MENDACITY OF DEATH

AL MINAR MAHMUDUR REZA

Copyright © Al Minar Mahmudur Reza All Rights Reserved. This book has been published with all efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. However, the author and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. While every effort has been made to avoid any mistake or omission, this publication is being sold on the condition and understanding that neither the author nor the publishers or printers would be liable in any manner to any person by reason of any mistake or omission in this publication or for any action taken or omitted to be taken or advice rendered or accepted on the basis of this work. For any defect in printing or binding the publishers will be liable only to replace the defective copy by another copy of this work then available.

For Mother. Who taught me suicide notes are read by the living and not by the dead.

Contents Acknowledgements

vii

☽a Hypocrite's Poem☾

xiii

A Hypocrite's Poem

xv

☽ Mendacity Of Death☾

xvii

Prologue

xix

PART ONE 1. Chapter 1

3

2. Chapter 2

10

3. Chapter 3

15

PART TWO 4. Chapter 4

25

5. Chapter 5

29

6. Chapter 6

36

PART THREE 7. Chapter 7

47

8. Chapter 8

55

9. Chapter 9

60

PART FOUR 10. Chapter 10

69

11. Chapter 11

76

12. Chapter 12

79

Epilogue

85

Author's Note

87

Bibliography

91

●v●

Acknowledgements It would have been impossible for me to finish the original manuscript within these past three years without the help of my mother, to whom I will always be thankful and forever in debt. Many thanks to my literature teacher, Sir Asok Kumar Dutta, and friends, Samriddhi Chakraborty and Ankur Biswas for sharing their expertise. I would also like to thank the very helpful staff of the whole Notion Press Team for their cooperation and guide in publishing this book, and our school and its library for promoting my work.

● vii ●

Albert Verne, Al Minar Mahmudur Reza

● ix ●

"There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings." . - Dostoevsky

● xi ●

☽a Hypocrite's Poem☾ A Poem

● xiii ●

A Hypocrite's Poem Contagious solace of a vague light Contained secret for a thousand decades— Dust; kept hidden from commoners‘ sight— Little by little, the shield crumbles and fades. Bewitching air and brave men’s hold, Everyone smiles while the hypocrite cries. For the hypocrite has a story to unfold, For time untold, his life implores to summarise. . Echoed through the walls; childhood uncertainty Etched upon each window—pondering life. So fragile, worthless yet hopeful entity He is— Like the blade of a Sisyphian knife; Blunt and dull. Of high virtue, higher conceit Yet so trivial and much of a weakling, Horrors of life wait for him; he knew a bit. Humor the hypocrite— for he finds life entertaining! . Soldier on! hypocrite, now a Hoplite of secret lore; Shouldering duties he has never dared— For his life isn’t his life anymore. Now, comes forth the time which he feared. The hypocrite, now, has a heart; he must be a lover— For he is now a poet, he knows how to love. Of his lover’s dreams, he’s a nameless wanderer, Of the life of that lover: two ghosts to belove. . It has been decades since he’s a careless fledgling— It is now arduous for him not to doubt his morals— For others have forsaken him and his life of denying, ● xv ●