Death and Dishonor

by Abhimanyu Saxena

“Hunky-dory,” I smiled, and Alan joined back.

  Just then, one of the waiters brought a big chocolate cake onto the table, and the girls cheered. Rohan and some of the waiters gathered around the table.

  “Here we go,” I announced to the table, as Pratap picked up the plastic knife and Aditi took out her camera to shoot a video.

  Pratap cut the cake and the chants of ‘Happy Birthday’ and hugs went all over, but all turned into faint echoes as my attention suddenly drifted over to the bar door which flung open, letting in the monsoon breeze and a girl.

  It was like everything had stopped moving, people had stopped talking and every noise, even my breath had fallen silent. In a fleeting moment, I had forgotten everything, lost all thoughts, worries, even my senses.

  She had already entered but I was stuck in a loop of her entering the bar, again and again, her long hair coming to rest on her face after facing the winds outside and her moving them swiftly aside. She was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen - her long lustrous hair, those cute dreamy eyes, a beautiful dress and an elegant necklace.

  I snapped out when Aditi shook me hard, and I noticed that the girl had a frown on her face, but the reason didn’t matter right then, as I was too focused to notice that she looked cuter when she was angry. Aditi looked irritated.

  “Getting a bit jealous there?” I whispered in her ear after I had recovered from my absence from reality. She decided to ignore my question as I went on to hug Pratap, who was also wondering what happened. Now that I had regained my senses, I noticed that there was a guy with whom she seemed to be arguing. I couldn’t see his face.

  “Happy birthday bro.” We all toasted and finished our shots. “I will get us a refill,” I said, leaving for the bar. I reached there to find the arguing couple, my eyes still glued to the girl. “Rohan, I need four shots of Jack and six beers,” Rohan nodded and started pouring the drinks. I caught their conversation now, as the girl started shouting.

  “Are you insane? Is your brain alright?” The girl was blasting at him.

  The guy started, “Look, you need to understand,-”

  “Nothing, but why can’t you understand that it’s over,” the girl cut in, “Why can’t you get it through your stupid head? This relationship’s done. Now I am already on edge, don’t get on my nerves and leave me alone please.”

  The guy was red in his ears and shaking, he raised his right hand, “You bitch-”

  He started but was interrupted as he screamed in pain and staggered forward towards the girl who backed off to avoid contact looking shocked. “Don’t you think it would be manlier to hit someone your own size? Well, who am I kidding, even I didn’t follow the rule this time,” I taunted. I had just hit him in the back of his head. He turned, and I raised my eyebrows as I immediately recognized the fellow. It was the same face that we had ID’ed of the biker gang. His name was Ranjan Thapa. He was suspected of numerous murders and extortion cases throughout the capital, but no one ever had the right evidence against him. I knew it could be a long shot as I still didn’t have any working evidence, but this was an opportunity to keep him in custody until I find anything.

  I knew it was gonna come, so I dodged his hook, twisted his right arm to his back and attempted to put handcuffs on, “You are under arrest for attempting to assault a police officer.”

  I got a kick from my left side, and my right cheekbone hit the edge of the bar counter before I fell. My eyes met the girl’s as she looked at me, shocked and concerned at what was now the longest fall ever.

  I grunted when the moment broke, and I hit the hard floor. Pratap had already taken care of the guy that hit me. I turned to find my friends all in a fight with some guys, blows landing back and forth. It seemed like all his gang accomplices were here, right in plain sight among us. Aditi looked traumatized, shouting for help. Ranjan picked me up and attempted to land a punch, but I broke from his grip and slammed his head on the bar counter.

  Within minutes, they were all in handcuffs and reinforcements had arrived as Aditi had called them.

  Pratap was talking to Ajeet, as I poured two shots from the bar and went up to the girl, who was now sitting on our couch.

  “Here, you could use this,” I put down the drink and sat opposite to her, finishing mine.

  “Hell of a night, huh?” she sighed.

