The Quest For A Cursed Diamond.

Character Sketch: Name: Commander Brad Shaw Appearance: Commander Brad Shaw is a haunting figure, his ghostly presence evoking both fear and curiosity. He is a wandering soul, forever trapped between the realms of the living and the dead. His head and torso are separated, a testament to the tragic fate that befell him during his pursuit of the Kohinoor Diamond. His ghostly form is translucent, with a faint glow emanating from within him. Despite his ethereal nature, he retains an air of authority and strength, his ghostly eyes burning with determination. Background: Commander Brad Shaw was once a prominent figure in the British East India Company during the Mughal Dynasty. Known for his cunning and strategical prowess, he was assigned the task of retrieving the legendary Kohinoor Diamond, a task that had eluded many before him. Obsessed with the diamond's power and wealth, Brad Shaw became consumed by his pursuit, disregarding any moral boundaries. During his quest, Brad Shaw fell deeply in love with a woman named Amelia, a beautiful and enigmatic soul who captured his heart. However, their love was forbidden, as Amelia was a reincarnation of a Mughal princess, destined to fulfill her own destiny. Desperate to be together, Brad Shaw made a fateful decision - to steal the Kohinoor Diamond and use its power to rewrite their destinies. Personality: Commander Brad Shaw is a complex character, driven by his desire for power and love. He is fiercely intelligent, using his sharp mind to devise intricate plans and strategies. However, his obsession with the Kohinoor Diamond has clouded his judgment, leading him down a dark and treacherous path. He is ruthless and willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals, even if it means sacrificing others. Despite his darker tende 6ncies, Brad Shaw is not entirely devoid of humanity. He is haunted by his past actions and the consequences they have wrought. His love for Amelia remains a guiding force, and he is determined to fulfill their destinies, even in death. Motivation: Commander Brad Shaw's motivation is twofold. Firstly, he seeks to fulfill his destiny by reclaiming the Kohinoor Diamond, believing it to be the key to rewriting his tragic past and reuniting with Amelia. Secondly, he is driven by a desire for redemption, seeking to right the wrongs he committed during his life. Role in the Story: Commander Brad Shaw's role in the story is that of a formidable antagonist. As a wandering soul, he is a constant presence, his ethereal form serving as a reminder of the consequences of greed and obsession. He becomes entangled in a battle against those who seek to protect the Kohinoor Diamond, as well as Amelia, who has her own destiny to fulfill. Throughout the narrative, Brad Shaw's character undergoes a transformation. As he confronts the consequences of his actions, he begins to question his motivations and the true nature of love and destiny. Ultimately, his journey serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the destructive power of unchecked desires. Now let's move on with the story... It was twelve o'clock in the night when Tanveer (Tannu) reached Allahabad from Kanpur by roadways bus. Its just descending from a middle-aged man from her hand carry the bag on your shoulder lot only uttered "where will you run, because I own a rickshaw " with his second-hand he was pointing at rickshaw . His voice seemed as if the cold and hunger of December had sat his throat, then he had arrived running near his ride. Looking at him , Tannu said, " I had to go to Big Mansion , Chamanganj , how much do I need ", in that cold winter of 1978, only four rickshaws and two horse carts could be seen, as everywhere the fog had covered their sheets...Rickshaw owner said "Give me 10 rupees, after all it is cold midnight, Sahab". Tannu walked towards Rickshaw and said "Okay let's go" On boarding the rickshaw, Tannu took out a cigarette packet from his jacket and placed the packet back in the jacket pocket, took out the lighter from the same pocket and lit the cigarette. Stretched in a long puff and smoked cigarettes with relief breaths Smoke of left out. His face looked stressless. He asked the rickshaw "Do you run rickshaws overnight?, Don't have a family in the city "? Rickshaw replied "No Babuji, will run till two o'clock and rest on the room, work in Elgin mill from 9 am, right here in the nearby village so the family is not kept in the city". "Oh wow! You seem to be very hardworking, How read you are written ", Tannu asked looking at him. " Matric passes are Babuji" Rickshaw replied. Chaman Ganj had reached as soon as the last puff of cigarette was over. Rickshaw said as soon as he stopped the rickshaw near the mansion "Aah, here we are, look we have arrived at the big mansion, babuji ." Tannu took out his wallet from the pocket and ten rupees of the note was given to the rickshaw, and after placing it in the pocket, the bag was hung on the shoulder and started moving towards the mansion. The watchman was sitting at the gate of the mansion, he was probably already aware of the arrival of Tannu, so he opened the gate as soon as he heard his name. Tannu moved towards the main door of the mansion. The watchman had taken a bag from his hand and hung it on his shoulder and another lantern was held in his hand. Reaching the door he knocked the swivel. After sometime, the door was opened by an 18-year-old beautiful girl. She smiled a silly smile