The Cost of Values - 4

 In case you happen to just come over to this blog post 

and are wondering what this is all about, 

please do go to the earlier posts, and especially  

The Cost of Values - 1. 

The story starts there. 

This is the 4th Chapter in the serialized story that I am writing.

 

Thanks to all the readers who have followed this story. 

All of you commented, either in the blog, 

or directly to me, to continue with the story. So here goes.

CHAPTER - 4

The sudden appearance and subsequent disappearance of the restaurant like structure shook the three friends to the core. It was something so unexpected that it is no surprise that even technology savvy people were left dumbstruck. Vikrant was the first to recover from the shock of seeing the 'restaurant' disappear as if in thin air. It had also swallowed Akshay. Swallowed may be a wrong word to describe the events, but for Ganesh, Vikrant, and Amrutha it did feel that that is what had happened. All three were engineers and had a backing in science, but this phenomenon defied all known (at least known as of now to mankind) theories in science. How could a building vanish in front of their eyes? What had happened to it and where did Akshay go?

With some trepidation (fear of the unknown causes even the most scientific minds to be wary) the three of them walked gingerly, holding hands, to the exact spot where the building stood. Were there any signs of a building there from today morning? Any foundations? Any marks of the pillars? Was the grass bent? They could detect the places on the grass where Akshay's shoes made an impression. But suddenly there were no more impressions of Akshay's shoes.

 

Amrutha did a smart thing then. She took some photographs of the footprints and also shot a video of the footprints till the spot where the prints vanished. She took some photos of their camp location from the place where the building was seen. 

 

Ganesh was the first to say something. He posed a question uppermost in the others' mind. "What shall we do next?"

 

Amrutha said the most practical thing. "We should report to the police." 

Ganesh posed, "What shall we tell them? That Aks vanished into thin air! Will the police believe us? Won't they detain us and question us; probably use third degree methods on us thinking that we are the cause of his disappearance?"

Vikrant agreed with Ganesh on this, but being a bit more astute, he said, "If we do not go to the police and report Aks' disappearance, we will be under greater suspicion. The police will not have to go far to locate us since all our information would be with our employer."

Amrutha, ever the more practical, said, "I have shared the photos that we have taken over the three days, including today's, in a common album with you. You will be able to show the photos and video to the police inspector so that the police doesn't suspect you. You both go to the police station, whereas I will remain here, just in case the building and Aks appear again."

 

Amrutha further said, "I will also try and google to find out if something similar has happened anywhere else in India or the world. Surely, this must not be a one-off affair. What do you think happened just now? What are your first impressions?"

 

Ganesh and Vikrant shook their head and realized that they hadn't thought of any explanation as to what had happened. Surely the police would ask them their suspicions based on what they had seen first hand. They should be prepared with some logical explanation. Better to discuss this together so that they do not give contrary and confusing responses to the questions by the police.

 

Vikrant said, "I think the most logical explanation is that we have been hypnotized. It will be no surprise if a magician like P. C. Sorcar with a film crew were to appear now and bring Aks over and have a laugh at our expense."

 

Ganesh thought about this for a moment before asking, "Do you see any evidence of anyone in the vicinity? I don't see anyone for miles together. This is not a forested or a wooded area. It is a grassland, though among hills."

 

Amrutha thought for a while and said, "I think we should discount the magic mumbo-jumbo when talking to the police. This will not wash with them, even though I suspect they may also think along the same lines given what we see in Discovery and History Channels on TV." 

Vikrant asked, "So Amy, what do you think happened? What is your most logical explanation?"

Amrutha said, "I think we should all only say that the building disappeared in front of our eyes. That is a factual information. If asked by any authority, not only police, but any other authority of the government, we should express our ignorance of the matter."

Ganesh said, "I think people will ask our suspicions as to what happened. They will want us to describe how the weather was, whether it was a clear sky? Whether we saw any 'machine' in the sky or not? Did we hear any noise? If there was a noise, how clearly can we describe the noise to them. I think before leaving we should pool our information and speak as of one voice in these matters, else the authorities will likely suspect only us first."

Both Amrutha and Vikrant thought that was a good suggestion by Ganesh. They went back to their camp and sat separately. As per Vikrant's suggestion, it was decided that each of them will write their experience from the previous evening in as detailed a fashion as possible, and then compare notes. The next thirty minutes were spent in silence, broken only by the sound of birds in the sky that were going about their daily routine, blissfully unaware of the crisis developing below them.

Having completed their notes, they compared what each had written. But for a few minor changes in perception, each of them had the same experience as the other one had. So with more confidence in their ability to confront any charges that may be thrown at them by the police, Ganesh and Vikrant decided that they would leave in Ganesh's bike and leave Vikrant's bike near the camp site, just in case Amrutha needed any transport. Thankfully, each of them was careful not to go near Akshay's camp so that everything was left the same way as Akshay had left it in the morning. They were sure that it would be first thing the police would check when they came here to investigate.

Before leaving, Ganesh asked, "Does anyone among us have Aks' contact information? His home telephone, or his father's or mother's mobile number, so that we can inform them at least? We don't want the police to be first to inform."

 

Amrutha thought over this and said, "No, I don't think any of us has that information, but I will immediately call our HR and get that information from them and call either his mom or dad. You better get going. It is going to take some time to reach the nearest police station. The earlier we report this, the better it would be for all." 

After Ganesh and Vikrant had left, Amrutha did google for information on the disappearance of people in similar fashion; but she wasn't successful. Many were YouTube links where some dubious people were peddling fake information. She didn't believe any of these, but continued to look for credible sources. She didn't get any. Without wasting too much time on this endeavour, she decided to get the contact information of Akshay's parents. Instead of calling the HR department and getting questioned as to the need for her to call the company, when she could as well get it from Akshay himself, she called up Pronnoy, Akshay's roommate. Without checking why, Pronnoy gave that information to Amrutha.

Amrutha decided to call up Akshay's father Ramu, to tell him about what had just happened. She decided it would be better to be truthful, rather than beat around the bush. So she called up Ramu.

 

To be continued next Sunday - 6-August-2023.