Life After Death

It must be my birth. I was crying like hell. I don't remember the day though.It doesn't matter also I guess. There was no one around and there were no relatives or any one to celebrate it. May be after one year when I will be one year old, my birthday will be celebrated. Let's not go into future. No one has seen it. But where was it? I don't remember the place also. I could smell something burning. But my olfactory organs were not developed enough to recognize it.

I hated these people who didn't have any other purpose in life then to kill people. Bastards. They act like as if they are innocent and don't have anything to do with the innumerable no of people they would have killed. They have ceased to be human, and so have I. I had to. I still remember the first time I shot a man. The bullet pierced his chest and blood came out. I could see the fear in his face and the mixed anger in his eyes. My fingers were numb. Holding an AK 47 was never so easy. At that moment I realized the power of this small weapon. It never felt the same while shooting at puppets during training. It was rather fun.For a moment I thought whether it was right or wrong. But when you are fighting for your country and against terrorists there is nothing right or wrong. There is only one thing. You are doing your duty. Somewhere down the line after killing five militants I also ceased to remember that they are also human beings, human beings of a different kind. If you don't kill them they will kill you and more. In a way you are saving thousands of lives by killing one person.

I didn't stop crying and that's when my mother started feeding me. The first element of food, food for sustenance. But the burning smell was still there. It was a dark room, but enough light to see things clearly.I don't know why but my mother was tense.

Even though I didn't think twice before killing these militants my hands freezed when I killed a young boy with a gun in his hand. It was just in a moment. It was more of saving myself then killing him. He wasn't alone. They were in a group. We had to gun them down. When he should have been in school with a school bag in his hand, he was carrying a gun. What are these people up to. I don't know. They are just militants. He didn't look innocent. There was a strange kind of anger in his eyes. Something which you won't see in a person his age. Again my mind could not decide if it was right or wrong. That day I could not sleep. It was much more painful then the first time I had killed the militant. For two days I was in a shocked state.

I had to move on. I had to keep alert to do my duty. Its not easy, specially when you are working in such drastic environments where anything can happen in anymoment. They have a life of their own and we have our own. When we meet , whether its militants or us, human beings die. Sometimes we are lucky sometimes they are lucky to survive, may be to die a death a little later or never. No one knows. Life is like that. It is said that when you die the whole life flashes infront of your eyes. I don't know what would have the militant thought while I killed him or the young boy. He was still a minor. How much of life had he seen to recap it while dying. We had got information about a group of terrorists hiding in a small house. Going through the hilly rough roads and walls made of stones we found them out. There were five of them, again one of them was a young one.It was just a fraction of a moment, he fired a bullet and it hit me. I collapsed there. It was like lightning. I wasn't feeling the pain anymore.My mind had taken over my neural system I guess. I wasn't fighting death there. Lying in a pool of blood I thought about the young boy I gunned down a few days back, the memory was still fresh in my mind. Whether it was wrong or right, I don't know. There was not enough time for the whole of my life to flash infront of my eyes. The thoughts were like a trip. They just came one by one in a random fashion. I could see the young boy who had shot me being shot by another soldier. At that time I could feel a strange kind of pain, a strange kind of sympathy for the boy. He didn't look like a terrorist at that moment. He just looked like an innocent boy being killed for nothing. I felt helpless. Two of the soldiers rushed towards me.I could barely see them. I breathed my last breath.

I was silent by this time. My stomach was full and I was no more hungry. My mother was still tense. A few holes on the roof made way for the sun rays, the only source of light in the room, diverging from the top. The surrounding was silent.By this time I had gone into a deep sound sleep. Suddenly a loud explosion broke the silence. It was so loud that it woke me up and I started crying. I could feel the grip of my mother's hand holding me tight and crying. A hand wet with blood reached for my hands and held it for a moment and then dropped. It was my fate to be reborn into a family of militant.

Ankit/Neha/Nikhil/Sanju --- Part 1

The view gives a feeling of ownership. Nikhil is standing near the window at the 8th floor of the Software technology Park building and watching the whole worldoutside. He has been dreaming and planing about this all his life. To have a companyof his own. And here it is."Scouva Technologies Solutions".At the heart of Pune.The table calender, the paper weight,
the pen stand with a STS logo look so nice. People may not notice these things,but ask someone who has been dreaming of acompany, how they are attached with these small details. He is in a state ofmixed feelings. Ankit his joint partner ofthe company is sitting on the sofa and is having a cup of coffee. Even he ishaving mixed feelings, He is happy that finallythey have made it. All the hardwork and years of planning has materilised.The joy is simply unexpressable. But at thesame time he is feeling a little confused, a little scared. What if everythingdoesn't workout.How is it going to be infuture.

