Attempt to Murder: Episode 6

It was only when Vidhi had drawn the analogy of a mockingbird to allegorically allude towards my innocence, that the rest of the gang began to catch a hint of how one-directional and reactionary their actions were. Meher's mind seemed to be in a drift, trying to calculate and configure the unfolding events. Zafar was simply standing wide-eyed...moving his glare back-and-forth between me and Vidhi, who was busy cradling the back of my head and nonchalantly mumbling about the stupidity of our companions. At the other side of the room, nearer to the door, was Kavya. A glimpse of her flummoxed face was enough to make me erupt in a chuckle which pierced the thin veil of dread and apprehension in the room. An uneasy peace now prevailed between the two sides, awaiting a final confrontation to provide closure.

Why?

The games you played,
The tricks you tried,
The pranks you pulled.
I didn't mind.
 
You moved,
You danced,
You sang,
Your own song.
I didn't mind.
 

Attempt to Murder: Episode 5

This was all I remembered of the night. In fact, it was the last thing I remembered until I woke up in the hospital room when Meher was preparing to leave for the night. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do, well, anything. Meher had also left, so I would have to wait until she returned in the morning to give any sort of impression that I was indeed awake. Recollecting the frenzy of events that had landed me in this soup kicked up a storm in my heart. I could feel a sense of repulsion and anger towards Kavya seething from every pore in my skin, but this was all dwarfed by my desperation to face Meher and let her know that I had not betrayed her trust. I tried to calm my nerves by visualizing the relief which would soon become apparent on Meher's face as she would relax her shoulders and drop the guard. Besides, the fact that Meher had been here by my bedside surely signified something. Did Kavya not say anything to her yet?

While I took the recourse of diving into the empty abyss of my mind to try and discover anything more which could assist me in determining what was going on, a flurry of whispers could be heard outside the room. I couldn't make out what was being said, but did recognise the three distinct voices that were floating in. They were Meher, Kavya and Zafar.

Ramblings: The Eye of the Storm

[June 2020]

We often proclaim that we are fortunate enough to be living in a free world. Free of the vices of colonialism, slavery, racism and discrimination. We pride ourselves in having established a new egalitarian world order that is based upon the tenets of equality and justice. We preach the ideals of righteousness and fairness, that is, the golden rule of treating others as you would expect to be treated yourself. We take comfort in the innocent belief that all persons, regardless of their secondary identifiers such as colour, caste, religion, race, gender and sex, are treated alike.

The Constitution of India, considered by many to be a holy document, prohibits discrimination on the above-mentioned grounds and guarantees the right to equality to all persons, by way of Article(s) 14 and 15. The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was aimed at putting an end to the racial discrimination faced by persons of colour. Today, historical movements against discrimination, such as the anti-Apartheid and the Civil Rights movements, are commemorated as the harbingers of equality. Discrimination, apparently, has become an alien concept to us, one which died a slow death a long time ago. It is treated as nothing but another chapter in the history books.

On May 25 of this year, however, the world was jolted awake from this fantasy with the homicide of George Floyd in Minneapolis, United States. Floyd, an African-American, was murdered by police officers in an apparent case of racism and police brutality. Derek Chauvin, a white officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds while the latter kept pleading that he was unable to breathe. Recordings of the incident show by-standers trying to intervene and persuade the officers to get off him as Floyd became increasingly unresponsive. The murder sparked outrage on an unprecedented scale as anger over racial discrimination and the use of excessive force by police officers bubbled over the breaking point. The incident also resuscitated the Black Lives Matter movement, a campaign against incidents of police brutality against African-Americans.

Life's Too Short

The world is a wonder,

With so much to display.

 

The world is a wonder,

With so much to offer.

 

The world is a wonder,

With so much to conquer.

 

The world is a wonder,

With so much left to discover.

 

Life's too short, start right away!

Attempt to Murder: Episode 4

"Would you mind if I borrow your beloved for a celebratory dance?" Kavya addressed Meher, disrupting the tranquil sweeping over our table.

"Not a bit, he's all yours..." responded Meher and then quickly added, "do return him once you've taught him how to let his body loose and actually dance for a change!" 

"In that case, I'm afraid I won't ever be able to hand him back over to you. For all his other qualities, he's never been one to shake a leg with." The two of them shared a good laugh at the expense of my incapability to dance.

Attempt to Murder: Episode 3

Our party of five occupied a large, circular table at the Matchbox Lounge. I was flanked by Meher on my right and Vidhi on the left side. Kavya was seated directly opposite to me, with Zafar placed in between her and Vidhi. The evening's celebrations were kick-started with a round of drinks from the bar. We merrily drank to our collective success and raised a toast for all the good times yet to come. As is often characteristic of such gatherings, conversations soon shift from the present to reminiscences of the past. Naturally, the subject-matter of our discussion had also started to steer towards memories of the early days - from how we all met and became fast friends to all the planning, dreams, struggles, failures, fights and embarrassments that tagged along. In ten years, we had formed quite the treasure trove of memories and experiences, all of which were recollected one-by-one.

Attempt to Murder: Episode 2

So there we were, the five of us, at the Matchbox Lounge in Hauz Khas, South Delhi. It was almost 10 PM in the clock and the weekday crowd had begun to call it a day, leaving us in a relatively empty and peaceful environment to relish our recent successes. None of us had bothered to get dressed for the occasion but had put on some modest, almost business-like, attires that gave out professional and sophisticated vibes. None of us, but Kavya! Kavya had chosen to dazzle in a stunning black one-shoulder midi dress. As she approached us at the entrance of the lounge, I felt as if she was strutting out on to the red carpet. Meher whispered in my ears about how beautiful she was looking, a proper damsel.

Attempt to Murder: Episode 1

As she came close and leaned over to land a gentle kiss on my forehead, beads of perspiration trickled from her body onto mine. They rolled down my cheeks and slowly dissipated within me, symbolic of the part of her that would always reside in my heart. As she kissed my forehead, numerous strands of her thick, dark hair formed a curtain around our heads. I had often found comfort from the deepest troubles when I ran my hands slowly through her flowing hair. In fact, her hair worked such a charm on me that I would start pouring out the most mundane thoughts to her. She was the perfect listener, soaking in all the love, hate or anger that my thoughts had to offer. Whatever trials, travails or tribulations that I encountered, she was always there... just as she had been there now for the past one week, waiting patiently for me to wake up and talk to her. When she got up and prepared to leave for the night, suppressing a sob every now and then, I longed to call out and tell her how much I yearned for the warmth of her hug.

Life's A Mystery

Life's a mystery,

Puzzling you at every nook and corner.

Solve one and out pops another!

 

Life's a mystery,

Dazzling you at every curve and border,

Recover from one and there's another!

Life's a mystery,

Blinding you at every turn it has to offer,

Avoid one and run into another!

 

Life's a mystery,

Setting traps at every step in order,

Jump over one and fall straight into another!

 

But life's too short to worry, so,

Buckle up and grace every moment you have to deliver.