Clanking filled the neighborhood. The occasional sounds of rustle and people talking was a normal thing in the day market.

Vishwa was taking a stroll when he came across a sound, it came from his back.

‘Oye where do you think you are going’

Vishwa turned around to see two bullies of fat stature glaring at him. They were looking at him as if they owned the market.

‘I am talking to you can’t you heart it.’ the bigger one said. His face was round with fat filling most of it. When he spoke to him the fat around his face trembled.

Vishwa looked at the bully, when he spoke the way his face moved due to excessive fat was funny enough. He was trying to control his laughter.

Though someone in such a situation should feel fear or aggression toward the offenders. But Vishwa was feeling none of it. He was used to the situation. So he didn’t wait at all.

With a small smirk, he said to the bully.

‘Yeah, what of it.’

Watching the expression on Vishwa’s face was enough to tilt the bully with anger.

‘Watch where you keep your steps. This isn’t your home, or whatever you call that small shack.’ The bigger bully said, laughing at Vishwa.

‘Don’t just foul our land, you make it so filthy.’ the smaller bully said, exaggerating his expression.

‘Oh yeah,’ Vishwa knew not to aggrieve those bullies but he wasn’t going to keep quite this time. He took a step forward.

‘You see, I will keep my foot wherever I want to, if you can stop me with that big fat tummy you carry, try it’ Vishwa added his own insult to the bullies. He was comfortable if they said something about him, but he wasn’t able to keep his calm when they tried to insult his father’s shop.

‘You’ the smaller bully said, pointing his finger toward Vishwa. He had started running toward him, the bigger bully also ran behind.

‘Catch me, you fatsos’ Vishwa said aggravating the bullies even more. He had started running the instant he saw that the smaller bully had lost his cool.

These people always try to make fun of other who were lower class than them.

These two bullies were friends. Their respective fathers were famous in the market. One of them was responsible for the food supply and the other supplied meat in the market. Thus they were the richest here. Not to deny the fact, that they themselves were very much fat.

Vishwa ran. He was very comfortable now with running away from those people. He knew they couldn’t chase him forever, so from the start he picked up his maximum speed, going in and out from the different sections of the market.

Vishwa was of a skinny stature, he was so skinny, that his bones were visible though his body. That is why he was fast, faster than others. Though being this skinny also meant that he didn’t got any proper nutrition and as such he could not run for more time.

Getting away from those who tried to make trouble for him had now become a daily thing for him.

Vishwa scanned through the small partition of two buildings, looking left and right. When he was sure no one was there and no one had followed him he got out from there.

‘I will show them one day.’ Vishwa said tightening his fist toward the air.

He didn’t got any one today too. It has been like that for quite some time. They always said stuff like he was small, he couldn’t handle anything. There was another thing that contributed to it. It was they said he was poor.

They might have said things with good intentions up front about not having strength and required knowledge for the task but it wasn’t like he wasn’t able to see through the disgust in their eyes.

Vishwa was 17 this year. And try as he might, he wasn’t able to get someone to provide him with job. He looked toward his own body. Even if he desired to do any kind of menial work he couldn’t do it.

That said, discussing all of it he was in front of the ‘The Castos’. It was kind of a run down building without anyone to see what was at the front. Vishwa approached the building, the doors were equipped with huge circular rings. Vishwa rapped his fingers around the ring and knocked on the door with it.

After some time, the door opened. A burly man with a rounded cap like cloth opened the door. At first the air around him was filled with grave intent. But when he saw that it was Vishwa who knocked on the door the air loosened.

But The burly man still asked him in an annoyed voice, ‘couldn’t you come from the back, how many times have we told you not to come from the front. It increases suspicion. And what if someone saw you coming here.’

Vishwa thought burly man was always overreacted in this kind of situation. He was always in the fear that someone would raid this rundown building. He didn’t thought that no one was free enough to even enjoy few moments of their own life rather than coming and checking other building.

The burly man was checking the surroundings too, while reprimanding Vishwa. Vishwa thought, even though the man in front of him looks so old, he isn’t but in his mid 20’s. His appearance like that of a vagrant was to make sure the people were intimidated by him.

‘I tried, but I found those two food vendor’s son on the way. So I couldn’t come from the back.’ Vishwa said, trying to brush past the man, into the building.

‘You, why do you try to take fight with those bigshots son. You know the bigshots, they aren’t good people. Try to keep your distance from them.’ The burly man said as he gave some space to Vishwa so he could come inside.

After Vishwa got inside the burly man closed the door. Locking it from inside.

