qwertycallimit

[qwertycallimit]

The doorbell rang as Garima was sorting the meat in her freezer. Proceeding to answer the door, she wondered who it would be, as generally at 3pm in the day nobody showed up at her house. She peeped through the hole and found an unknown man standing. Before opening the door, she thought for a few seconds, wondering who he was. On opening the door, she was surprised to find an extremely good-looking man with big blue eyes looking at her. He was easily over 6 feet, with good hair and great features, looked like a gym regular, wearing a loose vest that exposed his well-toned arms. "Hi. Sorry to bother you. Would you happen to know if there's any key-maker around in this area? I have locked myself out. And I've just moved in downstairs two days ago and don't really know much about this area." He looked really apologetic on disturbing her. "I'm really sorry I don't. I have myself moved in a couple of weeks ago and don't know much around," she replied. "Oh wow. I'm not alone in that case. Anyway, sorry again, to have disturbed you at this hour. The other flat on my floor is shut and hence I had to come up to you," he offered an explanation. "Oh, please don't bother. It's all good. I wish I could let you in, till somebody from your family shows up, but I hope you understand I can't do that." "No, I totally get it. Also, I live alone, so nobody's showing up to open the door. I'll figure something out. Anyway, I'll take your leave. I'm Viraaj by the way," he said as he extended his hand. "My name's Garima. Nice to meet you," she replied completing the handshake. "See you around. Bye" "Yep. Bye," Garima replied and shut the door. She just stood there leaning against the door. Her heartbeat was elevated. Keeping her jaw from dropping exhausted her. She really wished she could let him in. Although Garima was self-aware of her own beauty, it was rare that she found someone of the opposite sex matching that level. Or in this case, surpassing. She felt terribly weak in the knees. He had to be the most handsome man she had ever come across. She was completely besotted. ... Viraaj's lips were his most attractive feature. And now that she had them between hers, she could really show him her appreciation towards them. These had been a rapid few past hours. This was very unlike her. She always took her time with all the men. All, but Viraaj. Viraaj was other-worldly. She had no control over herself. It all started three hours ago when she called him over to help with her new TV. "I feel stupid now honestly. It was so easy," said Garima. "No no it's totally fine. Please don't feel embarrassed. TV remotes can be tricky creatures. Is there anything else I can help you with?" "No. One stupid hindrance is enough for today." "Well, then I'll head back. See you." "Wait, do you want a cup of coffee? I'm making one for myself," she found her mouth spitting out words which clearly even surprised herself.

She wasn't a coffee person, but she had to make him stay somehow. Whether it was an impulsive reaction or quick thinking, she really didn't care.

"I'm not a man to ever deny a cup of coffee," he replied. She replied, "Well then mister, take a seat. I'll be back." He preferred to wander in the living room and look around. "This is a nice house you have. Minimal decor. I really like it," said Viraaj. "Thank you very much. I'm glad you do," she replied from the kitchen. "Your family doesn't live here?" he enquired as he was going through all the photo frames. "My parents are in London. My sister does live with me, but she's gone out for the day for some work." "And what do you do for a living?" Viraaj enquired as he walked towards the kitchen door. "Boring finance shit you don't want to know about. I work from home. Better than the stupid commute out there." "Totally agree." "And what about you?" "I am a model slash actor. Arrived from Kashmir in this city a few months ago. Going and lining up outside production houses is my day job, and attending parties for networking is my night one. Today happens to be a rare off day." "Cool. Here," she said as she offered him his coffee mug, and they both proceeded towards the living room. "So, have I seen u in anything on TV?" enquired Garima as they settled down on the couch. "I really doubt that. Out of the 4 commercials I have shot for only 1 has made it out live and that too as a YouTube 30 secs ad. I can show it to you on my phone if you want." Without waiting for her confirmation, Viraaj took the phone out of his pocket, rose from his seat and sat next to her. Garima couldn't believe how good he smelled. It really turned her on. "Is there anything, anything at all that is wrong with this guy?" she thought. As she then consciously adjusted herself closer to him, she could sense the tension within him. She realised he was checking her legs out through the corner of his eyes. She didn't mind. She knew she had fabulous legs. Her micro shorts weren't helping his cause and she was aware of his internal struggle to stay gentlemanly. She was absolutely enjoying it. "Ok now please don't judge me. It's a deodorant ad and like most of them, this one doesn't make much sense either." "Don't worry it's not like I'm expecting s.. God Dammnn is that your real body?" exclaimed Garima as soon as he started the video. Viraaj went red. He did not expect such an outright reaction. "Yes, it is." "Are all those muscles and abs real? They're computer generated right, be honest." She had sensed his shy nature and loved teasing and flirting with him. "No, they're not. I work really hard for them and I like to take proper credit for it," he proclaimed. "I don't believe you. I don't believe you're hiding such a gem beneath that t-shirt." "It doesn't matter. It is what it is." "Prove it." she said as if it was her right. "What!!!?" He said clearly surprised. His eyes widened. "Yes, I'm not kidding. I want to see it with my own eyes what's in there." she said with a slight difficulty curbing her grin. Then she saw him get up. Like she's seen men all her life react exactly the way they have when provoked. She knew no good-looking man, no matter how shy, who takes a great deal of effort to maintain a body like that would shy away from an opportunity to take his shirt off. "Ohh myy godd!!!" Garima muttered under her breath. She couldn't believe her eyes. Having never seen a physique like that before in person, she couldn't help running her hands through his abs. "So? Clearly, I have put your suspicions to rest. What do you have to say now?" "Nothing." With her eyes locked with his, her intent couldn't have been more obvious. She placed her coffee mug on the table, stood up, and kissed him. It wasn't a soft peck on his lips, it was a kiss where she wanted him to know her intent and not have any doubts in his mind. It was a kiss where her tongue took the lead. She meant business. And she wanted him to know that. She knew she had to give him a moment to catch up, as she took her palm to the back of his head to exert pressure on the kiss. Her other hand was caressing his well-toned back. His lips had her blood rushing all over. Viraaj joined the act sooner than she anticipated. It wasn't physically possible to pull her any closer, so he did the next best thing. She felt his hands feeling the back of her body adequately and then descending towards her ass. She was being lifted. Next thing she knew, her legs were interlocked around his waist and now his tongue was exploring her mouth and his hands were now under her ass supporting her. She was now being carried to the bedroom. It was one of the most spontaneous and yet the most passionate moments of her entire life. She was so excited for what was happening, and what was going to happen. She had goosebumps all over. ... These past two hours had been a whirlwind of a time. It was the most intense sex she had ever had. Extremely gentle yet very savage. Mellow, yet very raw. She felt complete, still she longed for more. She looked at him, with a constant smile on her face. He was lying next to her. Garima reached for her phone and took his picture. He looked like a powerful beast taking a much-needed nap after a well-deserved hunt. She opened WhatsApp and sent the picture to her sister, Manasi. M: Well that took really long. G: And for a good reason. We couldn't get enough of each other. Thanks for leaving and letting me do this. M: Yes, I could see the lust in your eyes. You seemed hopelessly besotted by this guy. G: Can you blame me? I mean look at that body. Even better in bed, trust me. M: You seem overly infatuated Gari. Are you sure you can do it? G: Already done. Albeit with a very very heavy heart. Did it when he was asleep. M: That's great then. I'll come back home now. Also, since you were so infatuated by him, you can eat the heart. G: Thank you di. That, and his lips.

[qwertycallimit]

One Day

---The Meeting---

"Hi," said the stranger on the next barstool. Slightly annoyed due to the interruption in his chain of thoughts, Rishi looked over to see who it was. This guy was unusually handsome. Tall. Well built. Handlebar moustache. Gelled hair. Black tuxedo. Shiny shoes. Rishi was not used to handsome guys starting a conversation at the bar counter. "Hi," replied Rishi. "Deep thoughts?" asked the stranger. "Yea. I guess so." Rishi's annoyance was increasing at this nosey stranger. "I'm Raj." "Hi, Rishi." "100 bucks if I guess correctly what you're thinking?" "I'm not interested in a magic trick. Thanks." "No it's not a magic trick I swear." "I really don't care." Said Rishi as he got off the barstool and started to walk away. "Yes, Giselle is cheating on you."

