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Imaginary Paradises

Imaginary Paradises and Real Hells

Fiction

Aziz raised the machine gun and pumped a million bullets into the heart of his frustrations.

            Firoz lay dead in a pool of warm blood which exuded a smell that strangely reminded Aziz of the chemistry lab in his college.  Soon he would be lying in a similar pool of blood, his own blood, Aziz knew.  He had killed one of the top leaders of the organisation and he would be a fool to hope that he could get away with it.

            What would be the smell of my blood?  He asked himself.  Will it smell of the deodorant whose seductiveness is what first drew him to Miriam?

            “Miriam will be a suicide bomber,” Firoz had decided.

            Miriam was Maria.  Maria Joseph of St Antony’s College whose humid corridors carried various odours one of which was the seductive fragrance that wafted whenever Maria Joseph of B.Sc. (Bio) came along.  Aziz was a B.Sc. (Chem) student of the same batch. 

            When Firoz suggested to make a non-Muslim girl fall in love with him, it was the fragrance of Maria that rushed into his veins and made him blush.

            But why? He wondered. “Why should I fall in love with a kafir?”  He asked.

            “Who’s asking you to love anybody?” He growled. “The girl should fall.  In love.  With you.”

            But why?

            Our mission.

            Firoz explained.  A new world, a totally different world, emerged in Aziz’s imagination as Firoz spoke.  A paradise on earth.  One god, one religion, one Caliphate.  All infidels will be converted.  Or else eliminated.

            Miriam’s duty was to eliminate.  She would be a suicide bomber.  A martyr.  Firdaws, nothing less, awaited her.

            “But we thought we would be creating the paradise on the earth!” exclaimed Aziz.

            “Yes.  Paradise on earth requires martyrs and their work on the foundation.  Miriam is fortunate to have been chosen to be a martyr.”

            “But I love her,” Aziz protested in spite of all the training that they were given over months.   They were taught to forget earthly attachments until the mission is accomplished.  Once the mission is accomplished, their rewards would be manifold, so much more than they could ever have imagined.

            “In the meanwhile you can get another girl to fall in love with you,” Firoz grinned.

            It was then Aziz grabbed the machine gun.  To hell with Firdaws and Paradise.

            He flung the smoking gun and walked out. 

            He saw a drugged Miriam get into the driver’s seat of a car.  Suicide bomber.

            “Miriam!”  He wanted to call.  But his voice died in his throat as he became aware of the steel barrel of a pistol behind his head.  “Allah! Mercy!”

Comments

  1. sunaina sharmaJuly 11, 2016 at 8:22 PM

    The steel that comes between Allah's mercy and Aziz is the steel of irrationality of fanaticism that is wrecking our world. This is in sync with your previous post - youth being misled, willingly or otherwise. I am glad you came back with short story, your forte....:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:44 AM

      Fiction is the ideal form when emotions are high.

      Delete
  2. Tina BasuJuly 11, 2016 at 9:24 PM

    Very nicely written short story!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kala RaviJuly 11, 2016 at 9:39 PM

    I am having goosebumps after reading this! Short, action and emotion packed! I wish the truth was far away from the fiction you have written but sadly, it happens to be the bitter truth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:45 AM

      Unfortunately it is the bitter truth. Perhaps, truth is even more bitter!

      Delete
  4. ChittuJuly 11, 2016 at 9:54 PM

    A very well written short story!

    ReplyDelete
  5. none to be knownJuly 11, 2016 at 10:03 PM

    It's a short story hiding a great plot for thinking. It Gives light on end of many terrorist groups. They will be wiped off due to their internal quarrel. Like Jesus said "for all those who draw sword shall die by it". The plot of the story is an important issue in the near future. Many girls even from our small Kerala has been abducted and used by such terrorist groups. So its the time to think..

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownJuly 11, 2016 at 10:06 PM

    Terrorism is the bane of mankind.The day it ends,humanity will triumph

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:47 AM

      The world has reached at a conflict between humanity and terrorism. Which will triumph is the question.

      Delete
  7. ManiparnaJuly 11, 2016 at 10:10 PM

    Truth it is. A compact story touching so many things in this short span; love zihad, the frustrations of numerous Azizs, the pseudo- religious reasons which the terrorists put in favour of the massacre...very well-written, Sir....:-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:48 AM

      Thanks, Maniparna. What exactly drives Azizes to terrorism is still a mystery.

      Delete
  8. IraJuly 11, 2016 at 10:59 PM

    Power packed story in sync with the present scenario where youth are lured into these acts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:49 AM

      A lot of youngsters are being misled, unfortunately. The idealism of youth is being mischannelled.

      Delete
  9. ShaiviJuly 11, 2016 at 11:10 PM

    Such a strong message in few words...

    ReplyDelete
  10. EshaJuly 11, 2016 at 11:30 PM

    Powerful story! Fiction reflects reality and a bitter truth.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pranju chakrapaniJuly 12, 2016 at 7:03 AM

    Some say it is because of not wearing a skull cap that make them do such heinous acts. I say it is all written in the holy book that makes them have their own interpretations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 7:27 AM

      If all the holy books perish in a mysterious fire or something, the world may be redeemed.

      Delete
  12. MoonJuly 12, 2016 at 4:34 PM

    A great story, sir! Misleading youth in the name of religion is perhaps the biggest socioreligious problem in today's world. However, I am unable to understand how highly educated people from educated, liberal and well-to-do families get influenced by such radical thoughts and become so violent in the name of religion!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJuly 12, 2016 at 5:37 PM

      There are big discussions going on in the Malayalam mass media about this issue. One Muslim educator has done some field study too and his hypothesis is that there is a mental disorder that's gripping some of the youth today because of various psycho-social problems. Some are of the opinion that it's a politico-social problem which in other words means it's about power. Islam is trying to impose its power on everybody. But why educated people from liberal families should fall prey to that power game is a question which may be answered only by the mental disorder hypothesis!

      Delete
  13. UnknownJuly 12, 2016 at 8:30 PM

    Indeed a powerful one, and, enough to shake our senses within.

    ReplyDelete

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