The Victim!

Author : Preethika Balasubramani

The summer was more hot as it was in the process of making people tired. The people were moving like a turtle along the big giant road. Everyone who was living here are victims for a reason. Some are victims of love, some are of people, some are victims of food. Some being poor, victims of money, victims all over the world… And even the world is the Victim of people (the most cruel disease which destroying world each and every day)

Okay! There is no time for you guys to hear about all those victims in your busy life race. So, we are gonna see about one of the most important victims in the world.

In the business of  giving extreme hotness to people, Sun continued it’s daily job. A girl with a formal dress (not so neat)  but elegant, sharp eyes, pointed nose with a pony and some luggage  tried to cross a big road (Which had no idea of giving an end to its travel). Her name was Tira. She was searching for a house or a share basis room or even some home like setup to escape from the cold winter breeze at time at very low cost.

She finally found one, not a house, a room like set up, she bargained and leased it for one year. She opened the door. It took nearly 2 and a half an hour to make it act like a room. She found a bed at the center of room (she assumed it as a bed because it had 4 legs). Tira arranged it with all she had and slept off. The Sun at last finished its duty for the day and called out Moon to take care of the rest.

Finally the morning chillness wake her up. Her mouth asked for a coffee to wet itself. She took a bath and went out for a coffee. She found a shop nearby and paid for a coffee and took a sip and paid another penny to buy a newspaper. Being a girl in the society, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper at 7.00a.m. at roadside shop will make people around you to watch you or at least scan you for two minutes amidst their busy schedule. She finished off the bottom sip. Even the glass got confused whether it had coffee in it before few minutes or not. It’s all THIRST.

She moved to the room and avoided herself  from some bad eyes and started searching for vacancies in the newspaper. There were many marketing BPO Telecaller and some sales girl Jobs etc. Tira read upon those articles one-by-one and marked some jobs. At last, she searched and attended an interview  in a marketing company. They selected her and gave her a sales girl role of a particular product. Her job was to promote the product.

She accepted the job spelled out by the management and signed the contract for one and a half year and bought some initial pay for her makeover, which was provided by the company. As we all know, Being a female in this so called independent society is really a tough job. Soon as Tira’s job and talent of selling product was good, some customers gave their mobile numbers for their personal deeds. But being a confident women she tackled everything fairly well.

One fine day, A man with a white overcoat and perfectly done hair aged nearly 25 or may be 27 came to the company. The visit was based on the agreement progress for promoting some of the products of his so called company. They arranged a special room for their meeting. The manager who was busy in the arrangement moved here and there.  Tira who was busy in her usual office works didn’t aware of much of the things going on. Suddenly, the manager moved towards Tira.

The Manager called Tira by her name. Tira was surprised and moved to him. He asked Tira, ” The woman who was a marketing manager was planned to talk with that promoter company. Unexpectedly she was unable to attend the meeting. So, I request you to attend this meeting and give a speech about the product.”  Tira was happy to hear this but at the same time, she was in a confusion because there are many new professionals, even seniors were there but why was she?

But the manager told that he had confidence in her. And he added that she could do it and another important issue was they have already given the profile of marketing manager whose name was the same “Tira Alfred”. So there were no such issues in future. He gave her few documents and asked her to go through it. Within 5 minutes time the meeting was held and Tira’s performance was up to the core. The company signed the assignment.

“Marketing is an art!” Tira in that assignment proved that she was an excellent artist. After her tremendous performance, she was given a position of marketing manager. But it didn’t brought much happiness in her life. People started gossiping behind and even before her. Some said “Her beauty made it” and some other people said “It’s not because of her talent.. The young man (who was with a white coat) fell for her.” Some laughed. Some people asked directly, “what did you offer to get this job?”  At first she pretended to be casual. After sometime, she acted like she became deaf and dumb to such criticisms. But One day, Tira just stunned in depression when she was called “Slut “ by a group of people surrounding her. The main thing to notice here is Most of those were females. Tira went to home. She was so depressed, feeling mad. She took more than 1 and a half sleeping pill to get some sleep. The most saddest part of the situation was she had nobody to share what she felt right now. The only way for a lonely girl who was criticised by hundreds of unknown faces is to wet her pillow… Or to try some suicidal attempt in depression.

Suddenly her door bell rang. She opened the door. Nobody was there. But she felt something thick under her foot. It was an old brown diary which was torn and lost its colour in some places. She took it and looked around the street. There was nobody in the road. She took that diary and came in. She kept it on the table and moved in to drink some water. She looked on the calender. She was shocked.. It was her 26th birthday. She usually didn’t celebrate her birthdays. It was used only for the purpose of counting her age. She moved to the hall. She looked on the diary for sometime. It was unscrupulous to read other’s diaries. But to know the name of the person who wrote she had to read.

She took it in her warm hands. And turned the old browny pages with her index finger. She was surprised. It was a young lady in black and white picture. She was similar to the face which Tira has seen many times. She moved to the mirror. It was nearly similar to her face, Big eyes, Perfectly made lips, Pointed nose. Something in her inner voice told, “It was her mother”. Suddenly a drop of tears rolled towards her chin and tried to wet the picture.

