SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Copyright 2004 © Vasanthan Senguttuvan

Chapter 8

“Where did you learned to drive like this? I felt I was in hell” Vasanth shouted at me when we were almost at Down town. The place wasn't for upper class people as it was much more crowded. I parked my car in a car parking though I afraid as my car was worth more than most of the cars parked there. If some one steals car, then mine will be the first target.

“Will my car be parked safely?” I queried Vasanth

“Have you forgot the past? Are do you ask me whether I know that?” Vasanth replied quickly.

“Hmm. I remember. Lot where doing, I forgot the persons also. Anyway it was more than six years”

“Forgot it, You will come back to Maya again!” He tried to stop me from thinking the past.

It was difficult for me to walk without hitting others. There was big crowd making a heavy traffic. Almost the tunnel has been occupied and there was only the service lane left for walking. Small vendors made steps on the tunnel so to build their shop. They all shouting calling whoever pass by.

Someone threw a cabbage over me. It was a small piece. Once I turned towards the point of origin a small boy was selling cabbages called me. He was on the top lane, as I could not hear he showed me an good cabbage and asked if I want that. I was angry as he thew a cabbage over me, however as he was a small boy I relaxed myself. I shook my head to say no to him.

“Try to walk fast. You can't answer everyone” Vasanth turned and advised me. He was walking in front of me.

“Wait. Where are you taking me?” I asked.

“Roses shop”

I didn't deny. We walked faster so as to avoid the crowd. After a thirty seconds walk we entered into sub tunnel. As soon as we entered we got high refreshment by the smell and the colours. The tunnel was full of vendors who sold only flowers and I could see mostly roses alone. They flooded lights over their flowers. It was much wonderful.

“I haven't seen this previously?”

“This was recent development” Vasanth replied.

“Beautiful” I exclaimed. I was flashing my sight all over the place as I like to see them.

“OK. Fine. Move with me” Vasanth words “ok fine” represents for his commands. It was a prefix.

I didn't want to move. Still I moved slowly watching here and there. I hit him once he stopped at a place. As I was not seeing the pathway I didn't notice that he stopped.

He moved my chin towards an old lady. She seemed to be poor but she was beautiful to her age.

“I need a bunch of roses for my friend” I asked the old lady.

“How old is she?” She asked.

“How do you know I'm buying for a girl?” I queried.

Both the old lady and Vasanth laughed. The old lady should have guessed her age. She took a bunch of yellow roses and placed a red rose in between, then she took gray coloured roses and placed around those yellow rosed. She stretched her hand once and saw that, then she decided to change the appearance. She was trying to arrange something. After she inserted few more flowers and finally she made a knot with blue ribbon. She gave me the roses and smiled.

I took and saw it placing at a distance. It looked like a heart pierced by a rose.

“Oh. God...” Before I complete Vasanth continued '...fantastic”. He gave some rupees to her getting the roses in other hand.

I was looking at him but he didn't care for that.

“I want to see Madhu Mitha. Not for your sake” He thought he has answered.

“I didn't fell in love with her”

“Yeah, I know you pretend like that. You are cheating her!” Vasanth replied.

I couldn't reply. It raised the weight of my heart. I didn't say anything and I just followed him.

Someone hit me badly, it wasn't painful as I was already straining by my mistakes. Soon we came to my car. We didn't talked by that time.

“Nice Roses, isn't it?” he showed me the roses when I started my car. I looked at him without any expression.

“If you don't want I will throw it out” he told as if though he don't know anything. I didn't say anything but I focused on driving the car.

“She is a good girl. She was distressed by her divorce. I just wanted to help her, so that I didn't deny whatever she wants. I'm not after sex” I told without looking at him and then I looked at him. He nodded but seems not satisfied.

“May be if she looks at me then she will change her direction” he combed his hair and looked me with a pride.

“Umm humm” I acknowledged, but I planned something.

Soon he slept. He works much hard when no one around him, and tries to sleep whenever he has time. I slowed my speed so that he can sleep for sometime. I was looking at the tunnel streets and cars passing by, for half an hour. Although council was in underground there were no direct path from the lower places, instead we have to go up and come down through another root.

