Tuesday 1 September 2015

Short Story 2015, Longlist Diwakar Pokhriyal

You made me, You killed me

‘Hey, where are you going?’ the father yelled.
‘I am going to Rahul’s home’ Ravi said politely.
‘What is this bat doing in your hands’ The father was furious.
‘I will study for 2 hours and then we will go to the ground’ Ravi smiled.
‘Put this bat here. You know that Rahul scores 80 percent marks and you score only 50 percent’ the eruption was valid.

‘But I score 50 during the match and he scores 20’ He grinned.
‘So, what? Cricket will not give you anything, marks will give you’ He glared at him.
‘I give my best in studies also’ Ravi opened himself.
‘Shut up! Put this bat here and come straight to home after studying’ The father roared like a lion and went away.
‘What? No?’ Ravi sighed and threw his bat towards the corner.
He reached Rahul’s house in another half an hour.
‘Hey, how are you doing’ Rahul soaked the tension brimming on his face.
‘Ok’ he was depressed.

‘What happen? Rahul inquired.
‘Nothing much’ Ravi tried to hide, but eventually opened himself up.
‘You should concentrate on your studies because your parents are not interested in cricket’ Rahul solved the equation efficiently.
‘I try my best but things go over my head’ He wasn’t puzzled.
‘Ok, I’ll help you’ Rahul said and Ravi smiled.

They started preparing for the exams. Ravi was good in mathematics, but he wasn’t interested in the rest. He was an enthusiastic youngster who was more inclined towards the sports. They had an entrance exam after a month’s time.
‘Have you prepared?’ Ravi questioned.
‘I think yes, but still need to revise’ He laughed.
‘How can you study so hard?’ Ravi asked him.

‘I want to live for win my country and hence I want to give my best. By the way you also practice harder than me for cricket’ He proudly said.
‘I also want to play cricket and represent our country. I want my country to win each and every world cup’ He said and realized it was an impossible dream.
‘You can remain connected to the game after becoming an analyst’ Rahul suggested.
‘Yes, this is a good idea’ Ravi thought.
‘You can do masters and then apply for analyst in any sports corporation’ Rahul tapped his shoulder.
‘I never thought this way’ Ravi was surprised.
 They again sat together and started preparing for the entrance exams.

In the next 1 year the results were out of maximum examinations and Ravi was going for an undergraduate course, but Rahul cleared NDA and was sure to join the academy.
‘Congratulations brother’ Ravi hugged him.
‘I am still in a state of disbelief’ He looked at Ravi.
‘No, you deserve to be there. I know you studied so hard and you should be a part of the world you want’ Ravi said with a smile.

‘Thank you brother and I also want to see you doing well in your field’ Rahul was still in disbelief.
‘I’ll try my best’ Ravi infused a belief in him.
‘Let’s go for the party, then’ Rahul laughed.
‘Yes, your turn first’ Ravi was excited.
They had fun while partying and from there they departed.
‘So, are you ready for the placements?’ Father was proud of Ravi.
‘I want to join a sports organization as an analyst’ Ravi told him.
‘So tell this to your placement team or your dean’ Father said suggested
‘He said we have to look at the placement numbers and not the choice’ Ravi was disappointed.
‘I told you to be at the top’ He was a bit tense.
‘What is my fault if I am not a part of the majority’ Ravi pointed out.
‘You have to learn this Son’ The father became silent.

‘But I am not wrong, I haven’t harmed anyone, then why me?’ he was still in pain.
In next 6-7 years, Rahul reached at a good position. He climbed the management ladder efficiently with his dedication. Everything was moving at a normal pace when suddenly an emergency broke in the city. Rahul was sent to that place. There were rumors regarding the suspicious activities, but no evidences were found. 