With the same eagerness and some unknown love. She opened the next page. These are the words written in that diary,

” To My dear Baby girl :

This is a letter from your unknown Mother. I don’t even know your name. But when you are in my womb I used to call you as “Briana” which means brave girl. I gave you this name since it played a major role in your mother’s life. I was brought up in a good family like others enjoying their childhood. When I was in college, I fell in love with your father and got married to him. Everything went smooth. I became a successful women as a managing director in a well developed company. But suddenly everything just vanished. Your father met with a car accident and touched God’s feet. But the case was investigated and Police doubted that it was a planned murder. I broke off. For me, the world became dark. but I was confident that I could at least do my job, but people surrounding me suspected me as a murderer. Many talk bad about me. Someone told that, I had an another relationship, I’m in love with someone else, etc. They started narrating stories in my life. I went on severe depression. I drunk… I Smoke… I took pills… But one day… I got the most wonderful news…  I was pregnant. From that day, I stopped everything. I started to live for you. You were my world. You were my future. You were my everything. But people around us spoke bad about you too. But I was not hearing them. I was confident then, Because my child you are here now. But after your birth God didn’t want me to stay long days with you. Suddenly, I got ill by a disease… My dear I wanna  make this to reach you at your birthday. Most importantly your 26th birthday. This is the age I was holding you in my arms and fought for life.

Dear, I know your state now. Every woman in this world will become a victim at times. People will gossip! They will make you depress, they will try to suppress you.. ‘But one thing they can’t stop you’. You are my Briana.You are the power. You are strong enough. You are my identity of success. Go Briana! Achieve your goals. Better be a dumb and deaf for people’s speech. Go up dear! – By your sweet mom”

This time, Tira’s eyes were filled with tears. But there were no confusions anymore. There was a  perfect smile now. Yes! Tiara was back. She was clear now. There are hundreds of women in this world, may be not in the name of Tira, but suffering as a victim for people’s words. Tira is one among them.

The moral which I insist here is,

“Gossiping at people may be our part of Entertaiment but people holding them were suffering of pain day by day. What if the girl once we called “Bitch” is a virgin. What if the girl once we called “Fat” is already on fasting for two days. What if the girl once we called “Mad” is already depressed and lonely.

Everyone is a victim at times for words. Don’t judge others, Because it is not the end of your life. You too have to face much more in this society. One day, the sword which you pointed to others will turn around. At that time, you will realize that it is pointing you and you cannot pay anything return to get back your old esteem. And to all Tiras (all women) in this world, Just be a deaf and dumb when you are criticized by people, either it may be a good or bad criticism. Accept those as it is! You will not be defeated unless you decided to revoke!”

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Will Do it On June 6…

It was June 4, 2017…

That was a dark evening somewhat brightened with street lights and shops which were opened in that narrow street! Catherine came from a party where she went in the morning. The whole day, she enjoyed a lot there. The party is to celebrate her friend Nancy’s marriage which is going to be held next week. So, this party seemed like bachelor’s party. Every friend of Nancy was invited and Catherine who was Nancy’s college mate too joined there. She was with a black Trendy Empire Waist dress which perfectly suited her structure & crème skin color. Her hair was dark black from the scalp and ended with brownish shade. It was smooth and silky. Her hazel blue eyes can speak more than her words. Yup! Such a powerful eyes which can mesmerize all people to speak to her. With sharp nose and soft pinkish lips, she looked gorgeous. Catherine is so exhausted now because she has no potential to even open her house door. She felt dizzy and somehow managed to open the door after fighting with it for up to 10 minutes. Then she came to her bedroom, lied into the bed, removed her slippers and threw those to the hall where the foot rack was kept. Within a minute, she went into a deep sleep.

The clock shows 9 and a night lamp which was near her bed started blinking. May be it is due to power shortage. When the clock struck 2, Catherine started blabbering some words. But in every sentence, she added, “Okay! I will do it.” Actually, she was in her dreams. She used to blabber some words at this time daily and in the morning, however she tried to recollect she couldn’t. But the thing is, it was the same dream which comes in her mind at the same time daily, from the day she started living in that house.

Catherine, a brave personality, an young aged lawyer who used to deal criminal cases often. She started her career at the age of 23. Now, she is 27. Within this 4years, she has dealt 10 cases. Out of those 10, 7 were criminal cases and she got succeeded in 3 civil cases and 6 criminal cases except the one in which she couldn’t find some evidences for which she is still searching . That was the case about the death of a girl named Iris, who was 16 years old.

