"You have got 5 minutes to go- hurry!'' said my wife frustratedly. And within 5 mins she was up in my room, glaring intensively. The dim light cast sharp shadows across her face. Her arms were crossed, her jaw tight. I could hear my own heartbeat hammering against my ribs. I tried to act patiently but within the blink of eye I abandoned the idea. Apologizing was safer- as it always had been. Yeah! being late had become my hobby ever since I retired from my earlier job. But my wife never managed to adapt this habit.
As for today the reason for chaos in my house was just my habit but- an invitation. It reached my doorstep on 10th July on a delightful evening.
I was sitting on a sofa, positioned right in front of a lovely, framed photo of my family, waiting for the snacks which were being prepared by my wife. The sight of the photo along with the gentle breeze of stirring air, carrying the scent of blooming flower filled my heart with a sense of unusual peace. I was thinking about my past, nodding with agreement with words of someone who once said "every beginning has an end and every end has a new beginning.
In the middle of all this I suddenly heard a sound. It was a knock. I moved towards door. The more I stepped towards it the more it increased "Knock! Knock! Knock.''. When I was about to open the door, suddenly the knock stopped.
As I pushed the door open, a slow creak echoed in the air. There was no one at the doorstep. The cold tiles sent a sharp chill through my bare foot. And there it was – a letter lying silently on the floor. In that moment, my imagination surged forward, no longer restrained—it took control, shaping reality itself. Maybe it was a postman who might be getting late. That`s why he was beating the door like drum impatiently. Perhaps he was a poor man, one for whom time was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand, impossible to grasp, impossible to reclaim.
When I read the letter, I realized it was from a widely renowned TV NEWS CHANNEL – THE HEADLINE HUB. In that letter it was written that:
THE HEADLINE HUB
Level 6/53 Berry Street, North Sydney,
New South Wales
10TH JULY 1972
To: Aiden Anderson
Sector-21 Dawn Street, North Sydney,
New south Wales
Subject: Exclusive Interview Invitation – The Unsolved Case That Was Almost Closed
Dear sir,
We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. At THE HEADLINE HUB, we are deeply committed to bringing insightful stories to the public, especially those that shape investigations and justice in our society. Your last case, THE DEAD MOUNTAIN, captured public attention with its intricacies and near resolution. As someone who was exceptionally close to solving it, yet faced unforeseen challenges, your perspective holds immense value. We would be honored to invite you for an exclusive interview on 15TH July on 06:00 PM, where you can share your insights, reflect on the case's complexities, and discuss what truly transpired. This is an opportunity to bring the truth to light and offer viewers a deeper understanding of the dedication behind investigative work. The interview will take place at Level 6/53 Berry Street, North Sydney, New South Wales 2060 Phone: (02) 9261 1930, and our team will ensure a seamless experience for you. If you have any preferred format or topics you wish to highlight, we would be glad to accommodate them. Please confirm your availability at your earliest convenience.
Best Regards,
Loussac Weinstein
Editor
THE HEADLINE HUB
I was surprised as well as shocked at the same time. This letter somehow triggered my trauma 'THE DEAD MOUNTAIN'. This was the first and last case which I was not able to solve-A wound in my record that refused to heal. I was in the field of solving such cases from a very early age and solved many cases which seemed impossible to be solved.
I was so close and was about to solve this case but something unpredictable happened. This unpredictability proved to be a disaster and changed my life so far that I decided to retire from my job. What happened on that mountain yet remained to be a mystery for me as well as
the world. I was merely able to forget that regret. And now this letter? this invitation?
It was not just an invitation. It was a challenge. Was I ready to face it? All such thoughts were roaming around my mind. I was engulfed in the ocean of such thoughts, wandering here and there in search of something which could aid my anxious mind. And provide me the unusable peace which was filling my heart 20 mins ago.
In that hectic situation suddenly my wife`s voice reached my ears. Her voice acted like a lifeguard who was pulling me out from the ocean of despair. "Honey, the snacks are ready come here and have a taste of it" said my wife in a lovely demeanour. I shook off the weight of dilemma and stepped back into reality. The first thing which I saw after stepping back into reality was my wife. She was standing on the balcony near the sofa waiting for me to join her.
At that moment of time, she was looking way prettier than before. Of course, she was always beautiful, it is a universal truth to which I agree since the day I first saw her. That moment made me realize she wasn't just someone in my life—she was the source of my happiness, the quiet force behind every smile, every lighthearted laugh. If it wasn`t for her I would have never been able to recover from the wounds given by that case.
"Must you wait for an invitation to join?" my wife teased, her smile holding both mischief and affection. "There's no need for that, my love," I said, my mind light and free, drawn only to her warmth. I went to the sofa and immersed in the delightful aroma of freshly made snacks, their rich scent wrapping around me.
'' Are you going to fill your tummy just with the aroma. Come on try some and tell me how it does taste," said my wife. "Taste! am I really going to taste it. No, I can`t do that. It can`t be" I said this to myself. I lacked the courage to voice such words to my wife-held back by an unspoken fear. "Why are hesitating? Come on you will be the first to taste it and then our lovely son Leo. OK honey'' said my wife fiercely.
Yeah, I have a son named Leo with my wife Mrs. Bella Anderson and now he`s 6-years-old. That unspoken fear again took action, and I took bite of that snack.
"How is it?'' my wife asked. "It`s too good Darling. This snack is deliciously delicious. Your cooking skills are enough to beat a 5-star chef'' I replied. "Oh! come on, it`s not that good. You are too much.'' she said proudly.
My wife was right that snack was awfully awful, but she did have a special ability make the food smell so aromatic that one might fall for her trick. Of course, the expertise of her last job which made her special.
Luckily my son was not at home at that time .So, he saved himself from this disaster it`s not that my wife is a bad cook she`s particularly bad at snacks like things . God`s knows why ? When my wife tasted it she founded it so tasty that she escorted it to the dustbin which was just below the fridge near dinning table .
It was a perfect time to discuss about that 'Invitation'. I told her that I have got something to discuss. "And what is it about?'' my wife asked. Both of us sat on that cozy sofa by that time it was 8 O` clock. The sky was stretched endlessly above, deep, twinkling with distant stars. A gentle breeze drifts through the air all of them together made me feel so good that I didn`t wanted to spoil that with ugly news of Invitation but yet I told her. Surprisingly she was not shocked. But why?