Escape

By Ruhi Darakshani

From a clock that seeks revenge to an office lift that complains of its ailments, from a child who invites a snake to tea to an out-of-body experience shared by friends, Ruhi Darakshani's short stories teem with memorable images and striking ideas. Her range encompases romance, suspense, tales of treachery and murder and of overwhelming compassion. As the wheel of life turns, happiness can quickly change to tragedy, but throughout the author retains her sense of natural justice and belief in the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Nov 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504992220

Ruhi Darakshani

Ruhi Darakhshani was born in the beautiful mountain city of Hamedan, south west of Tehran – the ancient city of Echatana in record history and capital of the kingdom of the Medes. Traditional the creator of the Median Kingdom was one, Deioces, who according to Herdoutes reigned from 728 to 675 BC and founded the Median capital raised in that city. On finishing her time in elementary school, the family moved into Tehran – the capital – where she continued her education. Still studying at the secondary school, the young Ruhi discovered an urge for creative writing. This has grown with her since that time. She knew for sure that she was blessed with talent. She started with short stories, novels and articles on various topics (love stories, various forms of creative writing or articles related to the social issues of the time). Young and enthusiastic, Ruhi moved to Abadan, a city with an extremely hot climate and famous for its refineries, situated in the south of Iran, There she was employed by the oil company and served in a secretarial capacity in various departments of that company for many years. Along with family and her job responsibilities she was actively involved in a number of social societies and groups – namely membership of the Women Society, Red Cross, Prisoners’ Rights Concern, Creative Writing Group, Parents and Teachers Committee, Family Welfare, Scouts… etc. In this way she rendered valuable services to her country and its people. Meanwhile she acted as a radio presenter for the local radio of the oil company where she served as a writer and speaker for the children’s programmes. As well as her multiple activities she was a presenter on local TV and a part time correspondent for a weekly magazine issued in Tehran. A book containing her stories, named ‘Sarereh’ was published during this time which won her great success. Ruhi lives with her husband and three children, who are now working successfully and support their mother in her social life. The family came to Britain before the Iranian Revolution, some 31 years ago. She is engaged, as usual, in various social activities but she never neglects her writing, which remains her abiding passion. This book, and a few others including ‘Unfulfilled Love and Life’ in Farsi, MAD in English, both published in USA a few years ago, are now available at recognized bookshops in the States and in Europe. They have brought her great fame and success. Also the following books are now ready for printing: Dead People Planet Love inside the Balloons Love, Money and no more The Lost Bride

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AuthorHouse™ UK

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© 2015 Ruhi Darakshani. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/16/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9221-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9222-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Escape

A Call Too Soon

A Monstrous Newborn Baby

Deceit and Murder

Delirium

First Night Performance

Hope

I made her smile

Jenny and the Ghost

My Little Son’s New Friend

The Death of my Dentist

The Lost Years

The Man Who Became Rich Through Farting

The Wheel of Life

Tomorrow is Too Late

True Civilisation

Unfulfilled Lives

Wilful Murder

Acknowledgements

With thanks to Jeffrey Leetham for painting the back cover

Thank you to my Daughter, Venus Alae-Carew, for her help and support in producing the book.

Escape

Thomas and Jeffrey had come to the area in which they lived less than a year before and had become firm friends. One day they decided to leave the hustle and bustle of the town behind, drive to a faraway mountain, pitch a tent, go fishing, and rest and enjoy themselves for one week.

Immediately they prepared for their trip: food, drinking water, sleeping bags, ropes, first aid kit and all the sundries needed for a week in the mountains.

Thomas’s car was serviced and on Friday morning, very early, they set off northwards for an unknown destination. All the way they were joking laughing and listening to music. After a few hours, they stopped near a pleasant farm where they ate a picnic lunch.

The farmer, who was a kind and charming man, joined them and invited them in for a cup of freshly brewed tea. Hearing about their plans, he said, ‘I know just the place. It’s exactly what you’re after.’ He explained, ‘Drive northeast for a few miles, until you reach a narrow, disused track with a very steep slope. Opposite you will be a tall, rocky mountain, which has a cave inside. The river flows below it and it is a very safe place where you could stay even for a month if you wished to!