Rishi stopped in his tracks. And turned around in a jiffy. "What did you say?"

"Well, in her defence, she's really tired of your ego. And. This might hurt. Karan does last a hell of a lot longer in bed than you. I could show you a video but no man should have to see that."

Rishi was too stunned to speak.

"See? I guessed correctly didn't I?" grinned Raj shamelessly as he broke the silence. "What makes you think I'll just believe you?" "You know you want to. You knew it was true somewhere within." "Who are you? And how do you know all of this? How do you know us?" "I know everybody. It's a part of my job description." "What!? Who are you?" enquired Rishi as he settled himself on the barstool again. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I'm Yaman Raj. Or widely known as Yam Raj."

Rishi couldn't help laughing even in a situation such as his. For the first time since they had met, Raj was maintaining a straight face. "Yam? Like the God of Death, Yam? Come on man. You did make me laugh but you really should reconsider your comic timing. Not really a good time for me right now. You of all people should know that."

"No you don't. But I'm not kidding. I knew you might react similarly, so let me give you a demo."

Rishi humoured him.

"You see that waiter? In exactly 5 seconds he's going to trip over and spill over the drinks on that lady in red dress."

Rishi couldn't​ believe his eyes when the events unfolded exactly as Raj predicted.

"Pure luck." Exclaimed Rishi.

"Really? Even the blue Mercedes that will pull up in 10 secs with number plate ending with 6550?"

Rishi looked out and in exactly 10 seconds, the Mercedes arrived.

"You had a life-threatening fever when you were 12. Nobody knows that. Except your mother. Lovely lady. Anyway, an executive decision was made not to take you that day. We picked up Manan from the next ward." "Ok what the hell is going on?" enquired a really frantic Rishi. "I told you who I am. The sooner you believe me the quicker we get to my business, the better for you." "If you really were Yamraj why are you so impeccably dressed? Why do you look so handsome? And yes, where's your bull?" "Call it an upgrade. It's the 21st century my man. It doesn't just apply to humans. And yes, riding a bull these days? Seriously? I do have a black SUV parked out though. It's better than any other car on this planet." "I am not sure if I should be saying give me a ride. What is it? Are you here to take me?" asked a nervous Rishi. "It's complicated. Here me out."

Rishi didn't say anything. Raj began.

"Well, how do I put this politely!? You have just 24 hours to live. I'm not supposed to be telling you this. I'm not supposed to be here. In fact I've to pick up Kumar from Jhansi in 3 mins. I'm forewarning you because I like you. You're an asshole with an ego the size of Jupiter but I do have a soft corner for you." "Right, being Yamraj's blue eyed boy wasn't really my life-goal." "Shut up. Who do you think enforced that executive decision to let you live when you were 12?" "I don't really care, you're not human I believe now. You've just told a man he's gonna die the next day and you expect normal conversation." "Don't you get it? I've given you 24hrs to live your life before you die. Nobody. I repeat, nobody, gets that. You're extremely lucky. Do what you've wanted to do always that can be done in a day. You can also do what you want and not face the consequences. Do charity. Anything. Really not going to give you anymore ideas. By 7.07 pm tomorrow, I'll pick you up. It's time. Yam out."

With that statement, he just went out of the door. The next second Rishi spotted a black SUV zooming away. He sat there finishing his drink. Not sure what to make of whatever​ transpired in the last 10 mins. He never thought he'd get just a day to live out his life. He didn't know what to do. He had saved up a lot of money for his future. His business was booming. He smiled. How futile. He had no dependents. Except Giselle. "That bitch." he thought. "She had the nerve to cheat on me. I'm sure it's his money. He can't outperform me elsewhere. I'm sure." His anger surged. He had to calm himself down. He ordered another drink. And then another one. He sat their going over his life. Could he have done anything differently along the way. He didn't regret much, except marrying Giselle. He finally checked his watch. 11.34 pm. He downed the last drink, left the place, took a cab back home.

Giselle wasn't home. Still. He checked his phone. She had texted him. 'Baby I'll be late today again. I'm sorry. This pitch is killing me. Don't worry Karan will drop me. You sleep. Good night.'

.

---The Day---

He dug his head into his palms and cried. Cried profusely. Cried his heart out like there's no tomorrow. In his case, there literally wasn't any.

Crawling up on the bed, he realised that he felt a lot sober for the amount of alcohol he had consumed. 'Perks of last day? Oh god. I'm going to die tomorrow. I can't believe that.' With that thought, tears started to roll out of his eyes again.

He woke up early next morning. 6.40 am. He had no hangover whatsoever. Giselle was fast asleep beside him. She always looked extremely beautiful while sleeping. Today was no different. The first rays of the sun, escaping through the curtain gaps illuminated her face, and that mole under her ear. Her beauty had always astonished him, even made him forget his situation. She was wearing his favourite satin nightie that barely came up to her knees when standing. Currently, the way she was sleeping, it barely covered her modesty. It arroused him. It clouded his memory about her deeds behind his back.

He leaned over and gave a peck on her cheek. To his surprise, she opened her eyes. "I was beginning to wonder how long before you do something." she said with the most sensuous of morning voices that always made him go weak all over. "You were awake?" "Ofcourse. You know I can always sense you looking at me mister." He just stared in her eyes, unable to form words. "Now what are you waiting for?" She winked with intent. Before he could lean in again, she grabbed his head, and pulled his face towards her. They kissed. They kissed like they hadn't kissed for ages. They kissed like it was the last time they were kissing. Her tongue was clearly dominating, and he had no problems playing second fiddle. He wasted no time in taking off her nightie. And she got rid of his pesky boxers the next instant. The next hour was spent with the most passionate love making either of them had indulged in, in an extremely long time. They were all over each other. Giselle was sitting on top of Rishi when they were finally done, naked, full of sweat dripping from every inch of her body. They looked at each other and laughed, as they both gasped for breath. She leaned over and lied on him. They both loved the unison of each other's wet naked bodies. Wrapping his arms around her, he couldn't stem the flow of tears. He tightened his embrace. They fell asleep.

After a few of hours, she woke up, which woke him up too. She got up and proceeded towards the shower. He couldn't take his eyes of her. Her long tresses. Her back. Her ass. Her legs. She was perfection for him. She suddenly turned around and caught him staring. "Stop it." she said playfully as she entered the shower. He replied, "Not a chance." Rishi seemed to have totally forgotten about her actions, and his timeline. He decided against telling her anything, considering it pointless.

He got up and followed her in the shower. He couldn't hold himself back. As he opened the door, he found her under the shower in her most fabulous self. He tiptoed inside, and grabbed her from behind. "Wow what's gotten into you today baby!?" enquired a visibly surprised Giselle. "Why don't you find out yourself?"

He turned her around and they started kissing again. The struggle for dominance began again under the shower but this time he decided to take charge. He overpowered her easily. It was worth it.

He exited the shower with her still inside. Quickly dressing up, he collected all the necessary documentation, and just before leaving the house opened the bathroom door slightly, to see her. Possibly for the last time. Satisfied, he left.

11.30 am. His first stop was the orphanage that was just a kilometre away from his house. He always saw it, but never cared enough to explore. It had been there since a year, but he never found the time. Today, he decided, was the day. He spoke kindly with the staff, announced his intention to make a donation and requested to spend time with the kids. With the amount of money he had donated, he was allowed to spend as much time as he wanted with the kids. He donated every last penny he had, emptied his accounts to zero. He spent close to 4 hours with the children. It didn't take them long to open up to him, after all he had bought the most amount of toys anyone ever had. Rishi was thoroughly surprised with himself. He never knew he had this side to his personality. That he had to figure this out on his last day dampened his mood a bit.

He couldn't believe he was shedding tears while bidding adieu to the little angels.

