Chapter 1

We all know about clowns and all, but creepy dentists?

That's a first, eh. At least for me.

It all started with my teeth. They are not a perfect set. I admit. I am a good looking, guy. I mean people say that. My mother, sure.

But when I open my mouth, the illusion breaks.

"It's like somebody else's mouth is in there, altogether." A comment from my university fellow on my display photo made me never pose or post my face with mouth open. Everyone has something they are ashamed of. My teeth are my source of forever, constant shame.

A few braces could have solved the problem. They were zigzag, some over shadowing others. Few big and few small. And with time tart tar and plague attacks and my mouth showed some open cavities that begin to hurt me day and night.

All my dental problems could have resolved years ago when I got my multi directional permanent teeth with a simple visit to a dentist.

But dentists are expensive.

And to get an appointment!

But when the pain in my molar reached to an exceptional height and that was when I booked an appointment at last that happened to had two weeks wait time.

Seeing my distress, my flat mate recommended me a dentist.

"He's this guy. At the end of Supermarket. Runs his own private stuff. I hear he's good."

"Is he cheap?"

"It will cost you, my friend." Alan patted my shoulder sympathetically.

By the time sun came down, I took all my savings and went to the clinic.

I am not going to share the name and address of the dentist…well, you'll know in the end.

It was a small facility. The blonde middle-aged receptionist with perfect even white teeth smirked at me for a while, while she typed my credentials and told me to wait. I sat on a bench just outside the strange smell of the office when there was a sound of somebody flushing and hammering.

There was a call from the intercom and the receptionist motioned me to go inside. The clinic was eerily empty. The dentist, let's call him only Dr. or dentist sat by a chair looking at a tray with some white powder

He was a small man, with protruding belly and hunched shoulders. His skin was tanned and his smile was perfect.

Too perfect. Too shiny.

It was unsettling to see that shining white on his dark brown skin.

I eased myself on the reclining chair and tried not to see the dental tools.

"Dr. I have.."

"No, no, no." He interrupted me with an Asian accent. "I'll see myself what you did with your teeth."

He asked me to open my mouth and I did. The pain in my guns was shooting and I winced. The dentist nodded in harmony.

"Yes, yes. I can quiet see."

He took a tool and plunged my mouth with it, and the Operating light blinded my eyes for a second. I closed my eyes, partly with pain and partly because of shame at the state of my teeth.

"Tch, tch!" He tusked.

"It's bad."

"It's like a diseased jungle in here." He put his tools back with a clang and looked at me with a face full of resignation.

It was worse than I imagined.

"What do we do?" He was more asking himself. "Years and years of practice. Years and years of experimentation."

"What is it, doctor?" I asked fearfully.

"Man. It's a fiasco in here. Your teeth have grown up like uneven grass. Plagues, tar tar, cavities, infections…It's like ten plagues of Egypt in here."

"How much will it cost?" I asked in small voice. After all it was the only thing that had me worried.

"A lot. A lot." He went back to his seat in the corner and stared at his hands.

"I don't have a lot."

The doctor looked at me. "It kills me when I see someone eating these candies, these chocolates, energy drinks…and what more! Tell me?' There was a sudden gleam in his eyes. "Do you smoke?"

I told him no.

"Vapes?"

I nodded in negative.

"Snacks. Unhealthy?" A softness touched his eyes. He was looking at me intently.

"Sometimes."

"You have to give up. Everything. That's my price." He got up and I gulped. He looked suddenly taller. Perhaps his courage made him confident.

"Everything?"

"Yes. Everything that can spoil the beauty in there."

I bared my teeth at him. That hurt too.

"There's nothing beautiful in here."

The doctor suddenly clapped his both hands together.

"You'll see. My price. My effort."

After that he began his operation. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, the doctor was sitting by his chair, looking at dental x-rays that were supposed to be mine.

I got up, wobbly at first. My mind was disoriented.

"Was I under anesthesia?" The doctor nodded intent on the reports and then he looked up and smiled. It was a smile of victory.

He handed me the small mirror. "Have a lot at yourself."

When I opened my mouth, I gazed at the mirror for a long time. It was strange. At first my half-conscious brain couldn't comprehend the even set of white teeth glistening like spinning diamond under my mouth, making my smile change, even my face changed with that set of teeth.

"What did you do? Did you take my teeth out and replaced them with…" I was horrified.

The dentist smiled, and tapped my shoulders.

"I never do that blasphemy even when my patients beg me to."

"What's this?"

"It's my friend a miracle of science and my sweat. My years of mania finally paying off when I give you your teeth back. I give you your confidence, your smile, your comfort back."

It took me a few minutes to calm my racing heart and not perspire anymore. After that, all I could do was not just fall on my savior's feet with gratitude.

He was humble. He wouldn't tell me his fees, wouldn't even accept any money that I had.

"Remember. Just take care of it."

"Yes, doctor. I will. I will." I promised him.

