Illusion

This is the story of Aman, a bank manager who was driving to his home in Bhubaneshwar. He works in Ranchi at SBI bank, and it was a long weekend in his branch, that's why he made a plan to visit his hometown. He stopped his car near a highway dhaba to have a meal. He ordered a veg thali and a glass of buttermilk. While having his meal, he noticed that some of the local boys had started to have an argument at the dhaba. Initially, he ignored it as he had no interest in those arguments. The arguments transformed into a fight, and the local boys started to fight. There were two groups in that fight, and those two groups were fighting with each other. Suddenly, one boy got severely injured as someone smashed a bottle of coke on his head. When all the boys saw him, they ran away, frightened that there would be a police case for this incident. The injured boy was bleeding; he came to Aman for help and requested him to take him to a nearby hospital as all his friends ran away, leaving him in that condition. Aman was very kind-hearted; he left his meal unfinished and took that boy in his car. When he was driving to the hospital, he asked the name of the boy. He answered that his name is Jai. When Aman asked him the reason for the fight, he answered that it was because of a rivalry going on between his family and Mukesh's family. Jai told him that the boy who smashed that bottle on his head was Mukesh. Then Aman asked, “What was the reason for this rivalry?”. He told him that it was the enmity going on from generations because his family and Mukesh's family hate each other and now they want to win the upcoming village panchayat elections. There were many problems in the village which his family tried to solve but every time Mukesh's family opposes them. Both families want to dominate each other in all situations. These two groups fight with each other frequently, and there have been several deaths because of these fights.

Aman was shocked after listening to Jai's story as he was around 20 years old, and the kind of energy he carries for fighting with the people nearly could have killed him. Aman had a thought about what kind of future these youngsters could have. He drops Jai at the nearby government hospital. When he took him to the on-duty doctor, he noticed that the doctor knows him very well. The doctor told Aman that there is a severe cut on his forehead, and he has to do 6 to 7 stitches to stop the bleeding. Aman told the doctor to do the best to stop the bleeding. After that, Aman told Jai that he has to leave for his hometown, and he is getting late. Jai thanked him for dropping him at the hospital, and then Aman left.

When Aman was driving his car back to the highway, he saw that a group of boys were running towards his car. He got afraid, and then he drove his car in the reverse direction, but some boys were also there in the reverse direction. The boys carried hockey sticks and iron rods. When Aman stopped his car, they broke his car badly and started to beat Aman. After some time, Aman went unconscious. When Aman woke up, he found himself tied up with a rope, and in front of him, Mukesh was sitting. Mukesh asked him, “Why did you help Jai?”. Aman answered that because of humanity he helped Jai. Mukesh slapped him 3-4 times, and then he told his gang to keep him hungry for some days and then they will decide what to do with him. Aman felt helpless at that time as Mukesh's gang was everywhere. He was injured also. He thought that in the night, he will try to escape.

In the night, when everyone was asleep, Aman loosened his rope, and he escaped slowly. Aman noticed that currently, he is in Mukesh's village. He thought that if he finds the village road somehow then he can take help from someone. As his car was not with him, he decided to walk to the village road slowly. On the village road, he started running, after some time he saw a house with lights on. He thought that someone will be there in the house who could have a mobile phone. As Aman's phone was lost after the fight, he must call the police from another person's mobile. When he knocked the door of the house, an old man came out. Aman told him that he is in big trouble, and he has to call the Police. For calling, he needs his mobile. The old man agrees. The old man calls him inside the house and offered him a glass of water. Aman thanked him. He then asked him about his trouble. Aman told him everything. After listening to Aman, the old man gave his mobile to him and then he goes inside his room. When Aman called the Police, he informed them about the incident. When the Police asked his current location, he replied that he is not aware of the location. Aman was shocked to see a gun which the old man has pointed towards him. He dropped the phone in shock and asked the reason for pointing a gun towards him. The old man replied that Jai was his grandson, and he is dead now. Aman informed him that he has seen Jai alive when

 he left the hospital, and it was unbelievable to him that he is no more now. The old man held him responsible for Jai's death as people told him that he has left Jai's dead body in the hospital after killing him and then he ran away. Aman explained to him that it was not true, and he has seen Jai alive at the time of leaving the hospital. He left soon as he was getting late and he doesn't have any motive to kill him. Aman told him that probably after he left the hospital someone must have killed him. The old man doesn't believe him and told him that people can do anything for money and Mukesh must have given him money to kill Jai. After some time he shoots him. Aman died at the spot. The old man was relieved after that as he thought he took the revenge of his grandson's death as he believed Aman killed him.

Aman died because of an illusion which Jai's grandfather had which was created by the villagers. Without even thinking for a moment, he killed him. Many people do mistakes because of false narratives created by others. Before taking any action, we should listen first and have a thought for a moment. Aman could never be able to reach his hometown and meet his family again because of someone's illusion. His unending Journey continued.