The clock struck 6 in the morning. Catherine woke up slowly from the bed and she still felt the dizziness. She moves like a turtle to the hall and opened the door of her house. The newspaper and the milk packet was in the stand which was kept outside. Catherine took both and turned. But something stroke in her mind and she again turned back. There was a post in the post-box. Catherine took it eagerly to know, from whom it came from. But there was no from address. Then she took that too and entered into the home. Due to tiredness, she put that letter and newspaper in the wooden table which was in the hall. After 10 minutes, Catherine came up with a hot cup of coffee. She was with her night dress which was faded, but it was her comfort wear.  She had her first sip, then reminded about that letter which had no from address. Catherine put that coffee cup in the table and opened the letter. It was the post-mortem report of Iris. Catherine went through it carefully and she got confused. The report said that Iris had died due to suffocation. But the evidences Catherine collected is proving that it might be a murder. But there were no other fingerprints in the place where Iris has died. That was the reason behind her confusion.

It was one winter Monday. Catherine with her white casual Top and black Palazzo arrived a house in her Jaguar. No one was living in that house except a gardener. It was Iris’s house, a large traditional building with so many pillars and windows, all made with teak wood. There were two entrances for that house. In the main entrance, a painting of an old woman was kept. She was Eliza (Iris’s great grandma), who died at the age of 72. At that time, Iris father didn’t even get married. Eliza was called as the bravest lady of that family, but in the last days of her life, she became mentally sick and blabbered a lot and lost all her consciousness too. She was admitted in the hospital for nearly up to 9 months and finally died on 06^th June, 1996 (06-06-96). Actually, Iris too died on the same date in 2016 (06-06-16). The doubt here Catherine got was, is it a coincidence or perfectly planned murder?

Catherine entered into the main hall which is really a bigger one amidst occupied by large pillars, wooden chairs and tables. This hall was holding a lot of memories of Iris’s family. Every function of this family was planned and performed here. From the hall, many rooms were there in every direction. On the way from hall to kitchen, an outer space was there without any terrace. A large wooden swing was placed there. Iris used to play there. Solomon, her dad used to move the swing for Iris whenever she sat there. Now, without even a person, this swing is slightly moving when Catherine went nearby.

“Dad! Sway it fast”, a sound came but no one was there. It was the voice of Iris. (Again, some laughing and playing sounds continues…)  Catherine got shocked. She couldn’t even understand what is happening around her! Then she compromised herself by thinking that it was an illusion. But her hands were trembling due to nervousness, her eyes rotated around 360 degree, but no one was there except her. She felt thirsty and went to the kitchen which is near to the swing. The kitchen was so dark with some used and some unused utensils. Catherine searched the vessels for water. There was a white colored ceramic pot in which water is filled. Catherine took the lid and drank the water. “Aww… What is this?” (Catherine was screaming and shouting with fear….)  Crunch! Crunch! (The glass got broke down). This is because of the blood stain in the inner side of the lid. She couldn’t identify how it happened? She came out from the kitchen. With scary eyes and trembling hands, she hit against a pillar and fell down. “Aww… Somebody help me!!! Am gonna die… ”, Catherine shouted with tears rolling from her eyes. The Gardener came inside the house on hearing the voice of her. “What happened Madam? Anything serious? ”, the gardener asked. Catherine slowly rose up and didn’t even attempt a word. She ran fast like a cheetah and came out from the house. In the entrance, a dark black cat sat near the gate. “Meow…, Meow…” It seemed like the cat is trying to convey something to her. But Catherine’s fear increased more. She started her Jaguar and disappeared from that place within seconds.

It was 7 in the evening. Catherine entered into her house and switched on the lights. She locked the door and sat on her couch. Her heart beat still didn’t get back to normal speed. She felt more sweat and so she removed her hair clips and tried to dry it using fan. With her long loose hair, pinkish lips, hazel blue eyes and crème color, she went to the mirror. This appearance made her to feel herself as a ghost. She got scared and threw the nearby vase into the mirror. The mirror broke into pieces. She got confused again and lied down in her bed with lots of confusion. “ Okay! I will do it!” (Catherine started blabbering in her dreams again). She couldn’t sleep well.

 “Iris! Come, let’s play!”  A voice came from Jenny, a new neighbor of Iris. Iris with her cat went to play with Jenny. Jenny was 13 years old. She used to be with Iris. After Jenny’s arrival to that street, Iris’s behavior started to change. Iris, a brave positive and determined girl, started thinking negatively in every aspect. Her boldness changed to fearfulness. Her parents noted her. But Stella, who was Iris’s mother told her husband, “May be, it is because she is growing”. But Solomon continued to watch his daughter’s every movement. He could find out more changes in her day by day. But he never discussed about this to anyone.

Days passed… One fine evening, Iris and Jenny were playing Carrom in Iris’s room. Suddenly, a screaming sound came from that room. On hearing this, Solomon reached the room quickly. “Iris…Iris!!! What happened? Anything Serious?”, Jennie was trying to wake Iris. Solomon took Iris to hospital. Doctors couldn’t find out what happened to her. Iris was admitted in the bed for three days. Then, Solomon discharged her. Iris was taken care by her parents. Within that three days, Jenny’s family moved from that house to another city. Iris’s condition became critical and worst. She used to blabber daily while sleeping. Solomon tried to listen to her words. “Okay! I will do it!”, Iris repeated the same sentence again and again. Solomon and his wife worried a lot. They tried their best to cure her daughter. But there is no improvement.

