SHORT STORIES FRIDAYS (61)

THE SCIENTIST WHO TURNED INTO A MONSTER ( PART THREE)

Sunny contacted his good friend cum family doctor, Harshawardhan, over the phone and said, ” Hi Harsh! I am planning to take a vacation for a month. But I can’t leave my inventions unguarded. ‘I don’t know whom to trust. Would you help me out? “
Harsh replied, ” Anytime for you. What would you like me to do? ” Sunny requested him to keep his inventions ( the gadgets and the remote) until he came back. Harsh replied,”Don’t worry, my friend. I will guard your inventions with my life. Drop in anytime you like. You are such a workaholic. You deserve a break. So, take your own sweet time to come back.”

Sunny was obviously touched by his kind gesture. However, he knew the risks associated with his inventions. So, he already had four copies along with the originals safely locked in his bank locker. He decided to create a few more, just to be sure.
Exactly a week later, Sunny paid a visit to his pal with the pendant ( the dual purpose gadget) and the remote (to open the vortex into the black hole in the space). He explained how to operate them to Harshawardhan who was more excited than a toddler. Before taking his leave, Sunny added, “I wish to warn you about the dangers associated with my inventions. I recently survived a bid on my life which is the main reason of my taking a break. Better keep it at home or in your bank locker or a safe. If the terrorists get any wind of my inventions, they will use it to destroy our country.” Harsh assured him of safeguarding the gadgets.

Sunny and Harsh had coffee together before the scientist left for his trip. Harsh wanted to try using both the mind reader as well as the hypnotizer. He smiled as he thought of testing the gadget on his family. He had a wife, Anamika ( a housewife)and his sons, Ayan, and Mayank were pursuing their degrees in engineering and medicine respectively. The rest of the day was uneventful.

Sunny changed the security code of his laboratory and forwarded the password to Lavanya after texting her to check on the lab, occasionally. Then, he went home and packed his suitcase.

Meanwhile, Harsh finished his work for the day and drove home. He rang the door bell. Their domestic help, Smita, opened the door. ” Namaste, Saab,” she greeted him. Harsh asked, ” Namaste, What’s my wife doing?” Smita seemed to hesitate. Harsh thought it was a great chance to test the gadget. He pressed the yellow button and waited for Smita’s response. He chuckled as he could read her thoughts. Smita thought, ” Memsaab has asked me not to tell him about her shopping. I will tell him she’s gone to a temple. ” She said, ” Memsaab told me that she was going to visit Sai Baba temple to participate in the Aarti ( Hymns). The dinner is ready, Saab.”

Harsh took pity on her and accepted her lie without further discussion. He freshened up and asked Smita to give him tea first. He would have dinner with his wife. Anamika came home by 9 PM. However, instead of Smita, Harsh opened the door. Anamika looked surprised, ” Why did you open the door? Where’s Smita? ” Harsh replied, ” Leave the poor girl alone. It’s not a big deal. By the way, have you got the Prasaad? She told me about your temple visit.” Harsh pressed the yellow button again and listened to her thoughts, ” Thank God, Smita had a good sense not to tell him that ‘I had swiped his credit card and got myself some great deals. ‘I had the good sense to keep my shopping bags inside luggage compartment of the car. ‘I will ask Ayan to pick them up.”

Harsh waved his hand in front of her face and said, ” Earth to Anamika? I asked you for the Prasaad( an offering made to God). Cat got your tongue? ” Anamika said, ” Oh my God! I seemed to have dropped it accidentally on my way home.” Harsh refrained himself from commenting and let her in.

Later, they had dinner together. Anamika assisted Smita to clear the dining table and the kitchen befor joining Harsh in the living room. He asked her,” So, which temple did you visit?” Anamika replied, ” Durga temple.” Harsh replied, ” But Smita told me you were visiting Sai Baba temple.” Anamika came up with another lie, ” Yes, Baba temple too. I and my friend, Anjali, first visited Sai Baba Temple and then to Durga Temple.” Harsh raised his eyebrow, ” Oh, You mean The Big Bazaar Shopping Mall. That’s your idea of a temple right? ” Anamika was scared, ” B…. But how did you know? Did Smita snitch on me? ” Harsh hit back, ” I am sick of your filthy lies. Don’t you blame the poor woman. She was desperately trying to save your skin. ‘I have never opposed your shopping extravaganza. I only advised you to exercise self-control on the amount of money, you squander away on unnecessary items. I can’t accept your lies.” Anamika apologized to him. He melted away at the sight of his wife shedding a tear. He decided to check the hypnotizer as well. He pressed the red button and said, ” Now, ‘I want you to hand over your credit cards and also to get me hot cocoa.”

Anamika was in a state of trance. She got up and went to prepare hot cocoa. She handed him a cup. Then, she opened her purse and handed over her credit card to him. Harsh was ecstatic. He thought he had struck gold with the gadgets and mentally thanked Sunny for entrusting him with the responsibility of keeping his invention safe. At the same time, he also had a crooked idea forming in his mind to take the maximum advantage of the gadgets. But then his conscience pricked him. He felt like he was in a cartoon show with an angel and a devil sitting on each of his shoulder and confusing him over what to do if Sunny cancelled his trip and asked him to return his inventions.

Watch out for the next episode for a dangerous twist in the tale.

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