THE STORY LESS TOLD

It’s been 52 years, 52 long years. But the walk on the beach felt the same even today after all these years. Not that he had the chance to come everyday here and let everything loose along with the cool breeze. Nothing much had changed, except the fact that he walked a free man now. The air felt nice, whispering ‘welcome’ as it blew by his ears. In a strange manner, he could sense that the beach had missed him too. But most of all, it had missed them all. He had missed them both..

Thoughts came pouring into his mind without any restraint or pace of time and space. It was a day just like today, in the autumn of 1972. He remembered his sister playing in the sand and his mother shouting after her. How he adored them. If only he knew that they would leave him very soon, he would have probably let them know how much he loved them. 

Somewhere in the horizon, he could see two individuals. Intrigued, he walked towards to them. He knew them and they knew him. He smiled.

1988

Neo is a 36 year old lad with a clean-shaved look, bright eyes, and a forehead slightly large. He has jet black hair, is 6ft 2inch tall and has a look that speaks of purpose. He is not known as a person who likes talking much. He lives alone in 31B, Gystic Street since the past year or so, and the neighbors have barely ever exchanged any pleasantries with him. They always saw him with no smile and usually a little frown on his face and footsteps pacing quick, but reasonably large steps. He probably didn't have any friends as he never brought anyone over. And probably, he didn't want to make any because they remember how he refused to accept the pie Mrs. Anderson made for him, or Mr. Brown's offer to do the lawn for him. Neo, probably wanted to remain alone. The neighbors could know less..

1962

Neo lives with his parents in 21 A, West Street. He is a 10 year old kid with a chubby look, bright eyes, and a forehead slightly large. He has jet black hairs which are always messed up. He is a lovely child who is probably the neighborhood's pet. The bright child is known for throwing questions which people have no sure answer for. "Why do you always take the name of god when you don’t see him curing your leg." once he asked Mrs. George. And when Mr. Black was sweating doing the lawn, he asked; "Why do you do the lawn when the grass has to grow again?"

Neo, is full of life and will make quite a cheerful & charming lad, the neighbors remark. The neighbours could know less..

Sometime between 1962 and 1988

It is a bright day, the clouds have made way for the nescient sunrays to come and play with Neo.

“Get up, Neo” How soothing this voice sounded.

“Yeah! In about a minute.” Neo grumped.

“It’s about time, Neo. We have to go. Now, don’t you do this to me again! You promised me.” The voice was still soft.

“Okay Matilda, look I’m up. Okay? Will be downstairs in five. Tell mom too!”

“That’s good. I’m going to tell her. Be quick, okay!” The excited voice fainted as Matilda rushed towards the stairs.

Matilda, Neo’s sister was a girl of grace and kindness in her teen. She was a soft-spoken, favorite-of-the-family kid. Her Mother, Mrs. Flinch is the sole earner of the family, a woman of wisdom and bearer of worldly matters of the family. The family plans to go by the beach today. Mrs. Flinch’s job at the drycleaner’s rarely ever gives her the time to take the family out. Today is one of the few days when there is ample time. Today is also, the last time the family would go to the beach together to see the soothing calmness before the coming of the final storm.

After returning from the beach, they see a short, black man with a pot belly sitting outside their cottage. The man upon seeing Mrs. Flinch requests a word in private. Mrs. Flinch nods and directs the kids to go inside. Mrs. Flinch appears in the home after 15 minutes with red, swollen face that speaks of tears. Neo makes several attempts to ask his mother what made her look so devastated but she would talk about the supper instead. Neo would know soon..

It’s 10 in the morning. Matilda would be in school. Mother also did not come to wake Neo up for the college. This never happened, where is she? Neo goes downstairs to check and calls for his mother. All he gets is the breakfast in a tiffin and a note which says she’s gone to Ryan’s house and would return soon. Ryan was Neo’s classmate in school. He has the personality of a stinking rich person. The trousers always too low to reveal is hipline and the brows always high in arrogance. The wallet loaded of cash and arms loaded of a new girl each day. Ryan’s father was the owner of three drycleaning outlets in the city and rumor had it that he had acquired huge sum of money through unrevealed means.

It’s 11 in the night. There is no sign of either Matilda or mother. First it seemed to Neo that mother took Matilda with her to someplace but if that’d have been the case, mother surely would have returned by now. Each passing second is increasing Neo’s anxiousness by bits. He thought of going to Ryan’s several times but dropped the plan as he had promised mother he would never visit that place. Not after what happened between Ryan and him in High School. Whenever Neo thinks of Ryan a small part of his brain starts playing this little video where Ryan had beaten Neo and called his mother names after falsely accusing him of stealing Ryan’s Armani watch, only to be found later in Ryan’s bag. Neo did not protest in return as it would have costed mother her job. He would never do a thing to bring mother down. He already thought of ways to support her. A phone call interrupted the wave of thoughts in Neo’s head.

