Life!!!!

"Yaar yeh life kis chidiyaka naam hain. Kabhi hasatha hain aur tho kabhi rulatha hain."

So decided ki Life ke saath kabhi panga nahi lenekaaaaa!! bus kaisa chal raha hain, waise hi chalne dho.

Jiyooo or Jinedhooo!!!

Dairy...V'Day Special :)

If we look back at the journey of our lives recollecting the incidents of our past, college life would remain the best. The very thought of them makes us feel younger. Those sweet memories are etched our heart forever. The following is a humourous real life incident excerpted from a personal diary.

Who let the dogs out?


“The cup of life…………” screamed my mobile. I picked it up lying on the bed.
“Good Morning”, she said.
“Good Morning”, I replied slowly opening my eyes.
“I am not feeling well. I won’t be coming to college today”, she said.
“Why? What happened?” I asked her.
“Fever!” she replied faintly.
“Ok. Take care. I miss you sweetheart”
“I miss you too dear”.
I covered myself with a blanket and went back to sleep. I don’t know for how long I slept until somebody shook me vigorously holding my shoulders. I opened my eyes. It was Deepak.
“Get up! Aren’t you coming to college today?” he asked me.
“Neha said she won’t come today. So college would be very boring”, I said sleepily. “I won’t come. You carry on!”
But Deep was very obstinate. He compelled me to accompany him and I finally ended up going to college after a lot of huffs and puffs.
“What periods do we have today?” I asked Deep.
“Operating Systems, Communication Theory and DBMS in the morning and C++ lab session in the afternoon”, he replied.
“Shall we go for a movie?” Dileep asked me.
“At what time is the show?”
“11 A.M”
“Done! Inform our group”, I said elatedly.
Our group consisted of three girls and four boys. We watched the movie, had lunch at a nearby restaurant and reached home by 4 P.M. I had a short nap and woke up around 6 P.M in the evening.
I felt a strong urge to see her. I changed my dress and drove my bike to her apartment. The sky was overcast with dark clouds. I prayed that it should not rain for the next one or two hours.
Deep and Neha resided in the same apartment. His flat was in the second floor and she was in the fourth floor. I parked my bike outside his apartment and called her on mobile.
“I am inside your apartment. I want to see you now”, I said.
“Hey!” she was surprised.
“I will meet Deep first and then come to the terrace. Be there!”, I said.
“Hey! Listen!” she muttered. “My mom will kill me if she…”
“Then shall I go back?” I asked her.
She was silent.
“Ok! My mom asked me to get dried clothes from the terrace”, she paused for a few seconds. “But only 5 minutes! Ok” she said.
“Sure!”
I rang the doorbell of Deep’s flat. He opened the door.
“Come! Let’s go to the terrace”, I said.
“Why?” he asked me curiously.
“I’ll tell you a secret about your girl friend”, I said. He was puzzled.
Little Pinky was weeping at the entrance of her flat.
“Why is Pinky crying?” I asked him.
“Her pet dog was missing since morning. It has run away”, said Deep.
“Nowadays, dogs cost a lot and thieves aren’t sparing them either”, I said. “Just recently, my neighbour took his dog for a stroll in the morning. Two young men followed him on a bike, manhandled him and carried the dog away”
“Who let the dogs out”, Deep hummed the famous song shaking his head back and forth as we climbed the stairs leading to the balcony.
She was waiting for me in the terrace carrying a heap of dried clothes. Deep turned and looked at me. “You idiot!” he said biting his teeth angrily. “Her mother had already warned her against talking to you. Come! Let’s go back”
“Please! Please! Just give me five minutes. I will just see her and come back. You keep guard here”, I pleaded him.
“What are you going to see for five minutes?” he asked me irately. “This is not your apartment. If somebody notices you both romancing here, I will be one accused for bringing you here. My mother will batter me to death. Please!”
“Deep! Just remember, how much I helped you in the past. Have you forgotten all that? Am I not your best friend?” I said emotionally adding a chunk of sentiment. He took a huge gasp of breath and looked at me.
“OK! Only five minutes. See her and come back as fast as possible. I will stand here and make sure nobody is coming”
I felt very happy and walked towards her swiftly. She smiled on seeing me. It was very dark. Cold breeze blew past us making the conditions perfect for romance. We held your hands together and my fingers moved into hers. We talked about how we missed each other. I moved closer to her looking into her eyes. Suddenly Deep called out my name. I turned back to see my friend running towards me.
“Neha’s mother and my mom are coming here. Come fast, let’s go”, he said anxiously.
“Oh No! If my mother sees you, she will kill me. Go and hide somewhere”, she grew tensed. “Hide somewhere, fast”, she pushed my shoulder.
“Where can we hide here?” I asked her. “It looks like you want me to jump from this terrace”
“Hide below that water tank”, she said. I saw the huge cemented water tank. There was a gap of almost three feet between the floor and the bottom of the tank. I ran with towards the tank with Deep and crawled under it.
“What are you doing here?” I heard her mother scream.
“My dress is missing. I was searching for it”, Neha replied.
We heard their conversation silently sneaking into the place below the tank.
“People might mistake us if they find us both in this position here. It altogether conveys a different meaning that we are…” Deep whispered
“You idiot!” I was enraged. I felt a strong urge to slap him hard on his face but controlled myself.
“There would be some valves hanging here. Make sure you don’t bang your head against them”, he said.
“Ouch!” I heard him scream with pain. He banged his head against one of them.
The place was stinking with a foul odour. I held my breath feeling a vomiting sensation.
“Is this a water tank or a se…..” I stopped my words on noticing something.
There a heavy object lying before us. It was hindering the passage of air but we could not see it clearly in the darkness. He switched on the light of his mobile we had a look at the strange object. For a moment, my heart missed a beat. A strange chill ran down my spine. A huge dog was lying there. It was of the size of a Doberman. He instantly switched off the light and stared me in fear. I could feel his hands and legs trembling like a patient affected with fits. I was not sure whether the dog was dead or sleeping. I wanted to put my fingers near its nose and check whether it was inhaling oxygen, but I had no guts to do so. Then there was a sound of a low moan. Deep crawled closer to me.
“What’s that sound?” he whispered.
“The dog is snoring”, I said maintaining my voice as low as possible. “It’s in a good sleep. Unless we wake it up, there will not be any problem”, I solaced him. There was a sound of thunder followed by lightning.
Neha’s mother and Deep’s mother were conversing something loudly a few meters away from us. I was afraid whether the dog would wake up on hearing their voices, but it did not.
I was damn angry on Neha. She could have taken her mother downstairs. It looked that she was intentionally making me suffer and enjoying very moment of it.
Suddenly it started raining heavily. The conversations diminished. It appeared that they were moving away from us. We knew that the rain water would flow into the area where we were hiding.
“I will go out and see whether they have gone”, I said.
“You idiot! You wanted to leave me alone with the dog here”, Deep grumbled angrily.
“Then! Do you want us to permanently stay here” I asked him furiously.
“I will go and check. You wait here”, he said.
“Ok!” I nodded my head.
He found it difficult to crawl backwards. So he crawled forward tardily making sure not to touch the sleeping creature. First, his head came out from the hiding area. Then his hands followed and he crawled further. He did not notice that the dog’s tail was spread before him and dragged his knees onto it.
“Bow-wow”, there was deafening sound. I was not sure whether it was the sound of pain or anger, but I knew that my days were over. I closed my eyes and bent my face on the ground in fright. But Deep ran away from the tank on hearing the barks. On seeing him running, the dog chased him instead of attacking me. There were sounds of loud thuds, yells, barks and screams as the dog pursued him all over the balcony in darkness. I was afraid whether he would trip over something and fall from the terrace. Suddenly, everything was silent. I laid there still for another half-an-hour wondering what to do. The rain showed no signs of abating. Water flowed under me wetting the front portion of my shirt and pant. I quietly crawled out of the hiding place and dusted my clothes. I got down the stairs as passed through Deep’s house. Little Pinky was smiling. She had found her dog.
I made sure nobody noticed me and walked out of the apartment. I started my bike and zipped across the road in the gushing rain. I reached home and called Neha.
“I am really sorry for what has happened. Actually…..”
“Did he mention our names?” I interrupted her.
“No! But the dog bit him hard. They carried him to the hospital”
The next morning, I met Deep at his home. He lay on the sofa watching television wearing a sleeveless vest and shorts. There were some bandages on his hands and left thigh.
“What happened aunty?” I asked his mother.
“Somebody called him over phone yesterday. Fearing that I would overhear his conversation, he went to the terrace and continued his call”, explained his mother. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing when is over the phone. He stamped the neighbour’s dog that was sleeping there and it bit him all over his body”.
Deep glared at me with anger largely writ on his face. I narrowed my eyes pleading him mercy. After spending some time with him, I walked out of the apartment and started my bike. I felt that somebody was watching me. I looked up. Neha was staring at me from her bedroom balcony. She made sure nobody was watching her and gave me a flying kiss. I looked all around the deserted road. There was nobody at sight. I raised my hand in the air, accepted it and kissed my palm.