‘Hidden away higher up the side of the mountain is a very old, abandoned church, reputed to be the den of devils and ghosts, so no one goes there because it is so remote. Even the authorities leave it alone.’

The farmer added, ‘Anytime you get bored, just drive here and join me for a drink or two!’

Thomas and Jeffrey thanked him for his kindness and bade him farewell. Following his directions, they soon found the narrow, disused track. It was July and nearly 11 p.m., but with a yellowish sun setting, there was happily still light enough to see. By the time they reached the outskirts of the high, black, rocky mountain, it was drizzling and d cold wind was blowing the two friends paid no attention to these trivialities. The mountain peak seemed sky high, its slopes green scented. The muffled noise of a small waterfall on one side of the mountain was drowned by the sound of the wind. The mouth of the cave, like the open, ugly gob of a monster, could be seen much higher up. All these features of nature exhilarated them. But now was not the time for exploration and observation. They were extremely tired and hungry again. Parking their car safely, they pitched their tent with difficulty against the force of the wind and organized their sleeping bags.

They then set up their gas cooker, prepared their meal and some music. Fortunately the rain had ceased and every so often the moonlight shone through the clouds and lit their surroundings. The fresh, clean air, combined with the appetizing smell of cooking and delicious coffee, made them absolutely ecstatic. They could not compare the pleasure to anything in the city. After eating drinking, singing and laughing, they fell in to a deep sleep without any difficulty at all.

Warbling birds and sunlight awoke them at 4 a. m At first they both thought they were at home in town and late for work, but rubbing their eyes they saw each other, and realized they were in the tent in sleeping bags. Bursting in to laughter, they pranced out of the tent filling their lungs with the early morning pure mountain air and exercising for a few minutes.

After a massive breakfast of bacon and mushrooms, cheese and bread with dark roasted coffee, they packed their goods and chattels in to the car. Taking their boots and climbing equipment, they made their way up to the mouth of the cave. Although it didn’t look far it took them nearly five hours and it was noon before they reached it.

They rested a while as they ate the lunch they had brought with them. Then holding torches, they stepped in to the mouth of the cave. At first the darkness was scary and they felt frightened and apprehensive, but youthful pride took over and they plucked up the courage to walk further forward, excited now. The path leading from the cave entrance was dark and winding. In some parts, the roof was so low they had to stoop and in others so high it was not visible torchlight. They stumbled over earth and pools of water that had dripped from the walls. They kept going.

Suddenly, at a dark and narrow band, Jeffrey tripped over something, nearly causing them both to fall, but the narrow walls enabled them to reach out and regain their balance. Shining torches on the object, they both screamed out. Their cries reverberated and echoed along the passages, redoubling their terror. A human skull looked up at them.

Swiftly they hurried back to the mouth of the cave. Fortunately they had not gone too far inside so were able to reach the open air easily. Breathless and panic stricken, they were speechless with fear. The solitude and atmosphere of the mountain, which the previous night had been exhilarating, was now oppressive. The mouth of a mysterious monster had opened up, causing terror.

Although both were hungry and thirsty, they felt compelled to get down the path as fast as they could, without saying a word. It was 9 p. m by the time they reached their tent, yet neither of them felt able to prepare anything to eat or drink. They lay down with their eyes open, not uttering a word for nearly an hour. The sound of the wind and the waterfall, which had been exhilarating the previous night, was now frightening.

Thomas spoke loudly and confidently, ‘Shame on us. We didn’t see a ghost. It was only a skull! Put the kettle on while I prepare dinner.’

Both got up and got busy. They ate their meal and finished with black coffee and chocolates. Then lighting cigarettes, they smoked in silence.

