INTRO 00:00:00

Welcome to OBSCURUS, your weekly dose of paranormal fiction. Every Wednesday OBSCURUS features new short stories and serialized novels written by novelist, screenwriter, and voice-over artist Biswajit Banerjee. The realm of the paranormal stretches far beyond the usual horror story. So, while you will get to listen to lots of ghost stories on this podcast, there will also be many tales of lesser-known paranormal themes. To get us started, here's your host Biswajit Banerjee.

HOST TALK 00:00:47

Welcome back to OBSCURUS, your portal to the mysterious and the dark. I'm Biswajit Banerjee, and I'm here to guide you through the third installment of our captivating story, "The Agent of Wish-Fulfillment." In our last episode, our protagonist found himself entangled in a web of his desires, faced with the enigmatic Ichhapurtidevadutah, an entity claiming the power to fulfill one deeply personal wish.

As we delve into Part 3, the narrative takes a darker turn. Our protagonist, tormented by professional rivalry and feelings of injustice, contemplates a drastic wish — one that challenges the very boundaries of morality and ethics. Will he succumb to his basest instincts or find another path? The story unfolds, revealing the depths of human desire and the lengths one might go to achieve personal ambitions.

Before we continue this intriguing journey, I invite you to explore more on biswajitbanerjee.com, where my world of storytelling comes alive. You can also find all episodes of OBSCURUS, complete with transcripts and special features, on my podcast website, obscurus.buzzsprout.com.

We're excited to share that soon, you'll be able to support OBSCURUS on Patreon and other platforms. Your support is crucial in helping us bring these intricate stories to you, and we look forward to connecting with our community in new and meaningful ways.

And remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel for endless packages of infotainment and learning, and also stay tuned to the latest updates and content. Your engagement helps us grow and continue to explore the uncharted territories of storytelling.

Now, let's immerse ourselves in "The Agent of Wish-Fulfillment Part 3." Prepare for a journey where every choice is shadowed by consequence, and the line between right and wrong becomes ever so blurred. In the world of OBSCURUS, each story is more than a tale; it reflects the complex human psyche and the unseen forces that shape our destiny. Let the story continue.

THE AGENT OF WISH-FULFILLMENT PART 3 00:04:07

Written and Performed by Biswajit Banerjee

00:04:30

A less frequented unit of the reprography division was on one side of the passage that Mr. Jones used to go to his cabin. The unit had remained unused for months, and hardly anyone visited that place; the lights were almost always off in that little room. And I knew the CCTV cameras fixed on the walls sandwiching the passage had not been working for months now.

The best part of the arrangements was that very few used that passage to go to the scoundrel's cabin. People preferred to use one of the building lifts that provided easier access to the cabin.

I could easily hide behind the curtains of the dark reprography unit with a gun. When the scoundrel emerged in the passage, I would shoot him dead and then quickly walk down the staircase about fifty meters away from the unused reprography unit. In minutes, I would be out of the building. Then, I would destroy the gun by beating it with a large hammer in the cellar of my house. After flattening the weapon, I would only need to throw the deformed piece of metal somewhere far from the public gaze. Also, I would have to destroy my shoes and discard the waste to prevent any footprint issues from going against me during the investigations.

So, the two things that I first needed to do were to buy a locally-made gun from the country goons and a pair of soft shoes that allowed me to walk at a brisk pace.

Was I capable of turning my thoughts into action? Did I have the courage and ability to kill Mr. Jones, I asked myself again. I heard a 'yes' echoing in my mind.

But I didn't have to do anything to kill the scoundrel. Neither would I have to buy a gun and a pair of shoes, nor would I have to hide behind the curtains of the unused reprography unit to shoot Frank dead during one of his regular walks to his cabin. I had no doubts in my mind about my intention and ability to murder him. Since I was capable of committing the act, the old man should be able to kill Frank and open the doors to the post of Chief Financial Adviser for me.

00:07:31

"It seems you are all set to make the third choice." The old man said.

"Since you can read my mind, you know what I want, don't you?"

"Yes, Sir." He smiled.

"Then go ahead and do it."

"Do what, Sir?"

"Do what I want you to do. You have already read my thoughts, I guess."

"Well, I know what you are thinking, Sir, but you still have to say it for me to do the thing for you."

"Okay, kill that swine."

"You mean Mr. Frank Jones?"

"Yes. Can you do it for me?"

The man appeared to go deep in thought as he scratched his chin.

"Sir, I am convinced you have both the intent and the capability to murder Mr. Jones. Yes, I can do the job for you. Should I?"

"Yes, do it at the earliest."

"Don't worry, tomorrow he will be dead."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I don't make errors in judgment like humans. Tomorrow sharp at 11 a.m., I will shoot Mr. Jones dead."

"You can hide behind the curtains of the unused reprography unit with a gun and shoot at him when he uses the passage to go to his cabin."

"Well, Sir, you don't have to tell me what I must do. Don't forget I am invisible to everyone. You can see me because I have made myself visible to you. All I will do is wait for him in the passage with my gun. Like me, my gun will also be invisible. So will be the bullet that will pierce his body. The investigators will have no idea how he died."