Heresy-3

Note: Please read Heresy Part -2 before this one
Part 3

The Food court was usually crowded in the mornings. Employees hustled in all possible directions carrying their plates of breakfast.

“Tell me, how did Vinesh die?” Shyam asked Deep with extreme curiosity.

“Today, Shankar met his ex-project mate in the train”, said Deep. “That guy witnessed Vinesh’s death.”

“What did that guy see? What did he say?” asked Shyam with his eyes wide open. He was unable to control his anxiety.

“He says Vinesh’s death was accidental”, replied Deep. “It was not suicide”

Shyam leaned forward on the table and narrowed his eyes at Deep.

“What are you saying!” he remarked.

“I will ask Shankar to arrange a meeting with him sometime later in the evening”, said Deep swallowing his last spoon of salad. “We shall discuss this matter in detail”.

Shyam nodded his head. They completed their breakfast and strode along the pathway heading to their block. As Shyam neared his cube, he found someone sitting on his chair. It was Suhani. She turned her head and looked at him. There had been no communication between them for the last ten days. She called him several times on his mobile, but he neither answered her calls nor bothered to call her back. The guilt-consciousness in him prevented him from talking to her. But after seeing her face and her beautiful eyes staring at him, he felt a pain, a strange pain in his heart.

Both of them remained speechless looking at each other’s faces.

“How are you?”, he broke the silence. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“I am sorry”, he said. She suddenly broke down and covered her eyes with her fingers.

Shyam held her hands and consoled her. As he soothed her, he felt that somebody was around. He could feel some eyes watching him. He turned back and looked all around. There was nobody around. The large room wore a deserted look. The other team mates in his project usually stretched their work in the nights and arrived late in the mornings.

The sun travelled lethargically from east to west.

The bus stopped at the end of the road. A group of employees got down and walked towards the station. Shyam and Suhani walked together followed by Kavitha, Shankar and Deep. Even though Deep listened to Kavitha’s conversation, his eyes were fixed on Sarya who was walking a few metres ahead of him. Shyam reached the stairway that led to the platform and stopped for a moment. A strange chill crept down his spine.

“Because of you, I am now feeling afraid to come to this haunted station”, Deep murmured in Shyam’s ear as they walked on the overbridge.

The climbed down the steps and reached the platform where the suburban train arrived.

“Shall we sit here?”, Suhani asked them standing on the last stair.

Shyam sat beside her. The other three friends sat behind them on the upper stair.

“Why are you silent?”, she asked him. There was no response.

The station was crowded with employees working in different software companies in that part of the city. Some people were discussing in groups, some were talking on their mobiles, some were listening to music on their iPods and some stood alone staring at others. Shyam’s eyes searched everywhere for Vinesh. And they finally spotted him. He stood alone in the centre of the platform. His dress was tattered and his face was bruised.

Shyam’s hands and legs started trembling. He turned his face and gazed somewhere else trying best to divert his attention.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you Ok”, Suhani asked him. He nodded his head.

“Why are you sweating a lot?”, she asked him.

“It’s very hot”, he replied wiping the sweat drops on his forehead with his kerchief. He did not want to disclose his strange problem to her fearing the aftermaths it might have on their relationship.

“Why is he killing me like this?”, Shyam wondered. Even though he loved his friend, he did not want to see him after he was dead.

“Shyam…”, called a voice from behind. Shyam turned his head backward.

“This is Rahul”, Shankar introduced a person. The guy was tall and dark in appearance. Shyam introduced himself to the stranger.

“I am sorry mate. I understand your pain in losing a friend”, said Rahul climbing down a few steps.

“At the time of his death, were you beside him”, Shyam asked him. Rahul nodded his head.

“Can you tell me what happened that day?”.

Suhani, Shankar and Kavitha looked at Rahul with keen interest. He appeared nervous as he began his version.

“Vinesh was standing a few feet away from me talking to somebody over his mobile. He frequently leant over the tracks to check whether the train was coming”, Rahul paused for a moment and heaved a breath of air.

“When the train arrived on the platform, our guy wasn’t aware of it as he was in a deep conversation. He was initially a little distance away from the tracks but he suddenly moved forward and leant over the tracks to check whether the train was coming. Then he slipped and fell down uttering a huge cry”, said Rahul shaking his head. “I was shocked. I couldn’t prevent it from happening. It was a terrible accident. I’ve never witnessed this sort of thing in my entire life.”

“Was it an accident……”, wondered Shyam. He moved his head and looked at the place where he last spotted Vinesh. He wasn’t there. Shyam stood up and looked all around. Vinesh was nowhere at sight. He had gone. Had he gone forever?

The train arrived on the platform. The employees who were standing on the platform thronged into it pushing each other at the door. Some hurriedly sat on the vacant seats and placed their hands and bags on either side reserving the seats for their friends who were getting inside the train.