The difference between the lighting outside and inside was distinguishable as such. When the doors were closed the building got dim. Vishwa wasn’t able to see anything.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the inner lights of the building. The lighting was done by several lamps suspended in the air. There were not many people inside. There were only two of them other than the burly man.

The two seemed like twins, they were wearing the same set of clothes too. They were heavily close to each other. As you would expect with other twins.

Sometimes they even bragged that they could communicate with each other mentally. But all of it was taken as a pun.

‘Hey there, you came quite late.’ one of the twins sitting on the left side of the table, said as he looked at Vishwa.

‘Yeah, we expected you to come earlier.’ another of the twins said. They were both looking at the newspaper and magazines. Vishwa couldn’t guess what they were trying to find out.

Vishwa was late again. He worked here, in this rundown building. He was someone who was responsible for finding about what was happening in their neighborhoods. This was like a shit job for Vishwa, who didn’t wanted to do it, but he didn’t had any other choice. And he was able to earn whatever little pocket money he could from The Castos.

Vishwa came to the front of the table and took one of the chair from the side and sat on it. Now he looked clearly at what the duo were doing on the table. It seemed like they were cutting some of the pictures from the older newspaper. That is why the table was littered with many paper cutting and roughed up paper pieces.

The burly man didn’t joined them. And sat at the far of the building docking his legs on another chair. Taking a nap.

‘What was discussed in the meeting,’ Vishwa asked the duo.

They were called Jam and Berry. This nickname was spread in the neighbourhood as well as the Castos.

‘Let’s see,’ Jam said while cutting through the newspaper with the scissors.

‘Firstly, the neighbourhood is going through an inflation crisis, the prices of food essentials has risen to the top. They are saying it is because of the bad season and what not but i don’t believe in it.’ Jam said.

‘This isn’t the first time it has been happening, it has happened in the past too. The duo seem to have some form of agreement among themselves to increase the prices.’ Berry said. He was done with his work.

‘Or they must have eated all the vegetables and meat themselves. They look like that too like father like son. They both are greedy people.’ Vishwa said, he didn’t liked them one bit.

‘Whatever be the case,’ Jam said as he continued, ‘ There are rumors from the main town, they are gathering stuffs and hiring some people. It seems they are going to organise something big.’

‘I am telling you, it must be related to the bull fighting competition.’ Berry added. He arranged the paper cuttings one by one.

‘Bull fighting you say,’ Vishwa eyes narrowed as he said, some pleasant and some unpleasant memories passed through his mind but he quickly shaked them off.

‘This time, I say I will also take part.’ The burly man opened his eyes and said from the far corner.

‘But have you even played before, you say as if you would win,’ Berry said.

Vishwa's expression eased up listening to Berry, a smile appeared on his face.

‘You say I won’t win,’ The burly man stood from his chair, ‘I have been training for the bull fighting, who could say I won’t win. Vishwa, what do you think would happen if I happen to join the competition? Tell them.’ The burly man came near their table, he was looking at the duo twins while also looking at Vishwa to support him.

‘As if Vishwa would agree with you,’ Jam said, looking in the burly man’s eyes.

‘Guys, no need to start a fight, we don’t even know if a tournament would even be held in the main town.’ Vishwa said with both hands in the front. As if trying to calm down the three of them.

The three of them just wanted to argue some more when Vishwa smelt something.

‘Wait, what is this smell?’ Vishwa said, trying to identify the smell.

Jam and Berry smelt the foul smell and sighed as they both looked at each other.

‘Not again.’ they both said together.

Jam got off his chair and moved toward a door. The door was closed. But Vishwa could identify the smoke coming from the edges of the door.

Jam knocked the door and asked against it. ‘ is everything alright, little Stuart.’

Vishwa looked at Jam. No voice came from the other side. When Vishwa was thinking that some accident had occurred to the person on the other side, he heard a voice.

A muffled voice came from the other side of the door accompanied by cough and sneezes. ‘Yes… sneeze… I think I…. cough… cough. I am … sneeze… okay.’

As Vishwa heard the voice, he realized the voice was becoming clear by the second. And finally when the person said okay the door was opened from the other side.

Vishwa looked at little Stuart. Like his name, he wasn’t older than 12 years. His face looked cute with baby fat still clinging through the cheeks. His whole body was a mess as far as Vishwa could see. He was wearing an apron on top of his clothes. The apron was filled with ink patches. Even his clothes were not spared. His face was a mess with his messy black hair and grease that smeared his face.