“Hello, is this Mrs. Flinch’s house?” Came a hurried voice.

“Yes”

“I’m sorry to tell you that she and her daughter are dead. Come and pick the body from under the bridge.” With these words the phone call ended.

Suddenly the world came to a halt. Did he hear it right? His mother? And little Matilda, the only people he had in this world. Are they dead? DEAD?

Neo hurried to the bridge and as told found the bodies underneath. It is raining. The streetlight reflected through the water droplets hitting the road created the effect of fireworks. Or is it the world crying over Neo’s loss and the light scattering in pain? Neo did not bother. As he ran towards the loving body of his mother and sister, he saw a vehicle turn by. He ran towards it but could not see who was inside. However, he saw the car number. AS XX 9999. The same number as Ryan’s father’s car. He knew why was it here.

3 days have passed since the fateful evening. Neo has no clue what he is going to do anymore. Deep submerged in thoughts, he hears the doorbell ring. He lets it ring for a minute or so. It was as if his limbs were paralyzed. He gets up to see the door, Ron is there. Ron’s father, like Neo’s mother works at Ryan’s father’s dry-cleaning. He is Neo’s best friend since childhood.

“Hi Neo”

“Hello”

“I heard about..you know. I’ve come to tell you something.”

“Ya, tell.”

“Neo, my father was there.” “He first kidnapped your sister and held her as hostage. Then he called your mother. He killed them both, Neo. Both in a go.”

“What? What are you talking about? Who? Why? What did they do?”

“Ryan’s father. He killed your mother because she knew about it. And she refused to be a part of it.”

“What? Tell me everything clearly.”

“Ryan’s father smuggles drugs to the affluent class to be sent abroad. They send their clothes for dry cleaning which are sent to them ‘loaded’ by the workers at the dry cleaning. Your mother also did this, first unknowingly but then she knew. After that she refused to be a part and talked to my father about it. He told her to keep quiet as there is no harm she is doing intentionally. But guess she was disgusted of this, she talked to Ryan’s father about it and wanted to leave the job. He called her that day to talk about it. She said she wanted to leave the job. Said she cannot be a part of it. He resented and tried to keep her in. He said she had signed the contract that she knew about it and then he threatened her.  Said he had Matilda. Mrs. Flinch still did not wanted to be a part. She begged for Matilda and swore she wouldn’t let the word out. But he killed them. Killed them both, Neo. I am so sorry.“

Neo was quiet for a moment. Suddenly, he spoke;

“What contract.? You talked of one contract.”

“Wha..Ya..Yes! She signed one, like my father did. It said they’d not disclose the thing about smuggling the drugs.”

“In their house. He does not keep it in the office, that is sure. Father handles the documents.”

“ I have to get that. I will get that. That should help..”

“But what will you do?”

“I will get the documents, produce them in the court of justice and that would reveal the culprit, and maybe then the police will start the investigation they’re so reluctant about.”

Neo is in the West Jail. He has been imprisoned for 4 ½ years for trespassing and burglarizing the house of an affluent Businessman of the town and beating up his son. The poor boy then needed 40 stitches in his scalp, face and neck after being hit with a wine bottle, gouged with a set of keys and beaten with a rock. The neighbors say Neo turned thief in desperate need of money. This serves him right. The neighbors are right..

It has been less than two months after Neo was released. The morning newspaper read:

“Neo, 36, was sentenced to 51 1/2 years in prison this week for robbery of a midtown dry cleaners.

He walked into Regal $2.25 Cleaners, 3955 E. Speedway, on Aug. 26, 1988, and ordered an employee and customer to the ground at gunpoint before stealing money from the register and an open safe, according to court documents. On the way out, Neo stomped twice on the customer's head.

He fled in a car driven by Ron, but were caught a few miles from the scene.

The robbery took place less than two months after Neo finished serving 4 1/2 years in prison for beating Ron, son of the owner of the same dry-cleaning who caught Neo burglarizing his home. The student needed 40 stitches in his scalp, face and neck after being hit with a wine bottle, gouged with a set of keys and beaten with a rock.”

The neighbors say Neo was burning blind, trying to harm the people who helped his mother when she was in dire need of money and a job. The neighbors still have no clue..