Seat belt

He dint knew the name of the road, neither did he cared. Slowly he walked. Staring at his shadow slowly circling around him, as he passed under the array of street lights. His dark alter-ego dwarfing and elongating, as if replaying his life.

In never really cold in Calcutta, but the fog was dense. Moon looked hazy, but beautiful.

A drop of blood trickled down from his forehead and got stuck in his eyebrow.

------------

'We should have started early'

'I know, and it’s the 10th time you are saying this'

'Huh, but what’s the use, Arijit. You had to see sunset at the beach. So did your sun do a little tap dance before it set’, Neera replied.

'Come on it was beautiful, the changing colours of the sky. In Calcutta sky is always dull grey, don’t you get bored of it'

'No, I have better things to get bored of'

------------

The pain was setting in. But he refused to acknowledge it. Slowly he limped forward.

Occasional cars zoomed past him. He wished they switch off their headlights. The glare irritated him.

Arijit searched his pockets. The cigarette packet was still there, but crumpled.

He took a broken cigarette and lighted it.

------------

Arijit's dwarfed Maruti desperately tried to keep pace with the mammoth Lorries overtaking him.

The loneliness of highway was luring him with its overflowing breeze.

Neera looked visibly bored.

'Why don’t you put the seat belt?'Neera asked

'Is there any check post out here?'

'No, but seat belts are not meant for check post, it’s more about something called safety'

'Yea right, as if they don’t tie me enough on Calcutta roads. Let me be free here at least'

'Whatever' She replied, tightening her seat belt a bit.

------------

Few urchins huddled near the burning garbage. The raw smell of burning plastic nauseated him a bit.

But he hobbled towards the fire for the welcome heat.

With his dusty torn clothes, he dint attracted much attention.

------------

'Call Montu da and order sum dinner. I think there is nothing left in fridge' she said

'No network dear. Don’t worry we will parcel something on the way'

'Uff, I don’t wanna have outside food again. Let’s go home we will manage something.'

The fog was turning dense. The sharp glare of passing Lorries turned into distant aura of light.

Mist seeping in through the windows filled him with a musky smell earth.

------------

His head was slowly clearing up. Thoughts and pain rushed to fill the emptiness inside him.

He resisted. He wanted to be void.

He looked at his watch. A shard of glass was stuck between the hands of time. A desperate attempt to stop time.

9:12 it read.

-------------

'What is the time?'

'God, look in your own wrist watch would you' he replied

'Cummon I like when you tell me the time!!’ she smiled

'OK weirdo!! Its 9:10 or something' he tried to read the time.

The light of an approaching lorry suddenly engulfed him. Night turned into day it seemed.

He pushed the brake hard, bit too hard.

A snap.

The car got mind of its own.

The lorry sped away. It was darkness all over again.

The screech of the burning tyre broke the silence.

'Jump out of the car' he screamed to her.

He jumped out of the door and glanced back.

She was struggling to open her seat belt.

Death smiled. Life apologised.

The crunch of the breaking window panes.

The car turned once. Then twice.

The hungry flames lighted the vast fields of harvested wheat.

Smell of burning flesh confirmed.

-------------

He stared at the dying flame of the fire. He sat alone.

The urchins and the mongrels huddled around another garbage bin on fire.

It was going to be a long cold night.

Tomorrow he will cry.
Tomorrow he will burn in guilt for rest of his life.
Tomorrow he will accept pity and listen to those sugar-coated lies.
But tonight he will live for one last time.

Tonight he was allowed to shed just

One Drop of Tear!!

P.S: Tried to keep it short dis time....hope it not too cramped :)