Once we reached the council I shook his shoulders. He woke up immediately and tried to identify where he was. May be he don't know when he slept.

“We were in” I told him loudly.

“Oh, I see. What is the special item today?” he asked in half senses.

I beat my forehead myself and told “You will know. Get out”. Once he was out of the car I opened my purse once to see my Maya photo. I looked at her photo and whispered “I'm waiting for you”. Then I came out and ordered my car to park itself.

We both walked parallel towards the entrance. We reached the security without any conversation. There the same fat policeman was there. Once he turned and looked us he stood up. It was uneasy for me.

I pressed his shoulders in order to tell him to sit.

“I wanted you to give respect not to become slave” I told with a smiling face.

He smiled back and gave us the security cards.

Vasanth told in a low voice so that only I can hear “Why is my card? I don't use original one!”

I looked at him biting my tongue a little to show 'keep quiet'.

I told “Thanks” to the policeman and entered into the council. We both turned towards left and once we turned fully I stopped at asked him “Your council is that side, What are you doing here?”

He smiled with an intention “Just to get introduction to Madhu”

“No I won't allow this” I thought it was not good

“Ha” he began to walk and told “I have right to see any member here”

There is no use in showing mercy to him, the right person to handle is someone else. I took the video messenger and dialed his home. Once I saw susi, I signed her not to speak any thing and just watch. I held the messenger in my palm without showing to him. When I looked straight he was almost before Madhus' room. I ran slightly to catch him. We both stood before the door. I raised my hand to touch the authenticator in the door. Suddenly the fairy came through the door and stopped before me. It raised a little and came near my face. It was almost as tall as my face. It then kissed me and laughed. It was very cute.

“Me” Vasanth asked the fairy.

Fairy looked as soon as she heard his voice. “Who is this?” it asked.

“Asking me who? Wait I will make you 90yrs old lady” Vasanth played with the fairy.

Once the fairy heard like that it flew back and held my shoulder. It starred him from there. I wanted to convince both “Don't afraid. He is my friend”. Although it doesn't seems to be fully convinced. It flew back inside and opened the door from there.

Once we entered into the room I saw Madhu was walking towards us. She might be wondering who the other person was. Both looked from top to bottom of each other.

“Well, This is Vasanth. Top scientist in robotics “ I told looking at her. Then I turned at Vasanth to tell some thing. But he shook his head to tell that he knows her name.

We were still standing near the door. She came near to us and made a round. Then she walked towards her chair. She walked so that her ass get attraction. Might be she intended to do so. I changed my look. Vasanth whispered “Nice to bite” looking at her ass. I raised my hand to my ear level and asked him “Come again” in slow voice. Without changing at the look he told “Yeah, I should come again to see ... her ... ass”. My messenger in the palm was capturing the scene from the back of us to what he heard.

“Do you know what will happen if Susi, know this?”

“Why are remembering her?” He showed little frustration.

“I could feel the heat from here!” I could not control my laugh, but I managed.

“What?!” he turned at me.

“Nothing” I hide my messenger. It would be a great day for him in his home.

“Come and have your seats” she asked as when she went to her seat. We moved and seated before the tables in front of the table.

“So, how was it?” she asked taking something.

“Super” Vasanth said enthusiastically. He would have meant her ass.

I hit his thigh without her knowledge. She looked him with a question mark.

“Yeah fine. The travel isn't it?” I tried to break her doubt.

“Yeah, I too meant that” Vasanth told the lie.

“Mmm” She acknowledged.

“What can I do for you?” She asked Vasanth.

“Actually I'm looking for...” he turned and looked at me to complete the sentence. I made a question mark in my face and looked at him as if though I too waiting for his answer. I wanted him to get in trouble to entering her room just for seeing her.

“...un maned vehicles licenses.” he told some thing irrelevant. She didn't seems to have any interest.

He continued “.. an accident that might have killed Viji”. Now she sat well and showed interest in his words.

