CRYONIUM

Chapter 9: The ‘O’ in LOVE

PART 1:

In Squander, Maruk received Leon and Mannar with a hard smile on his face. Both were taken to the utterly clean Private chamber of Junta Faruk. Next Maruk introduced himself with a wide grin on his face, “welcome to Squander kids, my name is Maruk and I am the Chief Assistant of Junta Faruk of Squander. This is the world that you are going live for next three days, but not inside. I assure that you are not going to like the tour of our Squander. First, do you know the meaning of term - ‘Squander’ ”?

Mannar blinked her eyes innocently, while Leon replied in undertone, “yes, it means waste.”

Maruk giggled excitedly and said, “There you go – Leon you are indeed a bright kid. Yes this is a waste land and here things and PEOPLE (he intentionally stressed on the word) stay that are considered as waste to Gorbs, so for the next three days you two are going to be with all the wastes of Gorbs and I assure you that you will not enjoy it.”

“But then, you, Junta Faruk and other few of your executives are living here too.” Mannar said in an ironic tone.

“That’s a sharp tongue you have young Mannar. First of all, know that ‘WE’ live in a private chamber which has all the luxury and amenities that one has in other advanced city of Gorbs. Secondly, you two are not going to be live inside this chamber next three days. Before I send you for short retribution, let me show you a digital broadcast on this screen.” Saying so Maruk pressed few buttons from his I2P2 and next instance, a big holographic screen presented itself in front of Leon and Mannar. Soon, the screen started showing the exterior of Squander city and its inhabitants. The young boy and girl soon observed that the inhabitants were mainly of demented humans, Sadhus, Popes, Imans and Monks of their ancient world. There were roaming like street dogs and eating whatever expired food and drinks that they found while roaming around. They were unkempt, ugly and had long tangled beards and mustache. Their clothes were torn and they looked demented in every way.

“Wondering how these ancient primitives are here. Let me explain you in detail; we had started resurrecting many of these primitives as experiment as soon as Esq. Mayden took his Gaffership. Many of our experiments were not successful as our popular ‘Nanonanicdote’ was not perfected. Those who failed and showed dementia, were brought here for the safety of Gorbs. They live here until they die. Of course, they are not cared as they have no control over the human emotions. They will Squander at sometime, in here.” Faruk took a long and fresh breath of air and looked at two teens.

“But why are you showing us this?” Mannar asked very curiously.

“Good question young girl. I do have answer for that. You two were sent here because both showed too much of negative human emotions and fought with each other using your physical body. Now, understand that in advanced world, human emotions are considered as weakness. By watching this city and being here for three days, you will learn what negative human emotions can do. Of course, you will be kept outside our private quarters and allowed to roam wherever you want to go and to talk with whomever demented people you meet in the exterior of this private Chamber.”

“What if we get infected or get sick?” Leon asked at once in a worried tone.

“Do not worry about that, you will be given few nano medicines before I let you out and that should keep you away from any infection for three days.” Maruk said with a big victorious smile on his face and picked up a small medicine kit and took out few small Pilule and handed three among them to each.

“Now go on, consume this and start you retribution of living in the exteriors of Squander city for three days. I only hope, when you come back you would have all your emotions in control.”

Thus the three days of Squander retribution began to Leon and Mannar.

***

Esq. Mayden has had a busy day in Paramount P. Walkova, the Cybermatic technieer has completed his task in managing to wipe out the new Opus written by Floyd. An untraceable nano cyber microbe has entered the web and wiped out many important data's, among them one was the popular and rapid attention gaining Opus of Floyd. Since there were others data that have been infected and wiped out too, the expert cyber executives just couldn’t think of any suspecting reasons to be taken seriously. All they could was to suggest to take the immediate backup of important Data's and dictums in the Data Center. Learning all this brought a smile on the face of Esq. Mayden. Despite that he looked a bit worried as no Juntas or high Executives has come forward to take the test in new IMBAM machine. The new Gaffer just didn’t wanted to force anyone openly. The only one thing he could be able to do was to announce the surprising result of his own IMBAM test. He hadn’t let anyone know it, save the old Gaffer Esq. Jagson yesterday. Hence Mayden made a quick decision and uploaded the resultant footages of himself taking the IMBAM test for the first time. He specifically highlighted the fact that since he had maintained his record MoP of 92 percentage in IMBAM, he will be the Gaffer for another ten long years since Yesterday.

