Superstar: Horn OK Please (22 page)

As Derek read out, we listened to Jenny’s innermost thoughts. My heart wept for her when I heard what she wrote. These were her tender moments. Only when I heard them did I realize how painful her existence had been. Jenny was born in the house of pain; she died in the cradle of love, yet she wanted to live in the blissful world of normalcy. She was an intense woman in a world of her own where everything she had loathed, feared or hated had become a part of her existence.

At least, she died experiencing the feeling of love…

***
 

Epilogue

Auction at D’Silva Estate:

The lawyers were busy, shuffling papers. Jeremy had loaded them with enough work for a few months. His throat was parched, he longed for a drink. He reached out for his hip flask and opening it, he took a big swig. He made a face. He hated the taste of Redbull but he’d sworn off alcohol. It was a promise made to his darling foster-daughter – Jenny. He’d vowed that he would never touch alcohol again, but he hadn’t bargained for the acquired taste of Redbull.

After Jenny’s death, Jeremy found a new mission for himself. If that little girl whom he loved like his own daughter could die to set things right, he could certainly do his bit alive. He had a battery of lawyers working on the history of all the land papers acquired over the years. His objective was to sell off every inch of Winston’s ill-gotten gains and matchstick Nanny worked with him to make it happen. It had never been about money for Jeremy. He wanted to ensure that the land went back to the rightful owners or it be auctioned off so that the proceedings could go to a trust that was started by Jenny’s mother. The sole aim of this trust would be to support the local community and ensure that they would get help in every possible way.

Jeremy also had the cemetery locked down and closed to everyone to ensure that the dead were left undisturbed. Jenny rests in peace with the rest of her community members. Her death was not in vain. The locals do report ghost sightings, but no one has ever complained of any injuries or death. They still claim to hear the howling of a wolf at night.

Jeremy reached for his hipflask and muttered obscenities under his breath. “Darn that Chief Redbull and his dumb buddies. May the curse of a 1000 locusts infest their underpants right now for introducing me to this medicinal, insipid drink!” cursed Jeremy as took another swig of the golden liquid which he called ‘Devil’s Brew’.

“Give it a rest, Jeremy, I got patients waiting. Give me a hand, will you? I’m off to Ladakh next week. I’ve promised Lobsang that I’ll be there at her school for free consultations”, said Cathy, as she looked at the long list of patients she was supposed to examine that day. She had given up her lucrative job in New Delhi and had come back to her community to serve them for free. It was the least she could do if she were to follow Jenny’s path. Jenny had given up her life to stop evil, at least Cathy could do her little bit to find a place in heaven.

“Be there in a jiffy, it sure would make Jenny happy”, said Jeremy as he walked across to Cathy, hurriedly stuffing the Redbull in his pocket as he looked through the long list of patients for the day, “You sure have a long day, Cathy, use Nanny’s help, I must get back to the lawyers”, said Jeremy, pointing at matchstick Nanny as he quickly beat the retreat.

“Her? She’s going to help me? OK…Well, Nanny, go burn your pink clothes and wear something decent. Wipe off that garish lipstick and try your best to look human before you try to help me. You’ll scare away all the children….Jeremy, that bastard!” said Cathy sarcastically as Nanny swallowed and beat a hasty retreat.

Jeremy became a do-gooder and Nanny never wore pink again.

Lobsang’s new lease of life:

It was a bright sunny morning and there was a flutter of activities at the Tibetan Children’s Village in Choglamsar. Lobsang was patiently explaining to the kids about the virtues of putting others before self and how an ordinary person can change others even if the person is not extraordinary.

“You don’t need super powers to change the world. You need to be a perfectly normal person to make the world a better place. Just last week, I was with a friend who showed me the path of endless love. She was as normal and ordinary as you and I, but when it came to making a decision, she chose right….Sometimes, it’s not just about being a do-gooder, but it’s about being normal. If you can be yourself, God will show you the path to goodness”, said Lobsang as her voice trailed off and she got lost in Jenny’s thoughts.

The impish children looked at her gleefully, waiting for Lobsang to tell them more. One of them raised his hand and asked her without waiting for Lobsang to acknowledge him, “But you have superpowers. Everybody says you can see the future. So that makes you special? Can I also have superpowers, ma’am?”

“Yeah, she has superpowers! She’s like Wolverine from those comic books we have in the library. Tell us more, ma’am! Please?” all the children shouted in unison, in their sweet irresistible way.

Lobsang paused and smiled at the children. She was taken aback before she regained her composure and spoke softly, “Let me tell you a story, children. Do you want to listen?”