“Look at those professionals fighting for window seats in the train”, commented Deep. The station grew deserted in a couple of seconds. A horn sounded and the train started moving. Shyam had one last look at the platform hoping to have a glance of his dead friend, but he never appeared again.

Kavitha and Shankar exchanged stolen glances at each other in the train.

“I don’t understand why he’s calling her a ‘princess’”, Deep whispered to Shyam.

‘Aatma Hathya Maha aparaadh’ said a sacred verse. Killing oneself is termed as a heinous act according to the religious doctrines and deserves the highest punishment. I still remember my father’s words, ‘We belong to the race of the great sage. We are born to serve the society. But as we commit sins, we are reborn. Reborn and reborn till our desires are fulfilled and sins are cleansed. But my son, tell this to your sons and grandsons. Refrain from killing yourself. Because your soul neither takes a rebirth nor attains salvation. You have to wander mercilessly witnessing the happenings of the world. You will be able see your loved ones, friends and relatives spending every moment of their lives. You will experience a strong urge to live among them and share their joys and sorrows. But you cannot! All you can do is to watch and suffer silently. Because you are dead. This is the worst of all punishments inflicted to a sinner.’

‘For how long should we suffer like this father?’, I innocently asked him.

‘Till the tenure of your birth in this world comes to an end’, he replied. ‘And you will be reborn again’

‘Then! Is there is no means to attain salvation’, I asked him.

‘There is only one way’, he replied. ‘The sacred verses show the path to eternal salvation. But if you misuse them, you will be cursed. A deadly curse………...”. The hair raised on my hands and legs after I heard the ill-effects of the curse.

He was no more but his words still lingered in my mind.

I picked up a broken mirror lying on the ground and looked my face into it. I screamed in disbelief and dropped it. This was not my face. But…But I have to be patient. I will get back my face. I will get back my body.

The brightness of the full moon lightened the road. I kept ‘ it’ safely in my pouch and touched it often to check whether it was safe. I neared the palace holding my sword firmly. I hid behind the bushes and thought of ways to get inside her room. The palace was heavily guarded and it was difficult to sneak past them. I walked stealthily towards the rear end of the palace. There was a dilapidated temple present there. It held a secret that very few know. It contained a tunnel that paved way to a secret entrance to the palace under the ground. It was constructed as a safety measure to protect the king and his family in case of a sudden attack by the enemies. I neared the temple. The guards were sleeping. But one of them was awake. I approached him from behind, closed his mouth tightly and ran my sword across his neck. He lay dead on the floor. I went inside the temple and sneaked into the large dark tunnel. I crawled inside it for a long time until I could see the bright moonlight again. I came out of the tunnel and stood at the backyard of the palace. I tip-toed into her room. She was sleeping on her bed. I moved closer to her. The maid servants were nowhere at sight. A gentle breeze blew and she slightly moved herself in deep sleep. I slowly leaned on her and stared at her beautiful face. At last, I had an opportunity…..

Shyam woke up suddenly and rubbed his eyes. It was a nightmare. They were haunting him repeatedly for the past several nights. He looked at the clock. It was four in the morning. He stayed awake till his mother offered him bed-coffee. He felt some strange pain in his body. He wanted to take leave from office, but he had an important delivery. He bathed, dressed up and left to office by the company bus.

After a lacklustre day at office, he accompanied Suhani to her friend’s place near their office. They walked on a dusty, narrow road until they reached a hut.

“Who is staying here?”, Shyam asked her but she did not pay heed to him.

He followed her inside the hut. A small boy was lying on a cot. A middle aged woman was serving him food.

“What happened to him?”, Suhani asked the woman who appeared to be the boy’s mother.

“He felt well until ten days ago when he developed fever, cough and chills”, replied his mother.

Shyam learnt that the boy’s father passed away in an accident a few months ago. His mother earned money by working as a house-keeper in their company and the boy sold peanuts in the train during the evenings. Since then Suhani had been financially assisting the family in continuing the boy’s education. She gave his mother some money for purchasing medicines and wished him a speedy recovery.

Somebody called out his mother’s name and she went out of the hut.

“What happened Ram?”, Suhani asked him in a low voice. His face turned insipid and his lips trembled.

“I witnessed a murder”, he replied.

Shyam moved closer to him. “When, where?”, he asked.

“My mom threatened me not to tell this to anyone. She is afraid that police will come to our house and question us”, said Ram looking at the entrance afraid of his mother.

“Tell me! I won’t ask your mother anything regarding this. What did you see?”, Suhani persuaded him.

“Last Friday evening, I was standing in the station carrying a basket of peanuts. T…then, then…”, Ram stammered.

“Don’t be afraid. Come on, your mother is coming inside. Tell me fast”, said Shyam.

“Then, as the train was arriving on the platform, a person was pushed from the platform onto the tracks”

Shyam and Suhani were dumbfounded.

To be continued....

Disclaimer: All events and characters in this story are fictitious. If it resembles any real-life incident or any person, either living or dead I am not responsible for that :-):-):-) .

