X-Factor #ATOZCHALLENGE- X

 

The poor fekir walked along the long dusty path, wearing a torn and tattered robe begging for alms, food, or anything you could give him out of goodwill. Raashid walked on, leaning on a huge staff of wood, to continue his journey into the city. He was a simple but well-read man and had great insights into how to live well and happy and devoid of any conflicts. But a few gave him credit for his wisdom. They would approach him when they needed his counsel, but once the problem was solved, he was immediately forgotten.

 Raashid's son, Emir, grew up with limited (and sometimes negligible) resources. Quiet humiliation was growing stronger and fiercer inside his belly. He wanted to make it big. Very big.

Borrowing from his grandfather’s wisdom, he began with a few small gatherings where he would speak like the fountainhead of compassion and wisdom. He had this quality of assuring people that he was there for them through all their trials and tribulations for life. The wisdom he had studied had a remedy for just about everything. Their circle that started with four people, gradually became eight, and then fifteen, and then almost fifty.

In time, he created a dedicated group of volunteers to manage the milling crowds. One for every five people. So, they were ten. These people would ensure basic things such as queue discipline and maintaining silence during the discourse.

As the numbers increased, so did Emir’s authority. The volunteer count increased to a number even Emir himself was not aware of. It became a matter of honour to show servitude to the venerable one. They were even given titles. El-Mukhlis. The one’s worthy of the venerable one's trust. A sinister rivalry began to become one of these El-Mukhlis. Each tried to out-do the other to win the reverand’s favour. Some even indulged in showing how valuable they could be for the reverand with their connections. The venerable one kept growing prosperous and popular.

Very soon, people began to shower the reverand with costly gifts to come and visit him just once. The dynamism of his personality and his very presence that got captured in a timeless picture became the new status symbol.

Emir’s followers soon began to trust him blindly. The milling crowds became even more mindless and heartless. People would go as far as trampling upon each other just for a glimpse of Emir. The gradual build up of fame and the rise of his empire filled eventually got to his head.

Anyone who disobeyed him was threatened with ouster from his loyal following. Not just he, but even his followers would isolate them. Every aspect of his followers’ lives needed his blessing. It was deemed that nothing would work if it wasn’t for his benediction.

The community was a willing slave of a now cult leader. The X-factor worked like magic in the hearts of people.

But fortune proved that the cult leader was only human. One fateful night, Emir began to experience breathlessness. His chest grew tighter, and then before any of the El-Mukhlis could get to him, he lay lifeless on the very silken bed that had comforted him all his life.

Throngs of followers came to pay his last respects. The crowds outgrew the El-Mukhlis who were never really trained to manage any incidents. They were mainly those who could score well with Emir.

Waves of people piled on each other in a crushing stampede. Many of them blind followers who had learned to push and pull through the crowd to get a glimpse of the venerable one. They knew no boundaries, or even regard for a life as precious as their own. In the fatal miscalculation a fire broke out and people began to run for their lives. A whole lot of them lost their lives to suffocation and burning and some even died under the weight of the unending stampede. 

A few who kept away from the cultism for good measure were shell shocked. How could people go so far in their blind faith? Did they bring this upon themselves? Also, did we lose the majority of blind followers who managed to make it to the confined space? Would the rest have a change of heart?

Emir’s son Elijah became the next venerable one. Elijah had grown up in riches and luxury and walked a proud walk. He deemed himself to have the X-factor his father had earned through a well-cultivated public image.

One would think people learned the importance of their lives from the earlier experience. Some probably did? But there were a few who martyred the deceased. It was made to be a supreme sacrifice.

And so, what looked like a rational behaviour prevailing became, for some, another cycle of cultism.