Romeo never dies

 

Love and lust hardly co-exist. If you love a woman your lust for her can’t last for long; if you lust for a woman the relationship continues only if you end up loving her.

Love is human while lust is animal.

What I have been to Eva so far? An animal?

Why the f**k I am so much confused?

One

The story begins with three men, who were colleagues in the same office. They were never friends, but rivals, but under the present situation they compromised and teamed up…..to ensure the end of another of their colleagues, Narang.

Barid, Vikhu, Nishank were plotting against Narang in one of the roadside pubs of Mumbai suburb. Barid thought the place is nice to frame a ploy to finish someone they jointly abhorred from the bottom of their heart. The pub is hit mostly by local factory workers. ‘They can’t catch our conversation in English’

‘Are you guys thinking to take his life?’ Vikhu reacted with a double-mind. That would be too much. Narang never falls in the list of his favourites, but that shouldn’t cost him his life.

‘Why not? It’s matter of few seconds. We need one of those big trucks to smash his car on a face-to-face collision. Nobody will even have a doubt’ Nishank sounded totally aggressive.

There was a specific reason for that.

Nishank lost Pooja to Narang.

Pooja, the only daughter of the Managing Director, smart, slender, sexy -   desire of many of those budding executives of the company; Narang and Nishank reached the final round after a series of clashes with many. After two years’ long tug of war over Pooja when Narang finally made her his girl, he took Nishank completely at his wrong end.

‘I am against the murder’ Vikhu resisted Nishank’s point. ‘That would be too much of a revenge’

Nishank had good things about Vikhu in his mind neither. He never grew liking of any kind for this forty-touching colleagues of his. Vikhu is a divorcee, loner, not ambitious like others, and over and above lacking confidence in self. He looks confused in his approaches and fumbles to take decision.

Nishank had objected to include this man in their present association, but Barid had some other plan.

‘Will you feel comfortable working under that boisterous brat?’ Nishank threw his comment harshly targeting Vikhu, ‘By the way, it hardly matters to you whom are you working under. That explains why you have no bloody promotion in last five years’ his last sentence was slammed in a scathing sneer.

‘What the f**k you are talking about?’ Vikhu sharply raised his voice

‘Gentlemen, gentlemen’ Barid intervened waving to stop both of them.

‘We can continue this fight elsewhere, but for God’s sake not here’

‘If you guys have schemed to eliminate him, let me go then. I don’t want to be involved in any of those murder plans’ Vikhu made quick response, ignoring completely the fuming Nishank.

‘I can assure you it won’t be a physical murder’ Barid spoke softly to pacify him.

Nishank almost jumped upon Barid, ‘what the f**k would you like to do with him then?’

‘I want to see him being stripped off his authority, influence and reputation. That won’t be less than murder of any kind’ Barid spoke each and every word in sheer determination.

‘But how?’ Nishank looked impatient. ‘You know what you are talking about Barid? That bustard has so strongly positioned himself in every f*****g format of our office and that bloody blessing of our MD always following him, wherever he goes and whatever he does.  Just blast the head of that a*****e off man.’

‘No, that won’t be the right thing. We may not escape’ said Barid, ‘I have a much better plan that will kill the snake without breaking the stick’

‘Really?’ Nishank brought back his sneering tone, ‘Let’s know what the f**k you thought about to give him a run for protecting his bloody honour’

Two

‘You seem to be a nice guy’ Eva told me on our very first meet

‘How do you know that?’

‘You didn’t jump on my body after seeing me……like those nasty men’

‘Does it say everything about me?’

‘You mean to say you hid your nastiness from me?’

I laughed without giving any reply.

‘Why are you laughing?’ She gave a doubtful look.

‘You will see the nasty me next time’

‘You know what?’ she placed her hand on my bare chest, ‘I can tell if the man is nasty or not in his first touch. You can never be that whatever efforts you put, I guarantee’ she winked funnily.

I still remembered those words of Neeta that were often bombarded on me.

‘You are a cold man. No woman can stay with you’

I was never a good performer in bed.

Neeta gave me plenty of chances, but I could not display the kind of nastiness she would have preferred during our physical encounters.

‘What are you thinking about?’ Eva poked me.