on his face as soon as she looked at Tannu. Tannu also looked at her and said, "You are not a Shehnaz, Doctor Uncle's daughter, How big have you grown"...Shehnaz pointed to him walking towards his Ammi's room, saying" How beautiful you have become too ," she continued.. " Now there was no one to see the aunt so I was asked by my father to stop, But now you have also come, so two are better than one "... She opened the door of Tannu's Ammi's room, his Ammi was wrapped inside blanket . She had a brain disease named Alzheimer. Her condition was more delicate, so Tannu was called instantly. Tanveer belonged to the royal Nawabs family and was admitted to Allahabad University to study. He had already done everything before his father passed away, because he knew about his health. So Tanveer's mother lived in Lucknow's mansion but after passing through her husband's death, she started living in the big mansion of Kanpur. Tannu took all the information of his mother from Shehnaz while she was sleeping so he thought it was not right to wake her up. Shehnaz led Tannu to his room and said "You have come to this mansion for the first time, have you not... So I am telling you never to go down in the basement. Everyone says that there is an evil spirit in it. Your mother should not have come here too, her health deteriorated as soon as she came here." "Now you are talking like a child, Shahnaz, who will believe in all these things, in today's era. Well tell me how many times that spirit caught you "Tannu asked smiling. "Aah, that spirit can't come before me, after all blessed holy medallion is around my neck, I will bring another one for you too," Shehnaz said in the proud of blessed medallion, she was wearing. She stopped in front of the door of a room and said "Let yourself come to your room, Nawab Sahab ". Tannu opened the door and moved towards the bed inside. He was so tired that he immediately threw himself into the bed. Shehnaz saw this action of his and put the lantern on the table, which was near the bed, looking towards Tannu, she said "Okay now I am going, you too sleep comfortably, good things will happen in the morning ". Tannu, looking at her , said "Good Night" Shehnaz also answered it by saying "Good Night". Suddenly Tannu was thirsty at night, so he woke up, he looked at the clock, it was at three in the morning, he got up from the bed and moved towards the kitchen. Suddenly a voice attracted his attention. That voice was probably coming from the basement itself. The sound slowly itself started pounding as if someone was beating the door hardly with his hand. Tanveer's steps did not stop, he jumped towards the straight basement and stood in front of the door and asked in a voice of surprise "Who is it... Who's in"? Tannu placed his ears at the door to hear if a sound came from the inside but from nowhere two terrible hand broke out and grab Tannu with the neck. Tannu shouted while his eyes were closed "help, help," when he opened his eyes, it was morning , sun had come to the head and atmosphere was getting excited by the sounds of the birds. At the morning, Tanveer (Tannu) got out of his bed and, after getting fresh, went straight to the dining table. Shahnaz was already there and was drinking orange juice. Tannu sat beside her and asked,"Okay... tomorrow, who you were talking about that basement soul, Shahnaz is there any another eyewitness or this is your brainchild?" "What do you think I am... a madwoman who will shout ghost is there from herself , there is a ghost not only for me but also for the witnesses who had claimed that they had seen the spirit," Shahnaz replied quite self-sufficiency. "Well, today you will have a chance to get to know this mystery more closely, first have breakfast and meet Ammi, then we will discuss this issue together," she continued Tannu was very excited about hearing this, "Niharika O Niharika , bring breakfast for, Nawab Sahab" Shahnaz cried out, looking at Tannu. Tannu also couldn't stop his smile, he was excited to see the girl whom Shahnaz called by name. As soon as you hear the name Niharika wah, it seems that there must be some nymph's will Tannu thought in his mind and started smiling. After a while, a sweet young girl came from inside with breakfast, seeing him, Tannu's senses were torn. She was beautiful , no one could see her and say that she was the maid of the House. Killer looks , blond complexion, tall structure and assy body. Any boy would become crazy about her after looking at her. Niharika put the breakfast plate in front of the Tannu and at the same time there were parathas like cabbage, potato, r****h, fenugreek etc. on the table. Tannu took some butter by the butter knife and remove in a plate and started to think which paratha has to go on the plate first . So in Shahnaz's quote" eat this cabbage one first ", he put a cabbage one in his plate. Tannu began to eat " wow! What's the matter, never ate such a cabbage paratha till today," Tannu said, putting the paratha in his mouth. "Well you know , the cooks who work in this mansion cook very well" said Shahnaz immediately. "And something Nawab Saheb needs ," Niharika asked, smiling at Tannu. Tannu also shook his neck in a gesture of not smiling, understood the situation and started going back to do her job. Tannu finished his breakfast and got up straight from the table and started moving towards Ammi's room with Shahnaz. As soon as he reached the room, he saw his Ammi looking at the gazing ceiling. He