back. This studio from Dublin had contacts in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The studio was seized. Many were arrested. John Altamash’s name also came up. ...Read More

12

AQAAB - 12 - Last Part

Come, I will first click a photograph of Mother and then she will click our photo, Ananya said Tanishk and Ananya’s mother were standing on the main gate of the famous national park in the state of Virginia in the U.S., from where they were about to enter inside to spend one night in the park after buying tickets. Other tourists were coming as well. Vehicles would come one after the other and the tourists from different countries would gather various views in their eyes as well as their cameras. Some would get off for a stroll. Seeing the three of them standing there, a woman approached them. She had probably heard Ananya, she said, smiling, All three of you stand together, I will click your photo. She took the camera from Tanishk’s hands. ...Read More