Touch Of Fear- The unexplainable Dinjan Story

Touch Of Fear- The unexplainable Dinjan Story

Corporal M Singh(Manjeet Singh), serving in IAF (Radar Fitter Trade) currently posted in Punj sector of Kashmir. As usual routine Manjeet gets up at 6:30 in morning, wasn’t the Manjeet alone who used to get up so early, he was staying in Air Force accommodations & as you know soldiers are known for discipline, schedules & manners.

Manjeet gets ready in half an hour and rushes towards the canteen sector on his thumping & roaring Royal Enfield. He parks bike in parking lot & head for the breakfast.

While Manjeet stands in the queue for his turn for breakfast but his ears catches some whispering, “ Is it true Manjeet is going to be pos …………” , rest of the words were lost with the muttering & cranking sounds wandering in the dormitory. This was enough to tumble his mind. He tries harder again but he lost it. Manjeet picks his breakfast and looks around as if he is looking for something but he couldn’t help himself from walking towards the people who were talking about him.

“ Hello Tiwari, hello Mishra !!” Manjeet says.
“ I have got bored of this breakfast, these people almost serve same thing daily” Manjeet says with anger.
“ True ! but what even they can do about it there was landslide & all supplies are cut. You are lucky to have food to eat “ Mishra says with cunning looks.
“ Ya ! I know”. Manjeet’s mind was playing with him, it was stuck at the conversation that Mishra & Tiwari were having earlier.
“ So any new news ?” Manjeet cleverly asks.
“ Nothing…..!!!” Tiwari replied. Now Manjeet has no other way out.
“ What was that you guys were talking about, me going somewhere…..?” Manjeet asked impatiently.
“ That ! Come on man. As if you have no clue what we were talking about ? ” Tiwari replied astonishingly.
“ Come on guys enough, spill it out….” Manjeet demands.
“ It was about you getting posted to Dinjan (a small town in Assam)” Tiwari replied in wonder.

This was really some news to Manjeet. Actually Manjeet was on 1 month leave, he returned today only & had no clue what so ever about his transfer.

Manjeet hastily finishes his breakfast & rides to the administration department where he collects his transfer orders. This was his 3^rd posting in last 4 years. This is so common in defense.

Manjeet reaches his office and reports to Warrant Officer S.K Sinha, who is his reporting officer.

“ Jai Hind Sir !!!” Manjeet salutes. [Saluting with Jai Hind is new trend in Air Force]
“ Jai Hind Manjeet ! So how was the leaves…? Did Maa Ji sent some sweets made from deshi ghee…? Sinha inquires. This is the best part whenever a soldier comes back from a leave he always gets some food item & shares it with the colleagues, this has become a custom in the Military Services.
“ Yes Sir !” Manjeet replies with a smile.
“ Then Manjeet you might have received the information regarding your transfer to Assam….?” Sinha inquires.
“Yes Sir. I have report to there next Monday on urgent basis. I’ll catch the next transport plane for Shilong & then reach Dinjan by AF service bus” John explains.
“ Very well then, We’ll all miss. You were a great coworker. Good luck !!!” Sinha replies in support.

Manjeet spends his rest of the day in clearing all the formalities for his movement & returns to his dormitory around 9 पम after dinner in the Officer’s mess.

He hits himself on the bed after long tiring days. He was half asleep, at that very moment his roommates Suresh & Pavan come to his bed & wake him up.

“ Hey ! How are you..? How was break…? Did you get any sweet (I told you the habit before)…?” Suresh asks.
“ Ya ! sweets are there in bag. Help your self as I’m very tired to even move…” Manjeet replies with tiredness.
“ We heard that you are moving to Assam, so finally you are out of J&K”, Pavan asks.
“ Yes ! but how is that matters, both the states are into the fire of violence. What would be that place different for me..? “ Manjeet replies with a chuckle while nodding his head.

“ Anyways which office you’ll be working”, Suresh inquires.

“ Aaaa ! Basically I’ll be in Dinjan and working in Radars there also. It would be wing-II building, the one closer to the main Guard Room. But one thing is sure I would be working in night shifts there most of the weekdays…It sucks !” Manjeet tells it all like a smooth wine down the throat.