4.14 pm. He headed straight to the coffee place he frequented. He wanted his favourite beverage, made just the way he liked it, by his favourite barista. Natalie. A beautiful French national. She owned the café. They had become good friends since a client had decided to meet Rishi here, 8 months ago. The prospective client was a no-show. But he hit it off instantly with Natalie. Turned out she did back in France, what Rishi did for a living here. But she gave up that life, sold off everything and had come settled here 2 years ago. She opened this café a year ago and has been very happy. Her timely inputs had helped Rishi expand his business exponentially. She was the best thing to have happened to him professionally. And that she made mind-blowing coffee was a bonus. She always took time out for him.

"You seem different today!" stated Natalie. "Good different? Bad different?" enquired Rishi. "Good. Definitely good. Why were you not this way always?!" "If only I had known," Rishi murmured. "What?!" "Nothing. I'll get going." "So soon?" asked Natalie. "It's been almost two hours. I have to go, do a thing." "Fine. But will you stop by later? I like talking to the 'new' you." "Sure." With that reply he took his leave.

6.13 pm. He was at the waterfront. He had decided to spend the last hour with himself. He gave away his phone to a beggar on the way, wanting no interruptions. Picking a random bench, he sat. Took a deep breath. And enjoyed the view. He loved the feeling of fresh air on his face. He reflected back on his life. Thinking how he could've done things differently, and some things he could've done, way too differently. Eitherways, he wasn't happy about his conduct much. He sat remorseful.

Suddenly he wondered, "How am I going to die? Is it going to be a heart attack? Or a car losing control and coming this way?" He never bothered about it till that instant. Suddenly a chill ran down his spine. His heart was beating at a pace it never did before. He was scared. Finally. He had never thought about this all day. Now he was genuinely afraid.

7.01 pm. He felt a tap on his shoulder

.

---The Death---

He half anticipated the person standing behind. He turned around to find Raj.

"Ssup bro?! What the hell?! You look so pale." asked Raj.

"I'm going to die in the next few minutes and you expect me to look fine?"

"Hahahahahahaha ohh man. What the hell! You're so gullible. Hahahaha you have to look at your face at this moment. How can a well educated, successful businessman buy that even for a second?"

"What do you mean?" enquired a puzzled Rishi.

"You still don't get it you moron? You're not dying. I'm no Yam. And certainly no God. Obviously. We were hired to prank you. We specialise in this."

There was a massive shift in Rishi's mood. His eyes widened. He didn't know what to say.

"That. Can't be. What about all the predictions you made in the bar? Even about my personal life"

"Those? They're so easy. We had rehearsed the same scene 16 times before we executed it with you. The waiter fumbling, the Mercedes, everything was timed perfectly to my cue. Everyone, except you, in the bar was our crew. And as for your personal life, well, nothing is personal in this digital day and age. Everything is available online, especially with the kind of IT strength our organisation possesses. And to know you were thinking about Giselle's affair was obviously a part of that. Your chat history clearly suggested there was only one thing on your mind after that fight on WhatsApp."

"But has she been unfaithful?" Rishi asked, shivering, dreading the answer he anticipated.

"Never. You're stupid to even think that."

Rishi fell down on his knees. Dug his face in his palms. Then looked up and wailed loud enough for the other side of the world to hear. He let out all of his emotions at once.

He got up and charged towards Raj with all his might. Raj, had seen this kind of reaction coming from a mile away. All he had to do was step aside at the right moment. He did. Rishi went and dashed into the ground. Raj, maintaining a straight face, preferred to tighten his windsor knot and adjust his cuffs.

At that exact moment, a police van arrived at the scene. Two constables and an inspector descended from the van. The constables headed straight towards Rishi. The inspector headed towards Raj.

"Sir, do you know this man? Was he bothering you?" enquired the Inspector.

"No I don't and no he wasn't. He just lost his balance while running and tumbled."

"We have been looking for him the entire day. He's our prime suspect in a murder."

"Ohhh! Really? Whose?"

"His wife. She was found dead in the shower of their apartment. Somebody tipped us off. Prima facie it looks strangulation. But we'll let forensics decide that. Anyway, now that we have him, I'll be out of your hair. Thank you."

"Thank you officer. I think you arrived in time or else he might've harmed me as well."

"It's our job sir. Thank you."

.

.

Just as a handcuffed Rishi was being taken to the van, he happened to look at Raj. He was casting an evil smile back at him. That smile somehow assured Rishi this was anything but a prank. This was much more sinister. What, he knew not.

----

17 months ago.

.

An expensive sedan arrived in front of an old, abandoned warehouse. The man, in a well fitted suit, got down, looked around and questioned himself regarding the credibility of the information. Just at that moment a woman appeared from behind one of the pillars and asked him to follow her to an elevator door which wasn't visible due to its camouflage.

Atleast 15 floors below the city, this organisation functioned like normal. There could easily be around 500 employees across various departments. They were known as 'The Agency' to the elite.

"I'm sure the government knows about this. There's no way you guys exist without nobody in power knowing about it." said the man.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that sir." the woman replied and led him to the most important cabin in the entire organisation.

"Please come in. I've been expecting you. Let's not waste time in pleasantries. Tell me what can we do for you." said the impeccably dressed man behind the table.

"Hi, ummm​, I don't know how to explain this." said the visitor.

"You don't need to. You just need to tell us what do you want done, and I'll tell you how we can get it done."

"Ok. I want to put someone in the ground. Destroyed professionally and personally. I hate him."

"Name of this person?"

"Rishi. Rishi Mathur."

"Ok. Any personal rivalry?"

"He raped, & killed my sister 13 years ago. And got away with it. She rejected his proposal in front of his friends. His ego couldn't handle it. I've been wanting to get back at him ever since."

"Fine. I've got what i needed to know. I'll now redirect you to our Research Department. You'll be asked to give a complete download of your knowledge about Rishi, however little. We'll do the rest. You'll be again called after a month. We'll take you through our plan, basis our research and how we plan to execute it. Be advised, our plans involve long term planning and execution. It's not going to be a quick fix that you'll have your result within a week. Our last assignment spanned over 3.5 years."

"No I don't expect it to be quick. I just want it to be done."

"Be assured. Nothing will be traced back to you or us. See you in a month. Tanya will see you out."

27 days later.

"Welcome back. Let's get to it without wasting further time." Said the man in the tuxedo.

"Nothing I'd like more." Replied the client.

"Firstly I'd like to tell you that your story about your sister's rape checks out. He did get away with it. So we decided to proceed with your assignment."

"Thank you."

"Our Survellience teams have backed up your claim of his gigantic ego. He hasn't changed at all if your word is anything to go by. We are going to use his ego to bring about his downfall. This will be executed in 3 stages.

Stage 1 - His sub-conscious

We will subject his sub-conscious mind subtly over the next few months or so with our propaganda. We have scanned his residence and the area around. We buy out the big supermarket outlet, and open up an orphanage. We want him to notice this orphanage everyday during his commute. Our child actors will engage his attention every now and then he passes on front of the orphanage. This will be imprinted in his brains. Why an orphanage, will be answered later. Or you'll figure it out.

Stage 2 - His Ego

While his sub-conscious mind is being worked upon, we will begin work on stage 2 simultaneously. It's a good thing you have the same profession as his wife. I will get you employed at the firm his wife works. And also in her team if possible. Your job, Karan, is to get as close to her as possible. Don't try to flirt. Just be nice. Be a friend. A very close friend. Friends, husbands are jealous of. It's a good thing you are handsome. We could use that to our advantage.

He needs to feel he stands a chance to lose his wife. Harmless flirting is fine. But be very careful. You can't be anything more than a friend. You have to be chivalrous, get her coffee, the occasional lunch, etc, without overdoing anything. We will make sure Rishi finds out the right way. All we have to do is plant a seed in his mind. And for that we have our newest recruit. Natalie. Her professional background being similar to his, is our advantage. She will own the café, which also we open a few blocks down his house. Her primary role will be to befriend him, gain his trust by sharing business tricks. Let him succeed a bit. The higher the flight, the harder the fall."

"But how will he trust her about his wife's affair? She doesn't even know​ her."

"Nothing we do is direct. She is not going to be the one to tell him. Natalie will​ just be showing him some photos she clicked in her phone during one of their casual meet-ups. Those photos, in the background, will have Giselle and you having lunch and appearing a bit too 'comfortable'. It will appear that she has inadvertently blown the cover of his wife's affair. Once the seed is planted it is going to be cakewalk.

