Read Part 1 here
Stephen
sipped his cup of tea gingerly as he shifted glances between Ghanshyam and
Meera. “I wanted to talk to you about your son Neeraj.”
“I don’t
want to talk anything about that devil.” Ghanshyam walked out, his face red in
fury.
Meera
lowered her head in anguish. “What is there to talk? You probably would have
heard everything from the inspector.”
Stephen
gave her a blank look. “Not much. He said your son was involved in the riots. I
talked to Mustafa and he says you are like family to him. I want to know why
Neeraj killed his best friend.”
Tears
poured down her cheeks as she buried her face between her hands and continued
sobbing copiously. “I don’t know. I don’t understand. I never will. They were
inseparable. They didn’t have any other friends. They didn’t need any. They had
each other. They played cricket the day before. It was Ilyas’ birthday that
week. We all ate biryani at his place. I don’t want to know. Satan’s shadow
loomed over all of us that day.”
Stephen
looked her straight in the eye. “Mustafa doesn’t know this?”
There
was nothing but pain there. “No, the inspector never told anyone. He said it
would serve no purpose. Lots of lives were lost that day and lots more
shattered beyond repair. He said that was enough damage for one lifetime and
more.”
Stephen’s
next question stung. “Do you think he might still be alive somewhere?”
But Meera
had made her peace as well. “I hope not. For his own sake!”
---------------------------------#***************#---------------------------------
Stephen
looked at Inspector Ravikant in a different light this time. “You are a good man.”
“No one
is. Some try. Some fake it. Others don’t know what that means. I live two blocks
away from them. Every day I cross their houses on the way to the station. Ilyas
and Neeraj will always be playing cricket on the street, day and night. On my
way back in the evening, I will play with them for half an hour every day. They
were such happy kids. They were full of love. But hate turned to be so much
more powerful and vicious. A part of me died that day. It was not death that
shook me. It was the abuse of life! It was the brutality and the callousness
with which people were killed, abused, raped, burnt, tortured and mangled that
day that convinced of the pure evil that is dormant inside all of us. Religion
is just one avenue that lets the inner devil out.” Ravikant’s agony made
Stephen’s pale in comparison.
“I think Neeraj is still alive. And I believe
you know where he is.” Stephen’s words shook Ravikant.
“I don’t
know if Neeraj is still alive or not. But he had always wanted to go away from
here, as far as he could go. As far as the road would take him! To the farthest
point he could ever reach! Where all the seas merged into one! He had told me
that when he could go no more, he would sit and stare at infinity forever.”
Stephen
thanked Ravikant who stopped him on his tracks. “Don’t try to find him. For
your own sake! What will you get out of it?”
Stephen
smiled. “I want to know why!”
Ravikant
shook his head. “And then?”
Stephen
shrugged his shoulders as he walked out. “You are a good man, Ravikant.” He meant
it more than ever.
---------------------------------#***************#---------------------------------
Stephen knew
where he had to go. He had to go on until he could go no more. A place where
the land ends and water begins to spread around its wings into eternity! A
place where the water meets the horizon to host the sun in all its glory! A
place where the three seas merge into one: Kanyakumari! He immediately set off
to the southernmost part of India in search of Neeraj. He initially wondered
how he was going to look for a boy in a huge town like that. But it wasn’t as
difficult as he thought! After all, he knew where to look for. After one month
of wandering around, on one glorious evening when the sky was lit up by the sun
going to bed and the moon waking up by its side, Stephen finally saw Neeraj in
the twilight. He was selling groundnuts in the beach. He followed the
unsuspecting boy home.
Neeraj sat
on the floor in his small hut whereas Stephen sat on the only chair that looked
like it would fall apart any time. The squeaking of the chair was the only
sound amidst the grave silence. Even the air in between them was still. No
words were spoken. A few glares were exchanged.
Stephen
did not take his eye off Neeraj who was intently staring at the floor. His eyes
had no fear, no anger, no pain, no remorse! He was happy! There was a stoic
calm in his demeanor that infuriated Stephen. How could one be so cold blooded?
When he
finally spoke, his words reverberated thunderously across the sand walls. “Looks
like you are living quite a life here. Especially after what you did in Deogarh!”
The
mention of Deogarh stirred Neeraj a bit. He looked at Stephen for a moment but
then turned his gaze away to the door.
Stephen
spoke with rage. “Don’t you have any heart? How could there be so much
vengeance in such a young mind?”
His
wrath had no effect on Neeraj who had fixated his gaze on the door. It was not
sure if he was waiting for someone to come and relieve him of the misery or signaling
Stephen to leave. Stephen was going nowhere without an answer. “Speak up. Why
did you kill the boy who loved you unconditionally? Why did you abandon your
parents who adored you? And how can you lead an escapist life like this so
peacefully?” He did not get one.
Stephen’s
blood was boiling. He had not seen anyone more cruel or inhuman. He was so mad
that he did not know what to do. He got up with ferocity and rushed towards
Neeraj to confront him when he heard a sound at the door.
“Neeraj…..
I am home my friend. Look what I made for you today. Pineapple Kulfi. Your
favorite!”
It was Ilyas. Stephen’s heart stopped for a second.
---------------------------------#***************#---------------------------------
Ravikant
saw a letter lying on his desk. It was from Stephen Dayashankar. He quickly
ripped it open with trepidation. He was not ready for what came next.
“Ravi…
You will not admit it. But I am sure you have been waiting for my letter every single
day. And I have been dying to write you this letter. I found Neeraj. Yes I did.
He is in Kanyakumari. But you won’t believe what else I saw. I saw Ilyas. Yes,
you read it correct. Ilyas is still alive. He is alive! The two little devils
are together. Both of them live in a small hut by the sea. Neeraj sells groundnuts
in the beach whereas Ilyas has a small kulfi shop. They sent you their regards.
They both are so happy. I had tears in my eyes. There is still humanity left in
this world.
Ilyas,
Neeraj, Ghanshyam, Meera and Mustafa have all found the worlds they want to
inhabit and the lives they want to live. They have all made their peace with
nature and God. I think we have got our closure too. I guess it is good bye
from me my friend.”
Tears rolled down Ravikant’s cheeks as he smiled from the
heart after a very long time.
---------------------------------#***************#---------------------------------
- A SHORT STORY BY RAJ