“ Oh ! that office “ Suresh with a shock.
“ Ya ! why did you reacted this way….?” Manjeet asks with curiosity.
“ Haven’t you ever heard about that place…” Suresh with a tone of suspense.
“ What about that palce…?” Pavan asks.
“ You don’t know ! You got to be kidding me ! There is a legend about that building. You must be knowing that last year 4 officers died due to heart attack on the same bed, same time & almost in same circumstances. It was a big news spreading around….” Suresh explains in terror & his face turned pale.
“ Ya I remember, but I heard they ceased that particular room “ Pavan asks.
“ Ha Ha HaI !!! I donno all about that !!! Guys I’m dead tired, I wanna sleep now. We’ll continue your horror Ramsey story some other time” Manjeet pushed them away with laugh.
“ Ok ! but remember my each & every word is a truth. Good night then !!! See you at breakfast tomorrow.” Suresh replies with lot of authority in his voice.

Manjeet laughed a lot, but this thing housed in some corner of his mind, although he never thought about it for coming few days. Gradually the day of departure arrived. Manjeet meets all of his colleagues for final time and boards the IL76 Being Plane (Biggest transport plane owned by IAF, also know as “Gajraj” in Hindi ).

He lands Shilong after 4.5 hrs of flight. Then he reports at transport section & boards the next bus to Dinjan. Bus starts off & within half an hour hits the hilly area towards Dinjan. The roads were like a huge python sleeping while curling its body. Soon it starts raining, he thinks “ Welcome to Assam –The Land of Rains”. While his 3 hrs journey he enjoys and admires the nature, its beauty, forest, greenery, mind boggling & spectacular views.

Now the AF base area was visible once bus entered the valley, the base was spread over 10 sq km area with , 10000 volts electrified barbed wire fencing around the wall & tall guard post on every 500 meter leased with machine guns equipped along with patrolling units with snuffer dogs. The surroundings were mere forest full of wild animals like leopard, bear, wolves and what not. There is .00001% chance which is virtually impossible for someone to escape out of the facility alive. It was highly secured & sensitive base as it was closer to the China boarder.
Manjeet after the night sleep, reports to his new reporting officer Junior Warrant Officer G Swamy next morning.

“ Manjeet ! You will resume on night shifts from tomorrow onwards, Sgt(Sergeant) Rane will show your office now” Swamy explicitly explains.
“ So Manjeet ! Are from Punjab….?” Sgt asks while walking him to his office.
“ No Sir ! Uttar Pradesh actually” he replies while he was looking around the premises.

While walking his way, Manjeet notices that the building were very old & made in a fashion to sustain heavy bombing.

Sgt walk him to the Wing-II building which was nearer to the main guard post & points him to the first floor.

“ Manjeet, This is your desk & whenever you are in night shift you have work from 3^rd floor office. Come let me showyou !!!”,Sgt explains while leading him to 3^rd floor.

Mangeet enters the room & all of a sudden feels cold, the room had 2 beds with white bead sheet, blanket & pillow on each. One corner of the room had all tables & chairs with all facilities what should be there to work. The wearied part was front part of the wall which facing the main guard post, it was made up of one way glass, no one can see through outside but one sitting inside could have a clear view over 200 m without any problems.

“ I heard that 4 officers died here in this room”, Manjeet asks impatiently.
“ Yes ! this is true, all of them died with heart attack”, Sgt replies sadly while facing one of the bad.
“ Did ! they all were heart patients !, did a fight happened, stressed out. I mean how could someone have a heart attack at same place, same time! I mean it is impossible & sounds wearied too. I can’t swallow it!!!” He asks with fear & stress.
“ No Manjeet, in fact all of them never had a heart trouble ever before, they were fit as a horse. It is still a mystery “ Sgt answers with Puzzled eyes whilelooking into Manjeet’s eyes.
“ What about postpartum report ? “ Manjeet inquired.
“ Report says they all died in same way, due to sudden shock, their hearts failed as if they saw a ghost ? “, Sgt replies with sad face.
“ But it has been a year since & nothing happened. We continuously are working from this place”, Sgt says while convincing him.
The word “Ghost” haunted his mind, he recalled what Suresh told him. An unknown fear now was eating him from inside. He doesn’t says a word & walks back to first floor for hand over activities with Sgt with a last glimpse to the bed on which it all happened.
Next day Manjeet reaches his desk at 5:00 pm, it was his night shift.