One night, everyone was sleeping. Solomon heard a screaming sound of Iris. She was trying to breath, but she couldn’t. Solomon entered the room. He could see Jenny who was trying to kill Iris by using the pillow. Jenny was with a white gown and long nails painted dark red in color. Her eyes were in dark hazel blue color. Solomon shouted a lot and tried to protect Iris. But his voice couldn’t be heard and he couldn’t even move an inch. Iris died within seconds after a long fight for her life… Jenny got disappeared and Solomon became normal now. He cried a lot on seeing Iris’s death. Stella came to the room and asked how it happened. But Solomon sobbed and reacted like he didn’t know about anything. “I don’t know. I heard a sound. When I reached here, our daughter had died.” Stella cried a lot and after two days of Iris’s death, Solomon decided to reveal about their daughter’s death to Stella. But whenever he tried to say, something went wrong. At last, Solomon asked Stella to pack everything and they decided to move from that house to some other city. Solomon still didn’t reveal the matter to anyone, because he at least wanted his wife to be alive.

The clock struck 6 in the morning. Catherine woke up from the bed. She tried to recollect yesterday’s events. But she couldn’t remember anything. Then, as usual she went to take the newspaper. Again there was a post. It was the post-mortem report of Iris. Catherine took it and got shocked. Her thoughts were telling her that it was happened before. But she couldn’t recollect anything. Now, Catherine got confused a lot. She couldn’t concentrate in her work. She took bath and went to the court with White shirt, black coat and black bottom (a formal attire of lawyers). She met some clients of her, she couldn’t even approach them positively. In every sentence, negativity played a tremendous role. Then, at 6 in the evening, she came to home in her Jaguar.

The calendar showed the date June 5, 2017. Catherine felt like she had seen this date yesterday. But she couldn’t recollect anything. As she was too tired, she didn’t cook anything for dinner and ordered Chicken Pizza using her mobile phone. Within 10 minutes, the doorbell rang. She opened the door. “Mam! Your Pizza!”, the pizza delivery boy came with the pizza she ordered. Catherine bought it and opened. She started enjoying every piece of  the chicken pizza. And it was the last piece, but she couldn’t eat much. She kept that in the table itself and went to the bed. Now, her mind is full of confusion. She couldn’t retrieve her memories. Everything was fading slowly from her brain. And she slept with that confusion.

The next day, the gardener of Iris’s house was reading the newspaper. In the first page, “Catherine, a young aged brave lawyer, died at 2’O clock in the morning today due to suffocation! Police is now investigating about her death. They suspect that it may be due to suffocation”, the gardener read the whole news and the newspaper was dated June 6,2017 (06-06-2017).

Actually, the hidden truth here is…

Catherine didn’t even go to Iris’s house and the whole incident happened on June 5 was her dream, which she couldn’t recollect later. Catherine came from Nancy’s party and slept. Everything happened in the next day was her dream. But everything happened in that dream was true. It was Iris who tried to tell everything to Catherine by using dream as a communicating medium. But Jenny, who killed Iris, already planned to kill Catherine, once Catherine committed to take in charge of this case. So, she made all those incidents appeared in her dream to erase from her memories. Actually, Catherine started becoming Jenny’s slave from the first day she started collecting evidence for this case. That’s why she blabbered daily like Iris. And the words too didn’t change.

Jenny, a girl born in 1966, had many dreams in her life. But her heart was full of negative thoughts which consistently reduced her desires and determination, instead increased her fear each day. She became mentally sick and died at the age of 20 on 06-06-1986. But her soul couldn’t rest in peace. She started to kill the women who were brave and optimistic by creating pessimism and fear into their mind. She wanted to kill them like the way she died. She killed Eliza, her best friend first and then after 20 years, Eliza’s granddaughter and now Catherine. But all were died on 6^th June, the day Jenny died…….

Actually, in everyone’s dream, Jenny whispered, “Okay! I will do it on June 6…..”

“Everything occurs for a reason! Think it. But don’t overthink anything, because those thoughts will kill you one day, even if you don’t have any Jenny. Live the life with the flow and accept everything as such. You may have heard, “Think Beyond the limit.” These proverbs can be used in the academics much to improve your skills and talents, but don’t try to apply it to real life. It is like a slow poison, it will kill you one day without the aware of yours. Be optimistic as much as possible and believe, everything happens for a reason. The people you meet, the incidents happened daily, the issues you faced, everything is somewhere connected like networks. Do not ask many questions like how it happens? , why it happens? , by whom it happens?….

However, you tries to change, it happens…. Accept it…. So, once again think a little….not much…”

Hope you all like this story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cold Coffee!

Author : Preethika Balasubramani

“Jannet come out…. What are you doing right there?” the voice shook her wavering mind about her life time ambition of becoming social worker.And brought her to real world… “I’ll be right there, mom!” she replied in her usual accent and  opened the door. It was a wooden house and her room was in creamy peach colour which was one of her favorite. Jannet was a typical teenage girl  belonged to a middle class family. Her father was working in a private company earning some salary which will satisfy their monthly needs.

