You son of a bitch! Fight me one to one, and see how I make you swallow your own teeth."
Rajan's back was on the wall, and he had no other option but to turn aggressive.
This time Ranjan's eyes popped in astonishment!
"Really? Really Rajan? Really? I can't believe my ears. A person who hadn't even killed a rat in his entire life has so much of courage! Okay, okay! You will get this desire of fighting me one to one fulfilled."
Ranjan looked at his watch, and pressing a button said,
"From the executive power that has been bestowed on me by the Joker, I permit you to fight me one to one. See, I am unarmed, and I will not seek anyone's help. Your time to beat me black and blue starts now. But, remember you have only five minutes!"
It was true that Rajan had been a non-violent person throughout his entire life. He had never beaten even his children when they did all kinds of naughtiest things in the world. But, living in this hell had made Rajan a completely different man.
"Come on! What are you waiting for? The clock is ticking."
Dancing on his nimble feet, Ranjan said that impatiently. Rajan didn't waste any moment, and punched Ranjan's face with all the might he possessed, and he knew that after working hard here for almost a month he had gained good power. Unfortunately, the blow missed completely to hit the target, because Ranjan was quick enough to sway his head. But, there was an expression of appreciation in his voice, as he said,
"Good blow! So, you can punch!"
Rajan was very angry. Without paying any hiddance, he again pounced on him. This time with two left right jabs.
But, what the heck! Again, Ranjan evaded the jabs with comfortable ease.
"Oh God! Why am I missing?" Ranjan prayed to the God silently.
"Ha ha! You know what? To be selected as an employee for the Joker's company, you have to know a few extra skills other than your academic qualifications. You must know karate or boxing or any one of the martial arts. A good boxer always watches his opponent's every move. The moment you raise your hand, I apprehend what is going to come, and prepare myself according to that. Even a nano-second is good enough for me to evade a blow, and you are no boxer. Do you want to continue or will you give up?"
Ranjan was in no mood of giving up. So, for the third time he attacked, and this time with a little bit of strategy. He said,
"You are good at boxing." So far Ranjan was just defending and not attacking. So, in a friendly move he moved a step closer to Ranjan, as if he was going to shake his hand. Ranjan was slightly off guard. He was a bit confused. He didn't know what to do.
Now, Ranjan was completely within his reach, and seemed to be off guard. Rajan kept talking,
"You must have known boxing even in your college days. But, why did you hide this from all? You could have got respect from your peers."
Ranjan was going to say something in a friendly manner. Rajan knew that was the moment, and with all the power he possessed he punched Ranjan straight in his right eye.
But Rajan's wish of hitting Ranjan was not fulfilled, as again Ranjan evaded the blow at the last moment. He seemed to be having a back made of spring. But, immediately after evading the blow, Ranjan jabbed at Rajan's right rib with his left hand. Rajan fell on the ground by the impact of the jab. He was writhing in pain. By the acuteness of the pain, it seemed to Rajan that one of his ribs might have been broken.
"Get up! Nothing is broken. You still have one and half minute left. Don't you want to take revenge on me? After one and half minute you will have nothing but pain. So get up and hit me." Ranjan again threw up a challenge.
Rajan was again back on his feet. He didn't want to miss the one and half minute. This prejudiced, perverted man had caused a lot of harm to him and his family. Rajan couldn't leave him unscathed. But, Rajan knew that beating Ranjan in boxing would be impossible for him, as Ranjan was indeed a very good boxer, and Rajan had never punched anyone in his entire life. So, he had to employ some other tricks. But, would Ranjan fall for his tricks? But, Rajan had to try. So he said,
"No boss! I don't want to fight you any more. Do you remember what we used to say in the IIT? Janhapana tusi great ho! I just want to tell you that. I want to touch your feet brother. Can I?"
"Hmm! Why do you want to do that?" Clearly there was a sense of satisfaction in Ranjan's voice.
"Well brother, it's true that people like me might have scored better than you in the exams, but you have made me understand what is the real meaning of success. We have been working like a coolie in the US, getting only a fraction of the salaries of our white counterparts, and still thinking that we are so lucky! But, talking to you has opened my eyes, and now I know the real meaning of success. Do whatever you want to do with me, but please allow me to touch your feet."
"Okay, you may. But, no dirty thricks! The punishment you may not be able to bear." There was clearly a sense of complacency in Ranjan's voice.
Rajan was on his knees as if he was going to prostrate before Ranjan. But, suddenly he changed his mind and bang! The pent-up anger was cleary manifested by the right hand stroke with which Rajan hit Ranjan's groin, a low blow, prohibited in any kind of sports.
Ranjan was slightly complacent, and he couldn't avoid this one. Even though he was on the floor folding his knees close to his tummy and with an expression of severe pain on his visage, he didn't make any noice. The door was open. Without wasting a second, Rajan darted off from the room in a flash. This was the first time in his stay that he was not accompanied by anyone. Luckily for him, the lift was standing at this floor. Closing the lift, Rajan pressed the G button.
His heart was pumping hard, and he had to wipe sweat from his forehead, even in this lovely weather, a couple of times. He knew this might be a futile attempt, but he had to take it. So far, he had not got any chance of escaping. He himself had made this opportunity, and he prayed hard to the God to make his escape attempt successful.
Rajan couldn't believe his luck when he came out of the lift. There was no one near him. Rajan came out of the main gate. There was no doorman here, too. He looked back. No one was following him. There were roads in all directions. Rajan paused for a moment to decide which way to go. He remembered the experience of Roger. He had thought about his experience on numerous occasions. Roger was going to the front side. So, he decided to go in the opposite direction.
It was 8-30 PM in early March, and it was very dark outside. Rajan had no torch with him. After running for a while, he found that there was no road. He was running on the ground. Fortunately for him, the crop was just harvested, and the agricultural field was empty. Rajan understood that he was running towards the football field, where he had been running like a donkey for a while. But, he thanked those toiling hours, as he knew he would never have been able to run this fast and for this long time without that endeavour.
Rajan had looked several times to see what lied beyond the football ground. All he could see was another agricultural field. Rajan was sure that that agricultural field would not be large, and there would be the boundary of this fiendish compound. Rajan was apprehensive that someone must have been following him. But so far he hadn't heard any sound of footsteps. He wondered how was that happening! Ranjan should have alerted others, and they should have been after Rajan! But why was that not happening, Rajan couldn't understand!
To be continued on Wednesday night
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