Sun Moon & Stars Volume III Curse Of The Third-Eye

Chapter 69

"Where exactly are you sending me, professor? I thought we would be staying in Darjeeling and not coming back to Kolkata," John complained as Madhumita scribbled an odd and peculiar address on a page and handed it over to him.

"Gour Kanti Bhoutik Pattho, 24 Lat - Latto - Lattoman Street, behind Paramount Sherbats & Syrups," John read the address and threw an annoyed glance at Madhumita, "Seriously, professor, do you always find me for these odd jobs? First a Zoroastrian temple and now this ghostly bookshop. Does this even exist?"

He was already going through a rough phase after Geeta left and now Professor Delta had dragged him to the same city where Geeta was, knowing very well that he wasn't allowed to meet her.

"Yes, it does!" Madhumita lighted her cigar and started walking towards Medical College Hospital.

"Professor, wait," John ran after her, "What am I supposed to get from here?"

"Books, of course," Madhumita rolled her eyes as if he had suddenly asked a very silly question.

"What kind of books and how am I supposed to pay?"

"John!" Madhumita halted taking a long puff from her cigar and released up in the air, "I thought you were the smartest of my lot. Malini was right, Geeta has crushed your brain. And anyways the book list has been already sent and Grihamani has made the payment, so you just need to collect the parcel and meet me back at Medical College."

"But how am I supposed to find this bookshop? I don't think there's any Lattoman Street around College Street."

"I have written the directions, John! Read!" she started walking again.

"There are several lanes and buildings behind Paramount!"

Madhumita halted again and whispered, "Look for the shadows!" then resumed walking increasing her speed. John, however, stood socked, stranded at the junction of College Street. "Shadows? In the middle of the night?!"

Finishing off the cigar Madhumita strode towards the Medical College Hospital while John stood in the road staring at her back in utter surprise.  

The Calcutta Medical College Hospital looked haunting at night despite its busy emergency ward. Also, one can never ignore that while walking down the corridors there was always a pricking at the back of the neck of being followed.

Although for Madhumita, who had been a regular visitor, thanks to her husband and best friend being students and practitioners there, the feeling was quite familiar. 

She passed through the known wards and walked straight towards the stairs overlooking the other end of the building. She stopped finding her best friend sitting in a corner and staring at the night sky with an expressionless face.

Madhumita slowly went closer and sat down two stairs below her.

"Madhu?" an ecstatic smile danced over Sudha's face meeting her. They hugged each other for a few seconds before silently looking at the crowd.

A gentle breeze blew over the place. The end of Sudha's white kurta kept floating. She was holding a half-drank cup of tea, which Madhumita guessed had turned cold hours back. She was well aware of Sudha's bad habit of holding the cup and staying lost in her thoughts while the tea turned cold.

"Your son is at Sevoke," Madhumita dropped the information abruptly.

She didn't want to tell Sudha about the recent happenings in Shomak and Ela's life, particularly for three reasons.