THE MYRIAD TUNNELS

 THE MYRIAD TUNNELS

 

Ronnie was reminiscing about his college football days when he suddenly remembered that he had a big box of memorabilia tucked away in the basement. So late that afternoon he made his way to the basement of his house.

 

The basement was quite dark at that time of the day and emitted a damp smell. As Ronnie groped around in the darkness trying to locate his elusive box, his hands suddenly fell on the pale outline of a hidden door. The door was clearly out of plain sight and it was nothing but a miracle that Ronnie stumbled upon it. Intrigued by this discovery his curiosity was aroused. He could not help but wonder how such a door could exist there without any apparent knowledge of his family.

 

He eagerly pushed open the door to find an elaborate labyrinth of tunnels. Each tunnel led in a different direction. As it was quite dark, Ronnie rushed back upstairs to his room and grabbed a flashlight. Armed with the flashlight he reentered the basement, opened the mystery door, and decided to explore one of the tunnels. Led by the strong beams of his flashlight he prodded along. It revealed some mysterious markings and drawings on the walls of the tunnel. It seemed apparent to Ronnie that this tunnel must have been used as a secret getaway during the olden days. It was also possible that this tunnel was used as a shelter during intense bombing raids of enemy aircraft. Reaching the dead end of the tunnel after some distance he found a small door with a latch meticulously hidden amongst shrubs leading to the outside world. After some intense effort, he pushed open the latch and suddenly found himself in the city’s dockyard. Tracing his steps backwards and after about half an hour or so he again found himself back at the basement of his house.

 

Breathless in exhilaration he rushed back upstairs and in the confines of his room, he decided to conduct a thorough inquiry and research. It didn’t take him long to realize that his hunch was correct. He could ascertain that his house was built many years ago when the threat of war was looming large over the country. This house was built during an era of constant strife and warfare. The master architect had designed the house in a system with many exigency plans and exits and it could also be used as a refuge during enemy bombardments. He quickly deduced that the other tunnels he had seen led to several other strategic points of the city.

 

Armed with this knowledge Ronnie now valued his house and its history more. He decided to keep this aspect of his house a secret from prying eyes as long as possible. He gave a silent thanks to his ancestors for preserving the structure of the house for future generations. He made up his mind there and then not to tamper with it and protect its heritage.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE STUDY TABLE

    THE STUDY TABLE   ABHISHEK MUKHOPADHYAY.   A middle-aged man full of vigor and enthusiasm in his salad days Put his back-pack on his study table And stretched up blooming and energetic He put his smartphone with earphones on the study table He put his wallet laden with his knick-knacks on there too.   On there he put the voice of his dead mother There he put the scars of the surgeries he had undergone On that table his first peck and his latest The bunch of back stabbing snake friends And the other good friends who helped him an hour ago.   On there he put the recipe of his favorite family poppy seed dish The brightness of the table lamp The rhythmic sound of the steel wrist watch gifted by his sister The latest thriller by Stephen King with a catchy bookmark inside He put that on the table.   The haunting tune of Eric Clapton’s song “My Father’s Eyes” And the inspiring Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” And put that on the table Reaching out through the window, He grabbed the moon And pu
Read more

MEMORIES OF SCHOOL DAYS

Image
    MEMORIES OF MY DAYS AT ST. EDMUND’S SCHOOL   Nestled among the hills, ours was an Irish Christian Missionary School. It was founded by Edmund Ignatius Rice, a great missionary and educationist. The story goes that he belonged to a family of tenants who were into farming. When tragedy struck, and his wife died, he was left alone to care for his daughter with special needs. He sold his elegant house, moved into a stable, and opened his first school. Today, about 800 Christian Brothers in 28 countries run prestigious Edmund Rice educational institutions and follow in his footsteps.   St. Edmunds School had colossal buildings built by the Irish Brothers amidst picturesque settings. The school had three large play fields. It also had a very tranquil and very quaint chapel. Prayers were offered here in the serene atmosphere. The classrooms were spacious, roomy, and airy, with a giant blackboard in front. An intercom was fixed in the top corner of each class, through which our Principal B
Read more

3 THINGS DAVID GOGGINS TEACHES.

  3 THINGS DAVID GOGGINS TEACHES   Growing up he was raised by a single mother, he battled racism, bullying, ill-health, poverty, and the unending struggle with obesity. He turned his life around to become an icon of the US Armed Forces. What can this ex-US Navy Seal, an ultra-marathon cyclist, and runner, a public speaker, an author of two memoirs, a Guinness World Record holder: nicknamed “the toughest man alive” or the “World’s toughest Man”, who fell in love with suffering teach you? Well, plenty but here let’s look at three valuable lessons he teaches.   Imagine having a learning disability and repeatedly failing in your exams. When learning can be the most difficult and dreaded thing in the world? Well, in his book “Can’t Hurt Me” Goggins talks about how his mother when she realized he was serious about the Air Force, hired a tutor for him to help him figure out a system that he could use to learn. Well, the tutor after assessing him told him in jest that the only way he was ever
Read more