Heresy-2

Note: Please read HeresyPart 1 before this one
Part 2

"Doctor! I am able to see my friend who is dead. But nobody is believing me", said Shyam nervously.
“Cool down Mr. Shyam. Don't get tensed", said the doctor adjusting his spectacles.
The doctor was an earnest man in his mid thirties. He was a renowned psychiatrist in the city and his best feature was that he suggested simple solutions for many complex cases and they have all worked out fine with the patient. This was also one of them, he thought.
He leaned back on his chair and relaxed for a few seconds. Deepak and Shyam sat staring at him.
"Alright! Come with me inside", he said.
He led Shyam to a room and closed the door behind. Deep sat impatiently at the desk with his fingers crossed. After twenty minutes, the doctor came out of the room.
"What happened doctor?" asked Deep anxiously.
"I hypnotized him and he told me everything", he paused for a while and sat on his chair. "This is a kind of illusion. He’s been mentally affected by the loss of his friend.
"Deepak listened attentively.
“He is feeling responsible for his friend’s death. That guiltiness is making him imagine that the deceased person is haunting him. I have seen many cases like this”, said the doctor.
"So!", exclaimed Deep. "Is there no cure for this problem?"
"There is a solution", said the doctor.
"What's it doctor?" asked Deepak leaning forward. The doctor explained him in detail the treatment that should be meted out to Shyam to help him regain normalcy. Deep nodded his head with a puzzled look on his face. It was quite a tough task to accomplish.
"What happened? Are you not well?" asked Shyam's mother serving him dinner.
"No! Nothing like that", he replied swallowing a fistful of curd rice.
After watching the presentation ceremony of the cricket match, he switched off the television and went to his room. He closed the door, switched off the light and fell on his bed.
It was late in the night. Shyam tossed on his bed unable to sleep. Some unforgettable memories of the past appeared before him. He could see his college. He could see his classroom, lecturers and friends. Vinesh was among them.
"Vinesh…" Shyam uttered his friend's name. Tears flowed from his eyes.
Vinesh and Shyam were friends since their childhood days. They studied in the same school and college. During the campus selections held in their engineering college, both of them got placed in the same software company. It was during their training period when Vinesh saw her. He instantly fell in love with her.
"What's her name?" Shyam asked him.
"Suhani", replied Vinesh feeling shy.
"But who's that guy who always roams with her"
Vinesh narrowed his eyes and looked at his friend. "Look there fast", said Shyam pointing his fingers towards her.
Suhani was walking towards her training room. She was accompanied by someone whom Vinesh had never seen before. He was stout and an inch shorter than her in appearance.
"Might be her friend", remarked Vinesh. "What do you think?"
"99% it looks like he's her friend. But 1% I am not sure about her taste", chuckled Shyam.
The next day, Vinesh confirmed to Shyam that the stranger they had seen was in fact her friend. His name was Shankar.
"Then I have an idea", said Shyam.
"What?" asked Vinesh eagerly.
"If you could befriend Shankar, it might work out".
Befriending a boy was much easier. Vinesh wangled to associate himself with Shankar in a couple of days.
"He has become my friend now. What's next?" he asked Shyam.
"Look there. He's conversing something with her. Go and talk to him now. He'll definitely introduce you to her. Come on, hurry up", said Shyam and pushed his friend. Shankar introduced Vinesh to Suhani as he had anticipated.
Things moved smoothly until the training period came to an end. The trainees were posted to different locations.
"Other than the usual 'Hi' and 'Bye', you have not managed to talk to her even after knowing her for several weeks. Useless fellow!" Shyam rebuked his friend.
"She's been posted in our location", said Vinesh. "I will try my luck there"
Vinesh and Shyam were joined by Deepak in their development centre where they were posted. The three of them along with a trainee named Kavitha were allocated to a project. Shankar was also posted in the same branch but in a different department.
And luck finally approached Vinesh. Suhani was allocated to his project. His joy had no bounds. It appeared like a movie where the heroine and hero would end up together at the climax. His happiness reached its peak. He introduced her to his team mates.
Thereafter, they all sat in a single cubicle. Suhani moved closer with Vinesh and Shyam. They shared their joys and sorrows. They played pranks, quarrelled among themselves over petty matters and reunited again. Days passed into months.
"I am going to propose to her tomorrow", said Vinesh.
"What's special tomorrow?" asked Shyam
"Her birthday", exclaimed Vinesh.
That morning she was engaged in a discussion with Shyam in their cubicle. He was saying something regarding their certification when she looked at him intensely. Her looks conveyed something else, thought Shyam. Her eyes were fixed on him. Her behaviour towards him appeared strange that day.
"It's nearing 4. Our friends are waiting at the Food Court. Shall we?" he asked her."Shyam!" she said. Her eyes quivered.
“Tell me! What’s the matter?”, he asked her.
"I...I think I am in love with you", she said bending her head.
He was shocked. He did not know how to respond.
"Hey Suhani! Our friends are waiting for you at the Food Court. Come fast", interrupted a voice. It was Kavitha. Suhani left the cubicle hurriedly leaving him dumbstruck. He made himself absent for her birthday celebration.
An hour passed by. Shyam sat in his cubicle with his looks fixed to the monitor. But his thoughts were somewhere else."Hey! Why didn't you come?" asked Deep.
"Do you know? We applied cake all over her face", said Kavitha excitedly.
Shyam listened to them and smiled. He went to the restroom accompanied by Vinesh.
"She was in a hurry to go home. So I could not tell her. I will definitely do that by this weekend", muttered Vinesh.
Shyam was unable to sleep that night. Unexpected things were happening in his life. He recollected the scene when she proposed to him. He sat on the bed and held his head. He wondered if he was getting mad. He walked towards the balcony and witnessed the night sky. "Look at her, look at her eyes. Look how beautiful they are…." Vinesh once told him during their training long ago. Shyam ignored those words then. But now, he thought about them. Yes! She had the most beautiful eyes and when her eyebrows winked, they resembled the stars twinkling in the sky. He had some feeling towards her. He was not sure whether it was love, but he was afraid of his friend. His friend might label him as a betrayer. He knew her only for the past six months, but Vinesh had been a close companion since his childhood. He made up his mind to face her the next day and inform her of his decision to say no.
The next day, Shyam reached office a little earlier. The work area was empty. He walked to his cubicle and dropped his bag on the desk. He made a glance at her desk and was surprised to find her sitting. He ignored her and switched on his monitor. Everything was silent for a few minutes when she dragged her chair towards him. He looked at her. Her eyes were red and swollen indicating that she hadn't slept last night.
"What did you decide?" she asked him.
"Suhani! Listen to me, Vinesh is in love with you for the past nine months", he paused for a moment and continued. “I am sorry. I cannot betray my friend. Please understand me”
They were silent for a while looking at each other's faces. Her eyes were filled with tears. She went back to her desk dejected.The clock struck six in the evening. The number of employees in their work area diminished to a half.
"She is looking very dull today", Vinesh whispered to Shyam.
Shyam remained silent.

"By the way, at what time are you leaving today", Vinesh asked him. "I will leave late", replied Shyam. "I am doing an online course"
"Ok. I have some work at home. I will be leaving in an hour or so", said Vinesh. Shyam nodded his head.
The clock struck seven-thirty. The work area grew deserted except for Vinesh, Suhani and Shyam.
"Hey Suhani! Are you coming?" Vinesh asked her.
"I have to prepare for a certification tomorrow. You carry on", she replied.
Vinesh walked out of the place carrying his bag.
Suhani stood up and looked around. There was no one else in their work area except herself and Shyam. She walked to him. He looked at her.
"Shyam!" she said. "Since your friend is in love with me, you mean to say that you cannot love me. Right!" He nodded his head.
"Then if Vinesh hadn't loved me, would you have accepted me?" she asked him leaning forward with her eyes wide open.He found it difficult to look at her eyes and respond.
"Speak something Shyam. Atleast say yes or no", she said.
He nodded his head once again and looked at her.
"Then! It means you love me", she said.
A slight grin appeared on her face and it turned into a wonderful smile.
He tried to control his emotions. But he was unable to do so. He was moved by her sincerity. He loved her. But how would he manage to convince his friend? Would Vinesh feel betrayed? He wanted her. He also wanted Vinesh. Plenty of thoughts pondered over his mind when she held his hand suddenly. He looked into her eyes and moved closer to her. There were no words between him. Their looks conveyed a lot of things. He lifted her hands delicately holding her fingers and rested his face on them. There was a slight sound near him. He sensed that somebody was watching them. Shyam's heart missed a beat. Vinesh stood before them.
"Vinesh! Listen to me….Please", he said getting up from his seat. Vinesh turned back and walked hastily out of the room. Shyam followed him as fast as he could.
"Stop there!" saying Shyam held his hand.
"You scoundrel. You backstabbed me, isn't it?", saying he pushed Shyam’s hand away in a fit of rage.
"Vinesh…"
"Don't tell me anything…" saying Vinesh got into the bus going towards the railway station. Shyam followed him. He desperately wanted to convince him and make him understand. At the station, Vinesh rubbed his eyes that were watered with tears and climbed the stairway as fast as his legs could carry. He moved towards the far end of the platform where it was occasionally dark. There were some people around him waiting for the suburban train.
The train arrived on the platform. There was a sound of a thud followed by several outcries.
"Get up Shyam! It's getting late to office", screamed his mother handing him a cup of coffee. Shyam woke up suddenly and rubbed his eyes.
“Had a dream?”, his mom asked him. He shook his head.
He reached office by bus instead of a train. Deep was waiting anxiously for him.
"I wanted to tell you something important", said Deep.
"What's the matter?"
"I suspect that Vinesh hadn't committed suicide", he said in a low voice.
Shyam gazed at him openmouthed with surprise.