“ Manjeet, this is Flying lieutenant Kushal Rathore, he is in charge tonight & will be in shift with you”, Sgt says cautiously.
Manjeet looks after the checklist for tonight, later he goes to the Radar Control Room where he records all the flying movements & exercises.

It was 10 pm now, Manjeet & Kaushal after finishing all the activities head for the 3^rd floor. Kushal straight away hits the bed whereas Manjeet was freaked out with all the incidents which he couldn’t stop himself to think over. But slowly, gradually he falls in the lap of sleep.

Around 2:00 am a sound breaks there sleep.

“Manjeet ! Did you hear that ??”, Kaushal asked puzzled.
“Ya ! It was like someone hit the front glass with a stone. Shall we check out who is outside ? “ Manjeet says while composing himself.
“ All right !”, kushal says.

After looking around for 30 minutes, they found no one. They had no other option except convinced themselves that nothing happened.
“I guess something fallen from trees, that could be the noise….!!” Kushal says while moving back towards bed.
“ Yes Sir, seems you are saying right”, Manjeet follows Kushal.

Both of them were lying on their bed & pretending as if they are in sleep but a unknown, unseen fear could be seen from their eyes.
Manjeet twists to the other side of bed & lays his eyes on Kushal, but he was horrified to see what was happening to Kushal.
Kushal turned red-blue of a sudden like someone chocked him, his heart was pounding & body was thumping for a gist of air.
His eyes were wide opened focused on spot.
Off a sudden Kushal’s hand was on his heart & his body was twisting & turning as if he was possessed by demon.

Then he looks into the eyes of Manjeet, for that moment Manjeet felt like all Kushal’s pain & agony transferred to him.
Kushal moved his eye balls towards the front glass wall seems like he was trying to show Manjeet something.

Manjeet turns towards the glass wall. What he witnessed next was something un earthly. He saw a woman glazing eye to eye at him, her face was glittering with a haunting smile, she was having eyes of devil.

Manjeet got numb for a second, his heart rate slashed up, eyes become wide open, brain neutralized. He became living dead. After a while he regained consciousness he jumped at the edge of the bed towards wall in fear & terror.He felt immense pain in his chest like someone is pouched him with thousand of needles. He closed his eyes in terror. He opens his eyes again & she was gone.

He couldn’t digest what he just faced. Thousand questions start running in his mind.

“ What was that ? How could someone see us an eye to eye that too it is third floor & one way glass!!!” Manjeet talking with himself in horror.

He turned towards the Kushal, Kushal was lying calmly on bed with eyes shut as if he is sleeping from days & what all happened was just a Manjeet’s nightmare only.

He composed himself but his mind didn’t believe what all just happened. He stands up along the wall & starts tumbling down the stairs. He was out of the building, his eyes & head were spinning around in search of that woman. Suddenly his sight lied on a woman in white saree who was walking towards the main guard post. Without a sense of realization he walks behind her.

They walked for a while with constant gap. Just of a sudden Manjeet’s mind start wandering. He starts gazing at the woman feet (he recalls of a tale in which his grand mother told him that a ghost have twisted feet facing backwards), but it was too dark to figure out something like that.

Then off a sudden that woman turns back.

“ Who is that ????”, woman promptly turn back at Manjeet while pointing her figure behind him.

Even Manjeets turns behind.(It is a natural reflex in such situations your mind doesn’t do much of reasoning)

There was nothing except emptiness of night. On other moment he turns towards the woman, but she dsiappeared. He stood for a while in amazement. Off a sudden he starts running towards the main guard post where a soldier was sitting on chair with a rifle & gates shut.

