Laughter in Darkness
A suspense, romantic and psychological thriller
By
Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
“You are exaggerating! We may be the best but not as much great as you are saying. One thing here has to be said.” Vinod paused for a moment and said. “Your mother is extraordinary, courageous and daring! I never can remain without appreciating her despite whatever facts I have come to know about her. It is really a very big loss to me that she died like that.”
Sunanda did not say anything but clipped her lower lip between her teeth frames.
“What dear, what you are thinking now?” once again looking into her face, Vinod asked her.
“Dad, are you thinking that it was alright that you people have given liberty to that author to write everything about us in that book so? How many people do come to know about our private lives?” after her releasing her lip slowly Sunanda asked him with knitted brows.
“Nothing has happened in our family that does not take place in the outside world. Both Rajesh and I also thought it was a reparation for our sins. Malathi and Tanuja also thought in the same way. None of you also did not object to it then.” Vinod said.
Sunanda did not know what to say to that and remained silent.
“Why should she go like that in her car all by herself? Why did you allow her to go so? You know very well that she did not know the driving well.” Sunanda said suddenly releasing her hold around his neck. “If she did not go out in that car on that day so, the accident would not have happened. She would be alive among us on this day.”
Vinod did not say anything but closed his eyes. In fact he just not tried to stop her, he encouraged her to go in the car. He asked her to take the car and go like that. Otherwise she would not have driven the car on that day. Why did he do like that? Did he subconsciously want her to die? Did he develop rancor also on her without his knowledge. There came a serious stone like expression on his face.
“Dad, what happened? Why did you become like this?” Sunanda put her right hand on his left shoulder and jolted him.
Vinod startled at once and came into this world.
“What? What you are saying?” with a confusing expression in his face he asked her.
“Dad, sorry. I should not have said so. I know how much you loved mother and is still loving. It all has happened because of fate. Just forget what I said please.” With a sorrowful expression in her face, Sunanda said.
“Alright. You too don’t worry about her much now. Come out. If we go out of this room, we may come out of our depressive moods.” Getting off from the bed, Vinod said.
Sunanda also about to get off from the bed but then both of them heard the tapping sound on the doors. As soon as he entered into the room, Vinod latched them from behind. Sunanda went near to the doors, released the latch and opened them wide.
“Mommy” Madhuri came inside and hugged her mother.
“Where were you all this time?” reciprocating with her hug and kissing on her right cheek, Sunanda asked her.
“With whom else? Dad himself. Not just me that Arjun and Emily also with him. They both are still playing with him but I want to see you and come here like this.” Gasping heavily, Madhuri said.
Vinod and Sunanda looked into each other’s face. “Anand has a peculiar skill in managing kids.” Vinod said and smiled.
Sunanda did not say anything but crossed the doorsill of that room clutching the hand of Madhuri. Vinod just followed them both.
&&&
“I think mansion is the exact word for this house. There are rooms on upstairs also, a big kitchen and three rooms downstairs! How much big this house is, no one can call it a house but a mansion!” Rose said with appreciation in her face.
They were all assembled in the verandahh once again without exception to anyone.
“There is a big garden in the backyard of this house. There were all different types of trees in it.” Rajesh said.
“We also do have a big garden at our house. But it is in the front-yard not on the back. Anyhow our house is not as much bigger as this house.” Neeraja said.
“Anyhow a garden to a house is indeed a very good attraction.” Rose said.
There was silence among them again and the gloomy environment there as usual was creating uneasiness in all of them.
“I am thinking that the sky is fully cloudy. It may be a downpour once again.” Looking into the climate there, Tanuja said.
“Not even for a single minute I saw the climate cleared. It has always been gloomy with heavy clouding.” Sameera said.
“Sometimes it rains continuously and then the sky would be cloudy and climate like this. What is that much surprising in it?” Tanuja said.
None of them talked anything and suddenly the environment there became unbearable to those people. “Vinod Sir, I read in the book that you took Rajesh more than forty years back in his life under hypnosis. It is really very much interesting!” Neeraja said as if to break that intolerable silence.
“In fact I did not expect much success in it then.” Vinod laughed and said. “I could not think it would work out at all. Taking a middle forties person to his very childhood and make him remember the incidents happened then! But the way it worked out was really amazed me also.”
“A friend of mine, a psychologist, took her brother in law also into his childhood days under hypnosis. She also got success but in the very end it was disrupted.” Rose said.
(This incident can be found in the book ‘Amaswitha’)
“What it all proves is we can take a person back to any length of his past and make him remember the things. But the subject’s utmost cooperation is necessary here.” Vinod said.
