The Third Dimension (2023) #Wattys2024

28-POST WAR RECESSION 1971

But little did she knew, the changes are coming...

A highly rich-like lady entered along with two beautiful ladies with the queenly grace, as behind them, were two 'princesses'. Their presence shook the whole chamber, as Doctor Nitra's anger, disappointment and anxiety led to nervousness. She still had to pretend to be nice to them because for the world, everyone was least aware of her devilish acts but for Kashem, it is not. If someone is extremely of a diabolic nature, it is considered to be a psychopath but if they are good, they are known to be a surrealist.

"Good...Good morning, Madame Ruby" stammered Nitra, almost grabbed the table and about to be fainted.

"No need to worry, doctor" said the haughty but polite Madame Ruby.

Madame Ruby along with the two girls sat down opposite Nitra. Her awkwardness started to grow a bit. It was because she felt some vibes worse than a demon could be. It might be an intuition that Kashem telepathically tried to send the message to her.

"Tea?" offered Nitra.

"No thank you" answered Madam Ruby.

Nitra paused for a moment.

"Well, doctor, how have you been doing lately?" asked Ruby.

One of the girls on her left side looked scared and tried to hide one of her arms. It was quite mysterious for Nitra, also quite weird.

"Hmm...I'm good" said Nitra.

"Well, would you mind aborting a baby from my daughter, Adrita, please?" offered Ruby.

Nitra's rage bursts like a lava coming out from the mountain. She loudly punched the table and almost broke a cup.

"I always knew what you are up to! It's a shame that you haven't really understood my professional ethics!" snapped Nitra.

"What about a certain amount? Would it work?" asked Ruby shamelessly.

"I'd prefer a 'no'"

Ruby walked away along with the girls. The left side girl, Adrita secretly looked back, scared. Nitra was shocked. Until, Adrita took her normal position. A crumbled paper was kept in the table. The doctor took it out and looked at the letter. She read 'HELP!'

She immediately realized that it was Adrita who she saved, even before the crumbled paper.

Meanwhile, Rahat finished his exams and exited the hall. Walking through the corridors, he saw three bullies in the school uniform, stood against his way. Rahat was shocked to see their rage that he immediately realized that it might be something to do with Kashem, or something ominous.

"So why are you here? Mustapha?" asked the shocked Rahat.

They gave a cackling laugh and their yellow teeth showed a bitter reality of richer guys who forgot to brush. Their eyes were just as of a hawk, posing with their bicycle and walked near him aggressively. Rahat understood the consequences of himself getting beaten every day after school.

"Well...well...well, isn't it the rich kid pretending to be poor? Where's your bloody bodyguard, huh?" sneered Mustapha, the bully.

"Shut your ass off! You don't know what you're bloody saying!" grunted Rahat.

Mustapha's rage increased and tried to shove Rahat. In defense, Rahat twisted Mustapha's wrist and broke his jaw.

It was every day that Mustapha used to beat in brutal manner, which every time Kashem used to save him from his clutches.

Onto some extent, Mustapha also sabotaged his school answer papers during loo break. As he was another rich brat, his father used to pay the teachers to fail Rahat, which this time, couldn't. It was because the examination was strictly taken by the government. Kashem used to defend for Rahat during school as he was the most-reputed senior until he finished his HSC exams and moved to the United States. It maybe the country of dreams but reality hits hard among the midst of them.

Anyway, the reason behind the rivalry was because of something that Mustapha kept a secret: a family secret, which Rahat usually ignored and not understanding the reason to get bullied. In the original timeline, Rahat witnessed Mustapha who robbed from the riches and fed it to the needy despite being rich. But due to his anger upon him, also brainwashed by his father, he forced himself to get him imprisoned few years after Rahid was born.

On the contrast, the new timeline could change for the better. Mustapha screamed "Mercy!"

"Better not!" snapped Rahat.

"DON'T KILL ME!"

They were surrounded by people. Suspense has given to the concerned conservative seniors and the youngsters were encouraging for the brawl because Mustapha not only bullied Rahat but also other students. Rahat hit the jaw where blood spilled out from the mouth. The brawl stopped when the principal arrived at the scene. It was a catastrophe! Rahat was afraid of what was to come!

After calling his father, the principal complained against Rahat, which both silently listened.

Salam only said "I will take care of him"

"Good" said the principal.

They left school. Rahat was literally biting his nails. What would become of him? Would he get beaten by his dad, because Kashem wasn't there? Is it quite scary? An experience would be like never before, hopefully, it does have a point. What does an Asian parent requires for their children?

Unexpectedly, Salam smiled.

"I am proud of you, my son!" said Salam

"Why dad?" asked Rahat

"You know something? We have our own sets of troubles but the solution is to face it no matter what. Though, I discourage the brawl but you solved your own problems other than running away. I am proud of you"

"I appreciate it, dad"

"But there's more than what reality you saw, because everyone has their own dimensions and reality that is needed to be understood".

"Do you know any traces of Kashem bhai?"

"Traces? I don't know, son. It's pretty heartbreaking to hear his loss. But I believe he's alive. I know, I do scold him a lot of times, I may have broken my principles but the reason to adopt him is your friendship with Kashem is pure and the beauty that I saw was from a friend".

The mention of Mamun saddened Salam with bleak eyes. Rahat understood the consequences of how the father would become one day. Hopefully, history might not repeat. Only time will tell the difference. When they arrived home, Rahat looked at the grandfather clock, similar to Mamun's and Sohail's time, which may come into fruition.

Rahat was reminded of the days he spent with Kashem by sitting at a television to watch Soccer (Football) World Cup with the craze of England and Argentina supporters, screaming along with the crowd. What else happened to Kashem's life at the USA? No one knows, because of the recession as well as the corrupted land did create him a rebel against the odds. Especially Madame Ruby, whose secrets were least known to the public. Is it supernatural or is it something more?

Since Kashem's disappearance, Rahat secretly used to go to Nitra's chamber to look for Kashem, even torn the wanted posters for that. Even, they look for the gangster in the orphanage but the police were looking for him as a fugitive because of 'murdering' a security guard. Rahat and Nitra only knew the reality until the evidences were erased by a traitor from Madam Ruby's side.

Even Selim was missing, as he was also a worker in the orphanage.

In the present, Kashem was roaming around the forest with Selim, while Chikku and Gyankosh were playing with the children of the tribe by throwing fruits to each other. The people were celebrating Kashem's miraculous recovery.

Until, Kashem walked alone, he saw a hand with a rotten flesh and the large fingers were crept out from the grave that was resided on a bamboo tree. It was foggy and cold and spines started to shiver: is it the Land of the Dead?