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‘Are you okay,’ The burly man asked with concern.

‘Yeah I think I am… cough… cough… fine.’ Little Stuart said, as he spoke his teeths were visible, even they were not spared of blackness. And finally when he coughed… black smoke came out from his mouth.

Vishwa knew if he was in that situation, he would definitely not be okay.

'What was that about' Berry asked little Stuart.

'Uh, the printing press had a problem, I tried to fix it, that's when it started smoking' little Stuart said. After cool down he was finally able to speak clearly.

The printing press belonged to the castos, the owner of the castos had brought this machine from the main town in a fairly good big. Though the main reason for it, you can say it was because the machine had been generations old, that's why he was able to buy it for cheap.

And this here little Stuart was genius at his age. When he was just young boy, you might be wondering what I am taking about, well when he had started selling his own papers. Though it wasn't successful in the neighbourhood.

The Owner didn"t waste any time and brought him to try out the machine. And from then on he was given the job to print press the local pamplets.

And his salary, especially Vishwa, thought it was greater than his.

'Well let's do it later little Stuart' Jam said scratching his head at the back.

'No, I have to prepare it before the next day, owner has given me the responsibility for it,' little Stuart said with great pride and responsibility.

Vishwa was listening to Little Stuart when he came across his own little detail. He too had something to do. And looking at the dilapidated clock on the wall of the building which indicated he has been quite late.

'guys, I will see you later,' Vishwa said as he started running through the front door.

'Hey not the front door' the burly man said.

'Yeah I will mind it later' Vishwa replied back to the burly man as he disappeared from the building.

It was 4'o clock and his father had asked him to return with the parts till 5'o clock. So he ran.

The night came early, especially in the villages quite far from town and cities. Infact Vishwa had never been to a city before.

With the sunset gone, the night came. The whole market was just beginning to dissolve in the dark, when people started operating the lanterns and the candles. The little details was what made much difference for shop owners.

In that same market at the most corner part where you won't find much of an existence. There was a mechanic trying to convince his customer.

The mechanic was wiping away the dirt that has settled on his hands and face. As he looked at the far corner. It seemed he was waiting for someone.

He must had been healthy during his prime but now he looked nothing liked in the past. His clothes were loose as if he had lost some weight. His expression, was vivid as he tried to convince his customer to wait.

'how much do I have to wait,' a man in a long draped clothes type. Said to the mechanic. He sighed from time to time as if his precious time was getting wasted.

'Sir just a little more' a little raspy and deep voice sounded from the mechanic. He continued to look through the part of the scooter.

Scooter was not common in these parts. Especially this village which seemed forsaken from the rest of the world. But it didn't mean that there weren't people rich enough who had settled from other places, or were working here from other places due to circumstances.

'You had been saying the same thing for the past two hours. I had given you the scooter at the start of the day, and you had promised at that time that you will repair it by 5 pm nos look at the time,' the main said. He took out a watch from his inner pocket and showed it to the man.

'it's 6:30, how much do you need me to wait here for' the man said he wrapped his hands against his chest. He was looking for an explanation from the middle age man in the front.

'I know sir, but you our village is quite far from other villages and it's very difficult to look for the part, infact the part you had been asking for has recently came from the the main town, that's why it must be taking so late,' the middle age man said.

'I expected no less from such a back village. If it was my city your mechanic shop wouldn't have been able to run for a single day.' the man said, scolding the middle aged man.

The man wanted to continue when some shouted from a distance. The man was running in this direction only. Looking at the guy running from far, the man in long draped dress thought that someone was coming to rob him, he tried to hide behind the middle age man.

'Father' the voice became clear as the man got closer and closer to the shop.

Vishwa was running quite fast, for one reason he was late very late and for the other reason. He thought he saw the fatty duo, and that is why without looking back he was running with his all.

Coming at a few steps from his father

Vishwa stopped. He took his hands to the front. He had bent his body, trying to take it the air. He was panting hard.

'There were many people, that is why it got so late' Vishwa said between huffing and puffing. He knew his excuse was not enough to buy his father who was able to see everything from far away. Especially when it came to his son.

Vishwa was looking at his father at that moment. His father was angry but he was suppressing his anger. 'huh' he thought he saw someone else behind his father. A man had been hiding behind his father.

As the man saw Vishwa, he stood up. 'Ahem,' he said, coughing with hands in front of his mouth. 'if you wil repair it' he said. Trying to maintain his composure.

Vishwa's father had forgotten about the man

Thinking what had happened just a moment ago was enough to fill him with laughter. But he controlled it.