People in the town were talking about the swayamvara to be held tomorrow in the king's palace. The girl who was supposed to marry me will soon be wedded to somebody else. I will not let that happen. But I am helpless. I sat at the corner of the broken wall which was once the prayer hall in my castle. The castle which once flourished with prosperity is now in debris. Leftovers of torn attires and broken articles were scattered all across. The walls were painted with blood stains of the slain inmates. They have all gone leaving me alone to suffer here. But after I possess it, all my suffering would come to an end. It lay on the floor below the broken pillar. Nobody had noticed that. I felt desperate to lift the pillar and acquire it. But I cannot do that because I have lost the sense of touch.
There was a sound. Sound of a human! Somebody was wandering near the ruins. It looked like a lost traveler. He walked towards me and sat beside me. He bent down and removed something from the ground. He dusted it and examined it closely. It was a gold ear ring. His face illuminated suddenly. He started searching for more ornaments. He neared the broken pillar. I expected him to lift that. No! He moved somewhere else. But, he turned back again. Had he seen it? Yes! He had noticed something lying under the pillar. He lifted the broken pillar and dropped it to the other side. After hesitating for a moment, he placed his hands on it. I moved closer to him. He opened it and looked towards all directions. He paused for a while and read the verses on it. I knew that my moment was approaching. A strange power developed in me as he read those sacred verses. I grew visible to him. He dropped it down on seeing me. His hands and legs trembled. He fainted on the ground. I went into him and possessed his body. I could feel my skin now. I could feel my body parts moving. I ran and leapt over the boulders lying there. I jumped and screamed in joy. I have regained life. I will now be able to win her back. I will be able to have my revenge.

To be continued....
Disclaimer: All events and characters in this story are fictitious. If it resembles any real-life incident or any person, either living or dead I am not responsible for that :-):-):-) .

Herasy

Part 1

The bus halted at a junction that was a couple of metres away from the station. A small group of employees got down and started walking towards the station. Shyam and Deepak sauntered among them cracking funny jokes and laughing to themselves. A gentle breeze enlivened the evening atmosphere

“Working on a Saturday is hell. That too after a long vacation”, muttered Shyam. “I could have leisurely come on Monday if the manager hadn’t called me”. He found Deep laughing to himself

 “You seem to be very happy today! What’s the matter?” he asked his friend who appeared to be in a very joyous mood

“Yeah! Today I saw her”, said Deep feeling shy.

“What? Sarya came to office today!” exclaimed Shyam as his friend grinned in excitement. 

“Today, she was in a saree. She looked really awesome, that too in her favourite colour black. I could not keep my eyes off her when I saw her. You know Shyam…”

“Enough Enough!” Shyam tapped his hand and on his forehead and looked at his friend. “How long will you keep on staring at her? It’s been months since you were seeing her. One fine day, somebody else would take her away in front of your eyes leaving you broken hearted”, he paused for a moment as Deep stared at him annoyingly.  

“So follow my advice! Go and talk her”, he suggested.

Deep nodded his head silently. His joyous mood turned somber as they reached the railway station.

The station wore a gloomy look which was quite in contrast to the weekdays where people would throng in large numbers, most of them being software engineers working in that part of the city. 

“By the way, is she still in office?” asked Shyam expressing curiosity.

“No! While coming I made a glance at her cubicle. She wasn’t there nor was her handbag. She must have left early”, said Deep as they reached the stairway.

They had to climb a staircase that led to the platform where the train arrived. 

“Oh! So you missed following her today”.

“I wanted to follow her. But when I was about to leave, that onsite guy assigned me some work”.

“You could have told him that you were leaving for the day and it would be done only tomorrow”, remarked Shyam. “Why do you commit things at the end of the day?”

“He told me that it’s of high priority and...” Deep cut short his words when Shyam held his hand suddenly.

“What happened? What happened Shyam?” Deep asked his friend anxiously.

“L..Lo..Look..Look there”, screamed Shyam. He immediately started climbing the stairs with tremendous precipitation. Vinesh was running before him towards the platform.

“Shyam! Stop”, shouting Deep ran after him.

“Vinesh!” Shyam screamed at the top of his voice but Vinesh never paid heed to his friend. 

Shyam ran as fast as his legs could carry and got down the stairs that led to the platform where Vinesh stood panting. A horn sounded signaling the arrival of the suburban train. The sound of the horn indicated that the train was just a few metres away from the station

“Vinesh! Listen to me. Please…..” he pleaded his friend nearing him.

“Shyam! Please don’t stop me. I have made up my mind. That’s all”, said Vinesh. The train arrived at the platform.

“You idiot. Stop there”, saying Shyam ran towards him and dived in the air hoping to grab his collar. But it was in vain.

Vinesh jumped on the tracks and the train dashed his body with all its force. The body flew in the air and landed at the bushes on the other side.

Shyam laid flat on the platform. Dust was smeared all over his face. Blood oozed from his knuckles. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the train before him that was gradually decelerating preparing for a halt.

“What happened Shyam?” Deep knelt over him and grabbed his shoulder.

Shyam raised his hand lying still on the ground and pointed his finger towards the train. “Vinesh!” he moaned. 

All the passengers inside the train stared at both of them. 

Deep made Shyam sit on a cement bench. The security guards at the station hurried towards them accompanied by a few passengers. Nobody seemed to be bothered about Vinesh.

“What happened?” they asked Deep.

“My friend slipped while he tried to catch the train”, said Deepak looking at Shyam. 

“Is he hurt?” asked someone.

“I am alright”, said Shyam regaining his senses. The onlookers slowly dispersed from the scene. The train departed. The station turned desolated once again.

Shyam slowly got up and gazed at the other side of the tracks hoping to get a glimpse of Vinesh’s body. He could not find it. 

“Have you gone mad? What happened?” asked Deep angrily.

“I saw Vinesh”, said Shyam looking at Deep. “I saw him running towards the train. He was trying to kill himself. I..I tried my best to stop him. But I could not…”

“Shyam!” exclaimed Deep with his eyes wide open. “It’s been a week since he had passed away. How could you see him?”

Shyam stared at his companion.

“I knew that you have been the witness to that horrible incident last week. That has disturbed you a lot. And this is the first time you are visiting this station after that..”, continued Deep.

“But…But..I really saw him Deep..” Shyam stammered.