Stage 3 - The Final Act

This will be the final nail in the coffin. We only execute this stage, when we think it's time. No matter how long it takes. One wrong move and all falls flat. We will stage an act in a place he frequents, so he doesn't suspect anything thanks to the familiarity. Mostly a bar we have seen him go thrice in 20 days. His alcohol will be diluted. We don't need him sloshed. Also, his drink will be mixed with a drug which will make him susceptible to suggestion. He will have negligible capability to question the happenings. His ego and suspicion have already got him to the edge. Now all he needs is a little push. I will provide that myself. I will playing 'Yamraj'. The primary objective of this act is to make him believe he has only 24hrs to live. This will create a sense of urgency in him. That will be all as far as our part is concerned. Rest will now be up to him. Which I'm sure he'll act exactly as we expect him to. Killing his wife for instance. That will nail him down for murder."

"What?! No. Why does the wife need to die? She's innocent in all this."

"No she's not."

"What! What do you mean?" asked Karan as his very foundations were shaken.

"Who do you think invited your sister to the library that day? Giselle was madly in love with Rishi and would've done anything he asked. And she did. You never found out because it never occurred to you to look in that direction. And there was no way anybody thought of her, if the killer himself got away. You just assumed your sister happened to visit the library that night because of her exams. Her closest friend betrayed her. But I wouldn't blame you to not know about her. You had just returned to the city a day ago. But we dig up everything. Absolutely everything.

So, that's the plan. Do we have your approval to proceed, or are you having second thoughts?"

"Go ahead."

[qwertycallimit]

Midnight Oil - Part 2

continued from Part 1

…He couldn’t get enough of her already. He shut his eyes and let his ears do all the work. A constant smile on his face.

….

“Sir…Sir. Sir wake up,” he opened his eyes to the heavily moustached, hefty security guard. He got up with one quick motion. The sun was high in the sky. “Sir we’ve been looking all over for you” “What do you mean? Why? What time is it?” “It’s 11.30am. And since you haven’t been on your desk since I woke up 6 hours ago, I informed boss. You didn’t even take your phone along so we have been worried.” “I slept that long?!..Woaahh,” quite surprised at the time and the events undergone. “I fell asleep talking to the woman.” “What woman? You were the last one left weren’t you?” enquired the guard. “No she doesn’t work on our floor. Nevermind. Thank you for fetching me.”

As he was hurrying to his place, he happened to notice a colleague’s mug with ‘I love Bhutan’ written on it. It brought back memories of last night and made him smile. 'I have to meet her again today,’ he made a mental note.

It took him a mere half hour to finish off what he had left unfinished. He was happy with the way he it had shaped up. Now that he finally had time to breathe, he went through the events of last night. He shut his eyes as he reminisced every moment. He had a huge grin on his face. 'Why did she not wake me up? Probably didn’t wanna disturb me. Ohhhh she was beautiful. I should ask her out for coffee without much delay.’ His chain of thoughts was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. It was the annoying colleague with no sense of personal boundaries. 'Just the kind of face I needed to see to get me back to earth.’ he thought.

“Whatchu thinking about?” she meddled. “Nothing.” he replied with a straight face. “Liar. That smile on your face is a big giveaway.” “Nothing, just happy that my presentation turned out really well. It should go well with the client tomorrow.” “Fine. Don’t tell me.” she shot back and left.

He wasted no more time. He went straight to his friend, Shoaib, who worked in the Human Resources department. He was someone with whom he could talk without hesitation about women. Beautiful women especially.

“Yo, why didn’t you tell me anything about Kalpana?” Hriday asked. “Who? Kalpana from Mergers and Acquisitions?” Shoaib questioned. “No you nut. The new one who joined last week. She’s beyond beautiful.” “We haven’t hired any woman in the past 3 weeks, let alone a beautiful one at that. I’m sure no pretty lady goes under my radar.” “Oh come on think. You must’ve been on leave or something else she is not forgettable let me assure you.” “Dude, woman don’t have to be unforgettable for me to remember them. And do you remember me taking an off in the past month?” “That is true. But I met her last night. She works on the floor below. We spent good time together.” “The floor below you say?” “Yes.” he replied positively. “That entire floor has gone for an off-site remember? There’s nobody working below save a few office boys.”

His eyes widened. He had not realised this fact up until now. 'Why would she lie about this? Free booze?’ he thought, perplexed. He exited Shoaib’s cabin evidently disturbed.

“I’ll let you know if I come across anything.” Shoaib yelled out.

He felt deceived. He chose the internet to distract himself. The browser restored the 14 tabs from the previous night. Jazz music; scoopwhoop; 'bedfellows’ a horror short film; Google maps; Family Feud; Ozzy Man Reviews; Cats being jerks; Road accidents caught on camera, to name a few. He remembered doing everything possible to stay awake.

He felt another tap on his shoulder. He turned around, expecting the annoying colleague again but to his delight found Shoaib standing. “Any news?” Hriday enquired optimistically. “No brother. None. No Kalpana has been recruited in any of our national offices in the past 2 months. Do you know her full name by any chance? That might give us some hope.” “No man. I don’t. Yes but she did mention he having another first name, Mary, which she seldom used as she disliked it. Other than that I know nothing.” “Mary?” Confirmed Shoaib. Hriday replied in the affirmative.

The Shoaib said something silly that shook the ground below his feet. His eyes widened. His heart raced. A thought entered his mind which he hoped wasn’t true. He was almost shivering.

He got up at once and ran towards the security guard. He found a different person. “Where’s the other guy?” “Sir Manjeet left an hour ago. What happened? I’ll help you.” “I want to see the CCTV footage from last night. Now!” “Sir it requires clearance and might take some time.” “No I don’t have time. Give me the other guy’s number. I need to speak with him.”

He dialled his phone without wasting a breath. The phone rang a long time before being answered.

He then had a conversation with Manjeet that more or less confirmed his worst fears.

Hriday collapsed in the chair next to him. “Thank…. you..” and he hung up. He was lost in thoughts. He was terrified of this news. He wanted it to be prank. But he knew in his heart it was anything but that.

He went to the washroom to freshen up. 'Some cold water on my face is the need of the hour’ he thought. While coming back he again spotted the 'I love Bhutan’ mug of a colleague. This time it didn’t bring a smile on his face. Instead he remembered something else. And he connected it almost instantly. 'I had been to Bhutan in 2014 for a week. Beautiful place. I loved it. You should go. Although I should tell you I did get MUGGED there. I fought back and some locals intervened luckily, but all is not hunky dory…’

He went to his place and sat browsing through the internet when yet another thing caught his attention. His mind again raced back to last night’s conversation. 'I really feel for my dad. He’s been in the middle of a feud that has gripped our family for years now. He’s been trying to sort the matter out, playing Switzerland but to no avail. He tries to keep a funny face but I see right through it. I see he’s troubled. He’s now developed memory issues. He mixes up names. Moreover, people who haven’t seen my mother say I’m adopted. That does bother him somewhere I’m certain. He’s tall, dark and bald. Wears a thick moustache. Basically nothing about him resembles me. But I love him. I know he has done a lot since mum died. He has raised me alone and I guess done a fabulous job of it.’

Now he hunted other tabs thoroughly for more. He couldn’t help himself. He now had the picture more or less clear. He had completed going through all the tabs, save one. He finally started watching the video 'Cats being jerks’ with some minor surety, there’s no surprise awaiting him here. He was wrong. Very wrong. He then saw something that was definitely the final nail.

There was no denying the truth now. His tear ducts had been activated. He ran from his place. He wanted to get away from all the chaos. He wanted to be alone. He went back to the terrace. He wanted to think. He got out his cigarette pack. Looked at it and threw it away since even that reminded him of her. He shut his eyes, leaned over the railing and enjoyed the wind caressing his face. He needed it.

He knew it was time to have a conversation with himself, since he couldn’t confide in anyone else.