Jeff broke the silence, puffing hard on his cigarette and gesturing towards the cave. In a low voice and with a questing attitude, he said, ‘Whose is it? How did it get there and low did he – or she – die? Were they killed? Or perhaps they went in alone and were overcome by the stuffy air or maybe they slipped and couldn’t get out again.’

Thomas, in a sombre voice, murmured something Jeff didn’t catch.

They went to bed but neither of them slept. All the time the image of the skull was stamped in Jeff’s tired mind. It brought back memories of a little girl he had sexually assaulted and killed a few years before. He remembered how mercilessly he had raped and strangled that innocent little girl before burying her under a tree. Her skull by now would be like that one, the empty cavity of the eyeballs looking at him and the teeth without a face laughing at him. His mind was exploding, his face burning and his heart was thumping fast against the walls of his chest as if it were trying to get out.

Suddenly he sat up like a mad thing, shouting, ‘Why did we go to that damn cave and see that ill omen, that skull?’

The shouting interrupted Thomas’s train of thought. He was remembering his little sister, who was killed while he had been in Australia. Her body had only been found until two years previously, bringing with it the brutal realization that she had been raped and suffocated. The killer had not yet been caught. Thomas often wondered what he would do to the killer if he found him? Would he kill him? Put him in the hands of the law? Imprison him somewhere and torture him by cutting a part of his body each day with his own hands? He really didn’t know what he would do.

At Jeff’s shout, he sat up and said, ‘What’s the matter, Jeff? Are you frightened of a skull, like a little kid?’

At this, Jeff cried like a baby and said, ‘Yes, I am scared. Because I killed a child, a little girl, years ago. I suffocated her.’

When Thomas heard these words his blood boiled. His companion was a killer and, based on what Thomas knew about Jeff’s previous places of residence, could even be the killer of his own sister. Despite feeling so upset he managed to maintain control and said, ‘Calm down, Jeff, that happened a long time ago. Pull yourself together and don’t think about it.’

Thomas needed to get Jeff to confess and reveal the truth, so he tried to stay calm. He gave Jeff some wine, which Jeff drank while still crying In a low Jerky voice, as if talking to himself, with a lump in his throat, Jeff said, ‘I can never forget that girl her beautiful, Cheerful baby face as she played and sang at that riverbank. I was surprised to see her there. She looked about seven or eight years old and I was just sixteen. I would shudder at the sight of any girl I saw. An internal voice told me, Oh boy! Go and take her in your arms and satisfy yourself. I had never had intercourse with a girl and didn’t know how it felt. I had sexual urges. When my friends talked about sex, it excited me. I hadn’t been able to find a girlfriend. Maybe I was ugly or shabbily dressed because of the state of my family. My stepfather was a drunkard and drug addict. My mother was always suffering, miserable and an addict too. They tormented me with their nonstop fighting and made me want to escape. I was an only child.

‘On that day, they had argued again and I had escaped. Sad and distressed, I reached the riverbank, which was three miles from the house. I was feeling hungry and full of sorrow until I saw the little girl, when I forgot all my problems. She came to me, smiling, and said. Are you fishing too? No, I said. With childish simplicity, she said, What a pity. I said, Who have you come here with? She raised her head like a lady and shook her beautiful golden hair and answered, By myself. Everyday I come here fishing.

‘So where are your fishing things? I asked. How come your parents let you come here alone? Then I thought maybe she was as unfortunate as myself and escaping home all the time. Maybe her parents quarrelled too, Fighting non – stop like mine! At first I felt sorry for her, then the evil got the better of me, and the thought of being alone with a girl in a secluded place made me feel mad. My body was shaking from head to toe. I asked her name. With a sweet smile she answered, Sofia.’

Hearing the name, Thomas Wanted to jump over to Jeffrey and throttle him, as he now knew Jeffrey had killed his little sister, but he managed to control himself and listen.

Jeff continued, I asked Sofia if she would like to jump in to the water, but I told her, First you have to take off your clothes so that they won’t get wet. Laughing, she said, OK!

