The Forbidden Realm

It is an Apocalyptic fiction which is a sub-genre of science fiction


The forbidden Realm Synopsis

The chairman of an international board of representatives from different nations presiding over the reopening of the Mohole Project initiated in 1958 concurrently with outer space exploration recalled how due to the inadequacy of technology of the time the project was abandoned in 1966. His emphasis this time was to probe up to the Mohorovic discontinuity that is the source of all renewable resources and geothermal energy in the crust and upper mantle besides finding methods of controlling the processes operating there. The necessity for its revival was exponential growth of technology. Arnab Basu of Indian origin with versatile experience of Geology, Physics and Geophysics was selected as the head of the news staff to cover the coordinated operation. But from the beginning of his assignment he was dissuaded by a savant to go over the drill site. He was reminded of a verse in Upanishada and advised that technology was not ripe yet to tap the forbidden realm and might cause a condition worse than death.
In course of his getting refreshed with the past records of the earlier program Arnab had a hunch about the presence of considerable primordial helium somewhere in the Earth’s mantle or the core. His records gave a passing reference to a Russ scientist driven out for such phoney ideas in 1960. Arbab with his polar explorer peer Hans collected a material evidence of the effect of an unknown radiation in the Kurils that lead to the closure of a concurrent clandestine drilling there. The effect of radiation in Kuril left the pet puppy of a driller pervasive.
Arnab as a physicist pictured it as the effect of collapse of atomic structure of all the atoms in the body of the puppy. But before he could stir up enough debate to substantiate it the relentless persuasion from Italy led to the start of drilling. Through versatile new developments a time came when laser drilling replaced the conventional drilling with borazon bits. With switch on of laser drilling all the gadgets started recording erratic results. In a helicopter Arnab set for the top of the drill hole to photograph the final happenings. In another helicopter an Indian lady scientist was accompanying him. When the hole exploded she flew him past to the drill site but never returned.
Finally the project was officially abandoned. But Arnab could not let her alone in that cursed region. As none of the staff agreed to accompany him he hired some native fishermen to take him there. At night he found her pervasive form emerging out of the solid rock wall. Lamenting she said that she was in a realm where death was unknown, although she was unable to enjoy her old world that was impervious. The warning of the learned man flashed across Arnab’s mind, that there are states worse than death.
As the unknown gases causing the radiation transformed into earthly matter thick clouds formed. A thunderbolt struck her and she regained her earthly body but she was dead.

Technology and science behind the whole story is extrapolated from the latest information in drilling technology and instrumentation, but that of Geology and Geophysics are proved facts. The book raises the question whether it will ever be possible to know everything. Or even after thousands of years we will walk wearily to say that we were still collecting pebbles on the sea shore.
The approach is that of a continuous recording of events, experiments and diary of the last phase when drilling was done and the supernatural accident took place. Approximate time span is 1 hour 40 minutes with an interception of five minutes.