‘I want you to be here for a month’ Rahul got the instructions.
‘Yes Sir’ He was ready.
‘We don’t want to take the risk, so keep searching. The information that we got was from reliable sources.’ Rahul nodded his head.
‘Yes, Sir, ’ Rahul noted the point.
While Rahul was in his home, he realized that the he hasn’t met or talked to Ravi since past 5 to 6 years. He didn’t have his number, so he decided to visit his home.
‘Hello Uncle, is Ravi here’ Rahul inquired.
‘We don’t know him’ the he father reacted harshly and Rahul was in shock.
‘Uncle, I am Rahul’ He tried to shake him up.
‘I recognized you, but he is not here and I have no idea where he is’ The father said again with a blank face.
‘What happened to him’, Rahul was in disbelief.
‘Please go’ the father closed the door.

Rahul was in the confused state of mind when he got a call from his friend indicating some emergency. Rahul ran towards that place.
‘What happen’ Rahul asked his friend.
‘Someone tried to blow up this place’ He said.
‘What? How do you know’ Rahul questioned him.
‘Here is the proof’ He showed a briefcase to him, which was indicating a bomb.
‘Have you seen that person?’ Rahul asked.
‘No, I haven’t..’ As he uttered these word a bullet pierced his skin.
‘Rohit!’ Rahul looked at that direction and saw someone running away.
Rahul tried to catch that shooter, but he escaped.
‘I was unable to catch him’ Rahul told to his senior.
‘Beware! This incident confirms that something is going to happen. We have raised the level security’ The senior warned him.
‘I will not leave them’ Rahul’s face was blood red.
In next one month nothing happened and the investigation went sluggish. Rahul was still thinking about Rohit and Ravi. Rohit was his other good friend and when he saw him dying in his arms, it was the nightmare of his life. He was furious and wanted to rip apart that guy. As he was sitting on a bench in the street, he felt a hand on his shoulders.
‘Ravi?’ Rahul was amazed at this sight.
‘How are you Major?’ Ravi smiled.
‘I am good, but tell me how are you’ Rahul said and Ravi sat beside him.
‘I am good brother. Working in Bangalore, was here for some official work from last three days and now going back’ Ravi told him.
‘What are you doing’ He asked with the  hope of positive news.
‘I am going to get married’ He shot the words.
‘Wha?’ He looked at him in awe.
‘Yes, my parents don’t like the girl and hence I am currently living in Banglore alone. I wish after the marriage and in 2-3 year’s time everything will fall in place’ He was stammering.
‘Don’t worry brother, everything will be fine’ Rahul hugged him.
‘You will have to come next week on the 25th. This is my number and I am not marrying in a big hotel, it is just a small court marriage where only 2 friends of us would be there to sign. You have to come’ Ravi insisted.
‘Sure I will’ Rahul patted his shoulders and Ravi left the place.
Next week Rahul left his place to attend his one of the best friend’s marriage. He bored the flight and reached Banglore in no time. He called Ravi and Ravi told him to meet at a place, from there they will go to the required destination.
Rahul reached there in next half an hour.
‘So brother everything is set’ Rahul was excited.
‘Yes, I am waiting for one friend of mine. He will reach here in next half an hour. We shall wait here and then we shall leave. Give me your mobile, I will call him my balance is low’ Ravi said and Rahul nodded his head in yes and gave his mobile.
Ravi talked with his friend and gave the mobile to him.
‘So, now tell me what happened exactly’ Rohit said while sitting inside a tea shop along with Ravi.
‘Ok, will tell you’ Ravi said and ordered two coffees.
‘I fought with administration of my college because they were not listening to me’ Ravi said and told him about his vulgar fight with the dean.
‘Oh my god, such colleges are blemishes for the nation’ Rahul said while sipping the coffee.
‘I pleaded with dean that it is my dream to work in a sports organization, but he never listen to me. I had taken loan from the bank and hence I had to work. He placed me in a marketing job which I hated’ Ravi was in tears.
‘Oh, you tried for a new job’ Rahul said.
