One Faithful Friend.

“Goodbye!” Tears were rolling down his cheeks. “Someday again… we must meet…” his voice melted. He had tried hard to stop his tears but looking at his companion’s face, he couldn’t. 'He looks so innocent...' , he thought.

His friend didn’t reply, he didn’t even make the slightest sound. But in his eyes, one could see those thousands of unspoken and unheard words, his eyes were able to say more than any real words could ever say. “ Don't leave me, take me with you…”, these were some instances of it.

“You have to stay here and I assure you that they will take good care of you…” he said. He can understand him like no one. They had been living in each other's company for 10 years and in these 10 years, they had so much to enjoy, so much to love and so much to cherish. So pure was their friendship, but now the destiny has taken its chance on them and they had to part ways.

“Adieu! My beloved friend, Victor!” He gently kissed his forehead and hugged him tightly.

The audience standing around them, the two men wearing black suits, had their eyes filled with tears. Although they have seen many such partings but what special was in this bond which had made them feel guiltier towards themselves and their job. They couldn’t utter a word, they just looked at both the friends, slowly parting. “What a love…?” they thought.

“Victor… don’t be too sad after I depart. Don’t miss me too much”, he sobbed. “This world is very big and there are many good people living in this world. I hope that someday you will meet a very nice person, even better than me. Then you can live more merrily and peacefully”, he said gently.

Victor looked at him with his large round eyes. His face had a dull look and his eyes were gleaming with water.

He noticed it. “Are you crying victor…? Don’t…” he smiled weakly. “ But do promise me…promise that you will leave this house as soon as I depart… promise me that you will go somewhere far and live your life happily!”

Victor withdrew his hand and shifted slightly away from him. He totally disagreed to make such a promise.

“Victor…?!” but before he could complete his sentence he started coughing.

One of the person standing there said unwillingly, “ Sir, it’s time for us to leave.”

“Please, wait… gentleman!” he requested weakly. “ Victor… please… leave this house, leave me, Victor!”

But, victor stayed there, he sat beside him.

“Sir… please…we have to leave… it’s time…” the man urged, although it made him feel awful and sad to break such a pure bond of friendship and faithfulness.

“But… Victor, I cannot leave him here like this.” The tears came down from his eyes in rapids.

“Sir… I’m sure that he will leave after some time. So, please come with us.” the man requested.

What else can he do, he eventually had to surrender to fate. He stood up, wiped his face, took a deep breath and gave one final glance to Victor, “I love you…Victor! Adieu!” and he departed with the two men.

Victor lay there beside his friend, in his eyes were tears of pure love.

Three days later…

He was sitting there, lost in his own thoughts. He would occasionally look at his right wrist; there was a scratch which had now become a memory.

“Sir?”

He glanced up, “Yes…?”

“Your ride is ready… now you can begin your journey.”

“Oh! I see. Thank you.” He replied but he didn't stood up, just shifted a little to sit more comfortably on his chair.

The man was confused, " Um... Sir?"

He was looking at his wrist, then abruptly he started speaking, "Do you see this?" He pointed at the scratch on his wrist.

"Yes...I do see it, Sir."

"When I first met Victor, he was so naughty. That day it was raining hard and I was returning home when at the sidewalk I saw him sitting alone. When I approached him he became wild and attacked me and it gave me this scratch. But I was also stubborn..." He chuckled. "...I held him tightly and somehow I controlled him and brought him to my house. I gave him to eat and took care of him. Ever since then, he stayed with me like my friend... What a lovely creature he was, seeing him and playing with him always made me happy..."

The man didn't want to interrupt him but he said, "Sir, I respect your emotions... but I'm sorry, the car is ready, so..."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I was so absorbed", he got up from his seat. " Let's go. Where?"

“Sir, this way…please.” The man in the black suit took him out. “Please, get in this car…”

The black car was shining brightly. He got into it.

“Sir… hope you have a safe journey.” The man bowed.

“Thank you.” He replied.

"And sir... Please take this book with you", the man presented to him a green book. "Read it while you are on this journey and until you reach your destination."

He took the book and kept it by his side.

The car started and was about to leave when-

“Wait!” A voice came from behind. The other man came running.

The driver halted the car.

“Sir… here..!” the man shouted.

He came out of the car and looked at the running man and also at the thing coming with him. He cried, “ Victor?!”

Victor came running along with the other man. He had become overjoyed to see his friend.

“Victor…!” he ran towards him and soon they were in each other's arm hugging each other tightly. Their eyes were full of tears.

The other man came panting and said, “He waited there alone, in your house for three days…”

“Victor… you naughty boy… I told you to go away...why?!” he cried.

And for the first time, Victor replied, “Woof! Woof!”

He meant, “Because, I love you…”

“Victor, I love you too!” And they boarded the car together.

The grim reaper stood there with a pleased look on his face, “This is the proof that the dogs are the most faithful animal.”

"Yes, this dog Victor waited in that old man's house for three days without eating or drinking anything and therefore he died... so as soon as I came to know this, I took him here."

“They are the most pure souls."

"I guess this is something these human beings called- A happy ending!" Another grim reaper said.

"Maybe. But, what do you think they will become in their next lives?"

"It doesn't matter as long as they are together!"

And they looked at the departing car. The car's number plate was marked with, “TO HEAVEN. Rest in peace.”