The Seeker and the Beginning

By Shaiksphere

A beginning in the shadows of a basement turns into a multinational chase. Sometimes it looks like an unsolvable race. Other times, it just frustrates. Patience eludes all. But someone makes it happen. Someone pushes hard. Someone reaches it. Someone grabs it. Its the one who makes him seek

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Oct 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781489702678

Shaiksphere

SHAIKSPHERE was first used by the author’s maternal grandfather. The first Shaik Hussain used it to mean “Shaik’s Sphere”. The current Shaik Hussain uses it to mean “Shaik of his own Sphere”. The author is South Asian, Indian, Muslim, Gay basking in his multifaceted personality based in the heart of San Francisco for the past half a decade.

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Copyright © 2014 MOHAMMED SHAIK HUSSAIN ALI.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

LifeRich Publishing is a registered trademark of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

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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.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-0268-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0267-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014914472

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 09/15/2014

CONTENTS

Dedication

Epigraph

Chapter I The Beginning

Chapter II The Other Side of the Beginning

Chapter III The Case Closed

Chapter IV The Curiosity

Chapter V The Case Opened

Chapter VI The Reversal

Chapter VII The Testist

Chapter VIII The CD Shoppe

Chapter IX The Mail

Chapter X The Explosion

Chapter XI The Involvement

Chapter XII The Investigation

Chapter XIII The Dead Speaks

Chapter XIV The Race

Chapter XV The Search

Chapter XVI The Search Continued

Chapter XVII The Shrill

Chapter XVIII The Fame

Chapter XIX The Departure

Chapter XX The Crossroads

Chapter XXI Somewhere in the Mist

Afterword

DEDICATION

To my friend…

EPIGRAPH

An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own

(William Shakespeare)

(As you like it, Act V. Sc. 4)

CHAPTER I

THE BEGINNING

A day to freak out, he started with a bang. Winning the final level of Underground III wasn’t as hard after he had already mastered the previous tougher versions. It was a delight to watch him as he manoeuvred the tricks of movement and contrived the tips of success. Everyone on the gaming forum were his cheerleaders, for they knew his prowess. It was one of the most popular gaming forums, all cheering for him. There wasn’t a game that he hadn’t won, that he hadn’t tested.

Johnson was a school dropout. He never liked to be confined to the world of books and their archetypical knowledge. Crossing many obstacles, his single mother somehow managed to get him through to a community college, but studies were never on his bucket list. Her attempts to wheedle him out of her nest didn’t work either. She gave up and let him stay burrowed in her basement. His only passion and eventually his path of life was to play games. Not the ones that warranted physical injury, but those which involved mental stress and a proper synchronisation of the vision of resolution, movability of the joystick and the speed of the processors – both his and his machine’s.

In due course, he was picked up by the Map Inc., to be on their payrolls in order to maintain the quality of their latest gaming products. But that would have hindered his prospects. Within a couple of months he left his job and setup his own entrepreneurial venture. He envisioned that his mission was to play every strategy on the block and break every module of the game. His fame was big, not just within his chosen realms but beyond as well. Always available to lend a helping hand to anyone who was in need of it, maybe in receipt of some good old favours, but always available to help.

Romance was a game of sudden fate. On the trip to the latest store on the block, The CD Shoppe, he stumbled upon his pretty dame, brought to earth exclusively for him to guard in his heart. Rest, as they always say, was history. Daily walks, outrageous dating bills, empty packs of Lay’s and a social media frenzy filled with lovely words. The best part, all of this was accomplished in just over a period of thirty days from the cupid’s game.

Life did take a bit of turn for him. He grew more impressive in his strategies. With a new entrant to his encouragers’ list, there was no looking back. He grew more aggressive in his job profile. He needed that extra stock. That extra for the beautiful house he saw on sale; a recently launched marvellous sedan; and those newly unveiled glasses to be worn to look at the brighter side of the upcoming future, to be unwrapped shortly.

The happiest person was Johnson’s mother. Finally she knew that her prayers were answered. Someone does exist, ready to sign up for the job, of straightening her son. And then she could put the basement to its real purpose. Moreover, she wouldn’t have to be his maid. Probably the only mother who kept dropping hints of a proposal. She knew, seeding the idea early on would reap benefits in the long run. She was aware that it was selfish of her. But then, her son would move out. The end necessitated all the means. So long everyone was happy.

The most important hurdle of Johnson’s life was not getting his mother ready, she was the one who cajoled him to start with. The task ahead was to convince his girlfriend’s father who had to approve his daughter’s choice. The test was to prove that Johnson could and would manage to provide all the necessary amenities just by playing and winning games. Times did show that all sorts of entrepreneurs were out in the market, but a game testing guy was anew and the only one in the neighbourhood. With no successful role models to quote, it was a tough one year exercise to prove his worth. Johnson utilised it well. Amassing his wealth, upping his stocks, wooing his belle, spreading his network, and eyeing his house. He proved his worth. Surprisingly, all that it took was to defeat the girl’s father in his chosen favourite online game…

* * *

A beautiful sunshine, the rays spreading through the sky akin an untamed river, the breeze filling up the voids, the sights expressing happiness and the hands holding each other. The bench next to the park’s pond was being warmed up, with one head on a shoulder. And the lips of the other head, kissing the night hair. Life would have come to a standstill and there wouldn’t have been any regrets. The serenity of the surroundings was all that was needed. A promise to be together.

Contemplation of the right moment was always on his mind. On the day he introduced his mother to his real-existent-human girlfriend, she gave him her engagement ring with a piece of advice, don’t let her go.

Sunsets were corny. Stars were trite. Restaurants were hackneyed. Champagnes were clichéd. Instead, it was a cold spring morning sun, amid the chirping birds, with the tinge of grass, surrounded by the people he cared, in the vicinity of lit campfire that his knees knew to bend, that his head knew to bow, that his hands knew to hold, and his lips knew to ask.

* * *

…after which, there weren’t any more reasons not to allow this guy woe his daughter. With both the parties ready, it was just a six month wait for Johnson and his fiancée’s unison.

All hurdles were cleared with both in-laws in line, an ecstatic single mother, a happy proud father, and a pretty damsel; it was with a bit of respect for their own dreams, else the run-up to the wedding would have been raunchier.

* * *

It was business as usual for Johnson to receive unsolicited emails. Most of which were corporate jargon, some recruiting firms, couple of friends and major share of fan mail. Unknown, faraway people sending their gratitude for his help, with some titbits of the skills of serenading, just in case their lover boy needed any. Some emails consisted of demo versions of some latest on-the-anvil games, for his eye and encouragement for the amateurs wishing their best to make it big. Johnson helped them to rectify the loopholes, sometimes gaining a little profit, while cracking games.

* * *

It was the Sunday two-weeks prior to their Sunday wedding at the local church. All the preparations were perfected, and arrangements were accomplished, with just patch-ups coverable in the weeks ahead. Amidst the festivities,