I got shocked realising why some robbers took my wallets away, in different occasions. Clark and Danny understood that I realised the answer.

‘I also got two innocent civilians hurt, when I beat them with Dean.’

Then again I remembered last day’s scene when some gang members stroked on me.

‘I was also involved in kidnapping children of people, just for sake of little money.’

Then I looked at them remembering Jerry’s kidnap. Clark pointed something behind me. I turned around and saw my son Jerry standing. I didn’t show any expression of happiness, I just claimed:

‘Thank God, he’s safe!’

‘Likewise, Petunia’s kidnap was also planned.’

‘Yeah, I got it,’ I replied realizing the fact and continuing the note, ‘the last point says: I was almost involved in the murder of Mr Carrey, who had nothing against me.’

At once, I understood today’s situation of the police investigation and realised all my crimes. And Then Danny added:

‘You forgot to mention one point, that was of shooting someone in leg while the murder took place… but still we also planned that, as you know your own leg got shot today.’

‘Right!’ I said reading the following paragraph. ‘My last wish is to suffer all these kinds of problems and difficulties which others suffered because of me while I was N.3.’

After finishing it, I kept it aside and saw that I was sweating all over in distress.

Another Twist

Seeing me getting stressful, Clark said to me:

‘Look Graham, we had nothing personal against you…it was your last wish and it was quite painful for us to give you all these sufferings.’

‘Yes, I understand… the conclusion of the story is that I gave a lot of pain and suffering to others. And after getting a sense of humanity for others, I wished to suffer all that torment. But I committed a suicide, which lead me to retrograde amnesia. After that you both fulfilled my wish, by giving…’

‘…Especially me,’ Clark interrupted.

‘Okay… but guys please tell me about Linda.’

‘Graham there’s a sad twist here….’

‘What is it? Tell me,’ I said getting curious.

‘During that time period, Linda and you got divorced.’

‘What the hell are you saying?’ I exclaimed standing up. ‘I don’t want to hear this bullshit.’

‘What’s your second pride?’ Clark asked.

‘My signature…’

‘Then have a look,’ Danny said giving me a document in paper form.

I took the paper from him, it was a divorce signed between Linda and I. I felt grieved after realising the fact that Linda and I were really divorced. I believed this because it was signed with my recognised signature.

Clark and Danny came closer to me seeing that I was about to weep. I tried not to have a pity on myself, but I couldn’t help it. I began to cry slowly, but I asked them another question:

‘Why did we get divorced?’

‘Because she didn’t like your unfaithfulness..’

‘Oh, God!’ I said in distress, ‘but guys I also heard that in Amnesia, a person’s memory recovers under some conditions. Why didn’t my memory recover, even though you showed and told me everything?’

‘Unfortunately, this was a permanent memory loss case,’ Danny replied.

Then I removed their hands from my shoulders and walked out of my room, saying:

‘I need a time to be by myself.’

As I stepped outside, I saw Petunia, who stopped me,

‘Where are you going?’

‘Police station, I have to confess my crime…’

I left her and walked away outside from the restaurant. While I was walking I realised that due to my memory loss, that day I felt like seeing new staff in school and new faces in that class room.

Six Months Later

Six months later at Berlin’s Central Jail, I woke up at my lock up room. I started walking in my room as usual. One of the jailors came and said to me:

‘Mr Norton! Your time is over, you’re to leave today.’

After half an hour, I was walking with some jailors at the corridor of the central jail. We reached the exit, and the guards opened the gate for me. My imprisonment of six months was over today. I stepped outside, and saw Petunia standing at a little distance from the gate. I walked towards her and went closer to her. She asked me:

‘How are you Graham?’

‘Good!’

‘Was it difficult for you to be there?’

‘No, I was okay’ I replied in low voice, ‘anyways thanks for coming here to pick me.’

‘Don’t be thankful, I want you to be with me. Or else you’ll miss your wife Linda.’

‘So kind of you, but right now I have to look out for a new job.’

‘You don’t need to, because Clark and Danny got you reinstated at your job.’

‘Really?’ I asked getting happy, ‘You mean I can go back to that school.’

‘Yes, now when everything’s back to normal, you don’t need to be suspicious on anyone.’

‘Oh of course, I’m not suspecting anyone. But there’s something I’ve realized. Everyone gets what he deserves, I got what I deserved, whatever happened with me was actually God’s punishment and I had to accept that for my sins.’

Petunia had no words to say anything. So she held his arm and said:

‘Let’s go, Graham!’

Petunia and I left the place and went to her home.

I decided to have rest of my days with her as my son Jerry was also meant to be with Linda. But still I continued to have a better life with Danny as my colleague and Clark as my friend, along with Petunia as my future wife.

The first story ended. The reader then began reading the second story:

My Birthday’s Midnight

Do you believe in coincidences?

Psychological Patient

2014 (present day)

France, 10 o’clock in night, Dr Farhad, a psychiatrist is walking in streets. He turns towards a building of apartments. The security guard stops him and asks:

‘Where are you going?’

‘To see Mr Balaach, You know me… I’ve been coming here since one year.’

‘You come here every Saturday Mr Farhad. Today it’s Friday.’

‘I don’t have any fixed day,’ Dr Farhad replies.

Jamie Bricks a girl who lived around comes towards the doctor and says worriedly:

‘Dr Farhad… I need to talk to you.’

Doctor Farhad walks outside away from the building with her. Jamie eagerly says:

‘Dr. I need to talk to Balaach. It’s urgent…!’

‘About?’

‘I can’t tell you right now.’