“Here is the application form Jannet. Put your signature!”, Voice from mama which is hard as usual. “But mama, I love this place”, Jannet said ( with her eyes sparkling and holding thousands and thousands of memories in it) .”This is for your future Jannet and how many days you gonna stay in this small city. See our neighbour, Lusy’s parents sent her abroad to do some catering course. Now she is in good career”, Jannet signed it suddenly because she don’t wanna hear this again since she was bored with such same advice.

Jannet is a teenage girl doing her UG in her home town. She is longing to stay in her own place because of her dream which was growing along with her from childhood. Charities, old-age homes, becoming a social worker(It started by seeing an old woman who is asking her to give some food at her five) and also she is in love with the backyard lawn (where she fell uncountably and learnt how to walk). Her peach coloured room, her family and her two-year old pet teeny. (which is a small kitty found in her garden. So, Jannet gave her shelter home and most importantly  love). With all those flashes of past and future she signed the form. Her father took it and move on.

Her mom told, “Be ready and pack up the things! Your visa will ready soon and pack things which you need the most first because I can’t spare extra penny for luggage.” On the very next day Jannet was sitting in her room badly staring at her things. Her school certificates, her toys, her birthday gifts, her old books, her kitty. She was confused a lot because she wanna pack her whole room since each and everything has played a major role in her emotions…Because from her childhood Jannet gave most of her love to them. It seems like they are pleasing her to stay with them.“Jan…!! (her mom used to call her when she needs some work from her… A petty name thing) Someone is knocking the door, take a look dear!”, her mom said. Jannet opened the door. It was her visa!

Everything just finished. “I wanna get ready. Mom! visa came”, Jannet said. Now, her voice lost life in it. She was packing things as soon as possible. Her flight was on Tuesday. In the airport everyone gathered, her few friends, parents, and her pet dog. Jannet hardly bid goodbye to everyone and to the city which brought her up so far.

The flight took off. Jannet was with her olive-green top with an overcoat above it which is pitch black and a dark blue Jean. Her hair was straight, with no curves long to hip, with broad eyebrows, pointed nose and skinny colour. The flight took off and a tall guy with sneakers and casuals and with dark eyebrows sitting next to her. “Hi! I’m Carren”, the dark eyebrow man said. Jannet just left a smile and started to play her own music to avoid strangers.“Within two hours, I will be in a place which is completely strange”, Jannet’s mind swinging like flight in dark blue deep sky.

After two hours, the flight arrived and Jannet took a taxi and moved. After reaching the Giant gate of university, she moved in. The university was standing along pridely with big buildings, green grass lawn covering the path, perfectly maintained trees and shrubs with staff here and there with perfect casuals, with some friends all over and love couples hiding here and there. She entered the reception and finished the applications, fee payment for hostel and for the course MBA. She was asked to share her room with Sherin (A girl applied to the same university just before her).

The staff gave the room keys. It was 208. She gave a curve smile and moved with her luggage. She reached the hostel, It was a big old building which is covered by same trees, lawn and with girls roaming here and there at her age. She walked to the woman sitting in the chair with the rough appearance nearly 50. Jannet showed her receipt and the woman told, “Top right 2nd floor,” in rough tone. Jannet moved slowly like a small snail creeping in rainy season due to her tiredness in travelling.

“203….,  207, 208… Yeah, I found it”, she opened the door. It was a normal bachelor room with brown blankets double cot bed. The room is vacant but it dumped so many stories, depressions, love and pain in it. Jannet did fresh up within an hour and lied on a cot. Soon within an hour her door bell clinged and it was Sherin (A girl with narrow eyes, fluffy short, with blue top and formal bottom). Sherin was her roomy. They had a crispy talk and time passed away, they slept.

The next day Morning, alarm woke her up. Both woke up and got ready with formals.  Sherin and Jannet are in different courses so their classes are at different place. While searching on the notice board for their lecture hall, Jannet felt a tall man shadowing her. A smart and a handsome voice saying, “Hi!”. She turned back. it was the same tall guy who was sitting next to her at the flight. She recollected all those memories of yesterday’s flight. She replied a soft hi and moved on. (The world is round and we can meet people if fate wants to us be…)

In the interval, everyone gathered in canteen. Jannet was sitting left to Sherin. Near to Sherin was John, a school friend of Sherin. In a minute, Carren who was studying logistics with John joined them. Everyone was chatting about their class staff. Mean time Carren asked Sherin, “I think someone is uncomfortable with my entry it seems”. Jannet gave a clumsy smile. This time Carren is looking at Jannet as he is waiting for her reply. “Not like that! It will take time for me to mingle”, said Jannet in humble voice.

In lunch, the conversation was about them and their family town. They become friends with each other. Now Jannet, Sherin, John, Carren and twin sisters Alice Davis and Olivia Davis joined. They were identical twins who were studying same course with Jannet.