'She never existed. You hallucinated her. Your sleep deprivation played a pivotal role in it. Everything she told you was a product your own sub conscious. Everything your exhausted mind had experienced last night. You were right indeed. It felt like she was a part of you, because she very much was. The tall, dark, bald father with a thick moustache playing a mediator in a feud who mixed up names, was Steve Harvey in Family Feud you fool. Her mother’s accident was identical to the one you saw in 'Road accidents caught on camera.’ The mugging incident in Bhutan was a result of the 'I love Bhutan’ mug you must’ve seen during one of your office strolls to stay awake. In fact, you saw her in one of the 'Cats being jerks’ clip and brought her to life. That would also explain the scratch marks on her arm. You wouldn’t have figured it out had Shoaib not cracked that silly joke.’

He went through his conversation with Shoaib once again in his head.

“…Mary, which she seldom used as she disliked it. Other than that I know nothing.” “Mary?” confirmed Shoaib. “Yes.” “Mary Kalpana?” Shoaib asked again. “Yes.” “Hahaha it must be your Kalpana only,” he laughed and left mid way to attend a call he received.

'It must be my Kalpana only? What did he mean?’

'Then it finally dawned upon you. Mary Kalpana with a slight modification becomes Meri Kaplana, which in Hindi is 'My Imagination’. Wow. It was right in front of you the whole time. Mocking you but you could never pick it up. Not your fault. And the only other thing that could corroborate this fact was the CCTV footage or the security guard, Manjeet. Due to your very understandable impatience, you had to settle for a very earth-shattering phone conversation.

“Hello.” “Hello Manjeet it’s me Hriday from..” “Yes sir I recognised you from your voice. What can I do for you?” Manjeet broke in without letting him complete. “Manjeet the woman with me. In the CCTV footage. From last night. Have you seen her before?” Hriday changed the nature of his question for the still wanted his thought to be a stupid one.

“What woman Sir? You were alone. Smoking, talking to yourself. I found it weird honestly but I presumed it has been a hard couple of weeks for you and it’s your way of destressing. You then got two beer bottles from our fridge and offered it to someone. And then you left. I didn’t know what to make of that honestly.”

'That confirmed it did it not? You had spent a night with a beautiful woman who was nothing but a figment of your imagination. The picture was clear as day now.’

He felt good talking to himself. He had heard himeslf out. He was sure of two things now. One. He was never going without sleep for long. Two. He was never ever going to forget her. The realisation of second point filled him with immense grief almost too quickly. His life might never be the same again. He wasn’t prepared for that.

He climbed up the railing and flung himself. He was seeing her face for the final time as he was descending. He smiled. For the final time.

_____

News headline the following day: Mentally unstable patient jumps to his death from Bombay Mental Asylum.

Spokesperson for the institution stated, “The patient was brought in two weeks ago due to a severe case of Delusional Disorder. He had been in solitary confinement since. We are currently investigating as to how he managed to break through. The negligent guards have been suspended effective immediately. Thank You.”

[qwertycallimit]

Midnight Oil - Part 1

3.43 am. The watch taunted him from the bottom right of his computer. He was the last man in his office, except the security guard, who had dozed off in his chair. His eyes were strained. Dark circles had stamped their authority all around them. He had slept for a collective 4 hours in 3 days and could barely keep his eyes open. Or his brain for that matter. All he wanted was to get this done and get some sleep. He knew this was the final night of this ordeal. If he could win this client, it would be a worthy sacrifice for sure. He kept switching between the 14 browser tabs. From short films to old classics, from animal videos to horror clips, he had seen it all to stay awake. He even strolled in the office intermittently. Checking out the people' desks and how they had decorated them. He was fighting a race against his own body to complete the task. 'Thhd'. He looked around, confident he heard something. 'Thhd Thhd'. He was sure now. He stood up and proceeded to check the back door which opened into the fire exit, being sure now the knock was coming from that direction. He opened the door, and there she was. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was seeing her for the first time. "Hi, I'm sorry to disturb you." she said. "Not a problem. How can I help you?" "I work on the floor below and I'm the only one left. Do you by any chance have a lighter?" she asked, displaying her cigarette. "Yea sure" he replied. Thanking himself for not quitting smoking, he lit the cigarette between her lips. Her beautiful luscious lips. He had to remind himself to look away. "Do you wanna join me?" "Yea I suppose I can. I was thinking of taking a break anyway," he said almost instantly. ... She noticed him checking out the marks on her arm. "Don't worry I'm not in an abusive relationship. It's my cat." she explained. He had nothing to offer in response. "What did you say your name was?" he enquired while taking a puff. "I didn't." she chuckled. "Right. You didn't. Uhh.. hi, I'm Hriday." "Hi Hriday, I'm Kalpana." "Never seen you before. And honestly you're too pretty to go unnoticed." He immediately hated himself for saying that. So soon atleast. She raised her eyebrows. "Wow that didn't take long." "Sorry." "Nevermind. I'm used to it by now. Anyway, I just joined last week." He knew he had been pretty busy for the last 2 weeks to notice any fresh faces around, but he still was surprised having missed noticing her. 'I'm getting old I guess.' he wondered to himself. "Up for an adventure?" she enquired. "What? Now? Here? How?" "Lets go on the terrace." "At this hour? " "Ofcourse. Wouldn't be much of an adventure otherwise now, would it?" "It's going to be locked." "No I know a way to open it. I checked it last night. Can't keep myself contained you see." "Wow! You are truly an adventerous one, aren't you? Anyway, I have work to do." "Oh screw it. You might just end up remembering this night for the rest of your life." "Fine, I guess, I can spare a few. But only for a short while." "Haven't known many men who last long with me anyway," she winked. He lent an accompanying smile, nervous and surprised. "I'll get a few beer bottles. Nobody has touched them since the party last week." "See now you're talking," she replied excitedly. He got two bottles from the pantry. "Here. Hold one." He offered extending his arm. "Nope. I'm Miss Butterfingers. I'll drop them for sure. You carry them." "No problem Madam. Lead the way," he said. They spoke at length about life, work, sex, love and adventure. In that order. He was surprised at how she had got him talking in just a short span. He couldn't believe he didn't know her just 2 hours ago. He thought she was so much like him, yet so different. He felt as if she was a part of him. She didn't hold back as well. They lied down watching the stars. He thought this happened only in movies. He was enjoying being a listener. She told him about her trip to Bhutan. How she was mugged and she fought back bravely. How her first name is Mary but she doesn't prefer to use that. How she had a hard time coping with the loss of her mother to a freak car accident. How her father, much to her dismay, plays a mediator in a feud that has embroiled her family since ages. How she always gets asked if she's adopted, as her father being a tall, dark, bald guy with a thick moustache has no resemblance to her whatsoever. The talks went on endlessly. He totally lost track of time, or that he had work to do. The way she looked at him intermittently, he knew he was gonna see her again soon. See her often. He liked the thought of that. He toyed with the idea of love at first sight. He couldn't get enough of her already. He shut his eyes and let his ears do all the work. A constant smile on his face. 

to be continued...

[qwertycallimit]

Devotion

The devotee kicked the famished stray pup as hard as he could, so that he doesn't hover near the food meant for God and his devotees.

"How dare you! Fucking pests," he muttered.

The pup, after being airborne for a couple of seconds, landed hard in the middle of the street. Writhing in immense pain, he somehow got up & trudged along to the side of the street.

As he struggled, he was still wondering as to what had he done to deserve such a treatment. Still deep in thoughts, he was about to climb the sidewalk, when a car ran him over. His thoughts were not the only things that were all over the place now.

With his hind legs crushed, his intestines on public display, and blood spurting out profusely, he still surprisingly had some life left in him. Unable to move, his eyes were fixated on the 'human' who kicked him. He was talking to the idol before him. The sight made him wonder why a lifeless idol was preferred so much over him. Tears rolled out of his eyes as with one final heavy breath, his soul left his body.

"God, please accept this humble servant's offering of prasad. It's only after you have blessed this food, will I eat today. Let no harm come to my family and me. Please look over us."

---

It thundered mildly up in the sky. God could all but smile at the irony.

