The Last Case

THE LAND, FARAWAY IN THE WEST (III : Destination)

William had later mentioned, that the day before he had visited the shrine and then the things happened, he had asked the young lady with the child if he could talk with her in person.

The young lady was brave and showed no hesitation.

"I do not suspect you to be involved in anything," William started. "Rest assured and relax yourself. But, if I might ask, how is the father of your child to you?"

She showed no nervousness. "He was brutal, terrifying and would expect me to make no mistakes in the work. I . . . I was punished, even after bearing my child, for even the small mistakes, or the outcomes of my work which failed to please him. Sometimes I did not blame him; old people are more reactive, for they had lived more years and saw more of this world. He never smiled at his child."

William was quiet for a long time. The young lady looked around for a while, observing the flickering flames on the lamps outside the room.

"And, how is he?" William said, clearly showing who he wished to imply.

The young lady said nothing for a moment. "He is a kind man. He loves me and cares about me and my child from the bottom of his heart. I do not say he is the man of god, for he has done many bad things under the blindness of his earlier beliefs. But, after he opened his eyes, and saw the love of nature . . . being with him so far was a blessing to me and my child. I would have never expected someone to stand for me and my child to the extent he did."

The silence followed again before William asked, "Is there anything more, you might wish to voluntarily tell me? That is, if it is comfortable to say out."

"I suppose there is something," she nodded. "That master, whose killer you are searching. When that master treated his slaves the way he did, he-about whom you ask me now-used to get visions and nightmares about his life before being a slave. About his life and his people in the west."

He maintained his eye contact with her, then stood up, "I am happy, there was no fear in you when you answered my questions."

"I see no reason to be afraid," she said. "At least, not for him. I know what he is going through and what is happening to him."

"And what if whatever you think is happening to him, is actually true?"

She was calm. "I know it is happening to him. I am glad he treated me like a human being, cared for my child . . . and taught me, we live in an unfair world and can not escape until it is time. Like plays, performed in the town at festivals. Where there are characters who enter the stage when it is their role, and exit when their part in the show is done. But it is also upon us, how we react to this 'life'"

(I smiled to myself while William told me this and while writing this.)

~~

That day, my eyes opened very early in the morning. I opened the doors to collect the newspaper but also found a letter in the box. It was subtitled 'report' with William's name on it.

I took it inside and went for bath. Later, when I completed reading the letter, I could not think of anything except dressing up and rushing toward the farmlands. I had no doubts about the identity of the man. I went to the driver's house and woke him up, requesting him to take me to the farmlands. He took double the fair, for asking him to drive me when the sun was yet to show its face, but that was not important.

People opened the doors with their conscious faces after some time of knocking. "My friend visited this area. He must have introduced himself as William, the investigator."

"He did visit me but I'm afraid I don't know where he is."

"The investigator you say. Yes, I asked him to visit the house at the end of this road. Did he not return to Zora yet?"

I rushed to the mentioned house and after I knocked I was welcomed by a young lady.

"Can I help you sir?"

"I am searching for a person called William. He's an investiga-"

"I think I know him. He . . . he should be at the shine at the end of the farmlands." I bowed and was about to leave before the ladies stopped me.

"Sire, it is not his fault. Our master treated us like anything but humans. He did all of it to protect me and my child."

"What are you talking about, miss?"

"If you came searching for William, I am sure you know what I am talking about."

I paused for a moment, without breaking the eye-contact. She looked desperate. Finding myself at a loss of words, I left the place. My body moved faster, as I rushed ahead. The man said he was once a warrior. I had faced what people call 'warrior'. The shrine was seen from far away, behind the gates with divine ropes and surrounded by wooden fences and my pace increased.

As I entered the gates, before I could shout William's name, I noticed he was sitting on his knees while his sunrays warmed his skin. Beside him, was the man William described in the report, down laying on the ground. My feet stopped in confusion and relief. I saw the man's lips move, as he said something to William. After he had completed, William went completely quiet, which would last till I had met him in the end. He sat beside him for a moment before he stood up, after noticing me. "He won't survive for long. Make arrangements to take him back."

I then walked to him, "What did you say?" He said nothing and kept looking at the sky.

As promised, I delivered the message. He smiled looking at the sky and completed the sentences I was supposed to say to him. "Far away in the lands, untouched by the mortals. You shall be ascended and shall dine with the gods in the grand hall. For you were the most exquisite warrior, a true faithful servant, and a good person. The gods shall select you, the angels riding on the horses with wings shall welcome you. You shall bath in the river of elixir, walk in the gardens of life, walk through the golden path towards the grand hall, introduce yourself as a great jomking and loyal servant of them, and shall gain the rights to dine with them and you shall be liberated from this life of pain suffering and futility."

Losing to curiosity, I asked again what he had said to William for making him go quiet all of a sudden, but he might have not heard me. He kept looking at the skies until it was time for him to leave the stage of this theatrical of life. I always wondered what did he say that changed William in such a way.

At the end of the first cassette, Mary sounded confused when she asked, "How is this related to the old mansion case in the Zora?"

"It is not," William replied.

"Then why did you tell me this?"

"You said my memories work differently. That, they can be tampered with, changed or erased to a massive scale, or even sealed, as happened in the past. So, I wish to record this. I do not wish to forget this part of my life. This is important to me."