‘Look Jamie… I’m his doctor and my patient is in distress. I can’t let him hear anything that would increase his stress. So you must tell me what are you going to tell him?’

‘How is he anyway?’ she asks.

‘Well, he is getting a little better and nearly after three months he’ll be okay. If I keep going on this way with his treatment.’

‘I can’t wait for three months.’

She walks away saying this.

The security guard calls her. She stops and walks towards him. The doctor walks inside towards the building. The guard asks Jamie:

‘Ma’am, what’s wrong with Mr. Balaach.’

‘I supposed you knew it…’

‘Well, I know that he’s a psychological patient but what’s his disease or illness…’

‘I forgot his disease,’ name but I know that he is suffering from a disease in which he doesn’t remembers some moments of his life.’

‘Amnesia?’

‘Not exactly,’ she replies, ‘it’s different from that and more dangerous.’

‘He’s a Muslim right?’

‘It has nothing to do with his cast or religion.’

‘I didn’t mean that. I just want to ask that how did this happen with him.’

‘Doctor’s coming back in an hour. You can ask further details from him.’

She leaves the building and walks away sort of arrogantly.

How did We Break up?

At the thirteenth floor of that building, the doctor was at Aziz Balaach’s apartment. Aziz Balaach was around twenty eight years old. He lived alone in his apartment and on top of every room’s wall, there were cameras fitted by him on doctor’s command. He was having a conversation with his doctor while they were seated,

‘So, you are taking your pills on time’ the doctor says.

‘Yes.’

‘You’re not leaving your home?’

‘Yes, and it’s killing me’ Balaach says giving an expression of frustration, ‘I haven’t left my house since four months. Please let me go outside.’

‘This is part of your treatment. You have to compromise if you want to get cured.’

‘But I’m a prisoner here.’

‘I told you that you should invite you guests here. Your friends, relatives or girlfriends.’

‘I had only one girl friend and I broke up with her. I really miss her.’

‘Look Balaach,’ the doctor says gently, ‘you need to worry about yourself only. I promise you, I’ll bring her here. Anyways, are you getting your money from your store?’

‘Yes, every week I get some amount. My workers are not running my store the way I used to. I guess I hired wrong people.’

‘You’re getting enough money to fulfill your expenses. So that’s okay for you…’

‘I need to go and see my store,’ Balaach pleads.

‘Not now Balaach. There is an allegation on you, regarding that murder. The moment you’ll step outside your house; the police force will arrest you.’

Moments later, the doctor leaves his home. Balaach looks at a picture in frame kept on his table. In the picture, Balaach was with his girlfriend Komal Shah. He talks to Komal who was in the picture:

‘Whenever, I look at you… only one question comes in my mind. How did we break up? There can be two reasons. Either you left me because of Claude’s behavior. Or because of my disease… But I’m sure that you didn’t left me because of Shams because you never loved him. You loved me and you still do.’

Then he keeps back the frame, and begins walking. He walks towards his every room to make sure that the cameras were still on. He goes to his bed room and lies on his bed.

‘Claude must be stopped,’ he talks to himself, ‘I don’t know the exact reason about how or why I broke up with Komal. But there is something Claude knows. The allegation on me is because of him. He has the answer to my every question.’

He closes his eyes and prepares to sleep.

First time we Met

2013

Thirteen months back in Paris, Balaach had a grocery store named Aziz Sons. This store was actually run by his father who died years ago. These days he was living with his mother. His younger brother Javed was still doing his studies. Balaach had no other job. Therefore, he worked as an employee plus supervisor in his store.

Komal Shah was a beautiful young girl who had just graduated from her university. She had a very loving heart and was soft spoken.

One morning, Komal was going to Aziz Sons for the first time with Shams, a guy whom she didn’t like. But Shams was crazy about her and was actually trying to get closer to her.

Balaach was feeling a little bored in his store at the counter table as usual. Komal comes towards him but doesn’t see him. As she begins to ask something, she stops before speaking, seeing his face. Balaach feels a little strange and says:

‘Would you mind if I ask you to stop staring at me?’

‘…Oh, of course not,’ she says getting present minded.

‘Yes, how can I help you?’

‘Actually, I wanted to ask for the cells corner… But I would rather like to tell you that… you’re very much familiar with…my favorite superstar.’

‘Cells are available at that corner,’ he replies pointing somewhere as if he was not interested in what she was telling him.

‘Oh, thank you,’ she said looking at him.

Shams comes next to her and holds her arm,

‘Let’s go, Komal. This place is making me uncomfortable.’

Komal resists her arm and says:

‘Shams, I’ve warned you before do not to touch me…’

‘Okay, then come along silently…’

‘Let her go’ Balaach says arrogantly.

Shams lets off her arm, gets angry and says in mockery:

‘Look, who’s talking to me. Listen workman, stay in your limits and don’t stop me from doing things I do my way.’

‘I don’t like men’s misbehaviour towards women.’

‘Oh really, but you better stay out of my issues or else.’

‘Or else?’ Balaach questions.

‘I’ll sue you by talking to your supervisor.’

‘Try it… because it’s a bad news for you. The person you’re talking to right now is actually the owner and supervisor of this store.’

Komal gets impressed with Balaach’s confidence. Shams sees Balaach’s identity card and angrily leaves the store.

‘Thank you,’ she says to Balaach.

‘No problem…!’

This was the first time when Komal and Balaach both saw each other. Komal liked Balaach’s attitude and beauty that reminded her of her favorite superstar. But Balaach obviously had no special feelings for her.

to be continued...