looked at Ammi and asked "Ammi now, what kind of health is yours". But no answer was found. He asked three more four times but there was still silence. In such a way, Shahnaz said,"I have given a morning dose, as dad said, after a while she will get sleepy, it is very important for her to rest". As Shahnaz had said, it happened after a while Tannu that Ammi's eyelids started to get heavy which was no longer in Tanveer's Ammi's hands to keep them open and she fell asleep in a deep sleep. Tannu and Shahnaz took on their assigned task, calling all the servants of the mansion and interrogating them. Most of them said that there was sometimes a sound of someone walking through the basement. He also mentioned that some of them had seen a bright red light burning there. After questioning everyone, Tannu looked at Shahnaz and said, "this means that there is a real soul in this mansion, but what does the bright red light means , God knows ... Shahnaz you know when this mansion was bought or who lived in it before, it is very important to know all these things" . Shahnaz got up from the chair and walked around Tannu, connecting the fingers of his two hands and saying," As far as I know, your Abbu had taken this mansion five years before he passed out, he had bought this mansion from his friend and co-employee of the archaeological department, Dr Zakir, he had been invited from the University of London and he sold this mansion to your Abbu before leaving. Shenaz continued " after your Abbu passed it became difficult to run expenditure well for home and the costs of the mansion maintenance difficulty was coming therefore our accountant and the rest of the responsible members of the same Lucknow's mansion decided to sell but there was still spender running by cultivating a good deal of income which is . Your Abbu and Dr Zakir used to keep some objects of their use in this mansion, I have heard that". Tannu was seriously lost in the ruins of this large mansion. Tannu kept thinking in his trenches that what could be there in basement, due to which all the mansion's servants were afraid, why not open the basement once. "I will open that basement tomorrow", Tannu thought in his mind. It was evening so Tannu gave his mother medicine and recently came to sit near the chimney. Niharika immediately gives him a cup of tea. Tannu looks at Niharika with great love and asks "Who is at home?" Niharika replied, "There is no one Nawab, Sir" Tannu was taking a sip of tea as well as looking at Niharika's waist. The waist of that beautiful angel was looking very smooth. He was watching her with a lustful eyes and the idea of touching her came to his mind . But in a short while Shahnaz comes into the room and looks at Tannu and says "What happened to Nawab sir, Is there slang in the mind ", Tannu smiled, he looked at her and said "Nothing is there, just sipping tea", "You should drink too, then get it" Tannu said stealing his gaze. "Leave it, I will make myself" Shehnaz said looking at Tannu. In this, Tannu asked her "Good Shehnaz, will you walk with me in the basement tomorrow". " Neither Baba nor, have I been bitten by a mad dog " Shahnaz answered Tanveer . " What you do is a childish act, in today's era, you do things like ghost phantom, "Tannu said fearlessly, "I'm ready to go inside with you" said Niharika. " Very good, the three of us will walk in the basement tomorrow, after finding out what is hidden in the basement due to which the rest of the house's servants are so scared ", Tannu told both young girls whose faces were seriously showing fear.The night was over, after saying each other a good night at the dinner table, Shehnaz and Tannu went to sleep in their own rooms. Tannu changed his clothes and went to sleep in bed in a night suit. After a while Tannu's eyes were opened, he looked at the clock. It was three o'clock in the morning . He was very thirsty but the water in the jug next to him was finished . He thought in his mind "It's very strange, It was still kept full of water, not even once before sleeping I drank , then how did this water end up ", Tannu thought so much, then got up and started moving towards the kitchen, suddenly he heard the sound of someone's footsteps, he ignored it at first, but then when the voice started coming out loud, he followed that voice. The sound of steps took him to the basement. The sound of the steps was heard so clearly that no one would listen from far and a red light was seen flashing from the gap under the door. When Tannu came near the basement door, the sound of the steps slowed down a bit, As he rests his ears on the door, suddenly a creepy hand comes out, breaking the door and holding the Tannu. Tannu shouts loudly, closing his eyes in panic. "Save, Help", When his eyes open, the nebula sees the curtain of the window and the morning sun has came out. Looking at Tannu, she said "Who caught you Nawab sir, Whom do you have to save ", Tannu changed the topic saying "He who has to hold never catches what he doesn't have to hold also catches in dreams". Tannu's mischievous answer probably meant Niharika, so smiling towards him said "Now quickly get ready too and come to the breakfast table, remember, the basement has to be scrutinized today ".Tannu gets ready and reaches the table where Shehnaz was already present. Shahnaz also replied in return, after calling Shahnaz good morning. At the end of breakfast, three went to see Tannu's mother first, her condition was improved but she did not