Episode 8
Jahan Ara entered Rubab's room. Rubab was sitting on her bed, lost in thought.
Jahan Ara came close and asked,
"What's the matter, dear? Why the long face?"
Rubab covered her face and replied softly,
"It's nothing... I was just thinking."
"Are you a philosopher now, always lost in thought?" Jahan Ara joked.
Rubab lifted her face—and two silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
Jahan Ara rushed to her and said,
"What's this? My little doll has tears in her eyes? That can't be! Tell me, what's wrong?"
Rubab wiped her tears with the back of her hand and said,
"I want to tell you something."
Jahan Ara, now worried, sat beside her and said,
"Go ahead, my child. I'm listening."
---
Haider sat down beside Kali Das. An odd stench emanated from Kali Das's body, and Haider instinctively covered his nose.
Kali Das laughed nastily and said,
"Listen, in our world, there are levels. First, we must worship someone, someone who is treated as a god. See that idol behind me? That's Lord Sthanu, the one who always ensures I gain and never lose. Do you know what Sthanu means? The one who brings profit."
Haider snapped,
"I don't care about your god. Get to the point!"
Kali Das grinned wickedly,
"Patience, historian. Let me explain the hierarchy. At the first level, we control Bair with chants. Next are the Bhairavs—more powerful. They spy, report who's doing what, and take any form I wish."
"Then, with more effort, and sacrifices of certain people using knowledge, we gain control of the headless ones—jinns—who can rob peace from any human's life."
"The fourth level brings the Lona Chamars. You've seen powerful sorcerers who make dolls of people, stab them with needles, cause divorces, block sustenance, destroy lives? They've reached this level."
"The fifth level is where we gain control over human spirits—restless souls of disbelievers, who dwell in ruins or trees."
"The sixth level is Shankha—or Krishna—where one becomes a living god. One word from his mouth can turn the world to ash. He possesses everything that no one in this world can match. But reaching this level requires 25 years of intense penance, the ritual killing of seven 'paayal' (chosen) people, and drinking their blood."
Haider was trembling with fear, his tongue frozen.
Kali Das, eyes closed, kept speaking,
"And finally comes Khandola... Don't even ask about that. No one's ever reached that stage—not even a Shankha."
Haider sat stunned.
Kali Das nudged him and asked,
"What's wrong, boy? Scared?"
He laughed, and Haider felt like the whole room echoed with haunting laughter. It felt like many unseen people were laughing.
"Is all this... real?" Haider finally asked.
Kali Das scowled,
"Didn't I tell you before? Kali Das always keeps his word. Now go bring sweets! You still need to give Rubab to me, remember?"
---
Back with Rubab and Jahan Ara—
Rubab said,
"Amma, I'm ready to get married."
Jahan Ara was stunned.
"Is that why you're crying?" she asked.
Rubab tried to divert the conversation,
"Well, leaving your home... should I be laughing instead?"
Jahan Ara felt pity for her daughter's innocence.
"Alright then, tell me—should I talk to someone? Do you like anyone?"
"No, Amma," Rubab replied. "I don't like anyone. Whomever you think is right, I will marry."
Jahan Ara embraced her and was lost in deep thought—after all, she was a mother. Then she got up to go tell Shahmeer the good news.
---
Haider was about to leave when Kali Das said,
"Sit down, your sweets have arrived."
Haider looked around in confusion—no one had come or gone, yet Kali Das had raised his hand, murmured something, and suddenly a box appeared in his hand.
Haider was nearly faint from fear—between the suffocating, foul-smelling room and Kali Das's dark rituals.
Kali Das recited something in a strange language, then took some dirt from the ground, blew on it, and lit it on fire in his hand—unbothered by the flames.
Once the fire died, he mixed the ashes into the sweets.
"Take this. Feed it to her family. By tomorrow, they'll be at your feet," he said.
Haider, trembling, took the sweets and left.
As soon as he stepped into the fresh air, he felt slightly better.
At home, he began thinking of excuses to feed them the sweets.
---
Upon hearing the news, Shahmeer was overjoyed. He immediately handed his shop to his assistant and rushed home.
Jahan Ara had already told Mehreen they would be visiting soon with sweets.
Mehreen happily agreed.
But when Jawad heard the news, he lost his mind.
Rubab, his childhood love, the one he'd adored silently, was about to marry someone else.
It was Jawad who had secretly arranged this proposal through his mother. Now it was all falling apart.
---
Haider had decided he would lie and say he got a part-time job, and the sweets were to celebrate that.
In the evening, he went to Rubab's house.
He parked his bike and told the driver,
"Tell Mr. Shahmeer that Haider is here to meet him."
The driver delivered the message, and Jahan Ara said,
"Let him in."
A few moments later, Haider entered and greeted them.
Shahmeer smiled,
"Come, son, sit. How are you?"
"I'm fine, uncle. How are you?" Haider said while glancing at Rubab, who looked at him briefly and then turned away.
"Aunty, I brought this for you," Haider said.
"I just got a job. I'll go to college in the morning and work in the evening. Hopefully, things will get better now."
Everyone was pleased—except Rubab, who ignored him completely.
Haider took out the sweets and offered them.
The elders ate, but Rubab initially refused.
"I don't feel like it right now," she said.
Jahan Ara urged her,
"It's a happy occasion, dear. Have some."
Reluctantly, Rubab took a piece and ate it.
Shahmeer then said,
"Go, Rubab, bring tea for Haider."
Rubab got up and stomped off to the kitchen.
Haider drank the tea and left—eagerly waiting for Kali Das's words to come true.
---
That whole night, Haider couldn't sleep—excited and anxious.
By morning, no news had come yet.
He went to college after many days.
Everyone asked about him, and he learned that his exams were only a month away.
He passed the day restlessly and came home in the evening.
Just as he finished bathing, there was a knock at the door.
To his utter shock, Shahmeer and Jahan Ara were standing outside.
"Such an honor! Please come in!" he exclaimed.
He hurried to tidy the room while they took seats.
"This is a proud moment for me," Haider said.
Shahmeer replied,
"Son, we came to talk about something important.
Rubab and Jahan Ara both want us to choose you for her.
You've grown up before our eyes—we trust you."
Haider forced a smile,
"But... wasn't Rubab's proposal already fixed elsewhere?"
"No," said Jahan Ara.
"We declined it. The three of us talked last night and made the final decision."
Haider was overjoyed. He served them warmly and rejoiced in his victory.
---
Meanwhile, when Jawad heard this in the morning, he lost control in rage.
He and his parents were at a city hospital.
It felt like his heart was burning—he wanted to burn the whole world to ashes.
He stormed out into the street with no sense of direction.
Suddenly, he felt like someone was following him.
Turning around, he saw a short, scruffy-looking beggar walking behind him.
Before Jawad could speak, the beggar said,
"I have the solution to all your problems."
Jawad shouted,
"Shut up and get lost!"
The beggar calmly replied,
"Fine, I'm quiet now. But if you want relief from your pain over Rubab, follow me."
Jawad froze.
"Rubab...? How does he know?"
Startled, he turned—but the beggar had started running.
Jawad chased after him.
After about ten minutes of running, they reached a deserted road.
The beggar didn't stop.
Looking around, Jawad saw a signboard.
It read:
"SHAMSHAN GHAT (Cremation Ground)"
---
To be continued...
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