‘He signed a three year employment contract and I was sure that after working for three years in their organization, I will not get a start in any sports organization because of my experience’ Ravi took a halt.
‘This is cheating’ Rahul was angry. He had finished his coffee.
‘Yes it was, I worked for 3 years and paid the loan. I tried to get an analytics job in a sport field but was unable to get any. I was frustrated. I went back to my dean in hope of some assistance, but he denied. I asked numerous people for help, but all of them suggested me to learn the intricacies of marketing and leave my dream’ Ravi wasn’t able to hold his tears.
‘Oh, that’s bad’ Rohit was touched.
‘Why are you working for such a system which has no heart’ Ravi shot a question to Rahul.
‘Wha..?’ Rahul was surprised.
‘How can a nation prosper when we are still working on 6 out of 10 strategies in our education system as well as job’ Ravi said and Rahul understood    
‘Everyone has to fight on their own’ Rahul signaled at the harsher side.
‘From the beginning I wasn’t interested in studies, I was interested in sports, whole world knew it, my parents knew it, why nobody did anything to help me?’ The excruciating pain was visible.
‘Yes we ignore few people looking at the welfare of masses’ Rahul accepted.
‘Masses? This is discrimination? Why we deserve such a treatment even without harming anyone? We want to walk on our path, then why the diversion?’ Ravi was losing it.
‘Hey you can change this. You have to find the likeminded people’ Rahul tried to console him.
‘Yes, I’ve found them. No I mean they’ve found me’ Ravi smiled.
‘Who?’ Rahul was surprised.
‘I am sorry brother’ Ravi grinned and Rahul started feeling spooky.
‘What is happening to me’ Rahul was a bit worried.
‘In next 1 hour you are about to sleep forever’ Ravi said.
‘What?’ Rahul was about to move when someone held him tightly from behind and tied him with the chair.
‘You made me brother’ Ravi eyes were welled up.
‘I?’ Don’t be a fool’ Rahul screamed.
‘Yes, you and your system, created me. You can call me terrorist, anti-nationalist or whatever you can. The system under which you work is so inefficient that first they will create frustrated people like us by doing wrong with us in the name of masses or the system. When we will fight for our right, they will term us as negative elements. The system that never accept its flaw, the system that creates anti national elements and then award people to kill them’ Ravi was now completely out of control.
‘You are not doing anything right’ Rahul tried to make him understand.
‘For last 30 years, the system was doing wrong with me, who corrected them, in 1 years time I am doing wrong? Ha ha ha ha’ Ravi was laughing incessantly.
‘Think about serving the nation’ Rahul again tried to change his mind.
‘You are such a fool brother. If you really want to serve a nation then system has to be change first. Have you ever seen the system changing? There are people who are using people like you, bluffing in the name of patriotism. They are creating more terrorist by keeping the system same, instigating hate and people like you save them in the name of patriotism. I am also fighting for my freedom and today I will be free’ Ravi laughed.
‘What?’ Rahul was horrified.
‘Look at this’ Ravi took out his mobile and showed him something.
‘Oh my god! No don’t do this. I beg you for humanity’ Rahul was
‘Humanity? If you are so worried about humanity then think about those 4 along with those 6’ Ravi said and the countdown began.
‘What will you get after killing people’ Rahul was in tears.
‘Freedom and solace’ He laughed.
‘Oh God! Help’ Rahul was helpless and his eyes were about to close.
‘Let’s began the countdown brother, 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1 ‘boom’’ The explosion was thunderous.
‘Nooooo, you murderer’ Rahul was furious.
‘Bang’ a shot was heard and Rahul looked towards Ravi.
‘It is not easy to befool the army, my friend’ Rahul smiled
‘You made me, you killed me’ Ravi blabbered these words and died.

In next 24 hrs, army caught few people and started investigating them. Rahul on the other hand was shocked. The incident that happened with him was horrifying. He was still thinking who made whom. Those last words were still echoing in his ears …’You made me, You killed me’.

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