[qwertycallimit]

Raksha Bandhan

She disclosed the news of her promotion to her parents. Their eyes welled up as they couldn't contain their pride. It was the happiest day of her life. She longed for her estranged brother though. They hadn't seen him since he had left them 6 years ago. They did get to hear about him over the years, but were never able to find him. She tried all she could, but to no avail. Nobody uttered his name but they all wept for the same reason. One fine morning, while being immersed in work, she received news of his whereabouts. It was the day she missed him the most. Raksha Bandhan. Her heart pounded. She couldn't contain her emotions. She never bought a rakhi since he had left. But today, she had one. She wanted to see it on him. She didn't wanna confront him alone though. Fully aware, she couldn't trust herself, she took 2 colleagues to accompany her. En route, memories of a happy childhood reverberated in her mind. He was quite protective of his baby sister. Aggressive even. But she liked it. Whatever went wrong, didn't matter anymore; Her colleagues didn't disturb her. They noticed she was in a different world altogether. The 3 of them stood at the base of the building. Nothing out of the ordinary was noticed. She took one colleague with her and asked the other one to wait downstairs. As she stood outside the door, she decided to gather herself. Finally confident, she rang the bell. She asked to see her brother to the beautiful lady who answered the door. Not awaiting for the courtesies, out of sheer impatience, she pushed the door open. There he was. Standing in front of her, pretending hard to conceal his surprise. He looked better than she had thought. He wasn't expecting to see her, let alone in her uniform. There had to be an obvious lapse in security that she located him. He didn't want anything to do with his family. And she sure as heaven didn't seem in need of an explanation. "What do you want?" "How could I not see you today? It's Raksha Bandhan" "Like I care" "I'm sure you don't. But I do. Hence I've got a Rakhi for you." "Alright let's just get this over with quickly" he said as he extended his arm in front of her. "Both of them.", she said. It seemed odd to him but he didn't care and extended the other arm as well. "You're under arrest" she stated as she handcuffed him in her rakhi. The metal one. He was too shocked to react, let alone offer resistance. He didn't think his little sister had it in her. "You're a murderer. You kill for money. You've killed many over these years, but you've also killed mum dad. They have died within, listening to all the things that have fallen on our ears about your actions. The sister in me curses the cop within. But I'm at peace." His eyes breathed fire. Her, shed tears.

[qwertycallimit]

The Compartment

Him: He had found a vigour to wake up every day for his commute. He had made it a point to not miss the 9.12 am local for quite a while now. The sight of HER, sitting a few feet away; the wind blowing her hair across and how she tucked it behind her ear. She wasn’t the most beautiful woman he had seen, but one look at her and everything else was a blur. The most disheartening moment he faced was when she had to get off at her station, and he had to continue the journey in her absence. He knew he had to approach her. Soon. He shouldn’t stretch this any longer. Her: She had always been a good listener. The fact that she was mute had aided that quality to some extent as well. But she never let her muteness hinder her ascension. She took orders well. Executed them with perfection. She had quickly become the golden eyed girl of her superiors. She was very sharp  and extremely proficient in computers. This new assignment had her commuting by a train for the past 8 months. She hated it. She couldn’t wait to alight from this god awful thing every day. To add to her discomfort, she knew there was this moron staring at her every single day.  He looked harmless but she just hoped he stopped. Why won’t the hot colleague give her similar attention, she wondered. Anyway, she knew this was the last week of her assignment and she wouldn’t have to go through this ordeal anymore. No more trains. No more staring strangers. She couldn’t wait for Thursday. Him: Having failed miserably to gather any courage on the 2 previous days, he went to bed on Wednesday night with a fiery determination. “Tomorrow’s the day”, he thought, with grit. Her: The final day of her assignment was just a shut-eye away. She was taking a break after this. She wanted to travel the country. A wave of happiness enveloped her body. “Tomorrow’s the day”, she thought, with a smile. Him: He sensed it was a special day. She looked more beautiful than she ever had. She seemed to be in a good mood. He took it as a sign from above. There was an obvious display of excitement and eagerness on her face. As her station approached, he shut his eyes and prayed to god for some supernatural courage. He had never done this before. It was even harder than when he had first made peace with losing his foot. He would have never even dreamed of a prosthetic leg, had it not been for an anonymous good samaritan. He opened his eyes to the present as he sensed the arrival of the station. To his surprise, she had forgotten her bag and alighted. She had done this a couple of times before, but today it wasn’t just a bag. It was an opportunity. “Thank you so much”, his confident heart said. He wasted no time in grabbing the bag and alighted. It took a while for him to notice her in the crowd. She had gained a good distance and was climbing the near empty foot over bridge. He knew he would have to overpower his limp if he had to catch up. He set off. 

Her: She knew this day was going to be never ending. Her mind was already halfway across the country. The solo trip awaited. She was jolted back to reality by a pat on her shoulder. She turned around, and to her annoyance found the moron panting. She looked flabbergasted. But the real surprise came when she saw what he was holding. She didn’t know what to do. Her throat dried up instantly. It’s was almost as if her soul had abandoned her. He was a bit taken aback by that reaction but he was determined to make his move. “Hi..you had forgotten your… Boom!

Onlookers witnessed an enormous explosion, followed by a shrill and deafening. Windows were shattered. Car horns blared. Smoke and dust claimed dominance. Severed bodies, although limited, were strewn all around. It didn’t take long for people to register what exactly had happened. This city had witnessed it on numerous occasions but still never got used to it. Black smoke kept billowed endlessly as the city went into a frenzy.

News headline the next day: Major catastrophe averted due to mistimed bomb. Countless lives saved.

[qwertycallimit]

The Final Hug

It had been well over an hour. They hadn't uttered a word. They just held hands, walked up & down the beach. Memories of the past, a happy past, reverberating in their minds. They were afraid to come back to the present. They had met today with a fixed agenda. To end it. But they just couldn't. 6 years of history couldn't be wiped off in a moment.

All he could remember was her smile. Her laughter. How he had fallen in love with it. He could remember everything clear as day, in spite of suffering from memory issues in the recent years. He could also remember how the same smile had diminished over the course of last year. Till it went extinct around him. Tears formed in his eyes.

She remembered all he did for her. Used to, at least. She did have the feeling that he still did a lot for her, but somewhere she expected a lot more from him. Could things be different, she pondered. Tears appeared in her eyes too.

They both realised it was as much their fault as the others. But was it too late to make amends? They knew they had come too far down this road to turn back. The time had come to end the journey, but none of them felt strong enough to do it. They just couldnt.

"So, this is it.", he said gathering every last bit of courage from the dark dungeons of his weak heart. She nodded. "Final hug?", he asked, putting up a brave front, but he was sure he wasn't able to feel his legs anymore with that question. She nodded.

They hugged. They hugged for an eternity. They had become one. One final time. Incessant tears poured down from their eyes. This time she mustered the courage and separated herself from what seemed like life itself to her. They looked in each other eyes. Without saying a word, they both turned around and started walking with a promise to themselves that they wont turn around, lest they feel weak again. It was like two forces of nature moving in opposite directions, away from each other. Like somehow, they weren't supposed to be together.

Her overjoyed grandchildren pounced on her the moment she entered her house. Granny had been gone for long and they were missing their favourite playmate. Granny's mind was not with them though. It was extremely rare that the sight of her grandchildren didn't fill her heart with happiness. She longed for something else. She longed for him.

The following day, he turned 65. Though his family made him feel special, they could sense something was amiss. He knew he was gonna miss his routine bday chore with her: post-dinner ice cream and frivolous chats on the beach bench.

Pursuing a lost cause and to reminisce old memories, he went to the bench that night. Not expecting her to be there, but hoping for the same, he was extremely disheartened to find the bench empty. He wanted her to come. He wanted to hug her one last time. It would be the present for his bday, he looked forward to.

He weeped for hours. The memories were overwhelming. He thought he could handle it. He couldn't be more wrong.

The next morning, early beach goers found a lifeless body of a man sitting on the bench. Eyes wide open, staring into the sea. Cops & Ambulance were summoned to take care of it. A visibly irritated ambulance driver said to his Co - worker, "What's up with these oldies and this beach! Just last night I carried an old woman who was knocked dead by a car, trying to frantically cross the road. She apparently saw someone and couldn't wait. God knows who that was. God bless her soul. And this guy's."

