An Other Tale of Two Cities - A Novel by Ravi Krish
An Excerpt # 6
form the
Chapter
17
Detention
She woke up at
the hospital, from under heavy sedation. Her head was aching as if it was hit
by stone. It took a while to make sense of where she was and why. She had faced
incredible questions accusing her very character. China has been so dear to
her. She would never trade her country for anything. This is the price one
could pay for something as simple as friendship. This is China, her own
country, very dear to her heart. She had no complaints. These sorts of
conspiracies happened in China all day, yesterday; they are happening somewhere
today. They would happen for sure, tomorrow. They just happen everyday. She has
heard of several such stories. But when it happens to you, it is as
incomprehensible as it is terrible.
Next she
reflected on her meeting with Dan and Deng. What was the purpose of this
conspiracy all about? So was she and her friends asked to carry the cross and
reduce Deng’s agony? And even for Meiling’s poor show? Oh my God. What’s
happening? Is this Dan’s response to the challenge from the Indian duo? Then
God save TT in China! Was the all powerful Deng arm twisting Dan to act against
Li’ll’y, to have his sweet revenge on the talented Indians? Would Deng also unleash
strong retribution against the Indian duo, because he could not reconcile to
his defeat? She hoped not. Let Deng’s bitterness cool off by harassing her.
Deng was the most respected player in Chinese TT team having held the Number 1
ranking for almost four years, undisputed. Now at a slightly older age, he was
fighting hard to keep his Number 2 position. He would have probably accepted
his defeat gracefully, if he had lost to someone within world rank ten, but to
lose an unseeded, ‘lowly’ Indian had hurt his pride badly and he was
retaliating, trying not only to find scapegoats, but to destroy them in full
public glare.
She thought
about the selfie that Dan had showed her. Some one with a vulgar mind had
stolen her selfie of a simple, friendly and jestful incident; no, not even an
incident, it was gesture, and concocted a very crass story. It has to be an
equally vulgar mind that had chosen to use the picture against her. She did not
want to guess who it was. It was so obvious to her. Did the Chinese TT team
have to stoop so low to keep their dominance in TT. Even if it was the only way
to, should they actually do what they did? Or was it all due the personal ego
of one person that precipitated all the trouble. It didn’t make any sense. She
was not only made the scapegoat, but also made a juicy, suckling, roasted,
scape’goat’ for the Chinese team to fine dine on. Why she? She did not
consciously offend any one. She had endeavoured to be the friendliest creature
on earth and the most pleasant. She believed that she had no enemies, ever in
her life; that is till two days back. This conspiracy shocked her most. She
believed that her fate was sealed for life. Nothing but a miracle can save her
now.
Next she
remembered Kool and Joy. Had they been incarcerated too? She shuddered to think
of this possibility. But with vengeance written all over on Deng’s actions,
nothing was impossible. He had a photograph that sealed their fate, the fate of
all three of them. What would Kool and Joy say when or if they see the
photograph? Would they not feel that I had helped assassinate their character
and life as well? Would they believe her when she explained to them some day
that it was a prank that went horribly wrong? Oh my, I had done the most damage
to my dearest friends, acting out of jest. Would not they say that I was part
of the conspiracy too? She shuddered every time she thought of the picture and
cried, ‘I want to die’.....
.....
.....
.....
.....
..... Indian sport has always struggled to gain a few medals in international
sports, while China has zoomed to Number 1 position in just a few decades.
Table Tennis; Chinese domination of the game has been complete and TT has been
identified with the Chinese nation than any other sport. To be challenged in
this domain by the Indians who have never had a single player in the top 50
ranks and to beat world number 2 at the prestigious Games to cap on other
successes, was an affront to the Chinese nation.
How could they
achieve this? They sought for answers that satisfied them rather than look for
real answers. They sought answers in anger, not in reason and hence they found
answers like; Black magic, sleeping with the enemy etc. that was consistent with
their current dark, clouded moods.....
.....
.....
.....
.....
.....Surely, Deng,
of all, should have realized that he lost to very competent, superior and
worthy rival. Was he covering his loss of face at Li’ll’y’s expense? What are
the costs to Li’ll’y? ‘Oh My! My TT career has come to an abrupt and
humiliating end’! She saw a bleak future for herself. There was little she
could do against the tide that was gathering momentum against her and she will
be swept into a sea of misery, without any help; not even a good word from her
friends and family. Any one who loved her would grieve for her in silence; else
they could also meet similar fates. But there could be more punishments on top
of this. She trembled at the possibility of being jailed forever as a traitor.
She would want to die rather than carry such a tag. But they wouldn’t let her
die. She would not think about it now. She will be very careful and explain
herself. She had not done any mistake and believed that her conscience and
integrity will redeem her at some point in time...
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Happy Reading :-) Merry interactions :-)
Ravi Krish
Author
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