cheat anyone. Niharika and Shehnaz gave her medicines and were comfortable layed on the bed, because her medicines were so strong that any person would be put to sleep in a while after they fell asleep, the three walked towards the basement. There may be some secret hidden in this basement which no one has found till date. Maybe a treasure or hidden secret that makes all three rich, Maybe people are right and there is a ghost here. Or it may be that there is only one gossip, that people have kept in mind. All these things were going on in Tannu's mind as soon as he was moving towards the three cellars. A large lock hung outside the basement room was found. Tannu glanced around, so no more useful thing was found, just an iron rod was kept. He picked up that iron rod and broke that lock in the basement room. Tannu opened the basement door by breaking the basement lock. The condition of Niharika and Shehnaz was spoiled by fear, they held the grip tightly with their pantheon. Tannu was also perceived as his fear. Dust covered the entire Basement, it seemed as if no one had planted a hand for centuries. Spider nets were seen all around the wall. When Tannu looked at the table in front of the basement, some old documents were kept, There were some maps and a paper weight as well. Niharika and Shehnaz were opening the front cupboard and looking. There were a total of five cupboards in that basement. Tannu traced the document's filtration bean, his father might work on top of a cave in the Himalayas were doing. Some documents showed that he had received an invaluable item from that cave. He had references in those documents but had not written what it was. Tannu kept those documents in his over coat pocket and in front moved towards the cupboard. After looking at all the shelves, he gathered all the documents in one place, there was a large box in a short distance. Those three opened that old receptacle, there was a skeleton in it, it seemed to be quite old but the skeleton head of that box was missing. "Who would have taken its head after all and what is this skeleton doing here", Shahnaz asked in astonished vocals. Tannu answered her "I think my father and his friends went to the caves of the Himalaya's mountain on a project from there they might have found this skeleton, it is a minor skeleton and it seems to be seen, it is that it must have been stored in ice for a long time, only then there are marks of melting of water in its coat. ""But what could be the reason for the Nawab sir's failure,"Niharika asked looking at Tannu." I think this is an English skeleton because its clothes reveal the same, but I did not even understand who would have taken its head and why ". Tannu looked at the skeleton carefully, half of his coat was torn. His trousers were also funted from many places. In long there were boots that most people wear while climbing on the mountains . Tannu got into thinking for a while after seeing those boots. Then the three of them broke the necessary papers and closed the basement from there. Shahnaz brought a new lock and she gave it to Tannu. Tannu closed the swivel of the basement door and locked it. The three came to the hall with the paper found from the basement. MIRACULOUS SKULL... He placed all those documents on a large table in the hall. Then Tannu and Shahnaz started investigating those documents. Niharika went to check Tannu's mother, in Tannu's mother's room. Tannu and Shahnaz revealed from the documents that the skeleton was quite precious which father of Tannu had brought to this basement before his arrangement. The head of that skeleton was quite precious and miraculous. Tannu looked at Shehnaz, saying "Perhaps the skeleton's head was lost because he was miraculous but what English miraculous skeleton was found?" On this, Shahnaz said "I think that the head of that skeleton was lost after coming to this mansion". "You said this very right but who would have lost the head is a puzzle in itself" Tannu in a surprising sense from said to Shehnaz. It was evening, seeing everything, Tannu said to Shahnaz "Now we should take bath and get fresh because we cleaned the basement is very well today ". Shehnaz also obeyed him and went to get fresh towards her room. After both got fresh. Then came downstairs to dining hall and sits beside the table, while sitting at the dining table soon Niharika brought coffee for both of them. Shahnaz while drinking coffee, asked Tannu "Do you think that this mansion revolves around the ghost of the severed English ruler"? Tannu looked at her and said "You also do strange things, What about the strong red light that was mentioned by all the mansion servants, after all, what could be the reason for seeing all those red lights burning with the basement skylight ". " If the head of that skeleton is miraculous, the torso will also be miraculous ", Niharika said . Tannu got into thinking for a while. He had thoughts that since he came to this mansion, he has heard the sound of someone's footsteps in that basement twice. Same dreams for two consecutive nights, Three o'clock hour is visible in the clock. All these things were pointing at someone but Tannu, changing the matter, asked Shehnaz "what will you do if you get the head of that skeleton"? "If he is truly miraculous, I will ask for a lot of wealth and will rule this world as a princess" Shahnaz replied in a blink of an eye. The two started laughing together. The night was over, Niharika served meals to them on the dining