[qwertycallimit]

The speech you wish a World Leader made:

I have a Peace Proposition to our so-called enemies out there. Lets just stop, can we? Im getting tired of this. Now this may come across as a sign of weakness, but trust me it isn't. We've killed enough innocents on either side to support our 'propoganda'. To gain power. I surrender. I surrender to peace. I say lets stop the war and show each other the real power. Lets take a moment to think about the earth. Our bombs destroying it every minute. Beautiful landscapes, precious animal life, the vast marine habitat, invaluable heritage sites, all being destroyed to feed our ego. We are humans - the dominant race. Let's act as one, let's unite together as ONE race and work towards rebuilding this planet to its natural glory. Let's show the world what we are capable of united. Let our future generations be proud of us. I say we cut the BS, the politics, the greed, and go beyond our capability to be humans again. We owe it to the children of this world that they grow in safe harmonious environment and not seek refuge in other countries at such tender age. We owe it to those fathers trying to stay alive to keep their families together. We owe it to the mothers who shouldn't have to watch their children drown. We owe it to them. We owe it to us. We owe it to life.   Let's come together. Let's end the war.

[qwertycallimit]

The Step

The wind met his face with extreme hostility, while he stood at the edge of the cliff, staring ahead at the vast immensity. He was standing there for around an hour, pondering, revisiting his life, what he had been through, and what had led him to come here. 

One step ahead, and it'd be a success. A much required one. Turning around would mean he couldn't even succeed here. It was almost as if the wind was slapping him to his senses. Or was it that even the wind couldn't stand him anymore and his inability to take any action, and was being pretty vocal about it. He couldn't tell.

He had lost a lucrative job he didn't care about, over a mishap he wasn't aware about. His girlfriend had left him, not for someone rich, but for someone who had his life sorted. She had run out of patience with him. He understood that. He still loved her to no bounds. And he knew somewhere she still did too. Still he couldn't do anything about it. His crazy cat landlady adored him. She knew he was a good decent boy, much different from the rotten lot of this generation. She could accept his rent a few months delayed, but it wasn't in his character to keep the poor woman waiting. He took up many odd jobs, but could never quite hold on to them. He knew he was bad at them and never felt anything when he lost them. He knew he was good at only one thing. Something. He was sure of it. Just hadn't figured out what. 

He did a lot of thinking. Thats all he ever did. He never implemented anything. Ever. He knew he was special, that he had the spark, the talent to do something meaningful with his life. Big enough to bring a change in the world. He had so many ideas that he wasn't sure where to begin, and so he never did begin.  He was tired of thinking.  

That afternoon, after great many months of existing in this agony, he finally made a decision. "I have to end it. I refuse to live like this". He promptly made his way to Nomad Point, before he changed his mind again.

There he was, standing at Nomad Point, at the edge of it, and coming to a decision over something as frivolous as whether he should just let himself go, or should he run in, take some momentum and have a go at it. After all, it was only once that he was going to get to do this. So he wanted to have fun one last time. 

He went over his life multiple times, his frustrations, his failures, etc. He was still trying to reason out with himself whether, is such an extreme step necessary? Couldn't he try some more? He was standing there for over 2 hours, doing what he did best, thinking. He was taking his time. He wanted to be sure before taking that 'step'. He knew he was never going to be. Thats just who he was. 

He figured its time. It was closing in at around 3 hrs of standing there, doing some insurmountable amount of thinking. He had observed the clouds, birds, planes and the sea. He noticed the sun was in a much different position than when he had arrived there. And then all of a sudden, it struck him. Out of nowhere. It was his 'Eureka' moment. He was agog. He wanted to explore the idea. He wanted to create. Never in his life was he so determined. He knew this was it. He couldn't wait to get back.

He turned around in excitement. A small portion of land beneath his foot caved in. He slipped. He tried to recover but it was too late. He was already airborne. He couldn't believe it. But yet he smiled. He knew he was gonna die. But he was dying knowing his purpose in life. Never in his life was he more sure. He shut his eyes, and descended with a wide grin.

[qwertycallimit]

The Force

He had the intent. Sometimes he couldn’t stop it. No matter how much he wanted to. He forced his way on to her. He couldn’t help it. He held her hands tight. She forced to free herself. But he had no intention of letting her go. He stuffed her mouth with his handkerchief. Her rapidly shaking legs kicked him in his groin, but his resolve was immovable. She had the knife in her hands. She was cutting the vegetables when IT began. His first plan of action was to get her rid of the knife. But her hold was strong enough to let it go. He found her strong. Hardly surprising, as she was always a rebel. More so when it came to her freedom. She always valued it more than anything in this world. He felt like he was getting successful in overpowering her. He knew he had got this, felt a sense of satisfaction gripping him. He had complete hold of her now. He was over her, holding both her hands and trapping her legs. She stopped moving. His face displayed a victory smile. 

He finally let his clasp free, after IT was over. He lied next to her, tired, staring at the ceiling. 

Her epileptic seizures had grown frequent. The medication wasn’t working, but they weren’t going to stop trying. He felt helpless when she’d get one. He had to do whatever he could to keep her contained. It was one of the most painful times of his life. But she, was his life. And he wasn’t going to let her go. Not then. Not ever. 

[qwertycallimit]

The Man

Walking alone on a deserted road, he was. Days on end. He carried a bag on his back, oblivious of its contents. He was expected to deliver the bag at the destination, without taking it off his back in the transit. 

He didn't get much comfort. He didn't expect any. He knew his job was to go on..and on. The sun shone relentlessly on him. Pierced his skin with it’s sharp rays. His throat, parched. But resting was not an option he knew. The occasional trees smiled at him. Offered him some shade. But he politely refused. He just wanted to finish his journey, deliver the bag, and then rest. But his destination was nowhere in sight. He had travelled for days on end. The bag was getting heavier gradually, piling up his resentment. He knew not, why it was getting heavier. He didn't care for the reason. Initially. It then began to frustrate him. The bag grew heavier with every step he took. He got angrier with every step he took. He grew more and more tired. His shoes had worn off long ago. His feet bled. And now, even tears were shed. He cried profusely. He wanted this ordeal to end. But he saw none.

Finally, he lost his composure. He looked up at the sky. The cloudless sky. He yelled out, "Why, god, why? Why am I being put through such monstrous torment? Why am I not reaching where I'm supposed to? I am diligently working towards my goal, but to no avail? Why does my bag keep getting heavier? Why can't I take it off my back? I’m tired. How long? Where is my destination?" The cloudless firmament thundered. It was God. He smiled back at him and answered, "There IS no destination, it’s just the journey. You will never be able to shake off that baggage. You have to do it for as long as you can. For as long as you're able to."

He screamed in anguish,"Why? Why me?"

God, smiling back, replied, "It's simple. Because you are a man."

[qwertycallimit]

The Job

He could hear her voice. She was screaming his name. As loud as she could. But he couldn't see her. He couldn't see anything. It was total darkness. Infinite darkness. But he could hear her, loud and clear. Then out of nowhere, someone stamped hard on his leg and he felt his breath come back to him. Loud breathing. He realized he was unconscious all this while. He remembered, the bomb going off while he was grocery shopping. She wanted him to cook that night. She loved it. She was waiting in the car during the blast. Thankfully. 

He could see her now. Finally. The darkness had disappeared. She was yelling out his name. But something was off. She was crying over someone else's body. Praying for 'him' to wake up. 

Why was she doing that? Is she mistaking him for me? I'm here. She might be easily confused over the pile of blackened bodies with a huge splatter of red everywhere. I'm sure she's confused. 

Then he saw another startling thing. The body she was weeping over, had the same tattoo over it's forearm that he had so proudly carried over the past 2 years on his forearm. It was a gift. Her anniversary gift. Her name in Arabic. He then started noticing other things with the body that belonged to him. How's that even possible? It doesn't make sense. 

He wanted to move. He hardly could. He could now see everything descending gradually. He yelled. Nobody heard. He yelled again. Louder this time. Same result. Gradual descent still in progress. And that is when he finally realized. It was him that she was crying over. It was his body. He had already left it. He was advancing to the 'other side'. The vast abyss. 

