‘The intensity of the blast had rendered the spirit unconscious. The soul came back to its senses coincidentally at the same time when the djinn was standing in front of the destroyed Buddha in Bamiyan. The djinn lay the soul on a flower. The jihadi’s spirit was clueless about the reality. At the time of the blast, he had expected that his eyes would close here and open in the arms of hoors in paradise. Such nymphs wore no burqas, no clothes and no lingerie. Now that his eyes opened before the demolished idol of the Budhdha, he experienced a condition of confusion and shock. In complete astonishment and suspicion, he said, “Such an Allah was in Bamiyan too!”

‘The Tibetan djinn smacked him on his head and said, “There are forty thousand million years left for you to go to Allah. Right now, you happen to be in my captivity.”

‘The djinn captured the jihadi in the gemstone of his finger ring. On returning to Tibet, he made the soul of the jihadi enter the body of a fox cub. The soul became healthy and fresh inside the fox and regained its fervour in a few days. The fox rebelled against its pack and started a revolution against the laws of the jungle. When the elves and bats told it that the laws were made by the family of the lion and a mere fox could not bring any change, it managed to create an army of foxes and announced jihad till the death of the Barbary Lion. This show of confidence and bravery by the spirit made the djinn fall for it. He knew that this jihad would have no result but the jungle would turn into a ground of terror. He put the spirit inside a balloon and asked the balloon to carry it back to Nooristan, or else Tibet would also turn into Afghanistan.’

After telling the story, the monster said that when Mikhail and Mumba were talking about heaven and earth, he was eavesdropping from the window. ‘When they were discussing the blasts in Mumbai, Mumba had tears in her eyes.’

The tree was grief-stricken for long. Then it finally spoke, ‘It is the responsibility of Mumba Devi to plead to Brahma and ask for the protection of this city.’

The monster laughed loudly and flew towards Chor Bazaar.

They reached the JJ signal while chatting away.

They crossed the street just a little before the signal. At the turn of the road was a small eating joint with kebabs being smoked on a coal fire at its entrance.

The smell of smoke and meat permeated their nostrils. They entered the restaurant. The floor was wet. There were a few beggars relishing the kebabs. A boy was cleaning the floor. Rubbish was scattered under the table at which they seated themselves. Usman ordered kebabs. Their disappointment at the condition of the eating joint was overcome by the flavour of the seekh kebabs. The newcomers praised the kebabs while sipping a Thums Up.