Wrongly Invited

Wrongly Invited

By

Sudip Mukherjee

It's raining outside.But we have to go somewhere.An invitation came to us a few days back for a birthday dinner at a friend's house.But question is "No name was mentioned in the invitation letter.And the address is also not known to us."Oh.Forget to tell.We are five friends.We are partners in every crime(may be futile or huge blunders).We always go together.We eat together and even more interestingly we are all alone.We are orphans and now all are settled in home business together.We are friends since childhood(as far I can remember from my earliest memories).From the orphanage to this new two BHK flat in New Town,Kolkata,we live the journey together in hard or good times.

Five common friends(Rabi,Fulu,Kalu,Gora,Sarat) are going to another friend's home for a Birthday Dinner.Our destination is 12B,Ghatakpukur,Beradanga,Purulia.It's going to be a journey of more than seven hours by road and we hire a cab.But all of five can not recognize this friend anyhow.We decide to go there considering a long dull previous week at home looking out the window due to covid situation.

We reach the destination before time almost at 6 pm and find a small house at the outskirts of the town.The host friend welcome us and all enter the house without even knowing the name of this friend.

After some dancing only among six of them,they are exhausted like never before.At last,Rabi asked "I can not remember your name,my dear host."

The host answers "My name is Amal".

All of us try to remember the name but can not find any Amal in their class from our memory recalling.Whatever, the dinner is served.

One by one,we occupy the dinner table.Fulu eagerly asks "Please start.I'm starving."

Rabi opens all the lids and finds many delicious dishes there- Mutton Curry,Pulao,Alu Posto,Chutney,Sweets(Rosogulla and Gulab Jamun,Chicken Pokora).

Everybody starts to eat like we are on starvation for one week long.

Now Amal starts questioning.

Amal asks "How are all of you? Rahat,Kamal,Johar,Gopi and Safik".

All are stunned to hear that.These are the names of our neighbours.That means the invitation letter we got few days back by post were misplaced by the pion.But we all somehow manage to pull this off with smile on face. And Rabi answers "We are good.And you."

Amal replies "As you see me.Very good.But you are quite changed.I can not recognize.You grow up differently.What's say?".

It is an embarrassing situation.We are different people.How can we look like the persons we are not.Somehow Fulu manages to say "Tension Bro,It's ageing.We are aged not like you."

Amal again asks "May be.And How is Hontai".

Rabi "Who is ...."

Not let Rabi Finishing his query, Gora says "Very good.He goes to gym regularly."

Astonishingly Amal "Fool.It's Safik's cat."

Kalu "We are joking.He is good."

Amal "She.Not he.Hontai is female cat."

Rabi "So funny.Kalu messes up everything."

Amal "Safik never like mutton.But ....".

Without letting him questioning, Sarat replies "Later,I start eating mutton.It tastes good.Bro."

Amal "Safik used to wear a 786 on neck.You remove it.I can not see it there now."

Sarat replies with a smile "It was lost during last summer."

Amal "We use to play a game at the school.You remember that or not."

All are shocked to hear that.We know that something big is coming.We can only hope to escape from here at last.

Rabi "Which one?There are lots ......"

Sarat interrupts "We are already very late."

Fulu "I have to go."

Amal "Please.For our old times sake.It's a request from the bottom of my heart."

Rabi "Ok.But let's hurry up.It's too late now."

Amal "You don't worry.Any of you.Can you guess the game."

Fulu "Don't create a suspense.Let's start."

Amal "It's 'What's Your Favourite?'".

Sarat "Oh.I see.Let's start now."

Amal "Let's start with favourite colour.One by one.Let's see your choice.Has it changed.Start.Let's start with.....hmmm....hmmm.."

Rabi "My favourite colour is red."

Sarat "green"

Fulu "Yellow".

Kalu "Brown".

Amal "White."

Gora "Pink."

All of a sudden the door bell rings.Amal's facial expression changes abruptly.Like he sees a ghost.Rabi gets up to open the door.But Amal speaks out in a scary voice "Don't try to move.Sit down on the chair.Else I will shoot you."

We are scared.Fulu asks "It's not funny.And.What's this all about.?Why are standing with a pistol in your hand?"

All of us discover that Amal aim at Rabi with the pistol.We request Rabi to sit down.

Amal "Sit down. All of you.I'm not Amal.I'm Safik."

Rabi "But Why are you doing this?"

Amal "Stop talking.You.Imposters.I know.You fake cheap fools."

Fulu "How dare you talking to us like this".

Amal "Stop fooling me.I have already killed Amal."

Rabi "What do you mean?You killed.Where is he?"

Amal "I already dumped his deadbody.And now yours' turn."

Sarat "Please.Let us go.We don't know anything."

Amal "Now.You are our guest."

Rabi "Please.Let us go.We are not your friends.There is a mis-understanding."

Amal "I said imposters because of that.I know from the beginning that you are not my friends."

Fulu "What?Then why do you let us in and have dinner?"

Amal "Because I want to have fun and of course to kill you all.I've already your neighbours -Rahat,Kamal,Johar,Gopi and Safik."

Rabi "Why?And ..."

Amal "And yes.That cat.Hontai.He also died one year ago due to poison."

Sarat "Don't kill us.We are innocent."

Amal murmuring "I poisoned the cat.Yes,yes.Ha...Ha..ha.Me."

Rabi "You won't be spared.You will definitely go to jail."

Amal "No matter.Everyone will die one day."

Rabi "Please.Let us go,Please."

Amal "You will die first then.Any question."

Suddenly the door broke and police men enter the room and fire on Amal's leg before he can shoot.

Police officer asks "Do you live here?"

Rabi "No.We are friends.He invited us to come to his birthday dinner."

Police Officer : "You don't know.He is in a mental asylum for five years after committing three murders."

Rabi "I think.It's now six murders.He killed six of our friends as he told us."

Police search the entire house,garden and dig some portions of the ground and find six bodies.

Police Officer "Bravo.Boys.You will be awarded.You help us a lot and solve the case and find the killer also."

All of us just look at one another.Rabi with a sigh of relief "I am thrilled to know that Sir.Now we have to go.It's a very long night for all of us."

-----------------THE END--------------------