"Oh, wonderful. So, nobody shall ever come to know that I am responsible for the killing."

"Indeed, Sir, nobody shall ever get the slightest hint as to how he died and who orchestrated the killing."

"After the swine is dead, I will get the promotion."

"Sir, you seem to be so happy."

"Of course, I am happy. The scum of the earth will be gone, and I will get the promotion I deserve."

The old man smiled and slowly walked out of the exit gate of the bar.

***

00:10:10

My wife and child were surprised to see the big smile on my lips. I had no reason to doubt that the old man would do the job for me.

"Only if you smiled like this always, Arvind," my wife Neha said.

"Dad looks more handsome when he smiles," my eight-year-old son Prabhat said.

"The happy days will start soon." I gave them both a tight hug.

"You sound so optimistic, Arvind. Till yesterday, you were worried if you would get the promotion. Wait, let me take a guess. Now, I get it. Congratulations, Arvind."

"What for, Neha?"

"For the promotion. You have got your promotion, haven't you? That's what makes you so happy."

"No, Neha. I haven't got my promotion. It is my rival …

00:11:07

I didn't complete the sentence. Probably, it wouldn't be right for me to tell my family that it was my rival who got the promotion instead. If I told them that, I would have no reasons left to explain the reasons for my happiness. There was no way I was going to tell them that the Agent of Wish-Fulfillment would kill my rival on my instructions, thereby paving the way for me to get the promotion. What would they think of me if I told the truth? I wouldn't be able to show my face to them if they knew that I had asked someone to murder a man. I would keep that secret until the last breath of my life.

"Did your rival get the promotion?"

"Neha, I wanted to say that I had been wasting time thinking about my rival and other office issues including the possible promotion to the post of Chief Financial Adviser. Does it matter who ultimately gets the promotion? And is it worth thinking about office politics at all times? These things are too petty to keep your mind occupied. Instead, I should be looking at the brighter side of life. I have a great partner in you, and we have such an adorable child. Even on the financial front, we are quite strong, aren't we? So, we have no reason to worry. From now on, I shall focus on more useful things in life."

"Thank goodness, this realization has dawned upon you, Arvind. I am so glad you have decided to keep the office stuff away from your mind when you are at home."

Another tight family hug followed.

***

00:13:07

By the time the clock struck midnight, Neha and Prabhat were fast asleep. I sat on the large sofa in the living room, thinking about the happenings of the day with a cup of green tea in my hands. A chain of thoughts crossed my mind.

Was the old man a reality? Did I just imagine him to be there? Maybe my disturbed mind generated him. With two bottles of beer in my system, I probably projected the old man on the space around me. But wait a minute. No, the old man was too real to be a figment of my imagination. He was indeed there. My mind wasn't surely powerful enough to project a realistic three-dimensional image.

But if the old man was real and came from a different dimension, our material world was not the only universe. Would it be irrational to infer that our world was just one of the many worlds that existed side by side with little connection with one another? If I were to place my trust in the old man's words, he had come from a higher dimension and was under the direction of demigods and demigoddesses who inhabited a still higher dimension. And since demigods and demigoddesses existed, again assuming the old man was a reality and he spoke the truths, more powerful Gods also existed. And who could tell? There might be one all-powerful, omniscient, and omnipresent God that many sages had spoken about. One of the greatest accomplishments of the ancient seers, it is believed by the scholars of Sanatana Dharma, was to realize God as a perfect state of Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss. God is infinite.

And thus, we reach the end of another enthralling chapter in OBSCURUS Episode 62, "The Agent of Wish-Fulfillment Part 3." Our protagonist now stands at the precipice of a decision that could alter the course of his life forever. As we leave him wrestling with a wish that dances on the edge of morality, we are left to ponder the profound complexities of human desires and the lengths one might go to satisfy them.

What will be the outcome of this perilous wish? How will the enigmatic Ichhapurtidevadutah fulfill such a dark and profound desire? The story is far from over, and the mysteries that await us in the upcoming episodes promise to delve deeper into the unseen consequences of our protagonist's choices.

In the next episodes of OBSCURUS, brace yourselves for revelations that will challenge the very fabric of our protagonist's reality. Will his actions lead to the fulfillment he seeks, or will they open a Pandora's box of unforeseen outcomes? The path he treads is fraught with moral dilemmas and existential questions, each step leading us deeper into a labyrinth of intrigue and suspense.

Stay with us as we unravel the mysteries of "The Agent of Wish-Fulfillment." The journey through the obscure and the mystical is far from over, and each turn promises new twists and revelations.

Remember, in the world of OBSCURUS, every story is a portal to the unknown, a mirror reflecting the deepest aspects of the human soul. Until next time, let your imagination wander in the realm of possibilities and stay curious about the mysteries and strange occurrences that lie just beyond the veil of the ordinary. The story continues, and its secrets are waiting to be unveiled.

OUTRO 00:19:37

Thanks for listening to OBSCURUS. If you like what you heard, please subscribe and visit biswajitbanerjee.com for more information about Biswajit's books, movies, documentaries, and other creative pursuits. We shall see you next Wednesday with another episode of OBSCURUS. Till then, take care!