Into The Unknown

Chapter 03

What do humans usually do nine hours before their flight? Some, no not some, most of Indians leave for the airport, I mean why? Do they enjoy the waiting area? Bus Stations, Railways, and Airports are the only places Indians are never late at, they arrive there before time and enjoy waiting for hours. I’m not among most so I’ll leave before thirty minutes, twenty-five minutes drive from my rented home to the airport and a maximum of five minutes for check-in. I’ve no luggage to weigh on as I plan to carry a bag pack, must-do for my one-month clothes.

“Regular?” Kureshi asked and I nodded. My regular includes Butter chicken and beer, too much for my fist-like stomach. Kureshi’s monthly income includes my every night’s dinner which sums up to somewhat six thousand rupees. Only if I would be saving those six thousand rupees monthly, I would have saved up to seventy-two thousand, I could’ve bought a fucking iPhone. Nah, Android's best, I hate iPhones anyway.

“I have a burner…. I can call.... I’ve to finish his leftover task… he warned that something was going on there….”, I was getting annoyed by the person who was talking about something secretive on phone but was intentionally inviting me to eavesdrop. I turned around and my eyes caught the sight of that same man who was fascinated by the mystery of Arbmtys. Maybe he’s talking about Arbmtys.

“Kureshi, what’s that guy trying to solve?”, I ask him when he was placing my dishes on the table, and he ought to know. Kureshi house knows everything.

He sat in front of me and folded his hands on the table. “Ruby, handle the orders”, he shouted and gave me his complete presence.

“Something about an island”, he informs taking a bite of naan and chicken from my plate. “I’ll pay half”, I warn him. “Don’t pay. It’s fine”, he says gesturing for Ruby to bring him a beer.

“So Island?”, I ask him and started devouring my supper to secure the naan and chicken for my stomach only.

“He's a journalist. One of his journalist friends went to that island, pardon me for that island’s name is hard for me to remember—“, “Arbmtys”, I interrupt.

“Yup, that so his friend went to that Arbms and news came that he died in a plane crash. Here comes the main part, that dead guy called this journalist guy to inform him that he was alive and something very big is going on there and before he could give out the main information the connection got cut”, he finishes his storytelling and my one naan and half of the butter chicken. I narrow my eyes at him when I notice that he’s finished half of my supper. “Ruby, bring more khima here to Zean. It’s on house”, he says laughing nervously and standing up to leave to take his position of serving on tables back so that Ruby can go back to chicken cooking.

“Ze, don’t get interested in solving this mystery of Armbs”, he pleads. “Too late, I’m flying there at 6 am tomorrow”, I breathe out my laugh and he sighs. “Don’t worry old man, I met a guy who returned safely after enjoying his vacation in paradise”, I say and he sighed even more heavily this time.

I do not intend on solving any mysteries, I plan on having a nice little vacation and I really think that this journalist the guy is overreacting to that dead guy's call. Maybe it was a human-like me who made a prank call to mess with his head and emotions.

“I got the picture… talked with his family… says that he died in crash… some officers went there to investigate…. never returned… died in crash says the news….”, he kept on going and giving me chance to eavesdrop.

Alright, that’s it. He got at my utmost tolerance level. I’m curious now. Curiosity kills a cat, a good thing I’m not a cat, I’m a feline who commits a harmless felony.