‘Nothing’ I suddenly found myself entangled in the memories of my lost marriage, ‘May be you are right’

I called her to my apartment next time after a month of our first rendezvous. It was not purely my sexual appetite for her; she didn’t behave like a hard core professional escort in the last occasion and I somehow got confidence in that.

My second physical union with her was not disastrous like before. She was more supportive this time, pampered me to come out with my nastiness that generated hell of a lot confidence in me.

Something that never happened before in my life with a woman.

Hitting my place on Friday evenings became her routine thereafter. I used to give her good money to buy all her weekends’ nights.

She was happy with a harmless client like me.

I was happy to have a companion who at least didn’t make me feel lonely.

Three

‘I have a farm house in Khandala. I am throwing a party there for our new VP of the company…to celebrate his promotion…….Barid continued the discussions. ‘The good thing is he agreed to participate’

Nishank couldn’t believe his ears, ‘You are throwing party for that bloody mother f****r? Have you gone out of your bloody mind?’

Barid’s eyes were twinkling in excitement, ‘Can you arrange a fleshy babe for the party?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I want to see Narang being bedded with that babe so that I can make a small video clip……and’ Barid abruptly discontinued to sense the reactions from his colleagues. They were giving all ears to him.

‘And…..’ Nishank said impatiently, ‘Why did you stop?’

‘I would like to SMS that clip to….’ Barid gave them a sudden mysterious smile.

‘To the chairman?’ Vikhu breathlessly asked

‘No, his daughter Pooja who is also Narang’s fiancée. I would like to let her know what kind of person she is going to tie the knot with……that would also be a jolt for our Chairman who made his would-be son-in-law the VP of the company…….ignoring people like us who shed their blood and sweat for the company for years’ Barid, while saying the last few words clenched his teeth in vengeance.

‘That’s what you have planned?’ Vikhu asked again.

‘How you guys feel about it?’ Barid asked his colleagues back.

‘I like the plan’ for the first time Nishank’s voice was soft, ‘I know Narang is screwing around here and there. Nothing better if he can directly be exposed to Pooja’

‘Can you get me the girl who has no problem to be snapped in bed with Narang?’

‘I am not a f*****g pimp, damn it’ Nishank couldn’t hide his irritation once again.

‘Remember, the girl should be trustworthy enough to abide by our directions……’ Barid gave a meaningful look to Vikhu, ‘You have dealt with several of those escort services for our big international clients. You might manage one…..’

Vikhu didn’t know what to say. What’s the f**k these people think he did for the company so far? Distinguished supplier of those horny hotties to those brazen bullies?   

‘Come on Barid. What’s the big deal in it? We will hire a call girl. They are many roaming around the city. We will flood her with money’ said Nishank

‘No, not those traditional call girls. They lack sophistication. Narang is a seasoned womanizer. We need someone special who can hook him easily in the party’

‘Then Vikhu can very well contact some of those well decorated and well mannered escort girls he has been so expert in dealing with’ Nishank patted his back with a dirty wink.

Vikhu felt sudden rage boiling in his head.

Four

‘You spend lot of money after me?’

‘So what?’ I just give you your fees Eva’

‘Su, listen, sometimes I feel guilty’

‘Why?’

‘I feel like cheating you Su’

‘Cheating me? How?’

‘I spend hours in your place, destroy your food and drinks, enjoy luxury of all kinds…..but give almost nothing in exchange’

‘You may not be true’

‘How do you say that?’

‘Eva, I am an abandoned person on earth……floating like an island in the limitless ocean…..you at least dare to drop your anchor here’

She didn’t give any reply.

We were lying naked on the bed after a brief episode of love-making. She had a good body and I loved that. I loved to play with her assists, but I couldn’t find my solace in them.

Eva understood that. Probably that’s why she felt guilty.

After a long time she broke the silence, ‘Why falling in love is so difficult Su?’

‘You like to love someone?’

‘May be you?’ She slowly pushed herself in my body to make me feel her sympathizing warmth.

I pushed her aside gently, ‘Falling in love is also difficult for me, Eva’

As if we were located on the two opposite banks of a dull, loveless river, waiting to be love-struck for ages.

Five

‘I know one girl. She will be ready to do our job’

 ‘How is she? I mean physically?’