“Not just that. We can make a person remember anything he has forgotten under hypnosis. Hypnosis is a boon to the mankind. What all necessary is it has to be used in a right way. Otherwise there are chances it can be misunderstood.” Rose said.
“The most important thing that is noticeable here is; no subject can be put under hypnosis without his consent. Subject’s hundred percent’ willingness is important to put him under hypnosis.” Vinod said.
“For what types of things this hypnotism can be used apart from making the people remember the things they have forgotten?” Sameera asked him.
“For all types of psychological disorders this hypnotism can be used. Sometimes this hypnotism would be a supplement with other treatments and medicine to treat a psychological disorder. Sometimes with hypnotism alone a psychological disorder can be solved. To get rid of depression, fear, bad habits and for several other negative emotions this hypnotism can be used. We call it as hypnotherapy then.” Vinod paused for a moment and said again. “Not just this, to develop some positive skills, memory, courage, etc. also this hypnotism can be used.”
“It is really very much interesting! But going to a hypnotist and getting ourselves hypnotized is a time consuming affair. Moreover all people may not afford the fees charged by a professional hypnotist to be hypnotized themselves and get rid of their bad habits or to develop a skill in them.” Sameera said.
“There is self-hypnotism for those who cannot spare time to go to a professional hypnotist or cannot afford the fees to him. In fact self-hypnotism would be more powerful and affecting than hetero-hypnotism also.” Neeraja said.
“You know how to do this self-hypnotism?” looking curiously into her face, Sameera asked her.
“Dr.Neeraja quite experienced in hypnotherapy. She treated many patients by this hypnotherapy. She very well knows about self-hypnotism and hetero-hypnotism also.” Looking proudly into the face of Neeraja, Rose said.
“Really very much impressive.” Sameera said and asked looking into the face of Neeraja. “Why don’t you tell me about it then?”
“Sure I tell you whenever you want.” Neeraja smiled and said.
“Then why delay? Now itself I want to know about it. Where is the best place to it?”
“The middle upstairs room itself.” Sunanda said. “If we go into there, we shall have no distractions whatsoever. I also come with you both to know about it.”
“A daughter of a famous psychologist! You sure do have known about self-hypnotism.” Neeraja said.
“My dad did not take that much trouble to tell me about self-hypnotism yet.” Looking accusingly into her father’s face, Sunanda said.
“Alright, what’s the matter? We both are going to learn about it as thoroughly as possible from Neeraja on this day.” Getting off from the chair, Sameera said.
“Not just you both, I also want to know about it.” Anand said and got off from his chair.
For a moment, Sunanda and Anand’s eyes were met and while there was sorrow and depression in the eyes of Anand, Sunanda’s eyes were with anger and hate. They turned their heads immediately the other side.
“Me also” Aravind too got off from the chair.
“If there are too many people it would be a crowd and it cannot be done.” Sunanda irritatingly said.
“I am going to tell you people about self-hypnotizing but not hypnotizing anyone there. A calm environment is necessary only for hypnotizing. However many number of people there, there is no problem to tell about self-hypnotism.” Neeraja said.
“Alright” Sunanda nodded her head helplessly and said.
Then the five of them moved away from that place.
&&&
“Self-hypnosis is very simple to hear and understand but the result it gives would be very much. You might hear about self-hypnosis at many places and read about it also.” Neeraja said.
“Yes, I heard about it before and read about it also. But I want to hear as a psychiatrist what you are going to say about it. As a psychiatrist you must have more idea on it than the other people do.” Sameera said.
“After hearing me in full, you have to tell me whether I do know more about self-hypnosis than you people.” Neeraja smiled and said. Sameera sat left hand side and Sunanda on the right hand side to Neeraja on the bed while Anand and Aravind sat in the two chairs opposite to them. All of them were listening interestingly whatever Neeraja was saying.
“You have to find a place where you would not be disturbed atleast for an hour. Once you are experienced you can hypnotize yourself in half an hour or so or even in little time to that but in the beginning we have to allot atleast that much time to hypnotize yourself. If you have chair in which you can lay comfortably back resting your head, you may better prefer that for this purpose. If you don’t have such a chair in your home, do it on the bed in your bedroom yourself. What you have to guard against while you are hypnotizing yourself on the bed is you have to see yourself that you would not fall asleep.” Neeraja said, went near to the wall there and leaned back on it.
Sunanda and Sameera also did the same as their backs also were started paining. Anand and Aravind dragged their chairs near to the bed to make themselves more near to Neeraja.
(I hope that you enjoyed upto here. I shall publish the next chapter as soon as possible. Please don’t forget to rate and review.)