Things are going to change soon. Infact very soon. Just two weeks are there.
Nikhil's phone rings. Its Neha, his wife.
"Hello",
"Congratulations, Finally you have your dream come true, How is it feeling,
Nikhil"
Nikhil just could not speak anything, he is at loss of words. Somehow he manages
to speak.
"Ya, it feels great, I wish you were here"
"I know, thats why I am coming, I am at the parking area, I will be there in 10
minutes"
"Ok",
All these while Ankit has been watching Nikhil talking to Neha.
"Nikhil, why didn't you call her, its a big day for you, to celebrate success?"
Nikhil gives a blank look and says,"Lets not talk about it, Neha will be here in
a few minutes and I want to enjoy this
moment with her, she has seen how hard we have worked for this."
After sometime , Neha turns up. Gives a hug to Nikhil,"I am really happy Nikhil."
"Hi , Neha", "Hi", Ankit smiles a bit and says, "So, how is the office?"
"Really beautiful, you guys deserve it."

After sometime other coleagues turn up and its party time. Everyone is discussingabout the company, the look of the office,what's happening in life and stuff. Again Nikhil comes to the glass window, takesout a cigarette and starts smoking. Helooks a little tensed.Neha comes and stands near him.
"Don't think much about it,we are having a nice time and its two weeks ahead,
we will handle it, enjoy your success now."
"Ya , you are right, lets enjoy, do you want one more? " and smiles, Neha grabsanother peg. The music becomes peppy and loud, everyone is getting high.

Neha heads the technical department of a software firm,a modern carrer orientedwoman. She is beautifull,smart and hardworking. Neha Agrawal,now Neha Sharma,Nikhil's love.

Ankit/Neha/Nikhil/Sanju --- Part 2

Neha is wearing a jeans and top, she is looking great,along with a bunch of gals she enters the college campus. Nikhil, Ankit and Ajay are sitting on the bench, smoking and staring at the gals.
"Hi gals", Ajay shouts blowing smoke in the air. The gals look scared. "Don't get scared,just give your intro""I am Neha Agrawal, from Ranchi, Computer Science", "I am Ruchi, I am from Ranchi, Computer Science", "I am Sarika, from Jamshedpur" I am in Electrical."The gals remain silent. Ankit shouts,, "Is that all??"Nikhil ,"Let them leave, we will take full intro later", "Neha, if you need any help you can tell me, I am also in computer science " "Ok, thanks". The gals leave.
Suddenly, Nikhil starts blushing, Ankit is still looking at the gals. Ajay is just enjoying the last puffs of the cigarette.

Later on they became really good friends and it took Nikhil two years to propose, in his third
year, he said I love you,to Neha Time just passed and Nikhil got a software engineering job. After one year Neha also got a software job. Though, now Nikhil and Neha were staying away from each other , the phone calls kept them close. By this time Ankit finished his Masters and
landed a good job. Finally Nikhil and Neha decide to get married. And Neha moves in to Pune
after switching to a new job. Now Nikhil is very busy with his job and planning the new startup, building contacts meeting new people.The no of phone calls have reduced, its the ocassional weekend dinner,where they get some time for each other. Somewhere down the line Ankit
had a soft corner for Neha ,but could never express it or tell her, now that they are in the
same city, he chats with her ocassionaly on phone. The relationship now takes a new form, its no more the old friendship. He listens to her problems, how she is dealing with the new job and stuff like that. Though she knows that she is married , but she could not control her
feelings. Even Ankit knows that, Nikhil is going to be his business partner when they form the
company and this could lead to no where. But somehow he justs keeps these things away from Nikhil. For both Nikhil and Ankit, starting this company and make it work was something which was always a priority.Both Nikhil and Ankit were planningon a startup from their early stages of carrer.And now they have done it together.

Ankit/Neha/Nikhil/Sanju---- part 3

Suddenly, Nikhil's phone rings. Its Sanjana.
"Hi, Sanju", "Hi, Congrats, how is the party going,"
"its great,everyone is enjoying, wait let me go out, its too loud here," "Ok"
"Where are you sanju, I called at your office, you were not there,I tried your cell, it was switched off?"
"I am at home, today I took leave"
"Is everything Ok", "Ya ya, don't worry everything is fine, just enjoy the party , say congrats to Ankit
also, ok, bye"
"Ok, bye"
Nikhil gets back to the party. High on booze, he could not sleep that night. He starts looking at the trek suit and the jogging shoes. They are just the usual daily use items, but today they have some special meaning.

Ankit/Neha/Nikhil/Sanju --- part 4

5: 30 AM,trinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg , alaram rings, Nikhil wakes up and gets ready for his jog. Neha is still sleeping, he doesn't disturb her and goes to the park for jogging. The fresh air feels so nice. And the warm sunlight. Everyday he sees lots of faces,, some regular some new, some preity faces. "Hiiiiii,, sanju", someone shouts and for a second Nikhil looks at the gal who shouted while still running and collides with sanjana who is also looking at the her friend who shouted.