'Alright sir, it will take no more than 15 minutes,' Vishwa's father said as he took the parts and some tools to repair the scooter.

Vishwa stood at a little distance away. He was watching as his father fitted in the parts that were missing. Vishwa had seen him washing and greasing the scooter in the morning. That meant there had not been many other customers on this day too.

Vishwa looked at the house, it was an old looking building, which screamed for repairs. The lights were out at this moment, so nothing could be seen of what was inside. The shop you can say was an extension of the house. Some of the house space had been given to act as the shop.

Vishwa was not in a hurry to enter his house. As he watched his father he knew he was going to close the shop for the day after just this customer.

It had taken some time for him to come here, he had to travel some distance to get some parts. And especially those bullies, he had to travel without being spotted by them. So he was moving stealthily throughout his journey.

After waiting for minutes. His father was finally done with the work. He started the scooter and showed it to the customer to show that it was working properly. He took the money for repairing the scooter and thanked the costumer.

Vishwa helped his father close the shop. He gathered all the equipments scattered outside while his father set up the remanants parts and tools inside. After all of it was gathered. His father locked the shop and took the key in his pocket.

'Let's go' Vishwa's father said guiding him to the house. They both returned whole carrying a lantern in one hand. Whatever illumination the lamp provided was enough for them to navigate their way inside the home.

They set up the lantern. His father changed his work clothes after washing himself. And replaced it with something comfortable. Vishwa just spread himself in comfort on the mat that was on the floor.

'How was the day today,' his father asked him as he got into the kitchen. He was going to prepare the meals.

'Nothing much,' Vishwa said in a soft voice.

'The school's principal has said you have stopped going to the school' his father's voice came, he was lighting up the stove.

Vishwa remained silent, he didn't want to say anything about it.

'You know you can go to school, I can afford that much,' Vishwa's father said. He knew for a fact that his kid was not going to school because they were not able to get basic sustenance for their living.

'I know,' Vishwa said. The same thing had been repeated numerous times. He wasn't going to start a new argument.

Vishwa closed his eyes. He was exhausted he didn't felt an ounce of energy on his stomach. His stomach rumbled hard, but he was used to much bad. So he was able to coax his stomach.

His father came over with the food. It was nothing fancy. Two rough pieces of bread with some pulses boiled in water. Though the water content was very high in the mixture.

He set up to plates on the floor. Vishwa came and set up a candle on the floor along with two glasses filled with water.

Vishwa looked at the food. He was feeling very hungry and he wasn't able to wait for his father.

'Wait' his father said. His voice was little rough.

'Right' Vishwa retracted his hand which had already tore upon the bread and was going to dip into the pulses.

Vishwa's father set his own plate. And sat across Vishwa.

Hie joined his hands and closes his eyes. Vishwa imitated him.

'O lord who keeps care of us. Who presided over the destruction of the universe, who provides shelter and makes sure we are healthy. We offer our prayers to you.' the old man, spoke with great devotion. Each word felt spiritually invoking. But Vishwa wasn't repeating behind him.

'Aum Namah Shivay' His father said, ending his prayer with a mantra. This time Vishwa chanted the mantra.

His father was a follower of lord Shiva. Not many knew about him. But his father had taught him, that lord Shiva presided over destruction. And he was the God who didn't distinguish between status and power. He only knew devotion and practice.

After that, as usual his father made him remember Vishwa's mother.

His mother, Vishwa hadn't seen her as far as he could remember from his memories. It felt like stuff from the distant past. Even then he knew nothing about her

But his father loved her even after all these years. And always made sure that he remember about her everyday.

After performing all these rituals, they both finally started eating.

'I don't think it is appropriate for you to skip school any more,' his father said. He continued 'You should join the school from tomorrow morning.'

Vishwa continued to eat. He didn't gave any response.

'Roaming around with those kids who only know to pass time, you will learn nothing being with them. I want to you stay away from them.' his father said as he took a bite from his food.

Vishwa’s father looked at Vishwa. He wasn’t listening to him at all and that angered him.

‘Are you listening to what I am saying at all,’ Vishwa’s father said his anger present on his face.

‘Yeah I am listening, and I won’t go to school,’ Vishwa didn’t like his dad's attitude towards him at all. What was that sense of authority he was speaking with.

‘You!’ Vishwa’s father’s anger had reached its peak.

‘You have learned to talk back, from those friends of your, haven’t you,’ his father said. He was livid at the him gaining bad morals from his friends.