  “Just another day for us,” I shrugged and chuckled. “I am Shikha,” she said with a low smile, putting her hand forward. “Arjun,” I shook her hand.

  I stood up, “Come on, let me drive you home,” I said, putting my jacket on her.

  We stepped out, and a scene jogged my memories about the primary purpose of the night.

  I had never seen Pratap so uncomfortable… Neha kneeling in front of him, the whole crowd of Police and bystanders surrounding them.

  “Honey, what is this? Now is not a good time,” Pratap said in a low voice.

  “But, my love, the way I see it, it never would be a good time. You face dangers every day, and I live in constant fear of losing you. We have to make our good moments in between. I love you, and I don’t want to wait anymore. Will you marry me?” finished Neha expectantly.

  Pratap was smiling now, “Yes! Baby, yes!”

  And he stood her up, and they kissed, which was followed by cheers and applause all around. I found myself smiling. I went up to the newly engaged and hugged them both.

  I looked at Shikha, she was smiling at me. It was the start of my beautiful relationship.

  ~*~

  We were in Goa on my rented Enfield, cruising the seaside roads in beautiful weather. She cheered gleefully as she welcomed the winds with open arms.

  At night, we were at the beachside, waves pounding the sea. A table was set, candle-lighting on top of it, and the oldest wine I could procure poured into two glasses. On the brightly lit path leading to this romantic setting, I could see myself kneeling in front of her with a ring, with her blushing and looking as beautiful and adorable as ever, surrounded by a string quartet.

  Music from the string quartet turned into Shehnais as my wedding came into view. Pratap, Alan, and Ajeet singing and dancing madly, wishing with me that if my parents had been here, they also would have found their youth on the dance floor. It was a year ago. All my friends were there, getting drunk and celebrating my special day. Aditi sat in a corner, being consoled by Neha, failing to pretend she was fine and happy. I felt terrible for her and knew this would happen, so I had asked Neha and some of our mutual school friends to keep her company so that she might feel a bit better.

  I was admiring all of it, the gleaming bright lights and people’s shining faces before I laid eyes on Shikha and the ultimate truth dawned on me. She was mine, my whole world walking towards me, ready to be united in one soul.

  A year of a beautiful world that we created. Then it takes only one day to make everything fall apart. So many years of career as a cop, and still, you end up blaming yourself for that one day, when you were not careful, that one day, when you might have overlooked dangers, that one day, when your screw-up cost you the beautiful world of love that you created and made your life spiral downwards, never to return.

  It was three months ago.

  “Baby!” she said in a sing-song voice, her hands making the curtains disappear. I groaned lightly and hid under the covers to avoid the much-hated morning light. “Come on, get up,” she pressed on, now attempting to uncover me, “I have your tea ready here.”

  Suddenly, my head came out of the covers, startling her, but it had a different purpose. “Why? Look, it’s a beautiful day to stay in, maybe watch some movies later, and maybe get naughty later,” I smirked, pointing to my side, “or maybe-”

  “No,” she pulled my covers in one go, giggling.

  “COME ON!” I groaned, “I hate you.”

  “Do you?” she smirked. I got ready and saw her pouring two glasses of greenish gooey juice at the breakfast table.

  “Ugh! Are you gonna drink that?” I asked
with a screwed expression. She shook her head and gave me a familiar look that I didn’t like, “You’re gonna make me drink that?”

  “It is a great new health drink recipe I found which will help you stay fit, honey; you know you are getting fat, don’t you?”

  “Ouch! You are mean. I am not fat; this is good body weight.”

  She chose to ignore and set down my glass next to my food.

  “So, what’s up with that case you were talking about last night?” she said, sounding concerned.

  “It looks like an open and shut murder, we have even booked the guy who did it, but I-I don’t know,” I looked at her, “This was too easy, I feel like there was more to it.”

  “But what more could be in it, if the guy responsible is already arrested.” She enquired.