Midnight reached… Sherin and Jannet was in their room. Jannet was sitting in the table near to window and enjoying the night breeze which slowly touching her chins and ears. She is enjoying the silence and letting the wind to mess her straight silky hair  with its chillness. Sherin was telling about her class and her new crush everything. She asked her why Jannet is so moody and she added “I think the tall guy Carren is so eager to hear your speech. What do you feel about him Jannet? “. Suddenly, Jannet’s phone rings flashing Mama. She picked and started to narrate her 1st day in the college.

The next morning, same routine classes went on and at interval Jannet became close to Sherin, John and with Davis twins. But with Carren, she only had a yes or no or some single word answers. In the evening, everyone was sitting in the lawn and playing some word games. (The game went like if Sherin told a letter John has to tell a name from that letter and tell who was the person with that name and two words about them).

After sometime, they moved on. Carren called Jannet and gave her a book and told that she missed it in the library. Jannet gave a smile and thanked him. Carren said, “No. Sorry! I need a cold coffee “ with a warm smile and with naughty look. Jannet told okay and they moved to the coffee shop nearby. Jannet ordered hot chocolate and Carren ordered cold coffee. Carren told,“I like cold coffee because whenever I take a sip, the chillness bring my sweet memories to the heart which is as cold as winter”. They each had a sip and some random talks and Jannet paid the bill. Carren thanked her for the coffee and moved on.

At room, Sherin mocked about their 1st date and started teasing Jannet. According to Sherin, Carren was handsome boy, hence girls get attracted easily. But she didn’t aware why Jannet was very silent. She was thinking of something or may be blank. Even Sherin got confused why Jannet is behaving odd.

Days passed on… Everyone was busy with their semesters. They met in afternoon lunch and had a general talk and moved on. Then two days before Logistics exam, Carren got doubt in Logistics and asked Jannet to teach some concepts.  They decided to meet by the next day evening in the lawn and she started to clarify his doubts. In between teaching,  Jannet identified that Carren was lacking conscious and he was looking at her. The look was too sharp and intense at this time. Jannet avoided his sight and focused on her tasks. Carren gave a teasing smile. Jannet asked “what?” in sign language by lifting her broad eyebrows. “Nothing I am good in psychology and mind reading. But I can’t read someone’s mind till now”, Carren said in a boyish accent. By the act of behaving innocent, Jannet looked at her watch and replied him that she wanna go then. They moved from the lawn.

They wrote their exams well and their grades were good. Carren scored better in Logistics. He thanked Jannet and the twins called everyone in the gang for their birthday party  which is going to be held in next month. The day went smooth but Jannet looked little tensed.

Jannet and Sherin was getting ready in their room. Jannet with a baby pink dress (party wear) and pink lip gloss which matched her skin very well. Sherin was usual in her casual (white top and block bottom). They all gathered in a place and moved to twins house (Davis Twins) because today was their birthday. They welcomed them and party was good with melodious and party songs. Carren played his favorite notes for birthday twins using guitar (but half of his notes was made for Jannet) .

Jannet was in as usual silence and innocence. She pretended that she was unaware of things happening around her. The party was over, Jannet and Carren was sitting in the chair near to the hall. Everyone was dancing and some was boozing at the party. Carren started the conversation, “Jannet did you ever fall in love with someone?”. Jannet looked different. Carren thought she will become angry. But she gave a warm smile and shook her head like saying No.

The night moved with warm and chill. Days passed on…. Carren was not normal now-a-days, something was missing in him. Often, his thoughts about Jannet was Stabbing his heart. Her memories tearing him apart. He came to felt that it was more than a crush.. “It was love”. It was making him weaker. But he didn’t identify any such signs of love or even attraction from Jannet’s side.

Carren thought to express his love to Jannet. He dressed perfectly and pooled all his courage to face her. He went to the college. Yes, she was there with the olive-green top (which she wore on the first meet in flight). He signed her to come. She was slowly moving towards Carren’s side. His heart was beating fast. As soon as she came, Carren gave her a beautiful pitch black diary. Jannet, “I never believed in love at first sight. But after the travel I believed, I saw you again and now you are here. I usually wrote diary. I have mentioned our unforgettable moments in this.  I am fallen for you”. He is waiting for Jannet’s reply.

But Jannet was as usual in her casual mode pretending like the world around her is absolutely normal. She replied, “Sorry Carren! No such thoughts. If it comes in future, Will let you know”.

Everyone including Carren was surprised by her reply, since it’s very normal. Carren couldn’t even say anything. He moved to his room. He looked a little(very) depressed state. The confusion for everyone was why didn’t she surprised or excited or embarrassed. She is very casual. Sherin told, “Really, she is very deep!”

Days roll on…. Their final semester started. Carren tried a lot. But everything he tried was becoming a failure. Finally Carren’s upset was turning to anger. He was in bad mood. He thought of something and suddenly moved towards Jannet. He asked in a rough tone, “I just need reply Jannet. Why are you doing this to me?  I need a sharp reply. Yes or no? “. Jannet replied in a calm tone, “Our final semester is approaching! I wanna focus on. I will let you know after the exam”. She moved on within seconds.