His announcement soon went viral as all Juntas, Executives and common populace watched it on their available digital screens. They all watched the big inviting words “It’s Your TURN now.” Soon many close followers of present Gaffer congratulated him and replied back that they will take the test ASAP. The three Juntas, Faruk, Bohai and Aruba too came online and announced that they will be taking the test soon. The two Juntas, Blenda and Floyd, had just returned from the Cryonic Clime and were scribing the Case study when the announcement was made by Esq. Mayden. Both decided to wait for some time and allow others to complete the IMBAM test. Floyd was also worried that his Opus has been infected and wiped out and wanted to conduct a investigation on that too. Hence he just sent a private message to Esq. Mayden stating that he would take the test in a day or two.

***

Leon and Mannar prepared themselves mentally for the retribution as they were escorted out of the private chamber. It was afternoon, yet the exterior didn’t have any good fresh air. They walked for half an hour and stopped at a crashed building for a short rest. Both just didn’t know what to do. They sat at a slab like structure and leaned their back. Leon glanced at Mannar with concern and moved close to her. Just when he was about to touch her hand, they heard and saw something terrifying. It was the ugly screaming face of a demented Naga Sadhu of ancient Indian period. He suddenly jumped from above and stood looking at two and began to giggle uncontrollably. Quickly Leon pushed Mannar behind his back and faced the Naga Sadhu.

“Ahoy, the new recruit ha ha ha. You two have beautiful faces.” The middle aged thin Naga Sadhu pushed Leon roughly and took hold of Mannar’s face in his both palms and continued, “such a lovely young age, you are going waste girl, let me kiss your honey lips before you waste away.” Before the mad Naga Sadhu could kiss Mannar, Leon grabbed him and pulled him back.

Naga Sadhu stared at Leon for a long time and said in sad voice, “I just can’t fight you young man. Look - you are so strong and healthy, but - but look at me, I have no strength and I am dying.” The poor Naga Sadhu began to sob with utter disappointment. Suddenly he knelled in front of Leon and began to beg him holding his two legs.

“Please allow me to kiss that girl for once, I – I have never kissed a girl before. Let me do it before I die, please have mercy, allow me to suck those sweet lips of her – that will give me the pleasure of love once, just ONCE.” The Naga Sadhu screamed the last word with whatever strength he had left. Leon at once harshly kicked him away, the Naga Sadhu went down rolling and hit his head hard on a stone, and soon blood began to gush out of his head. Mannar looked at Leon and nodded her head sideways and pushed Leon away and knelled beside the Naga Sadhu.

“Look, whoever you are. I am sorry to see you in this state. Please don’t harm us in anyway, we are trying to help you.” She said trying to help the Naga Sadhu to a sitting position. The Naga Sadhu barely able to move, pushed her hand away and began to cry aloud, “Help! Help! HELP, no one can help me – I am mad and dying soon.” Next he looked at Mannar once and screamed, “go away girl  now - NOW.” Leon lifted Mannar up by holding her hand and gestured that they should walk away. Turning back again and again at the poor Naga Sadhu Mannar followed him. Suddenly she felt something hard in her suit, it was a green apple. She ran back and gave the apple to Naga Sadhu and wiped his tears which were continually running down his cheeks. She stood up and said in a sad tone, “we have to go.”

The whole day Mannar and Leon roamed in the sinister land and meet many other demented people. Some were aged Popes, who kept screaming that lord Jesus will rescue them. Some were Monks who only chanted divine words. Some were Indian Sadhus and Muslim Imans of ancient Pakistan, who kept on chanting Vedas and Mantras in their own dialect. Though all were harmless, they had given immense pain to Leon and Mannar with their desolated state and helplessness.

Leon and Mannar, already being tired and dejected found a old torn bed in what once was a living area of a house. Both slept on it as the night was closing in on Squander city.

***

Next morning Mannar woke up when the sun was already going towards the middle of the sky. She understood that she has slept too well and too long. She quickly looked around to see Leon. He was nowhere near. Just when Mannar began to get a panic attack, she heard some heavy footsteps and turned back to see Leon walking with handful of food scraps and four bottles of already half used health drinks. He placed them in front of Mannar and looked at her with a smile and said, “worry not, I managed to get something for us to eat and drink. Here, have it and don’t worry about hygienic, we just can’t have that in Squander.”