‘You know nothing about the world, what do you think you would do without any kind of wisdom. People will spit on you.’ His father spoke of some harsh reality in this world.

‘You think they aren’t spitting on me right now, whenever I go I listen to their balent provocation. They always think they are greater just because they have gained some education, and have money. You think they won’t try to harass me after I have gained valid education. No father they aren’t like that,’ Vishwa spoke with venom coming out from his mouth.

Vishwa’s father was trying his best to calm his anger. He shouldn’t have started it at all. But it wasn’t good, their condition wasn’t good. And he needed to show his son, that it was important to gain education in this world. But he hadn’t thought that Vishwa had gained such a mentality toward the world.

‘They will come and treat me like I am some joke even If I become educated than them, their eyes, always want to see someone on their level otherwise they won’t even spare glance at them. And you talk about my friends, they are much better than those bastards, who roll their tongue toward someone richer and powerful.’ Vishwa viciously spat criticizing those people.

His father sat silently. It was the first time in a while his son had shown this much anger.

‘And you don’t have any idea what father is, they make fun of your little shop behind your back.’ Vishwa said.

He saw his father flinch at those words.

Vishwa realized it was too late. He shouldn’t have said all those words to his father. It was those bastards' fault. They didn’t see him as someone to respect. Whenever Vishwa passed by such people he always felt their disgusted toward him, as if they wanted him to go as fast as he could.

Vishwa stood up with those words, he exited his house walking toward nowhere.

For a few minutes his father sat silently on the floor. Every word his son said was playing back and forth through his mind. At last he sighed. HIs heart was filled with grief.

‘I wasn’t able to become a good father.’ His father was dejected.

He looked toward the sky through the open here.

‘If you were here, I am sure you would have done better,’ he said with a bittersweet expression.

After all, you were the only one to convince me to leave that path.

‘I wish you would have been here, I am not able to do it. I am not able to understand our son’s grief. So much sadness, he keeps so much but he doesn’t show it at all. How is he able to go without faltering that much.’ Vishwa’s father said, looking at the door through which Vishwa had gone just a few moments ago. His expression was complex. His eyes couldn’t conceal the grief he felt.

Vishwa’s father looked at one of the corner of the house. The corner was nothing special, but there were some trophies there. His past it was. Vishwa’s father eyes tracked one of the trophy that looked the oldest of the lot.

It said,’Congratulations Mr. Mayankan on winning the tournament.’

‘If I hadn’t been injured our situation might have been alright,’ Mayankan said at last.

Vishwa walked. He didn’t had any sense of direction, he was just walking. Infact his mind too wasn’t in the right place. He was constantly thinking stuff, stuff that made his brain hurt.

He shouldn’t have said it at all. He thought again. It was a mistake from him. His father hadn’t been doing well. Saying such things only brought him shame about what he had done.

His father had been his only living relative as far he could tell. He hadn’t talked about anyone else other than his mother who he loved the most. He had asked many a times in the past, if there were others, like his aunt, uncle or even grandfather and grandmother. But his expression would just turn complicated. He wouldn’t even discuss about them.

The mechanic shop was the only one in the village. His father was an amazing worker. From when Vishwa was just a little boy he was able to see his father fix stuff without breaking a sweat. At times, little Vishwa would go around the shop constantly using various tools. As if he was roleplaying his father.

‘If only he hadn’t been injured,’ Vishwa thought, without any knowledge he was tightening his

Fists.

It had happened two years ago, their condition wasn’t good even then, but they were able to make go with whatever they could earn. And the tournament money contributed in a way. He was one of the best fighters in the field. The only thing that Vishwa could make a flaw out of was the fact that there wasn’t anyone better than father even in fight. The whole village would challenge him, even the neighbouring villages came and challenged him. But they all returned with defeat in their hand. In his eyes his father was a superhero. Not someone fancy who would go around roaming in the air saving people and stuff. But one who didn’t falter, how bad their situation might have become.

Vishwa remembered the constant reminder from the landlord, about the rent. The house wasn’t their own. As far as he could remember, when his father and he had come in the village for the first time, his father had taken that building as their home and their shop. And from then, they had continued. His father servicing stuffs made from gear and logs. But still it wasn’t enough. The shop wasn’t earning as much as it could in the past. It had become hard to even sustain the cost of feeding both of us.

‘No not anymore, I would earn money, I would find a way to save our home.’ Vishwa said with a deep determination.

After gaining some clarity Vishwa looked around.

‘Huh, where am I?’ He thought. There wasn’t a place in the village he didn’t knew about. But this place.