Carren was happy now because he didn’t get any negative answer. He too focused on his studies. As days were moving soon, he was becoming very happy each and everyday. Because he is in a confident state that Jannet’s reply will be positive. The last exam finished. Everyone was packing their things. Someone was busy in enjoying the last day. But Carren was waiting for Jannet’s reply.

Meanwhile Sherin, John and Davis twins were also eagerly waiting for Jannet. Half an hour passed. But Jannet was not there. They are loosing their patience. They waited for nearly 2 hours. After that, Carren too lost half of his hope and called Sherin to go to her room and check. Sherin moved to the room, the room was half vacant. Both Jannet and her things were not there. She left… Yes! she left. Sherin was too depressed  because Jannet has gone even without goodbye. There was only one thing representing Jannet’s presence. The diary! Yes it’s Carren’s diary. Sherin gave it to Carren. In the last page, it was written that “Sorry Carren!”, after reading it a drop of tear rolled in Carren’s chin.

After 20 years…..,

Carren  was in his home because it was his weekend. Revealing the whole story to his wife Jessy, and to the 8-year-old little girl Jannet. Jessy told, “Didn’t you see her anywhere after that? “

Carren took a deep breath and replied, “Yes, I do. In a sweet shop after 6 years. We had a random talk at  first and I shouted at her for her irresponsible behaviour at the last day. Then I moved. But she called me and with the casual and usual smile and replied, ‘I’m sorry  Carren’,  that’s it baby!! End of the story. She is my crush. But now I’m very happy with you people”.

“Miss Jannet!! here is your cold coffee…., Your favourite! Did you need any other thing mam? “,  the waiter asked. Jannet with the same casual smile signed No. “Yes…. I’m Jannet! The rough girl in the college. I don’t know may be if I waited on the last day, or accepted the proposal, my life would have changed. But for me, the days at the college, Carren’s smile and the memories he gave, enough for life time is more than enough for my whole life. May be I missed Carren, but in my heart the lingering memories and their sweet blossoms give odour to my life forever Like the cold coffee, which was not only Carren’s favourite, now turned to my favourite too…” Jannet is working now in charity and old-age homes which is her life time goal.

Now the moral which I gonna insist here is,

“In everyone’s life, there is love. But it has different dimensions and perceptions. Some may have told, some may have untold stories, some may have crush. It depends upon everyone’s feelings. Either it will move to next step or it may break up according to their situations. Here in the story, it is not Carren’s or Jannet’s mistake. Carren who loved Jannet more initially married Jessy now and blessed with a baby girl named Jannet too. At the same time Jannet, who initially avoided Carren and seemed very casual, is living now with the memories of Carren. Here, both are right in their own way. It is not their mistakes. Some may forget the love they had and can start a new life with some old memories of the first love always in their heart. Some cannot forget the person or the memories they give, because they may think that their love should be their life.

Many people often think that, being a Woman and staying single forever is insecure and it will lead to bad remark about her too. But Woman too can have true love holding forever… amidst many bad-mouths of this society.”

 

The Love Of Life

 Author : Preethika Balasubramani

It was almost midnight twelve Jenny was still awoke in her room all alone. Her home was fairly a single room. She was thinking of her abroad higher education…. suddenly faded and then of her love which was already half gone (a twelve year relationship with her childhood friend who was her lover Justin). She felt ever thing was gone yesterday..

Justin told ,” When you went to abroad you may busy with studies, meet new people. I too wanna move on…”  She was perfectly clear in mind, “I can’t hold on people who wanna move on”. She literally bid good bye… May be it is their last meet!

But Jenny is not pitch clear in her conclusions . Even she confused with her love. She was brought up in an orphanage where she completed her studies. And moved on get a job ( in a private company teaching music classes to children). Her flight was tomorrow.

On next fine morning… She was packing things for abroad. Her phone was ringing. It blinked unknown number. It was from her orphanage. An old female, fairly 50 spoke that the maid who brought her up was sick. While hearing this, a flash of childhood stroke his memories…

In orphanage, she saw the lady who was facing death nearby. She hold her hand, Kissed her forehead. The lady closed her eyes in silence.With the same silence she went out. Suddenly she felt some softness.

A little hand hold her index finger. It was a little baby with very big eyes. She was  a girl.  Jenny get back her conscious that A lady aged fifty was carrying her. She told it was given to orphanage by some poor people.

Jenny felt of her childhood. She don’t want another baby girl who was confused to take conclusions between love and life…. She brought her in her arms. The baby was looking deep in her eyes. Jenny told with drops rolling out her chin, ” I may not found true love. But I know how to give true love!”

For your reference, this is the story written by my friend Preethika Balasubramani, a biomedical engineer working in her core company.

The moral which I wanna insist you all is, “Yes! Love is not only a relationship between a boy and a girl! Here, the love between Jenny and the girl is the bond between a mother and a child eventhough Jenny is not her mother. Love is pure and unconditional. It is not based on any criterias such as gender, rich, poor, younger, older, caste, religion, etc. It is pure and flawless. So, don’t restrict it only to a boy and a girl!”

A Dark Day!