The 23 children in the classroom noisily begged her to tell the story.

“This is the story about an angel. Her name was Jenny…”

After she finished telling the children Jenny’s story, she walked around the campus and watched the children play. She remembered her parents. Her loving parents who she missed right now, someone who would have loved to hear Jenny’s story. Her father had sent Lobsang away to carve her own life, have her freedom to decide. Her mother had given up her life to save Lobsang. It was their decision and selfless, parental love came first out of free will. She knew she shouldn’t have been alive. She should have died with her mother a long time ago.

Her thoughts drifted to Jenny. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so guilty about her parent’s death anymore. The choice had been theirs. She would do the same for her children if it was needed.  Lobsang would try harder to give the children the ability to decide for themselves. She would inculcate in them the spirit of free will and universal love. She now had a purpose.

She breathed in the fresh morning air before heading to the Staff room when she got a call from Cathy. She was coming to the school. Lobsang was excited. Jenny had brought them closer and now she had a friend, someone she could depend on for life.

“So, who’s going to win the match against our school this evening, Lobsang?” said the Dean, hoping to get an answer from Lobsang so he could decide whether to attend or skip the match depending on whether his school was going to win today.

“Honestly? I don’t know anymore”, said Lobsang and smiled at the Dean, “But maybe, you may want to attend the match and find out yourself”. The Dean walked away grumbling.

Lobsang felt happy that now she wouldn’t have the visions anymore. She didn’t know what to expect the next moment for her powers were gone with Jenny. She was no ‘Magic girl’ anymore. She was normal, not a freak. The powers that the Devil had bestowed upon her had gone away with the Devil himself. She could barely draw circle properly. The Circle of Light was a distant memory.

Back in the saddle again:

It was close to sundown when we left the estate. The sun had set and it was getting dark. Goose was driving down the winding road of the beautiful estate roads. There was not a soul in sight. Motormouth was juiced up and everything was hunky-dory again.
Led Zepellin
played in the background and I played around with the pen Jenny had gifted me. I was wondering how could someone ever write with such a heavy pen. Hound and Derek were cracking jokes in the backseat. We were crossing the bridge where we’d first met Jenny one dark, starry night.

“OK, what do you get when a pink monkey partners with a matchbox?” asked Derek with a glint in his eye.

“You get a matchstick Nanny in a pink gown wearing pink lipstick!” replied Hound, cracking up. I couldn’t control my laughter when Goose slammed on the brakes and froze in horror as we crossed the bridge. He was looking at the rearview mirror and was in a state of shock. I rolled down the window and turned around to look. My blood froze when I saw what he did. Hound and Derek must have seen it too for they looked scared shitless.

There was Jenny, standing at the bridge, wearing a white gown. Her neck was twisted, as though broken. Her eyes were jet black and blood was trickling down her neck. The front of her dress was covered in blood. Her hair was a wet mess. There she stood barefoot, staring angrily at Motormouth. Beside her was the big beast of a wolf. Its eyes were bloody red. They just stood there watching us from behind.

“Jenny’s dead and gone. This is that Doppelganger and that dumb, undead beast – Winston…” whispered Derek, his voice as calm as ever, “No worries, Goose. Don’t look back, keep movin’ and drive peacefully. They can’t do shit to anyone anymore.”  He said it as though we’d spotted elephant in a jungle and he was instructing us to stay calm, telling us how to take pictures. Goose revved up the engine and I opened a can of Redbull for myself and changed the CD. Maybe it had something to do with the music.
Lamb of God
was a better deal to listen to right now.

“OK, here’s one for you, bro, Jenny had asked me this. What do you call it when broomstick Nanny asks you to take her out on a date and you agree with glee?” said Hound, smiling, knowing this one had Derek stumped.

“They call it ‘fiction’, dude!” said Derek, “What makes you think I don’t know this one? I made this one up and taught Jenny. But tell me, what were you doing with my girlfriend anyway? Sharing Nanny jokes with her?”

“I told you she loved me more than she ever loved you!” replied Hound, grinning from ear to ear.

We burst out laughing. I swear I haven’t seen Goose laugh like this for over a week. Yeah, life was good again. I suppose we felt better too, we’d given up smoking for Jenny’d hated it. She’d said that more than once. There were no cigarettes inside Motormouth. Life was a gift, she’d taught us. This was our gift to her. We’d decided to live longer and make up for Jenny’s early exit. We’d decided to stay happy for Jenny would’ve wanted us to be so.

She’s just passed over and we shall meet again – some other time, in some faraway place to where everybody ultimately goes…

*Smack!!
*