Manjeet was out of breathe, he runs near guard & starts speaking but couldn’t.

“ Aaaaa ! have you…did you seen someone running out of here”, Manjeet asks which gasping for breathe.
“ Sahib ! why are you mocking at this time of night. How could someone just runaway from here without catching my eyes”, Guard replies in wonder.

Manjeet run around the facility in her search.
“ How could she disappear all of a sudden. It is huge empty area, no one can disappeared in second”, thinking in his consciousness.

His mind gets diverted towards Kushal.

“ Quickly call emergency medical service & tell them to reach immediately at wing-II”, Manjeet orders while running towards the building.

He enters the room & walks slowly with fear & confusion towards Kushal. Kushal was motionless, Manjeet try to read Kushal’s pulse & check on his respiration, but he felt none.
Manjeet sits on his bed, holding his head in his both hands.
After 5 minutes medical aid & security arrives & they confirmed what Manjeet was feared about. Kushal was declared dead.
Security takes Manjeet with them.
Inquiry was set, many questions were asked from Manjeet but how could he ever said what actually happened to them that night. He never said a word about that incident.

Medical reports confirmed the caused of death “Heart Attack”. They released Manjeet from arrest & he was given again transfer to Meerut (U.P)after a week.

That rooms was sealed for ever as no one got ready to work. Then never such incident occured again in that base.

Manjeet return to Meerut which was his native place too. He resumed his work after a week of mental care.

But he couldn’t ever overcome that incident. All his life he was haunted by her in nightmares. He never had a sound sleep from that night onwards. It become part of his life……….

Had such incident happened with you…………………?

There are many things still in this world for which we don’t have any logic, any explanation. This is also true all of us experience some unexplainable once in our lifetime which we carry along there after in the form fear, memories, but we still deny this unexplainable phenomenon. Why……….. ?

Manish Choudhary
20^th Oct 2007
9:43 am, Bangalore

Note ! “Touch of fear” is a composition or series of many stories like “The unexplainable Dinjan story”. I’ll be posting many more stories in this series inspired by real life incidents. I hope you like it & please write your comments, suggestions & queries this will give me inspiration to write many more stories effectively”

28 Days Later – The departure !!!

28 Days Later – The departure !!!

Hold on....... ( It is not about the one of the part of movie where people turn zombies & rip apart another man for a thirst of fresh blood due to a viral infestation..... Alright…… I stop it here !!!)

This story is dedicated to all the youths who are staying away from their native, parents & unforgettable past memories, especially IT professionals and also dedicated to the IT industry & my experience in it which actually has given me thoughts, strength & eventually forced me to come with this write up.

This story is entirely fictitious and has no resemblance with real life, it will be merely a coincidence if it relates to any one's life.

Rinks is the main character of my story who is currently flying to his native and looking out of the window & starts thinking about 28 days back from today, what happened & how his life changed.

It was 12:30 at night Rinks was sitting on a chair in front of a computer screen which doesn't stop staring at him.... for a moment Rinks thought why doesn't this whole building blows away so he can get out of this curse. (Not to worry Rinks not going to blow the building away!!! Wishing & having such kind of thoughts have become habitual for Rinks!!!).

Suddenly a message pops up on his screen (with an annoying sound !!!), momentarily he ignores but later (from his consciousness) he realizes that he is on a crucial job “ The Support “ ( ya enough ! don’t laugh !) which he can’t ignore for anything. Rinks looks the issue and handles it accordingly from the “BOOK OF TRICKS” which he developed over last couple of months. Let me share one with you which Rinks told me, might come handy, like

Forwarding it to concerned developer and keeping a huge set of people in cc whom he hardly know (that is mandatory in order to pretend that he has done his work…clever…huh !!!) and throwing the golden & un evitable arrow “Please look into this as it is a matter of high priority” which he developed over a period of couple of months since he moved into this CIRCUS. Rinks laughed his ass off initial whenever he used to utilize this tool but later it became a “Bhramastra” for him.

Back to the story !!! Now Rinks once again leans backward on his uncomforting chair goes back to the “ocean of thoughts”. Rinks dreams back to the days of school & colleges, he recalls all the fun, flirts, affairs, mischief & what not.