table and Tannu himself went towards his mother's room with soup for Ammi. Later when his mother finished her soup, Tannu returned to the table, then Shehnaz and Tannu started eating their food. After the meal was over at the dining table, Tannu wished Shahnaz "Good night" and ordered Niharika to keep water in his room. Niharika shook her neck smiling. Tannu went to his room and wore a night suit and lay on his bed. After some time Niharika brought water to the jug. Tannu asked her to sit for a while, Niharika first got a little nervous but then sat on the chair nearby. Tannu asked her lying on the bed, "Good Niharika, you are living in this mansion only or even go to your house ",Tanveer asked her. "I go, Nawab sir, I go every Saturday and come back on Sunday evening" Niharika answered Tannu's question. "Well is there any lover or fiance, of your's" Tannu hesitantly asked her . "No Nawab sir, where have you got so far" Niharika replied in a prank manner as if she knew why Tannu asked her these questions. A smile blossomed on Tannu's face as if he had got a key to a treasure. But keeping his gesture under control, he said to Niharika "Okay, now I have found it.", What is the feeling now ". Niharika's face was red with shame, she covered her face with pantheon and went away running from there. Tannu also understood the girl laughed, half of his work was done, just now, she had four more eyes Jia was left to desist. Tannu made a cold sigh and drank a glass of water, then slept in a while. The darkness of the night was capped outside and at the same time the fog kept a sheet on it, but perhaps no one could sleep in that mansion. Tannu's sleep opened after hearing the rapid sound of the steps. He was in his bed for a while. He lay down and started thinking about listening to the sound of those steps. Who is walking on such a night, there is no thief in the mansion. He got up from his bed and put on his night gown and slowly opened the door of his room. Tannu calls for those fast steps and started following. He reached the same place but it was probably impossible for every educated man to believe what he saw. Tannu saw the same skeleton moving around in the mansion, maybe he was looking for his head.Tannu was hiding all this with great care on one side. On the one hand, where his roosts stood, on the other, he also had a question in his mind that he had locked the basement, then how this skeletons came out of that basement. Tannu followed the skeleton very carefully as the clock rang three o'clock bell, the skeleton moved towards the basement. Tannu also followed him. He saw that the English skeleton went inside his ark and lay down again, then everything gets closed on its own and in the same way the door of the mansion's basement was closed . Seeing all this, Tannu was very surprised. Tannu climbed the stairs and returned to his room and lay on his bed. Tannu started thinking that everyone has proved right about the mansion's ghost . There is a ghost in the mansion who probably travels around this mansion every day, maybe he is looking for his skull. This beheaded skeleton will roam in this mansion until he finds his head but who would have stolen that head and why would have stolen it. Perhaps the skull of that skeleton is more precious to that skeleton and also to the one who finds it.Tannu could not sleep in this thinking and it was morning on seeing. He had breakfast as soon as he could finished it, then first reached the basement but once again he was surprised, he saw that the basement door was locked. He called the Niharika and asked her to bring the key.Niharika immediately arrived with the key and gave the key to Tannu. Tannu immediately opened the door to the lock shell cellar. Niharika also went to the basement with him, she was looking at Tannu from a big face as if Tannu had streaks of concern on his forehead. She asked Tannu "what are you looking for, Nawab sir"? Tannu tells her all the incident of the previous night and Niharika was scared to hear it. Tannu first opened the ark in which the skeleton was placed. He inspected the skeleton well, then he inspected the ark well. He thought this that there may be a clue hidden in the box that might help to tell the secret of that skeleton, but he was really very disappointed when he found nothing . Then the two closed the ark and started inspecting the basement well. Niharika asked Tannu once again "What are we looking for, Nawab sir"? Tannu replied "At this time we are looking for everything related to the skeleton that takes them to that miraculous skull". Tannu and Niharika thoroughly searched everything in the basement so that they would get some important clues that would lead them to that miraculous skull. Finally they were joined by Tannu's father's friend Dr. Zakir, and picture of both was found written with Zakir's address and phone number behind it . Tannu thought in his mind that "this is an important clue that can give them more and more information about that miraculous skull". Niharika and Tannu put the basement well closed from and came up to the hall where shahnaz was already waiting for them. She asked Tannu and Niharika "What were you two doing in the basement below, Such a large mansion had become smaller for both of you, or had reached the basement to find the corner". Tannu and Niharika smiled, then Tannu said "There is no such thing just after an incident of last night we went to the basement to find something". TO BE CONTINUED...