  “The guy just admitted, Shikha, he didn’t resist, not even asked for a lawyer. It’s not like we had a mountain of evidence against him. Everyone brings a lawyer into the picture these days. This was too strange.”

  She came to me and caressed my back. “It could be nothing. Don’t worry, my love, the evidence which you had was pointing to him, and he got punished.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

  I finished the juice in what felt like a million gulps and got up. “So, you ready to go?”

  “Yup,” she nodded. We got in the Rover, and she started the engine. She wanted the Rover for the day. She was going to drop me and pick me up later.

  “I call shotgun,” I uttered excitedly.

  “Honey, we don’t have anyone else with us.” She chided.

  I got into the comfortable passenger seat, yawning and feeling sleepy again. We drove off. She was observing me out of the corner of her eye, “Honey, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I am fine, feeling a bit restless for a few days.”

  “See, this is where I come to rescue with my health drinks,” she exclaimed. I chuckled, then dozed off.

  It is said, don’t take things for granted. The times when you do, you have a way of losing them. I never took her for granted or my life. I cherished her and our little world every moment that I could. It is also said that bad things still happen to good people, no matter how good they have led their lives and how much they have cherished them.

  It happened very fast, and I couldn’t figure out much, but it felt like an incoherent nightmare.

  The car jolted hard to the left, and I awoke as a searing pain went through the left side of my head. I tried to scream but couldn’t. I faintly withdrew my head inside which had gone through the window of the car and looked towards Shikha, struggling to keep my eyes open. She was unconscious, bleeding from her forehead and hanging from the seatbelt above me as the Rover overturned in mid-air.

  I tried to do something, free her, but it was like I had lost control of my arms. Somehow, I managed to open my seatbelt. Her side bounced off the hard concrete as I watched in horror and the impact from the bounce-off caused the door at my side to fling open.

  I gained consciousness again as I seemed to be rolling to a halt on the hard-concrete road at the side of the freeway, my whole body was in pain, but I was helpless. All I knew was that I had to save her. Heck, I couldn’t lose her. She was my life – my everything.

  “Shi-Shi-Shikha!”

  There was no reply. I tried shouting again, but the result was the same. Maybe it was a nightmare; everything will be back to normal once I get up from my sleep. With that thought, my eyes closed as I passed out.

  I awoke again to find the Rover a few meters away, tilted on the opposite side of the road, tires still revolving and oil spurting out of it. I tried crawling, but it was taking ten times my usual effort which I didn’t seem to have at that time.

  I put my arm forward to grasp helplessly in mid-air. I could feel tears flowing down my cheeks as the Rover exploded and went up in flames. I lost consciousness again.

  HARROW

  ‘Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones. They're the modern Stone Age family. From the town of Bedrock. They're a page right out of history.’

  I didn’t want to open my eyes. I scanned the left of my bed and then the right but couldn’t find the damn ringing phone.

  ‘Have a yabba dabba doo time. A dabba doo time.’

  I finally found it. I was lying on top of it. Without checking the caller or opening my eyes, I disconnected the call. I couldn’t go to sleep again, but I kept lying there with my eyes closed. I found a bottle with two to three sips of Vodka left in it. I instantly emptied it and felt like I had poured fire in my windpipe. Most of the people drank tea or coffee in the morning, but I was a different breed. I wasn’t always like this, but the loss of a loved one could turn your life over.

  ‘Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones. They're the modern Stone Age family. From the town of Bedrock. They're a page right out of history.’

  The ringtone forced me to open my eyes.

  DAMN!!

  A sharp pain occurred in my head and my eyes hurt. I instantly got up and covered the window pane with curtains. The sunlight was killing me as though I was a vampire.

  ‘Flintstones. Me-’

  I picked up my mobile and saw a familiar name on the screen. It was Aditi. What could have she wanted from me this early in the morning? After a few seconds, I finally decided to pick up the call.

  “Hello.”

  There was no reply from her end, but I could hear faint voices. “Hello! Aditi, your voice is inaudible,” I shouted.