Then he thinks ” Did I become or doing what I wanted to do, I believed I would become a pilot one day, I always lived in a world of jet planes. I knew in & out of a plane. That speed, that adrenaline, leather jackets & aviator glasses all of these always made me felt that I’m alive.”

Now Rinks starts blaming…. ” I think we all are living in an over secured world, since you come to life you born with

some set of responsibilities & goals which someone else marks for you. Slowly & steadily your culture, society moulds you

and you become a robots who has a set of instructions embedded on a chip. Would it ever change…? Why we have developed a world around us who runs your life not the way you want it to run….? Are we evolving …? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho Ho….No ..No.. I have not gone mad on a sudden !!! The word “Evolution” made me laugh, there is a project in company called “P**S Evolution” which is evolving big time in a way which would lead it towards the “Extinction”. Anyways who cares where it goes!!! Where was I..?”

But suddenly an outlook alert comes up on his screen, it was about a call which he had to attend in 5 mins, that is at

1:30 am. Rinks goes through the list of issues (open or closed) & jumps into the call which he named as “Game of Blames”.

Rinks always try not to open his mouth in front of pack of starved wolves who are ready to attack anyone for nothing. He keeps listening to all the stupid questions and explanations which he could not listen anywhere else in this world. He thinks for a moment “ What the hell man !, I don’t understand how & who puts these people on these jobs.”

Then all of sudden Rinks start admiring the qualities of these high profilers “ First of all these guys don’t have a clue about what they are talking about & with whom, they drag the purpose of the call to different track & start talking something else until someone like me reminds them there is a separate call later on for the things they are discussing. Later they come back on track the issues in the list get discussed over and the attendees also have sets of same repeating explanations that they throw on face every time & day and people buy it daily.”

Suddenly Rinks hears an echoing voice “ Rinks….Rinks….Are you there….?”.

"Is it from sky…?" Rinks thinks.

Then he comes out of the moment and realizes some English man is calling him, “ Rinks..Are you there on call…?”

Rinks replies,” Yes ..! I’m here. Sorry I was on mute, was on an urgent call on my cell. Please could you repeat your query?”.

English says “ There is an issue number 12345 raised which is blocking all our testing”.

English tells to the customer,” Mr A****h, this is a major blocker & blocking the whole kind of testing”.

English says “ Rinks could you please update us on this ?”

Rinks thinks for a moment & replies,” Give me a minute & I’ll update you”. Rinks then opens his notes in hurry and turn the papers over and over again but he doesn’t find this number. The he turn to the system and notices that some tester has raised a blocker fault 2 minutes back.

Rinks thinks “ Are they are on weeds or something….? How the issue can be resolved at 2:00 in night & that is too in 2 minutes…?” He calms himself down & replies which again from the “BOOK OF TRICKS”.

Rinks says” Mr A****h, I’m aware of this issue & actually I was earlier on the same call with the developer discussing the fix. It is getting taken care of & I’ll update you within half an hour. Is it fine with you?” Bingo !!! Rinks does it again tonight.

A****h says “ That would be fine I guess !!!”. Rinks enjoys as he know the meaning “Guess”.

Now the call is at urge of an end & then suddenly Rinks throws the final Ace from his set of cards because he know if stay longer than the kite of trouble might again swing in his way.

Rinks says “A****h, I think I should going out and follow up that blocker as I won’t be needed any more in this call”

A***h says “ Rinks I think you should go & look into the issue”.

Rinks takes a huge sigh of relief as he & people working with him understand what he has just came out of.

Rinks and his team used to continuously handles these issues, explanning scenarios, providing fixes themselves, giving work arounds, calls, demos etc..etc..what not...on 24/7 support.? Their life was hectic, above this all they had the pressure of developing RFCs and design. So they were 500% occupied.

Many other project members and managers who sleeping deeply in their home don’t know just what Rinks has done of them, other way around if Rinks would have screwed up then all of them would have been doing “BHANGARA” that night & all nights to come untill the issue gets resolved.