“Shut up Shyam! If you talk like this, people will think that you are mad”. Both were silent for a few seconds.

“I understand your pain. Even I miss him a lot. But we have to move forward”, Deep grew emotional. “Shyam! Vinesh has left us once and forever. Stop thinking about him. Concentrate on your life and career”. Shyam nodded his head.

The sunlight was at its nadir as darkness approached. The next train arrived at the station. Shyam glinted his eyes towards all possible directions. Vinesh was not present anywhere. Had he been dreaming? Had he imagined something? He was confused. He dusted his clothes and got into the train with Deep.

The train was empty as it was during the weekends. Shyam sat near a window facing the platform and Deep sat next to him. 

Suddenly Deep’s mobile rang and he attended the call.

The signal sounded. The train started moving. Shyam turned his head and glared at the cement bench where he sat before getting into the train. A figure was sitting on it and staring at him. It looked like Vinesh.

Shyam rubbed his eyes and looked again. He was sure. It was Vinesh. Blood was dripping from his mouth. There was a red cut on his forehead that extended up to the tip of his nose. Cracks appeared on his cheeks. His clothes were torn at many places. But his gaze was fixed firmly on Shyam as the train moved away from the station. 

 

Pataliputra, 375 AD

The city looked pompous and lively on the occasion of the annual fair. Men thronged the streets in silk attires and women adorned themselves wearing ornaments that glittered in the sunlight.

The walls at the entrance of houses were decorated with colourful paintings. Horses were embellished with grandiloquent saddles and the soldiers wore a novel look. 

I walked inside the arena where the wrestling competition was being conducted. A large number of people gathered to witness the fights and cheer their heroes. She was also present there watching the battle with great excitement. I knew that she would be there. I keenly observed her different facial expressions varying from nervousness to elation frequently as she viewed the fight. She was indeed very beautiful. I wanted her to be with me throughout my life. She is mine. I will use all my magic to possess her. I will kill anyone who will oppose our union.

To be continued.... 

Disclaimer: All events and characters in this story are fictitious. If it resembles any real-life incident or any person, either living or dead I am not responsible for that :-):-):-) .

Destiny - Last part

Note: Please Read the 3 parts that havealready been posted before reading this one
PART - 4

"And now, we welcome Deepak on the stage", cried the host.

Deep walked on the ramp with four beautiful models accompanying him. He was in his favorite black attire. The audience burst into enormous cheers as he walked. Whistles and claps followed the thunderous applause. But as he walked, he felt his nose paining. The pain was getting unbearable.

"Deep! Wake up", screamed Shyam shaking him vigorously. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Shyam.

"Our project manager called me and asked us to come to office before eight today. The code we have delivered on Friday has crashed. We are under fire. Come fast", said Shyam exhibiting tremendous anxiety.

Deep was confused. He rubbed his eyes and put his fingers on his nose that was bandaged.

"What are you thinking? Come fast. We have to hurry up", said Shyam pulling him away from bed.

"I have to take my bath", he groaned.

"There is no time Deep. We are already late. Just wash your face and come"

In a couple of minutes, they were out.

"Are we going to office by bike?" asked Deep as Shyam zipped across the road.

"Switch off your mobile phone Deep. Somebody might trace us"

Deep followed his friend's instructions.

"Why are you looking tensed Shyam? What happened?"

Shyam was silent. After some time, he stopped his bike at the corner of the road. There were on a deserted highway. He took out a newspaper from his bike pouch and showed it to Deep.

"An unidentified man was found murdered in the toilet of Bangalore express. Police are investigating the details of the deceased……………." Deep's hands and legs started trembling as he read the news.

Sunday

Shekhar stopped the car a few yards ahead of Vikas at the beach.

"It would be better if you give this money to him", said Pooja.

"He already hates me. If I give this money, it will add to more suspicion. Just go bravely, hand him the money, warn him and come back as early as possible", he advised her.

Pooja stepped out of the car and went to Vikas. She gave him money.

"Click….click", went the photographs on Shekhar's mobile. Everything was perfect as he had planned.

He dropped her home and went to his house where he parked his car. He caught an auto and reached the railway station.

Two weeks ago, he had called Vikas over phone. He knew that Vikas was struggling financially.

He lured Vikas to blackmail Pooja and demand fifty thousand rupees from her. Vikas had agreed to it. The plan worked out well. Shyam grew suspicious on Pooja. The photos showing Pooja handing money to Vikas would further confirm his suspicion.

But……..But Vikas had cheated him. He had demanded a lakh and got away with it.

After a brief search, he found Vikas walking towards the train. He followed him.

It took a while for him to notice that Shyam was also in the station. He was surprised. He did not expect that Shyam would follow Vikas and talk to him. He hid behind a pillar and observed them.

After Shyam left the restroom, he quickly barged into it and closed the door behind.

Monday

Shyam sat on a short milestone and knelt down put both his hands on his head.

"You idiot. Did you assault him yesterday?" Deep asked Shyam furiously.

"No!" Shyam shook his head.

"Then…."

Shyam was silent.

"It now appears that we have murdered him because we have been there", said Deep growing more nervous.

"Do you think the police will stick posters carrying our photos throughout the city?", asked Deep.

"I don't think so", said Shyam.

"The bandage on my nose will prove that we fought yesterday. Even the police would have found some blood drops at the spot. What shall we do now?" he asked trembling. Shyam was silent.

“Shyam! Listen to me. We will surrender to the police and tell them everything. That’s the only way we can avoid punishment”

Sunday

"Did you tell him everything?" Shekhar asked Vikas furiously.

"He threatened me that he would snatch this money. So I had to tell him the truth"

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him about how you and Pooja cheated me during our training", Vikas said angrily.

"Did you tell him about our plan?"

"No! I told him that I came here to blackmail her after I received her wedding card"

"Good!”, he smiled but changed his expression in a moment.

“Now tell me. You said you needed only fifty thousand. Why did you ask her for lakh? Give back fifty thousand" groaned Shekhar.

"You first answer my question. Why did you ask me to blackmail Pooja? What do you gain by that?"

"That's none of your business", he replied angrily.

"No! You will not get the fifty thousand back until you tell me the truth"

"Shekhar! Give back my money. Else the consequences would be fatal"

"Your money! Is it not Pooja's money? The truth is slowly coming from your mouth. Shekhar, tell me the truth. I will give back your share and leave home"

"Because I love Pooja. I want her to be mine", said Shekhar.

Vikas was shocked.

"Then, weren't you having an affair with Pooja?", he asked.

Shekhar was silent. "Come on. Speak out if you want back your money. The train will leave in another ten minutes"

"Pooja never loved me. She treated me as a friend, only a friend", yelled Shekhar.

"I have known her for several years. I wanted to propose her. But I was afraid that if she said 'No', I might lose her. I cannot afford to lose her. I wanted her. I wanted her friendship. I wanted her to be with me forever".

Vikas was dumbfounded.

