A Simple Co-incidence

The sunshine intertwined with echoes, numbed his ears while the jumping nerves of his mind tried it’s best to ease. 

“Now I would like to call Viraj Sharma on the stage and request the Chief Guest Mr Atul Tiwari to reward him with a bravery award” The man on the stage announced.

As the vibrations of his name bounced off his eardrums, Viraj stood up and paced forward towards the stage. The rounds of applauses and hoots seemed to bring him back to his senses and he received the award with a wide smile pasted on his face. 

“Thank you. Thank you.” Viraj repeated almost a millionth time. 

“Congratulations Viraj.” Mr Tiwari wished with a hearty handshake. 

“Now I would request our new captain, Mr Viraj Sharma, to say a few words.”

Viraj deliberately took the mic, as if fearing it might fall from his hands. He cleared his throat and began.

***

29 June (5 days before the award ceremony)

“Sir,” I said in my usual attention position. I think I should ask him, it is just a simple question. Damn dude, why are my thoughts always so curious? It might trip me in a trap of scoldings but I guess I would have to take the risk.

“Hm?” The moustached man said without looking up from his files. 

“Are you a spy?” 

“Do you even know what you’re saying!” He barked, furiously staring at me. 

Beads of sweat drifted off my forehead. With my heart creeping up to my throat I mumbled “Eh..sorry Captain, I just.”

“What!” He yelled. 

“I saw you talking to someone last night outside the camp. He didn’t look familiar.” A courageous brick inside my soul spoke which also broke at the end of its last words. 

“Well, guess what kid, you better mind your own business.” He said pinning a finger on my chest. 

“Yes sir. Sorry.” I gave my unsatisfied apologies and started to walk in the opposite direction when he interrupted. 

“Uh-uh. Wait, kid. You expect to slip off the hook so easily? It might work like that on the Nagaland base, this is Kashmir. You’ll do the night shift today.”

“But sir, I have my night shift tomorrow.”

“Then do it tomorrow too. I simply don’t care.”

“Yes, captain” I saluted him. I did not know whom to curse. Myself or this shady mindless captain? Anyways, my goodbyes to the night’s sleep till then (ughh).

#

“Common Chandu, pull up the drive,” I said jumping in the jeep. 

“Sir, you?” 

“Yes, I know. That captain..never mind. You start the jeep” I sighed. 

The darkness of the night seemed to settle in hoots of owls as we drove. The sharp cold air clinging to my frozen ears somehow triggered peace. A smile kissed my lips as I sculptured a faded image of my five-year-old daughter in front of my eyes. Aria, that’s what we call her. My lovely Aria. How much I miss her. The day she called me ‘papa’ the first time when I visited home. It’s been around eleven months since I haven’t lifted Aria in my arms. I wonder what she is doing right now…

“Wait Wait Wait” I tap Chandu’s shoulder as his feet inclined towards the brake.

“What happened, sir?” He asked in utter confusion. 

“That white car, I haven’t seen it before. You?

“No sir”

“Well, we better find out.” 

As a fraction of moments flashed by, our jeep traced the path of the white car. 

“Stop. Hey you, stop!” All my yellings seemed to fall on either side, confirming the vibrant suspicions. 

Suddenly a man’s face ducked out of the car window and he was holding something. A gun. 

“Duck” I yelled and grabbed Chandu’s face to the down. 

Pieces of glass bounced off my black shirt as I heard the bullet shatter the windshield. 

The blood in my body churned while every nerve stood on the verge of exploding. Involuntarily, my right hand crept to my pocket and pulled out the gun. 

“Fast” I commanded Chandu and stuck my head out the window. With frequent bows in and out, one of my bullets finally pierced through one of its tires, sending the white car tumbling a few times.

The man inside rushed out, his shirt blanketed with tiny pieces of glass while his face melted with tributaries of blood. The gun was still tightly gripped in his right hand. 

I opened the jeep door and stepped out. My arm was in a careful position, aiming my gun at the terrorist. “Drop your gun,” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible yet stern. A trick the commander taught me. 

No response.

The man just stared at me blankly, his eyes hanging in the scarce light coming from the streetlamp. Taking the cue, I walked a few stepped forward. 

Thud 

Instant pain spread all over my body, and I bit my tongue, holding back the inner urge to scream. 

Hurt screams and groans just add fuel to the foe’s confidence. The commander had said. 

I looked down at my bleeding arm. A small ugly void was born in the centre, its tip favouring colours of black, blue and red while endless blood gushed down my hand like a stream. I stumbled back a few steps. 

“Sir” Chandu’s screams from behind just tingled my ear like a faded voice and the world began to blur. Splotches of darkness partially covered my eyes while my mouth sucked as much air as it could.

Aria’s image flashed again in front of my eyes. She was standing at the edge of a peak while heavy clouds of darkness surrounded her. 

“Aria!” I yelled and tried to run to her but I couldn’t. It felt as if my feet had been frozen in their place and my arms chained. 

“Papa!” Aria yelled from the other end her hand stretched towards me. The fear and worry in her eyes gave me strength.

I cannot give up. I had to live. At least for Aria.

With a jerk, I shook the darkness in front of my eyes and saw the smiling man.

“Aaah!” I screamed and lunged at the foe. Before he could even react, I dragged him down and we both rolled the steep grass hill. 

After coming to a halt, I found myself sitting on top of the foe, punching as hard as I could, till my knuckles turned blue. My pierced arm seemed to scream in pain but I managed to suppress it.

This man deserved it.

I had to do it.

For my country. 

For my Aria.

***

Viraj smiled in front of the mic. “And later I came to know, the terrorist was the one, we had been trying to capture for a long time. And thus you find me here, not speaking as a lieutenant but a captain.

Sometimes greatest outcomes are given birth through simple coincidence.

Hereby, I thank my commander, Chandu and most importantly, my captain.”