Author : Suganya Kannan

“Caitlin! Where are you? Come and pack your luggage!”, (Caitlin’s mom is shouting). It was the first week of drizzling rainy season. The grasses were filled with rain droplets, the rabbits started to build their burrows to dwell and the birds started to move to their nests to protect their chicks. Humming birds began their singing to welcome the rain.With this most admiring nature, mostly no one can be seen in the roadside without an umbrella.

The incident which made the whole family shocked was happened on that day.  Caitlin’s family is going to shift from their native village to the city where her dad was transferred. John, a civil engineer, has been working in the PWD department for almost 5 years. His wife Rachel, a professor of English Department in Oxford University. They were blessed with a baby girl named Caitlin ( who was mentioned in the beginning).Caitlin is now 16 years old.

“Momma..am here!” (Caitlin shouts from the garden of their house).

Rachel asked Caitlin to pack all her things within an hour. It became 3.00 p.m. in the evening. But the clouds wouldn’t even want to stop the rain. Hence, the evening looked like a dark night with the chill climate.

“Yup! The tea is ready”, a sound came from the kitchen. It was the voice of Rani, the maid who was working for this family for the past 5 years. Caitlin almost packed all her things except one shelf which was full of old story books and an old musical instrument of her (An instrument which was presented to her by her teacher when Caitlin was 12). She decided to tie all the books in a sack bag to put it in the car boot and took the musical instrument in her hand.

“Ring,ring; Ring,ring”, John took his mobile phone to pick the call. “Sir! I arrived at the front of your house”, said the driver. John asked the family members to took all the luggage and put those in the car boot.

All get into the car. Rachel came last from the house with an umbrella in her hand. The car started and the journey was very pleasant. John seated in the front side of the car next to the driver. Rachel, Caitlin and Rani seated in the backside. Caitlin started to generate music with the instrument she had. A puppy, which was Caitlin’s pet moved from the seat to Caitlin’s lap. Caitlin started pampering her Chotu ( puppy’s name given by Caitlin).

Everything was fine. The incident happened within seconds. Everyone were paused, they don’t even know what to do. You people may think that it was an accident, but exactly not. John felt faint and suddenly his head fell from his seat to the windscreen. The driver stopped the car. The music which was played, stopped at the moment. Chotu run towards John and started barking and it tried to wake him by biting his shirt collar. Rachel was speechless. Rani asked the driver to arrive at the nearby hospital. Caitlin tries to wake his father by pouring some water on his face. But he wouldn’t even open his eyes.

Soon, they arrived the hospital. The staff nurses came and place John upon the stretcher. Doctors took MRI scan and diagnosed that there was a tumour in his brain. They also found that John was in his counting days… May be upto some 2 or 3 months… On hearing this, the whole family broke down. Yes! It was not only the dark day because of the climate… But also a dark day by feelings!

Rachel planned to move to the same house in the village with John and her family. She was totally upset and never want to move from the chair even. Rani tried to console everyone. But no one could come up from that.

Finally, Rani forced Caitlin to play music using the musical instrument. From that day, every morning Caitlin generate music using the instrument in front of her dad. At that time, Chotu used to sit in the lap of John. The days passed like this for upto some 50 days…After that, John and the family filled with sorrow went to the hospital and the doctor now admitted John to the bed and asked Rachel and Caitlin to believe in God.

Rani again insisted Caitlin to play music. But this time, Caitlin sobbed and throwed the instrument. Rani took the instrument and she tried to play the music now. Chotu heard the music and came forward to the room where John was admitted. Chotu settled near John in a very calm manner.

Doctor asked all the family members to wait outside. After an hour, he called other doctors to the room. They found that the MRI scanning machine was repair. So, they asked the nurse to change the machine. But still they didn’t identify what was happened.

Atlast, doctors understood that the tumour was no more in his brain. They were surprised and came forward to John’s family. ” It is a medical miracle! John’s brain tumour was cured”, said the doctors asusual like every doctors do when they couldn’t find the reason.

But we people know the reason behind this miracle, Yup! It was not a medical miracle. It is a miracle done by Chotu and Rani. You may have doubt about how the simple musical instrument and the little puppy can do the thing which was not even done by the experts in the medical field.

Everything is in the game of life… Life is very simple with unconditional love and affection towards the person we care. Chotu regularly sits in the lap of John daily and feels the hearbeat of John. Day by day, Chotu can feel that his master is curing from the disease. So, he used to sit in his lap daily to check his hearbeat. Rani, the maid thought that music can atleast give relief to his mind. So, she asked Caitlin to play the music again and again. They both didn’t even know this simple thing will cure his disease.

The music and the pamperedness of Chotu cured the entire tumour of John. Yes! It is a miracle happened due to the care and persistence nature of Rani and Chotu.

The entire family was happy. They departed from the hospital to the home. On the way, the family remembered the same incident. Yes! They couldn’t forget the dark day forever…

” In everybody’s life, a dark day may arrive one day! But it is in our hands to get back the fresh bright morning. Yes! That is what we call the persistence and Hope! Not every brain tumour may cure, but atleast if we believe in ourself persistently, every problem will find a solution on its own! Atleast we should try….”