The Profession (Novel): Chapter 23 (Part 02) - The Cousin Brother and The Elder Brother

Hamdha’s Diary

Life in Colombo was so different for us from our life in Marudur. In the evenings after attending lectures at the university, I was home . We had our privacy in our Colombo home, as my mother always wished to have.

This Colombo house of ours was my mother’s share of inheritance from her father.

My father did not have any community responsibility here, at least so far. He had plenty of time to fully concentrate on his business activities. For my mom’s joy, he had become a full-time businessman again.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) : Chapter 23 (Part 01) - The Disappearance

Monday early morning. The sun had just risen. But, it was invisible hiding behind the grey rain clouds in the morning sky. It was not raining, though. It looked like it could start raining again at any moment.

Shibly was travelling to Marudur. He was about to start a fresh new working week. He was not feeling well. This weather could make anyone lazy and sick. The sun had never shown up for the last few days.

The heavy showers and blowing wind had left behind their brutal crafts throughout Shibly’s journey to Marudur. There were fallen trees and occasional landslides of various sizes.

Shibly had no idea of Marudur-Flood. The power supply had disrupted in Shibly’s house, after the previous evening wind. His smartphone battery was dead and he was unable to plug it in for power. So he could not check any Marudur-related social media updates.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) : Chapter 22 (Part - 03) - A Grave Mistake

The rain poured seamlessly like a flowing river with squishing noise. The thickly brownish mud water had filled the Marudur streets and its tiny Bazar. Most of its landscape, especially the central part of the village, was flat unlike other parts of the hill country. So the water level was unlikely to drain rapidly. The Bazar looked like a lake, as the water remained still while it was still raining.

No one thought it was going to flood when it started raining. First, the water entered the Thajudeen tea store. Then, it slowly moved into other small shops and the nearby Thayqa mosque.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) - Chapter 22 (Part 02): Lion, not a lamb

Shibly's Diary

“Shibly, can you come to Mr Shareek’s house? Now immediately? This is something very serious. Mr Shareek has been attacked”.

“What? Attacked?” I was shocked. “Is he alright now?”

“Yeah, he is alright. But, we can’t leave it in this way, Shibly. It’s becoming a trend. Can you come to Mr Shareek’s house immediately? We have to change the content of the pamphlet”.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) - Chapter 22(1) - A Lonely Path

Minhaj's Diary 

It has been almost a week since those terrible things happened. The leaflet of Marudur-First changed everything in my life upside down. My dreams shattered in front of my own eyes before they blossom.

Mohideen Hajiyar was the only person in my life who came forward to help me. He wanted to take me to Saudi Arabia with him. He had planned to involve me in his business activities. Those things now forever seem to be impossible. He is broken-hearted as I am. He is likely to move to Colombo with his family, leaving this village.

I could not determine where I made the wrong step or where I slipped.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) : Chapter 21 - The darkness of guilt

Saturday, Afternoon.

This part of Marudur was called a “slum” for many generations. The new generation hated this name and preferred to call it “Firdaus Garden”.

The overwhelming majority of Marudurians used to live in this neighbourhood. It was densely populated. But, it wasn’t a slum in a real sense.

Firdaus Garden people were poor even by Marudurian standards. But, it was also a fairly safe neighbourhood just like other places in Marudur. If not for this slum, no one could say Marudur is backward.

_ _ _ _

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) : Chapter 20 - The solar system turned upside down

Shibly's Diary: 

I got back to my room after finishing the Marudur-First meeting. It was Tuesday, a full moon day.

I felt physically and mentally exhausted. I terribly wanted to take a long rest.

I felt lonely and empty.

Was it a correct decision to engage with Marudur-First?

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) : Chapter 19 - Can I lead the funeral prayer, Hazrath?

Tuesday, Morning

Full moon holiday

Mohideen Hajiyar’s dining hall. Mohideen Hajiyar and his wife Ziyana were having their breakfast. Hamdha had left for Colombo.

"I think you still want to take that boy with you, don’t you?", Ziyana asked her Husband.

"Which boy? Taking where?" asked Mohideen Hajiyar.

"You are talking like you have no idea of anything. I am talking about this boy Minhaj. About taking him with you to Saudi Arabia".

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) - Chapter 18 - The Age Difference

13th Day Since Shibly's arrival in Marudur. 

Saturday, Morning

Shibly couldn’t go back to his village this weekend. The principal had asked him to stay and work. Shibly had agreed. Even the new staff members had decided to stay in Marudur.

The Sri Lankan Profession (Novel) - Chapter 17 - The Business Trip

Friday, Morning, 10.42 am. 

Shakira's phone was ringing. She had just now finished her lectures and was standing in the outside courtyard of the lecture hall.