"Oh, I am sorry." Are you Ok?" "Ya, I am fine, just a few bruises. Actualy its my fault I was looking at my friend."
"Well, actually its my fault , I was also looking at your friend when she shouted." both laugh. "Its
bleeding,come with me, apply some dettol and clean it." "No, its ok, I will manage"
"No, you should not neglet it, I have a first aid box in my car,it wont take much time" "Ok"
Sanju, a young gal, in a blue and white track suit was looking really cool.She has this amazing smile which everyone will love.
"Thanks a lot" "Welcome, shall I drop you somewhere"
"No its fine, we will manage, my friend has a car"
And thats how Sanju and Nikhil met. Next morning again they met and Nikhil gets a new buddy to jog with, share a few jokes, have juice near the park,sometimes drop her at her apartment.Even Sanju also likes him.The mornings were becoming more and more brighter and both were looking forward to it every day.

Sanjana Shrivastav. An independent gal from a middle class family who has made it big on her own. She works with a NGO, is single stays with her friend in an apartment. The only sad part in her life is her boyfriend was not commited to the relation ship and they broke up.But thats the past. Gradually the morning jogs and chitchatting further went to carrer, interests and relationships,, yes relationships. Both were very frank about their relationships and their past.There was nothing to hide. Gradually bothstarted liking each other and
may be started loving each ohter. Both knew these feelings but could never say it to each other. Theusual flirting was always there.And gradually Nikhil was moving away from Neha, Sanju finally overcame the break up, Ankit was more and more getting concerned about Neha and his feelings for Neha were increasing day by day.Neha was a bit confused in all these. She liked Ankit very much for all his support, care and understanding, but she is married.And while all
this was happenig, she just knew that its the work and the new comapany planning is taking away a major chunk of Nikhil's time. She knew about Sanju, but just as a friend of Nikhil.Even also knew that Ankit is more then just a business partner to him and his
family.All three of them were college friends and he knew how supportive and caring Ankit is towards his family.But he didn't have any inkling what Ankit feels about Neha.

With time Neha could understood that Nikhil and Sanju are not just friends and its something more then that, but she never complained or never questioned Nikhil.Finally emotions took their way and both Nikhil and Sanju expressed their feelings for each other. Even Ankit expressed his feelings for Neha , though Neha didn't say yes to Ankit,still she could not say
a straight no also. Both Nikhil and Neha had realised that their marriage is not working out. And Nikhil told about Sanju to Neha. Surprisingly Neha was calm. She listened to every bit what Nikhil said. Both thought it will be better to part now. There is no point staying married when there is no love between them anymore.At the same time their company had started taking
shape and Neha was happy that Nikhil and Ankit's dream has come true. They worked out on the divorce and the legal procedure. Ankit knew about all these.But he never told Nikhil that he loves Neha. Even if he knew that they are going to get divorced. Now Neha also came out with her feelings for Ankit. But could never reveal this to Nikhil. At one end things are taking shape
for the new company and at the other end relationships broke and new relationships are forming. For everyone this was a strange situation.

Ankit/Neha/Nikhil/Sanju --- part 5

The divorce is just two weeks ahead. Neha is just confused. She doesn't know how will Nikhil react to her relationship with Ankit. Because they are business partners and if Nikhil and Ankit don't go well then all these years of hardwork will be shattered. She has seen how hard Nikhil and Ankit have worked hard for this.Even she could not sleep that night. Thoughts were running throuh her mind. Everyone was going thorough mixed feelings.

Next day Nikhil called Sanju and Neha to office.He didn't want to hide anything from either Sanju or Neha. Later on he tells everything to Ankit and tells him , why he didn't call Sanju to the party. He didn't want both Neha and Sanju to meet in such a situation. Finally the divorce takes place. And after one month Nikhil and Sanju get married, and go for a two week honeymoon. The company is doing well.Ankit is doing a great job in the handling of the company.Neha is continuing with her job. Now Ankit and Neha meet regularly. Both know whats the situation is.

After two weeks of honeymoon and holiday Nikhil is back and he gets the news from Ankit that Neha quit her job and now she has moved to Bangalore. Even though Nikhil and Neha are not together anymore, he feels sad for her. He asks Ankit, why did she quit the job, even though Ankit knows it, he doesn't say anything. Infact he stands speechless there, not able to utter a
single word. Finaly he controls his emotion and says, well may be she will feel much better there
after the divorce. Time just keeps passing and both Nikhil and Ankit are putting a lot of effort to take the company to new highs. Now they don't discuss about Neha or anything about their new relationship. Ankit is always a close friend to Nikhils new family and they celebrate every success and party together.

Things seem to have setteled down and everything seems running so smoothly, when, after about 6 months Ankit tells Nikhil that
he wants to leave the company.Nikhil is shocked. He has put so much effort in building this company and now he wants to leave. Ankit explains that he has got a job in bangalore , thouh a bit less paying then his current job, but still its a good job and also tells the exact reason for leaving also. He finally tells his feelings about Neha. Now Nikhil understands how deeply
they are in love. Ankit leaves the company with a happy note. He goes to bangalore where he marries Neha. Together they are a happy family now.

Keyboard Strokes

This is my short/medium/long stories corner. Anyone is welcome to read, comment and use it.