Their eyes are not opened to people like Rinks, how important they are. They always underestimate them, never show them a token of appreciation, compliments.

A fresh developer with few months of experience in technology & domain goes & takes such a huge responsibility, handles the customer directly which 15 years experienced Manager afraid to do. They are like INFANTORY of an Army who takes

the first bullet & save their commanders.

Aren’t company lucky enough to have such employees working for merely Rs 15 k/month & handling the responsibilities of Rs 50k/month and plus. But what company gives them in return, frustrations, dark circles & a big tummy. Even though there are Managers around who want to bring up such talent up but they get caught up in dirty politics & you know, humans do have limitations.

All these were actually going through Rinks mind that night…….

It is 2:15 am now, Rinks leaves for the day. He picks up his bike & screams it towards ????? Home….Naaaaaa….Cafe Coffee Day !!! where his colleagues/Friends would be meeting him. He calls his friend Maan to reach their & picks up Viv on the way after riding bike for around 27Kms.

Now this is what actually they enjoy most in the whole day. Having sips of coffee together. Rinks always orders “Cold Sparkle”, Viv “Cold Frappe” and Maan “Cappacino”, favorites of them. With each sip & fresh air, they used to chat & re energized themselves.

Now it is 3:00 am, they depart their ways. This was a routine for them for last few months.

Rinks reaches home at 3:15 am, he throws him self on the couch & turn the T.V on while his roommates were having donkey

kind of sleep. Rinks falls in sleep while watching the T.V, but he has no notion that this is the night will be changing his days ahead.

Next day, Rinks reaches office as usual at noon. While he was on his routine of handling issues, he receives a long lasting call from one of his colleague. He hung up on the call, his face turned pale as a parasite has taken the whole blood out of his body.

Rinks was very upset, he worked so hard, sacrificed so much so that he could achieve what he aimed for. It has been months since he wrote a single CURSOR. ( Cursorrrrrrrrrrr……Is it something which fetches some value….Right?)

But what he comes to know that someone else has been provided opportunity for which he worked so hard.

Rinks lost all the faith in the system which is corrupted from top to bottom. He realized he has been working as slave days and night. Someone has rightly said “ Responsibilities shouldn’t be served without a right pay”.

Rinks spent many days in thinking over this matter over and over again. Finally he got his act together. He planned himself a new future, a next wave. Rinks after some difficulties moves to the city called “Silicon Valley” of country for a new hope, for a new beginning.

He joins the office next Monday, as he enters the building he felt a wave of silence, it was like he just entered into a Grave Yard where dead are sleeping in their grave as employees here in their cubicles.

Now his first target was to grab a seat in an isolated corner of building so he reaches office earliest. He was amazed to see that hundred of employees have no work except sit in canteen chat & drink coffee or tea. Their daily activity was to kill 8 hours of a day and go home.

I was a great set back for Rinks, earlier he used to work over 12 hrs now, nothing till he receives some work.

Rinks recalls how he was earlier in all the fame & limelight, now it is like he has been thrown in an isolated & pitch black dungeon.

It took time to him to get adjusted, although he realized he has paid a big deal for his future or a new beginning. There going to be a big swing in his life & carrier, he knows exactly what he has to do from now onwards but he is mentally exhausted. Now he decide for a long break since he never had one for a very long time.

Present………. Rinks was in his past memories suddenly air hostess announces the landing of flight. He puts his belt on.

Rinks takes a big sigh and thinks “ Would this break give me the new meaning of life. Would I’ll be able to get success in what I planned. Did this huge step will pay off ? Hey ! must forget it now…I should rather enjoy the each & every moment of my break”……………..

All, we should enjoy each and every moments of life. There is no decision wrong or right, it is all about how you stand besides it. You loose some to gain some. These are the simple laws of life………

I’ll continue with Rinks, what he did in his trip ? what he learned ? was he able to kick off with his plans ? in my next write up

“28 Days Later – The rise !!!!!”

Till then think over…what you doing ? what you want from life and most important enjoy & live it heartly……

Manish Choudhary

19^th Oct 2007

1:45 am, Bangalore