He looked at me for a while. "I'll know. I'll check if you take anything bad in your mouth."

When I got home, I was flying with giddiness. Perhaps the effects of the anesthesia was wearing down or perhaps getting my confidence made me high. I smiled unnecessarily. Talked with my door man who ogled at me when I spoke with my mouth quiet open.

"Remember to brush your teeth." I got a message from an unknown number on Whatsapp. I could see that it was my dentist. He had taken my number from the receptionist I presumed.

I gave him playful messages of surety.

When my roommate came back from his gigs, he was livid to see me.

“Where you’ve been for two days?”

I was out in that clinic for two days. All my smirking energy puffed out at that. He was also amazed and a bit shocked to see my dental problem gone.

“It’s like you got fake teeth.”

Except they were not.

For the next few days, I brushed many times a day. Daily I'd get messages from my benefactor.

Messages like: What did you take for dinner?

No white sugar!

Did I mention caffeine is very bad for your tiny teeth?

I knew he cared. He had put his effort and time and God knows what, definitely he knew what safety protocols I should follow after the procedure.

But the text messages carried on for a whole month till my gratitude shrank and my replies stopped.

That was when I sensed eyes following me everywhere I go.

In very literal sense. First time, he came to my door and timidly knocked and belled till my roommate opened and directed him straight to my room.

I was taking a nap with no shirt and I jumped in a fright when I saw my dentist standing by the bed, tears brimming and sloshing.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your dinner last night?”

“Wh…what?” I tucked my blanket up.

“Did you have wine?”

“A little.”

“What else?”

“This is nuts…”

But he looked so devastated that I tried to collect my wits and control the situation.” I had meat. Listen, mate. This is going out of hand. Don’t tell me you came here like to tell me…”

“Did you floss?”

I was muted.

He took it as a negative. “You should have flossed.” He put his hand in his pocket, rummaged through for some time and then took out packet floss stick.

“Here. Go. I’m here till you clean it up.”

“Listen.” But he wouldn’t budge and he looked so gullible and adamant, I stomped toward the bathroom and while I did floss, I decided to end this matter for all intents and purposes.

But before I could ask him to leave my property, he asked me for a checkup. He took out a magnifying glass of some sort and asked me to open my mouth.

“I have to see what you are doing with those teeth. You don’t want to despoil them. After all my handiwork…”

I obliged when he phrased the request like that. He checked them. Like they matter the most in the world. “It’s good for now. Take good care of them.”

He went away just like that.

But nothing changed. The messages, the persistent calls. Slowly I began to realize that wherever I went, he was always there. In a restaurant, for once. I was with my friends, when I saw a man in brown hat with a small figure and large belly, looking from afar the items on our dining table. I was very careful not to eat anything that might cause him to pounce on me very there.

One time, I looked out of my window to let a stray cat out at night to see the familiar man standing out, not looking above but on his phone.

When I checked my cell, he had dropped a message, asking for me to come down so he could inspect my new teeth.

I thought of calling the police, but what could I say. I never had paid the man, availed his services which turned out a wonder of wonder and then those questionable time on his creepy dental clinic under the influence of anesthesia made me quail. May be he had me sign an NDA or blood signed a pact to the devil of tooth.

I tried my best to ignore him till he lose interest.

So, few minutes ago, I was walking down the alley, lost in my own thoughts when I sensed someone following me with quick steps. When I turned back, the Dr. was half-running to me, his face furious.

“Throw it out,” he bellowed.

“What the…” I shouted back. “Are you out of your damn mind?”

“Spit it out.” He screamed like a deranged. “Spit out the chewing gum.”

“Get away from me, understand.”

“I saw it,” he wasn’t looking at me. “I knew that girl gave you the gum. Spit it out. Have you got no regard for your teeth? Its specks will cling to all your teeny tiny corners. You want to openly invite another round of bacteria…” And then we were both wrestling. He was trying to open my mouth and I tried to push him away. He was like a little tiger, the strength of him unnerved me and I fell on my back as he put his fist in my mouth, making me gag and took out the gum.

Then he released me. I got up, spitting and then I punched him on his mouth.

There was a sound of plates cluttering, and the Dr. doubled down on his stomach and coughing, he threw out the tooth that I knocked out of his mouth with bloody saliva.

We both looked at the ground.

“No, no, no.” I stammered, standing on feet back. “I didn’t mean it…Please…”

The doctor looked like a bewildered child as he bent to pick up his broken front tooth. His face looked demented then. And then he sat down on the floor and wailed. He made a howling noise of despair.

“What did you do? What did you do? You robbed me. You robbed me of my wealth. You have killed me…”

That was when I began to run. When I looked back one last time before the turn to the corner, he was punching the ground, crying like a child.

I am now in my flat, thinking of anytime the doctor catching up to me. I don’t know what he will do. May be he will take away my teeth.

I am thinking of leaving my flat, my city.

Even the country so he won’t follow me.