Shekhar continued. "When I was onsite, you grew close to her. She kept telling me about you. I was supposed to stay onsite for 12 months. But I cut short my trip to 3 months and came back. Do you know how much money I lost because of you?" he said pointing his finger towards Vikas.

"I then started getting closer to her. My intention was to make her avoid you. She often visited her aunt who lived at the outskirts of the city where we underwent training. I lied to her that even my relatives lived nearby and used as a good reason to drive her in my car. The 'accident' and 'sister suffering from cancer' were all deliberate lies. That day she was crying and telling me that you were suspecting her. She was unable to bear that pain.

When I saw you coming towards us, I immediately held both her hands and moved closer to her in the process of consoling her. I knew that you were watching us from another angle.

I knew what would be running in your mind then”, he smiled wickedly.

“Many, many such small things contributed to my success and separated both of you. Finally, you suspected an innocent girl and parted ways with her"

Vikas was terribly aggravated.

"Why are you getting angry on me? It was your mistake Vikas. If you have truly loved her and trusted her, you wouldn't have doubted her sincerity"

"You scoundrel. If Pooja knows this…."

"Stop…Stop…Do you think Pooja will believe you anymore. Past is past. Now give back my money. I have to go now"

Vikas was unable to unable to control his anger. "I will kill you", saying he pounced on Shekhar. Both of them fought in the restroom like mad animals. In the process, Shekhar pulled a steel pipe ferociously and smashed it on Vika's head. The horn sounded. The train started moving slowly.

Monday

“Don’t be foolish. Do you think the police will believe us?”, said Shyam. “We have to prove that we are innocent. Come with me”, saying he started his bike.

“Who do you think must have murdered Vikas?”, asked Deep

“Who else, Shekhar…”, he replied

“How are we going to prove that?”, he asked.

“We have to search for some evidence in his house. First we will try to convince Pooja. Then we will ask her to give Shekhar’s address”

Deep was unable to come to terms with his friend. He knew that it would be a herculean task to reveal the truth from Shekhar.

"You idiot. I was happily sitting in his drawing room and watching television on that fateful evening when you dragged me to the station. Now you made me accused in a murder case", muttered Deep as they travelled.

“You idiot. Don’t shout. Some passer-by might overhear us”, grumbled Shyam.

He stopped the bike a few meters ahead of Pooja’s house.

“You wait here and keep a watch. I will talk to Pooja and come”, said Shyam as he walked cautiously towards Pooja’s house.

Many thoughts started flowing in Deep’s mind.

“What if somebody murder’s Pooja after Shyam comes out of the house like it happened in the train?”, he thought.

Suddenly Shyam came running towards him.

“What happened?”, asked Deep fearfully.

“She is getting inside an auto and going somewhere. We have to follow her”

Shyam and Deep followed the auto. The auto halted at near an apartment. A large gathering surrounded the building.

Sunday

Vikas fell down triggered by the sudden blow on his head. Shekhar dropped the rod appalled. He had killed Vikas. His dream of marrying Pooja has come to an end.

No! He had not murdered Vikas. It should be Shyam. Shyam had noticed Vikas blackmailing Pooja several times. He followed Vikas here. After knowing the truth, Shyam got into a fit of rage and killed him. The entire world would believe it. Even Pooja!

He was proud of his achievement and smiled to himself. This was something he hadn’t anticipated.

He quickly held the rod with his kerchief and washed it with water to clear his fingerprints. He snaffled the money from Vikas and put it into his pocket. He then pulled the bolt of the door. It was struck. He was unable to open the door. The speed of the train gradually increased. He made a slight turn at Vikas.

Vikas lay dead. Was he really dead?

Shekhar struggled to open the door of the restroom. Had somebody bolted it from outside? No! That door would not have a bolt outside.

He used all his force and eventually the door opened. He took a huge gasp of breath.

There was a sound, a sound of metals clinging.

Suddenly a deafening blow fell on his head. He eyes rolled as he turned back. Vikas stood there carrying the wash basin in his hands. One more blow, Shekhar lay dead on the floor. Vikas looked at him.

"This should be the fate of all those who cheat in the name of friendship"

Monday

Shekhar's body was carried to his home after the post mortem was conducted. Pooja wept bitterly at the loss of her best friend. Shyam and Deep joined her.

"Shyam! Shekhar went to warn Vikas against disturbing me in my life again. But Vikas had grudge over him. So he killed him", she said.

“It was all because of me…….because of me”, she broke down putting her hands on her face. Shyam consoled her.

Vikas surrendered to the police and was admitted in the government hospital for treatment. Shyam and Deep met him at the hospital. His face was severely bandaged. Vikas explained them the happenings in the train. He paused for a few seconds and held Shyam's hand.

"Don't reveal these to Pooja", he said. "I knew how much she trusted Shekhar. If you tell her the truth, she cannot bear it. It will be a big blow to her. Pooja is very sensitive girl.”

“Shyam! Let her think that I murdered him because of past enmity. Let her hate me for the rest of her life. It is good for her as well as her future."

"What about you?", asked Shyam. He felt pity for Vikas.

"If I die, everything will be well and good. If I survive, I will have to face the law", said Vikas. Tears flowed from his eyes.

If only, he hadn’t suspected her. If only, he hadn’t parted away from her.

The story later………..

Vikas was acquitted on the basis of self-defense. Whether he had married or not is not known?

Deep’s girlfriend dumped him because he spent most of his time watching fashion channel than with her.

Shyam and Pooja were married to each other and lived happily ever after.

Whenever Pooja remembered Shekhar, she wept and Shyam consoled her.

“If he would have been alive…….”, she often told him.

“I would have been in jail”, he mumbled to himself.

------------------THE END------------------------

Disclaimer: All events and characters in this story are fictitious. If it resembles any real-life incident or any person, either living or dead I am not responsible for that :-):-):-) .

Destiny - 3

Note: Please read part 1 & part 2 before reading this part

Part - 3

The bus swerved into different roads that were enveloped by a very dense fog and Shyam followed it with turbulent momentum. He observed the passengers getting down at each and every stop and his enemy wasn’t present amongst them.

Finally the bus reached the depot with a few passengers in it. Shyam instantly put his bike stand and ran towards the area where it was stationed.

"Son! Can you please hold this basket until I get down the stairs", said an old woman handing over a big basket to him at the door of the bus. He took the burden from her. He held his breath for a long time as it contained fish. Dry fish! He handed the basket back to her after she got down and hurried into the bus. There was nobody except the conductor and the driver. He looked all around the place. His enemy had gone. Disappeared into the darkness!

A message tone sounded in his mobile. It was Pooja.

"Reached home safely. Good Night and Sweet Dreams".

Shyam came home weary and dejected. He neither knew the stranger nor his name. He first saw him at the beach. The guy was staring at them when he was parking his bike. He grew slightly suspicious but assumed it was a fact that people generally stare at beautiful girls in public places. But when they came back from the beach, he was still there, watching every movement of them. His suspicion gradually increased when Pooja grew tensed on seeing the stranger.

