God of Small Things !

Its been a year now. It took him five seconds to realize that, it was his phone that was ringing. He answered the unknown number, to hear an unfamiliar voice. "No." He said and then, "Sorry, I can't make it." and hung up the call. By the time he dropped his phone into his pockets, his mind had processed the words of the unfamiliar voice into sentences and has conveyed their meaning to him.

Ilango and Shweta walked hand in hand into the crowded streets of Chennai. They had been seeing each other for the past five months and were in love. They entered a silent restaurant and found a table in a dark corner. In less than 48 hours, Shweta was going to become Mrs. Kannan. The marriage had been fixed less than a month ago, when Shweta was falling for Ilango. When the order had been placed and the waiter had left, Shweta bent forward and placed her lips softly on his. Ten seconds later, she said, "Nothing feels like the first kiss". Ilango replied in affirmative and added that it was their twelfth time. She smiled. He joined her. She had tried to convince her parents to stop the marriage, but she couldn't. Ilango was helpless, he was jobless too. When eloping was not an option, they had decided to die. The dishes were on the table. 

He woke up the next morning. Brushing his teeth, he looked into the mirror. All he could see was a tug of war between his heart and his brain. And it was advantage brain. He took bath, dressed up and walked to his office. He checked mails, scraped in orkut and was reading cricinfo when his phone rang again. The number was no more unknown. He had answered it once. The voice no more unfamiliar. He had heard it once. He answered, but never uttered a word. He hung up. He will not do it. He can not. After all he had been through. 

Shweta was in her death bed. Blood was oozing out of her skull. It was a lorry. She was surrounded by her family. All crying, praying for a miracle. She had fought her wounds and had survived 24 hours. But she had not spoken a word or opened her eyes, but for once. 

Ilango went home. Waited for his mother to go to the groceries shop. When she was gone, he shut all doors and windows from inside. Wrote two letters, one for her parents and another(a longer one) to Shweta. He dropped them into his pockets and drank poison. 

It was only June and it was already raining in Bangalore. Smelling both sand and rain, he walked alone, in an almost empty Airport road. Trees on either side of the road, offered him cover from Rain. Beneath them, it was only drizzling and he was enjoying it. His phone rang. He pulled it out his of his pockets, wishing it were the same number. It was not. He did not answer. He cried with the rain. This was not what he wanted. His heart was winning.

After nearly 35 hours of fight, Shweta died, her last wish unfulfilled. Her house was like hell. Her parents were shouting in pain. Kannan, half dead himself. All her relatives were emptying their liquids. Kannan kissed her in her forehead for one last time. Her family custom was to burn the corpse. Arrangements for that started as well.

When Ilango's mother came back from the shop. she found the door locked. She banged it a couple of times. When Ilango did not answer, she ran next door for help. Their neighbour broke open the door, only to see a motionless Ilango. His body was cold. 

The flight from Bangalore to Chennai lasted less than a hour. when he landed, It was raining in Chennai. he hired an auto and drove straight to her house. From there to the grave yard. He did not cry. 

By the time he reached the graveyard, the funeral procession had left Shweta burning alone. He payed the driver, got down from the auto and went close to the flames, that was fighting the rain. He could see Shweta's face. He did not cry. He said "Hi Shweta". She did not respond. He smiled at her. He was going to touch her, when the lightning struck. 

Its been a year now. Shweta was married to Kannan and Ilango found himself a job in Bangalore. They did not die. They had no courage to do it. They went different ways, only to meet again now. Blood oozed out of Ilango's nose. He fell down. The next lightning turned him ash. They died, both of their last wishes unfulfilled. 

Ilango touched Shweta. He placed his lips on hers. She pushed him away and smiled. He joined her. They talked and talked and talked about the past year and the future. But, no one heard them.