‘She is a perfect choice for this job. Leave the whole responsibility on me’

 ‘I know you are an expert in this’

‘Hope she won’t withdraw in the last moment. Remember, she will be part of movie clip’

‘No, that will never happen’

‘How much we need to pay the girl?’

‘Let me negotiate that’

‘Excellent, thank a lot. Hope the plan will be a success at the end’

‘You are a darling boss’

Conclusion

‘Why you did it, Su?’

‘My name is not Su’

‘Then what’s your real name?’

‘Vikhu’

‘Why had you told me a wrong name?’

‘Because I didn’t want to disclose my real name to an escort girl like you’

‘Then why are telling me the real name now?’

‘Because I am no more confused’

‘What had you been confused about?’

‘If I love you or not? And the truth is I love you Eva, more than anything on this earth’

‘Then why the hell on earth  you surrendered me to that ferocious man in the party. He was such a brute and nothing but a woman-eating monster’

‘I was testing my love for you Eva’

‘He could have destroyed me completely’

‘When he was taking you to the room upstairs, I was looking at your eyes………….and?’

‘And, what?’

‘I saw my solace in them that I had been searching for years in a woman’

‘Had you ever thought the monster would have tore me into pieces by that time before you sought your stupid solace in me? How come you could take so much of risk on my life stupid fool?’

‘Eva, I took risk on my life and soul, do you know that? I would have killed myself if something truly happened to you in the party. I was prepared for that’

‘How can you be so selfish? You don’t know the value my life?’

‘Don’t say your life anymore. It is now our life Eva. And I value each and every aspect of our life’

‘You have no right to say that’

‘Eva, I killed two of my colleagues for you’

‘You killed them? Oh my God’

‘I broke a full bottle of beer on Narang’s head when he was dragging you to the upstairs. It is unlikely that he is alive till now.  I shoot Barid exactly in between his eyes to see his blood stain brain spilling out from his bloody skull, haven’t you seen that? All happened in front of your eyes’

‘Why did you kill the second man?’

‘He was about to click your video with Narang in bed. He planned to send the MMS to Narang’s fiancée to ruin his life. That was actually our joint plan’

‘Oh my goodness…. You guys are so mean’

‘Narang became VP of the company at the mercy of the chairman of our company because he was about to marry his daughter. We planned to fix him with a sex scandal MMS, that’s why the party was organized and I brought you to the party……as bait’

‘To fix your colleague?’

‘No, to test my love for you. I could never had a better situation than this to put me into a test to get out of my confusion. I wanted to see you in other man’s arms to know how my bloody feeling responds to that’

‘And you killed two men damn it. You can never escape now’

‘I know that Eva, I put myself into a tough test which asks now a very heavy price for me’

‘Have you ever thought of me? What I will do now?’

‘Start a new life Eva. I have already transferred all my property and money to your name. Find a suitable life partner and settle in life with him…………….after all we are not exactly the right pair, I am 40 you are 25………………difference of more than a decade’

‘But what about the love that you found out after years’ of search? Will it die down like this?’

‘Love never dies Eva, love is immortal. I will love you till the last day of my life, it will never ever fade’

 

The story ends here.

Vikhu was sentenced lifelong imprisonment to brutally murder two his colleagues in a party.

Eva is still waiting for him.

She believes he will return to her one day.

 

Reviews

[Manpreet]

great piece!!

[Arielle Ann]

excellent! all your stories explore the darkness that surrounds us in an abstract manner.bravo!!

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the story. I the world of big business. It is a different world. Money can bring different things to you. I like the way you set-up the story and the surprise ending. Thank you for sharing the excellent story.
Coyote

[Taylor H.]

That would be too much of a revenge’---that would be too much revenge

‘Then Vikhu can very well contact some of those well decorated and well mannered escort girls ----well-mannered

very interesting story. I enjoy the names you chose ;)

[Kuhr Gred]

:) very nice story.. it reflects here at your poem that Love never dies :) KEEP IT UP
- KUhr Gred

[Leslie Philibert]

I really like Sugatas prose, the name alone are magic, the background, he transports me to new places, new situations, I like the structure too, not usual but a good interplay between dialog and action, good one.

[MoriartyMesa]

Sort of feels this skips around a bit, are you considering this for a play? Would make a damned good one IMO.