Mannar nodded her head and since she was already feeling hungry, gulped some food scraps closing her eyes and drank a health drink to wash it down. She felt relieved, but just then, she had a strong urge to urinate. She looked at the other end of crashed living room.

“There is a wash room that side Mannar, but I warn you it is not clean, so quickly finish your job and come back ASAP, right?” Leon said warning her before. Mannar quickly walked and pushed the half broken door and sat on the dirty yellowish commode and closing her eyes and nose urinated as quickly as she can. Her inner mind was aware of the fact that the door is half broken and there was every chance that Leon could see her in her pathetic state. She quickly opened her eyes and peeked through the door, but then Leon was sitting showing his back to her in the living room. Quickly Mannar pulled her inner garment up and tried to flush, which didn’t happened as there was no water in the tank. Without worrying about it she rushed outside waving her hands to wave off the flies.

Leon turned back and handed her another half-drunk water container and said, “here, wash your face and rinse you mouth.” Mannar did so walking at the outside vent of the living room and after a while, she looked better.

Soon both began to walk-away aimlessly. Suddenly Mannar understood that it was Leon who was taking care of her until now. She felt ashamed and asked in a low voice, “did you had something to eat Leon?” Leon smiled at her and said walking very closely beside her, “I did, don’t worry about me.” Just as they kept walking both became aware of the fact that their shoulders and hands were brushing as they walked. None tried to avoid it; it was a small comfort in the vicious waste land.

They saw a ruined park and quickly walked towards it. They entered the park and found a big tree still living. Both sat underneath it and began to think about their future in Gorbs. They were so involved that they didn’t hear the light coughs of a demented man. As the cough increased its volume, both looked terrified and looked in the direction of it. They saw a old man lying under another tree and mumbling ‘Misleta’ in his undertone. Both looked at each other. Leon gestured her that he would check the man and walked towards him and sat beside the old man.

“Are you feeling ill?” Leon touched the bare chest of old man and asked. The old man slowly opened his eyes and say Leon. After a long second, with the help of Leon the old man sat up. He peeked to see Mannar sitting under other tree. He murmured a question to himself once ‘is she misleta?’

“So, the wicked man sent you two as well.” The old man said trying to avoid his oncoming coughs.

“Who you are talking about?” Leon asked curiously.

“The one who calls himself as Esq. Mayden. Aha, what did you two young kids did to him?” the old man giggled once in spite of his coughs.

“We are the primitives of ancient world Earth, we were resurrected.” Leon replied carefully.

“But why did he sent you here?” The old man re-questioned.

“Actually, we wanted to visit this place and hence we acted as if we were quarreling, it worked out well and they sent us here for three days retribution.” Leon slowly gave away the truth hoping that the old man would not use it against them.

“Why the hell did you do that? This isn’t no heaven.” The old man said showing his annoyance.

“They kept us in R-Stead A and didn’t allow us to see the outer world. We were all withheld in a  chamber, and we both desperately wanted to see the outside world and hence we did that trick.” Leon said with a small victorious smile on his face.

“You young fools. Didn’t you know that you would be sent to Squander? This is the worst place in whole Gorbs that anyone with right mind don’t want to come.” The old man murmured spitting out a dark saliva from him mouth.

“Now then, you are here – be careful for another two days and go back and mind you, never dare to come here again.” The old man continued looking deeply into the eyes of Leon.

“We knew it was a risk. We took it as we want to rebel that Mayden.” Leon said looking here and there and making sure that no one is listening to them nearby. Mannar now being too curious as the conversation between Leon and old man was taking longer, came and sat beside Leon. The old man observed her keenly from his sharp eyes. Soon after a while, he began to laugh uncontrollably for a longer minute and after a couple of cough became serious and said, “look kids; I understand that you two have hot gore running, but rebel and that too, against Esq. Mayden is never possible. Well, let me tell you a short story of man who really is planning a rebel against the so called Gaffer. The man named Kentakov was one of the trustworthy assistant of Esq. Mayden and his earlier lived brother Jayden. Kentakov did all the dirty tasks as given by the brothers Mayden and Jayden. However, the same brothers betrayed the poor Kentakov and killed his lovely family and sent him to Squander to die. The brothers just didn’t know that Kentakov was well aware of all the past secrets of them and their families. Now, the old Kentakov is plotting a vengeance against living Esq. Mayden and sitting exactly in front of you.”

Leon looked at old man and exclaimed in utter astonishment, “You are Kentakov!”

Mannar too added wisely, “and you are not demented at all!”

***