He was devastated. He loved her so much. He wanted to live with her. He wanted to cry out. But instead, he managed a smile. After all, it was the last time he was seeing her. In this world at least. She never left his sight, till everything steadily disappeared. Including her. Meanwhile, her phone beeped. 'They' had wired her the money. Her job was done. 

[qwertycallimit]

Eyes

Day 1 He opened his eyes, to see her smiling at him. That smile, which had always meant the world to him. He smiled back. Shut his eyes. Day 2 He opened his eyes, to see her smiling at him. His hands in hers. They assured him nothing is wrong, nothing can ever be. He smiled back. Shut his eyes. Day 3 He opened his eyes, to see her smiling back at him. He sensed something was wrong. Her smile tried to deceive him. He smiled back nevertheless. Shut his eyes. Day 4 He opened his eyes, to see her smiling. Or atleast making an effort to. He knew for sure now something was bothering her. He wished he could get her out of it. Like he always had. He wanted to smile. Instead, he shut his eyes. Day 502 He opened his eyes. With much struggle. He searched for her. She wasn't there. He shut them promptly. Day 503 He opened his eyes. She was there. Smiling. She was the same person he had shut his eyes to, 17 months ago. But still, she wasn't. A lot had changed. She looked different. She was different. She smiled. Yet it wasn't 'her' smile. She had tears in her eyes. His diamonds. They were always precious to him, like diamonds. Then she showed him her hand. Her finger wore one as well. He tried a lot, but couldn't stop his tears from rolling out. They had their own mind. They were acting involuntarily. He still managed a smile. He shut his eyes again.

For the final time. Never opened them back.

[qwertycallimit]

A difficult journey

One brain. So many thoughts.

Some within. Some flaming pots.

So little shared, so little cared.

Fear aplenty, never dared.

Promised to self, to go on and on.

Never realising, what came and gone.

Steps are heavy, mouth shut.

Impossible it seems, to end uncut.

The endless nights, the inevitable fights.

Want vs Need. Thwarting the greed.

This world is relentless. Expectations galore.

Feels like I am captured.

I wanna be freed. I wanna be freed.

[qwertycallimit]

Stereotypically Indian

   “Does everyone in Mumbai live in the slums?” enquired a then 2-day old Kiwi friend of mine. Not too taken aback by this question, because I did see it coming sooner than later, I replied in the negative. “But that’s what they showed in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’!” was his quick response. Curbing my inner resentment, I did advise him not to believe everything they portrayed in the movie, Mumbai is much more than that, and certainly not just slum-dwellers.

    That incident got me thinking, Slumdog Millionaire was a major box-office hit all over and an Academy Award winning one to top it up, so a considerable amount of the world’s population might have seen it and perceived it just like any normal person would. I was able to clear this misconception of just a few of my mates, but what about the rest out there thinking the same about Mumbai and making judgements based just on the movie or the book. Then I did get some weird queries hurled at me about India and Indians over time. I tried my best to spread the truth as if I was the linchpin of my countries pride, myths and stereotypes. I was really bewildered to say the least about the kind of knowledge, or the lack of it out there. Then we have ace stand-up comedian Russell Peters, ‘Outsourced’ or whatever I could watch of it, and Oprah to add to the list recently, who have made matters worse. I really like the amount of research put in by ‘The Big Bang theory’ as I find majority of the jokes to be true & less offensive. Following are my thoughts and analysis about certain stereotypes about India and Indians that I have encountered personally or witnessed over time:

1. Snake-charmers

Nothing annoys me more than India still being referred to as a country of snake-charmers. In fact, in the 23 years of my life I have never ever encountered a snake-charmer myself. I would love to see some friendly antics by the fearsome reptile, but it was a part of ancient India and is surely extinct by now. Of course certain villagers still use it as a means of profession but that’s surely the end of it.

2. Cows

Do we have cows on the road? Yes. Do we worship cows? Yes. It is one of the biggest prevailing stereotypes out there and it is true. Cows have been a substantial part of our mythology and culture, and we love and respect them too much to mind their presence in our daily lives.

3. Goat exchange

 I actually googled this one to find out if there is even an iota of weight behind it. It was equally absurd when I was first mocked about it as it is now every time I think about it. Apparently, according to certain mates, the man has to hand out goats to the girl’s father to prove his worth in return for the girl. The more the number of goats, the more respected he was considered and the father would be happy to give away his daughter. I was flabbergasted when I first heard this. It was plain stupid.

4. Indian Accent

We might or might not be proud of the accent we speak English in, but it’s certainly not the one made (in)famous worldwide, by Simpsons rather than any particular Indian. Then the stand-up comedians cashed in on it and made a complete mess of it. I haven’t till date come across a single Indian who speaks like that. I thought I was having a narrow minded approach since I was an Indian by birth, so asked some of my overseas friends to judge some Indians, to which they had no answer, not so surprisingly. In fact, much to my amazement, my accent was found more European-like by some of my colleagues, and they were surprised on learning that I was born & raised in India. 

5. Men holding hands

I was asked by a friend whether all Indian men hold hands while walking. Obviously taken aback, as I hadn’t watched the Russell Peters’ show by then, I refused with all my might. Barring the gay men and certain nut-cases, we Indian men behave normally without feeling the need to hold any part of another man’s body.

6. Poor Country

It’s a humongous country. Status inequality is bound to happen in such a vast nation. With corruption & population increasing by the minute, the gap is going to widen. But the fact that saddens me is that outsiders associate India only with poverty. We have some of the richest people in the world living here, state-of-the-art technology, awesome infrastructures, plush malls etc. And with the increasing average income of the common man to add to the list, we surely consider ourselves an ever-growing international market.

7. Illiteracy

This one’s actually a tricky one. Agreed there are a lot of illiterate people in India due to varied reasons, but education remains a top priority for every household irrespective of the financial status. The poor and the middle class strive harder and harder each day to provide for excellent education of their children. In fact, so much is the focus on studies that daily activities or sports take a back seat. It’s really hard to tell whether fierce competition has given rise to increased average grades of students or is it vice versa. Certainly, India is certainly a breeding ground for budding, brilliant geniuses but the ‘hunger to earn’ has outrun the ‘hunger to learn’ and that remains the ugly truth.

8. Arranged Marriages

This one is true. Though its sheer volume has decreased significantly over the last few decades, it’s still quite popular amongst people giving importance to traditions and losers who are too lazy to find someone themselves. And yes, in SOME customs we are forbidden to see the face of the person we are going to marry, but it shouldn’t be generalised. 

9. Bollywood – All song and dance?

This has to be, arguably, one of the most popular stereotypes out there. Is the biggest film industry in the world all about singing and dancing? I wouldn’t say all of it, but they do occupy a significant proportion of our movies and our hearts to some extent. Celebration and rejoicing has been with us for centuries now. It’s who we are and it’s in our blood. Having said that, all the coming-of-age movies that have started cropping up in the past decade do deserve a special mention. Surely, Indian cinema is evolving, maturing and is no longer just about song & dance, but about the subject. With a wide range of movies on varied issues, big budgets, sci-fi etc even the big boys of Hollywood are including India in a lot of movies.

10. Bargainers

May be we are. May be we aren’t. It’s an art more than anything else actually. It’s always handy to have this skill in your pocket, as it helps you save more money than you can actually imagine. I myself am a terrible bargainer, but I do know a lot of people, especially women, who can do wonders while shopping. Who wouldn’t love to get things cheaper than it’s worth? We Indians just excel at it.

   These were the most popular ones in the haystack which also consists of all the false ones namely: all women wear red dots; we necessarily own a dairy/supermarket; we only eat curries; we don’t have pre-marital sex; we are all good at math; we are all Punjabis; all of us work in call ‘centers’; our dance is just screwing the light bulb.

    And lastly, I would like to stress on the fact that we do have night club/pubs/bars and we CAN stay there late at nights.

     Please add to the list in the comments below if you have come across some weird ones. 

[qwertycallimit]

Show me a better place to have your lunch/breakfast..!!! (Taken with Instagram at Dominion Observatory)