“Accident? When, How, Any problems?” She left much less time between the words.

“Well. He will continue. I will take leave if you tell me where can I get those things?”

“OK” She turned towards the fairy and continued “Sai, give him temporary access for the public records”. Then she turned towards him and told “Share me whatever information you have. I will try my best to deal with it. Any thing else?” She wanted him to leave. He should have understood. “I will be in my council, Call me when you are done” he told and started towards the door. While walking he turned towards the fairy flying along with him “Give the access to my assistant. He will be happy once he sees you”. Satan would terrify Sai, I guessed.

We both were looking at him till he went outside. As soon as the door was closed she stood up and hurried towards me. She placed both her palms in my face. It was chill and soft.

“Are you alright?” She looked like she will cry if I said no.

“No, problem. I managed”

“I can't imagine something wrong to you” She came nearby to me. I thought she would kiss me. She looked directly in my eyes and said “I will not allow you die”.

If I would have told my self terminating request she would have killed me before the date. I thought so, because she is coming close to me.

I want to change the topic. “How is your husband?” I asked slowly. She would have irritated. She took her hand from my face and moved towards his chair.

“I don't have husband. The word doesn't have any meaning after divorce” She completed when she sat on the chair.

I don't want to continue the topic. She would become uncontrollable. I took the bunch of roses and showed before her. Her face changed and showed a smile.

“What is it?”

“Just for you. I bought it with great difficult!”

“Its good. Its look like a heart!”

“Is it?” I questioned as if though I didn't know about that.

She plugged a petal from a rose.

“Is it real roses?” She was wondering.

“Yes Mam. Real roses cultivated in soil. Not like the one we get from our shops”

“Thank you” She really meant it.

“You asked for leave today? And why didn't you come back?” She questioned and continued “Did you ... miss ... anything?”. She meant her.

“Yeah. Well you see ... I came to give this roses. It won't live more than a day” I lied.

Now I have to ask for what I need.

“Well. I take leave today” I paused a while and continued. “Has Movli requested you anything?”

Her face changed, but she tried to hide that.

“No, not like that!” She lied. However I continued “Well, he was talking like that some day before. But I don't remember. Thats why I asked” I manged to be innocent by that time.

She struggled. She might not want to let me know that, as she knows I will oppose that.

I manged myself to look like innocent so as to move her. She looked at me for a while thinking something. She then said “Its nothing. A new bill is about to come. As usual, there may be oppositions. So I should not revel that”

“Well thats what I want. Come on. Tell me something more” I shouted within my mind.

She didn't tell any thing more. I thought I should pull more information.

“If it is so secret to even for me, then it should be relating to me also. Isn't it?

She struggled. But I continued “if any bill that requires my permission means then it would be 'human production' bill isn't it?”

She stood up.

“If not the same at least similar kind isn't?” I fired my questions.

She stumbled by saying “Please don't ask anything more about it ... here”

I realized there will be monitors to capture each and every aspect of our movement. I cared them much less, but this will affect Madhu, so I stopped questioning her.

I turned with a disappointment. After few steps I got an idea. I turned again and went towards her table. I removed my watch and placed it on the table. I pressed two buttons simultaneously. It beeped twice. I raised my head and turned a little and said “I have now disabled sensors. Can't be do it for more than 60seconds. So quickly tell where can I find the files?”

“I said, I can't tell”

“Do you want me to be alive or dead?”

“Please”

“Don't waste the time. Where is it?”

“”

“20seconds more. Quick”

“”

“You said you will do anything to save my life!”

“”

“Want to see another accident? 10 Seconds more. Tell me”

“I can only say it is 'Blue file'” She told with heavy heart, as she is violating the rules.

Soon the 60sec was over and so we finished talking about it. I took my watch and placed on my hand. It was very hot as it spent lot of energy to block sensers. I was convinced a little as I got something to start with. I can't use this same blocking method twice a day, the building controller will soon sense something is wrong. So I can't meet Rajan also.

I decided to quit. Before that I have to search some other place. I moved towards my Maya's room in the council.