The same guy again appeared at the theatre. He had seen Pooja talking to him during the interval. She was tensed throughout the second half of the movie. Many questions pondered over his mind and his head started aching. He picked his mobile and called her. Alas, the line was engaged. His frustration reached its peak.

“With whom is she talking at midnight”, he wondered. “It must be Shekhar”

“Instead of telling him, she could have shared her problems with me”, he muttered and fell asleep.

It was Sunday evening. Deepak's parents were out to attend a marriage reception. This was the best time he watched fashion shows on his favourite channel.

"What beautiful models?" he said to himself when the door bell rang.

"Oh my God! Why did they come so early?" he groaned.

He quickly changed the channel to a news channel and opened the door. It was Shyam.

"Come in", he said heaving a sign of relief.

Shyam walked inside. Deepak hastily closed the door and put back the fashion show.

"We have to go to beach now", said Shyam.

“Now!” exclaimed Deepak sorrowfully. He had no other choice.

He quickly dressed himself, had once last glance at the models and accompanied his friend to the beach hurling a flurry of curses in his mind.

Vikas waited at the beach. A car stopped before him. Pooja approached him holding something in a dark plastic cover.

"Here's the money you asked", she said handing it to him.

He peeked into the cover and appeared convinced. He put it carefully inside his bag.

"And never show me your face again", she said angrily.

He smiled sarcastically and left her.

"Pooja has left in that car", said Deepak watching them from a distance.

"You idiot! What's the use watching Pooja? Watch that guy's movements?" growled Shyam.

Vikas stopped a speeding auto and hopped into it.

“Come on Shyam! Start the bike”, roared Deepak and they chased him. They travelled across many lanes, roads and junctions until the auto came to a sudden halt.

"Railway Station!" exclaimed Deepak.

"You park my bike and come inside. I will be following him", said Shyam handing the bike to Deepak.

The station was crowded. Vikas went towards the platform where the Bangalore express was stationed. He got into the sleeper compartment and sat near a window.

Shyam waited until Deepak joined him.

"I think he had reserved his ticket. Everything is well planned”, said Shyam.

“You wait at the door. I will go in”, he told Deepak.

Shyam got inside the train patted Vikas on his back

Happy Journey mate", he said. “But without that bag”

Vikas was taken aback. He got up, held his bag tightly and ran towards the door. Deepak pounced on him at the door and held him with all his might. Vikas punched hard at Deepak on his nose. But Shyam caught his shirt, dragged him back and overpowered him. He firmly held Vikas by wrist and led him to the restroom.

"You keep a guard here. I will talk to him and come", he said to Deepak.

Blood oozed out from Deepak’s nose. He looked at his friend furiously and nodded his head.

Shyam dragged Vikas inside the restroom and banged the door.

“Please! I want this money. I will return it in a couple of months. Believe me”, pleaded Vikas.

“First tell me who are you? Why are you blackmailing her? Then I will let you go, with the money of course”

Vikas had no option. He had to tell everything. He nodded his head.

“We were together in the training batch. Then I proposed Pooja”, he said recollecting the events of the past.

“She accepted my proposal and we were in love. Four precious months in my life! There were no misunderstandings between us. Everything went fine until that fellow Shekhar came back from onsite. She started getting closer to him. I knew that he was her best friend. She told me a lot of things about him. But then, some incidents made me think otherwise”

“What are those incidents?” asked Shyam.

“After he came, she started avoiding me. They often talked secretly and she never told me what the matter was. She often roamed with him in his new car. Initially I did not question her respecting her privacy. I once saw him resting his head on her shoulder in the bus one day. She did not notice me then. I asked her if something was wrong. She told me that he was unwell and giddy but I saw him partying and chasing one of his friends. I knew that he as perfectly fit. Then came my birthday. I wanted to spend some time with her in the evening. She said she was having fever. I then went to her room late in the evening, but I was told that she had gone out with Shekhar somewhere. As days passed, we got into several heated arguments. Things were never the same. Misunderstandings arose between us. I knew that there was something going on between them. Even my friends told me the same thing. One evening I saw them sitting at a park. She was crying. She was holding his hand and was saying something. He was consoling her. And then mate, I cannot reveal you some things that I have seen, but they were true. I knew that she was cheating me. We got into a huge quarrel one evening and finally decided to part ways. I got transferred to Bangalore and she came here”

Shyam listened to him patiently.

“I was doing a part-time business and suffered a huge loss. The people who lent me money have gone to the police. In that distressed situation, I received her wedding card. I needed money desperately. I asked her for help. She denied. So I had to blackmail her”, said Vikas.

Time passed by. Deepak felt very uncomfortable as many people gushed in and out of the train passing him. Shyam came out of the restroom.

“Let’s go”, he said to Deepak.

Deepak wiped the blood on his nose with his index finger and showed it to Shyam.

“I am really sorry Deep”, said Shyam

“What’s the next program?” asked Deepak.

“I will drop you at a nearby hospital and then meet Pooja”, he replied.

Pooja was initially reluctant to speak about Vikas but after Shyam forced her, she finally told her version of the story.

“It was true that I loved him. I was sincere towards him. But he started suspecting me about having an affair with Shekhar. Shekhar was my childhood friend and naturally very close to me. He is infact like a brother to me. He has a lot of problems which he shares with me. Recently his elder sister complained of pain and got admitted in the hospital. It was diagnosed that she had cancer. He was very upset about it. I had to console him several times regarding that matter. He had many other family problems regarding property. He shared them all with me. These are something which I cannot keep telling everyone. But Vikas hated me talking to him. He never listened to me. Vikas invited me to his birthday. I was having fever that day and hence couldn’t participate in his party. But that day, Shekhar met with an accident and I had to pay a visit to him. Vikas never understood my feelings. He spoke very meanly about me and Shekhar to his friends. He disgraced me in public. It was pain, an unbearable pain. I cannot tolerate people suspecting my integrity. Quoting an affair with Shekhar as a reason, he decided to part ways with me” she said breaking into tears.

“Shyam! I could have told you all this earlier but I was not sure as to how would you react. You even know that my dad isn’t well and I was afraid that I might lose him, if our marriage gets cancelled”, she said sobbing.

“Vikas approached me suddenly after a long time and asked me money. He said that he was in a debt and the police are looking for him. Shekhar came to my rescue and helped me in arranging the money. I did not give him money since he was blackmailing me, but because I wanted to help him. Because I wanted him to be happy”, she concluded.

Shyam reached the hospital where Deepak was waiting for him wearing a bandage on his nose. He updated Deepak with the recent developments.

“So, your enemy is gone and the problems are solved”, said Deepak.

“No Deep! He is not our enemy”, said Shyam.

“Then!”

“Shekhar is cheating Pooja in the name of friendship”, said Shyam controlling his anger. “I will seal his fate tomorrow morning”

Monday morning!

The city edition of the newspaper read

“Man found murdered in the train”

To be continued....

Disclaimer: All events and characters in this story are fictitious. If it resembles any real-life incident or any person, either living or dead I am not responsible for that :-):-):-) .