  She must have butt-dialed me, I thought and was about to disconnect the call when I heard something that shook me.

  “Noooooo,” Aditi shouted, and she sounded scared.

  I jumped up the bed and placed the mobile on my ear with all my force, increased the volume to the maximum to listen to the conversation. She was in trouble and needed my help. I plugged a headset in my ear and could listen to the conversation easily now.

  “What did you think? We won’t find you?”

  She shrieked. “I cannot help you; I fought my whole life against people like you.”

  “Bitch, take this.” And I could hear a tight slap and her crying over the phone.

  It took me a few seconds to realize that I knew the second voice too. It was one of my closest friends. It was Ajeet – that hoarse voice was definitely his.

  “Ajeet, I tho-thought we were friends.”

  She had confirmed it. It was indeed Ajeet – he was hurting her. But why was he doing all of this? I had to act fast if I wanted to save her. I couldn’t lose someone again. She had called me because she knew that I could help her. I rushed to the other room and started dialing Pratap’s number from the landline. He deserved to know that Ajeet had gone rogue.

  ‘The number you are trying to call is not reachable at the moment.'

  FUCK!!!

  I redialed his number, but the result was the same. I wanted to call Ajeet, but I didn’t want to put any more danger on her life. I dialed Alan’s number. It went straight to voicemail.

  ‘I am busy right now, please leave your message after the beep.’

  All of my friends were unavailable. I couldn’t fathom that no one was there with me in such a screwed-up situation. I had to act fast. I took my bottle of painkillers out of the bedside drawer and gulped down two pills at once. I needed to focus.

  “Ajeet, please leave me. I won’t tell anybody about this.”

  “Hahahahaha! If you don’t give answers to me, I would have to call my friend for further questioning. And my friend is this knife, who just wants to say ‘hi!’”

  Her cry was ear-deafening. She was a strong girl and listening to her quivering voice like this killed me.

  “I thought you were a brave little girl. I just placed a tiny cut on your hand, and you are crying your heart out. This can go on for hours unless you help me. I will do the same to all of your body parts,” he shouted.

  I took the keys of my pulsar that I had bought a few days back.

  “I plead to you, please leave me �
�� I don’t know anything. Don’t you remember the times that we shared – you, me, Arjun, Alan, and Pratap?”

  “Bitch, this is business. Don’t test my patience,” he slapped her hard.

  I needed to find her fast. I remembered Neha saying that she wasn't home for the last two weeks. So, I had to get the call traced to find her, and that could only happen at the place where I lost my honor – Defense Colony Police Station. It was ten in the morning, and there was a rush on the roads. It was just a ten minutes’ journey to the Station, but it felt like an eternity, with the call not helping.

  “Aditi, I don’t have much time here. Either your mouth starts talking or else my knife will.” Ajeet snarled.

  “Okay, I will tell you, I had known that there was something fishy about your organization from day one. Hence I started investigating about it-”

  “Where is it?” Ajeet cut in, his pitch reaching dangerous levels.

  “I don’t have it. You are mistaken.”

  “Bitch – you don’t need this little finger of yours. Let me have it.”

  AAAAAHHHHHHHH!

  I was about to shout in despair, but I covered my mouth with my hand. I wanted to call Pratap, but I couldn’t have disconnected the call. Aditi’s life depended on it. After reaching the Station, I didn’t waste any second and jumped inside. The interiors were still the same, desks lined up parallel to each other; two constables were sitting at the wooden desks, but they were talking over phones. I rushed towards the first free person I could find, a young officer working on his desk.

  “I wanted to meet Pratap, where is he?”

  “Who are you? If you want to lodge a complaint or FIR, you can go over there and ask for Dharampal.”

  I wanted to shout at him, but it wasn’t his fault. He was just doing his duty; Pratap was the ACP here, and he had a separate office at the right. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and raced towards it. I opened the door, but he was not there.

  “Excuse me, mister. Where are you going?” shouted that same officer.