‘While she was taking off her blouse and her red shorts with flowers on, I began to take off my trousers and the sight of her puny, delicate body with its white skin made me violently excited. Unaware of what I was doing, suddenly I saw Sofia’s face on the sandy ground, bleeding. She was twisting in pain and screeching. Her shorts were now torn and her private parts bleeding. After putting my pants on, I tried to clean her face with my grimy hands and comfort her.

‘Don’t shout, Sofia, you’ll be all right, but if you shout, a policeman will come and take us both to prison.

‘She wouldn’t stop screaming, so I covered her face with my hand. She struggled a bit and then became silent. I thought she had calmed down. Looking at her body and beautiful private parts a demon desire overcame me and I quenched it again. She didn’t make a sound or move her limbs. She felt cold under my heavy body so I covered her with my jacket to make her warm. Then I told her, Sofia get up now and put your clothes on and go home your mummy and daddy will be waiting for you. Still she didn’t answer.

‘At first I wanted to leave her and go. Then I thought the river might rise and drown her or an animal come and kill her. I even thought to pick her up in my arms and carry her to her home, but I didn’t know where she had come from. Moreover, I didn’t dare do that. I took my jacket from her and spoke to her again. Her face was chalky white, her eyes half open, staring without movement. Panicked, I shook her a few times, calling her name. Now, uselessly, terrified and moaning, I cried. Sofia had left this world!’

At this moment, Jeff cried loudly, covering his face with his hands. He continued: ‘I didn’t want … I didn’t think this would happen! I only needed to gratify my evil desires. She should go back home so her mother could dress her wounds and comfort her and she would be all right. Maybe her mother was like mine, and she had a bad – tempered father or stepfather who beat them both and that was why she had sloped off to this riverside all the time.’

He fell silent – a heavy, horrific silence as dark as the surrounding mountains, a silence more terrifying than the secret revealed in the cave passage after all those years.

Thomas’s anger boiled his blood. Yet after a while he asked very gently, ‘Then what did you do?’

As if woken from a deep sleep, Jeffrey raised his head and looked at Thomas in surprise, ‘What did you say?’

‘Then what did you do? I mean … what did you do with her body?’ Betraying his anguish he cried, ‘What did you do with Sofia?’

Hearing the name electrified Jeff. He started and with fearful bulging eyes exclaimed, ‘You … you … how do you know about Sofia?’

‘You just told me.’ replied Thomas. ‘You just told me the story.’

‘The story, what story?’

‘That you raped little Sofia twice and after you had covered her face with your hand, she was no longer alive.’

Thomas breathed deeply before continuing, in a calmer voice, ‘Now I want to know what you did then.’

Jeffrey, now-almost completely sober, said apprehensively, ‘Did I tell you about it – what happened?’

‘Yes, who else. How would I know about Sofia, her rape and murder?’

Jeff shouted savagely, ‘I didn’t kill her! I didn’t want her to die, only to satisfy my extreme desire. It was the first time I’d touched girl’s tender body. It was an excess of joy that made me mad. I never intended for her to die.’

Thomas realized that Jeff was sobering up, but he needed to hear the rest so he filled Jeff’s glass with whisky, saying, ‘Don’t be so upset. Drink this and you’ll feel better. It happened years ago, after all!’

Jeff spoke meaningfully, ‘It happened years ago? For me, it’s as if it happened yesterday. I can never forgive my parents, because it was their fault I killed that innocent little girl. If they hadn’t quarrelled all the time, if my mother had stayed with my own father and paid attention to me and encouraged me to go to school, I would have got a decent job and a good life like other boys.’

Thomas felt that Jeffrey was digressing, so he topped his glass up and said, ‘Jeff, unfortunately you’re not the only victim of circumstances. There are thousands of innocent boys and girls who experience careless or unloving parents, cruel and oppressive societies. Now, tell me what you did with Sofia’s body.’

Jeff sipped at the whisky. ‘I was dumbfounded; I didn’t know what to do. I was terrified. Her half – open eyes were still staring at me. I wanted do escape, but where to? What to do with the body? Not wanting to leave her