A young man of age 25 standing beside an old oak tree, in outskirts of the city. A clear night. The moonlight glistening from beneath the clouds.
He became impatient as his watch beeped 12:00 A.M. He saw the headlights of a car approaching from far corner of the silent road. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes. His thoughts raced around his head flashing the poverty he faced, the death of his father, the blindness of his sister, the old age of her mother. Should I run away? , he thought. But this was the only chance he had to bring happiness to her sister’s life. He had promised himself to bring the light to her eyes.
The whirring of car’s engine, shook him back to reality. He took a deep breath trying to hide the terror on his face as two men appeared with seemingly harsh disposition out of the car. He could not see their faces from underneath their hats.
One of them handed him a brown packet, a blue box and a gun abruptly. ‘This is half the money’, the other spoke in an indigent hushed tone. Finish the job and come here tomorrow midnight. Understood?
‘Yes’ , he replied in a tremulous tone.
‘Look boy. Stop being scared. You will not regret this after getting the full amount.’ , said one of the men with a threatening hint in his voice.
‘What about the…’ , ? His voice noticeably shaky.
‘Keep the gun until tomorrow. You might need it in case someone gets suspicious’, spoke one of the men as they got back into the car and rode off.
The whirring of car’s engine, shook him back to reality. He took a deep breath trying to hide the terror on his face as two men appeared with seemingly harsh disposition out of the car. He could not see their faces from underneath their hats.
One of them handed him a brown packet, a blue box and a gun abruptly. ‘This is half the money’, the other spoke in an indigent hushed tone. Finish the job and come here tomorrow midnight. Understood?
‘Yes’ , he replied in a tremulous tone.
‘Look boy. Stop being scared. You will not regret this after getting the full amount.’ , said one of the men with a threatening hint in his voice.
‘What about the…’ , ? His voice noticeably shaky.
‘Keep the gun until tomorrow. You might need it in case someone gets suspicious’, spoke one of the men as they got back into the car and rode off.
He strode back towards the city whilst the only thing accompanying him was his silhouette and immense guilt on his soul. His footsteps breaking the silence of the night. He caught glimpse of the sky above. His conscience rose as he felt the moon had witnessed the magnitude of crime he was about to commit.
‘How have I become so cynical? Am I to be blamed? I will pay whatever the price for her cure’, his thoughts continued.
‘Where were you? Amma gets worried’, said a young girl’s voice, as he stepped in a dimly lit room. He sat beside her on the floor near the prayer mat and handed her the parcel.
‘This is 25 lacs. I’ll get the rest for your surgery. Make a call to the doctor’, he said.
‘Bhai….but… where’d you get this…? ‘,questioned the girl on hearing what was uncalled for.
‘I will tell you when the time is right. I am tired , just let me sleep’, he said.
The girl hugged him with tears rolling down her cheeks.The next day
He stood dressed in black, in the main city park. He motioned towards a crowded area. Being a Saturday evening, he watched as families roamed around, women and children playfully enjoying a breath of fresh air. He gazed around to check if anyone noticed him. He opened the blue box, took a press button out and placed the rest sneakily under a lane of bushes.
Half way through it, his heart was racing. He walked away from the park boundary. He waited till his watch struck 07:00 pm. It had started to get dark. His heart thumped louder in his chest.
‘I’m going to be a murderer. A killer. Was I destined to be a sinner’? Unsure of his actions, the next second, his fingers pressed on the button.
1 second, a blast heard.
2 sec, fire kindling, yellow blazes rose towards the sky.
3 sec, ashes.
1 minute, distant screaming, ambulance sirens.
The noises dimmed as he walked away from the upheavel , with heavy feet.
09:00 P.M.
He maintained a calm sembelance, oblivious of what he had done. Deep breath. What is happening? , he entered his old wrecked home through the broken wooden door. The courtyard was full of people from the neighbourhood. Several women shrieking and crying. ‘It’s only in my head’. -he thought. But the voices grew stronger as he broke the crowd.
A body dressed in white, lying on the floor. A woman wailing beside. It took him a moment to fathom the horror of what had happened.
‘I killed her’, the last thought in his head.
Traumatized and shocked, he took the gun out of his pocket and pointed at his forehead.
Gunshot.
His body falling on the rough brick floor. Head -splitting, piercing screams. Wailing continues.
The striking contrast. The young man in black sprawled on the floor. The red blood pooling from his head towards, the white cloth his sister was wrapped in.
“Black, red and white
The sinner , the sin, the innocent”.
AYESHA SIDDIQUA
1st year.
‘How have I become so cynical? Am I to be blamed? I will pay whatever the price for her cure’, his thoughts continued.
‘Where were you? Amma gets worried’, said a young girl’s voice, as he stepped in a dimly lit room. He sat beside her on the floor near the prayer mat and handed her the parcel.
‘This is 25 lacs. I’ll get the rest for your surgery. Make a call to the doctor’, he said.
‘Bhai….but… where’d you get this…? ‘,questioned the girl on hearing what was uncalled for.
‘I will tell you when the time is right. I am tired , just let me sleep’, he said.
The girl hugged him with tears rolling down her cheeks.The next day
He stood dressed in black, in the main city park. He motioned towards a crowded area. Being a Saturday evening, he watched as families roamed around, women and children playfully enjoying a breath of fresh air. He gazed around to check if anyone noticed him. He opened the blue box, took a press button out and placed the rest sneakily under a lane of bushes.
Half way through it, his heart was racing. He walked away from the park boundary. He waited till his watch struck 07:00 pm. It had started to get dark. His heart thumped louder in his chest.
‘I’m going to be a murderer. A killer. Was I destined to be a sinner’? Unsure of his actions, the next second, his fingers pressed on the button.
1 second, a blast heard.
2 sec, fire kindling, yellow blazes rose towards the sky.
3 sec, ashes.
1 minute, distant screaming, ambulance sirens.
The noises dimmed as he walked away from the upheavel , with heavy feet.
09:00 P.M.
He maintained a calm sembelance, oblivious of what he had done. Deep breath. What is happening? , he entered his old wrecked home through the broken wooden door. The courtyard was full of people from the neighbourhood. Several women shrieking and crying. ‘It’s only in my head’. -he thought. But the voices grew stronger as he broke the crowd.
A body dressed in white, lying on the floor. A woman wailing beside. It took him a moment to fathom the horror of what had happened.
‘I killed her’, the last thought in his head.
Traumatized and shocked, he took the gun out of his pocket and pointed at his forehead.
Gunshot.
His body falling on the rough brick floor. Head -splitting, piercing screams. Wailing continues.
The striking contrast. The young man in black sprawled on the floor. The red blood pooling from his head towards, the white cloth his sister was wrapped in.
“Black, red and white
The sinner , the sin, the innocent”.
AYESHA SIDDIQUA
1st year.
