Broken Wings of an Athlete

"Are you there, God? It's me... Raj, your favorite player of the year."

Mithil Raj, athletic early 20s, asks God, holding his chin up. Tears from his broad dark eyes slide on his sweaty cheeks, as his vision is piercing straight into the open sky, as if talking directly to the Almighty, questioning the insanity of people around him.

With no answer heard or any sign of God's presence, he starts his motorbike and leaves the scene.

*****

Phone Rings.

"Put him on speaker", inspector Rafeek whispers, holding his posture between his backup team and Archana, a housewife.

"Hello", Archana answered the phone trembling in fear.

"Listen to me very carefully. Your kid Aman is with me."

"And yes, I know, someone from the police is listening to this right now. Be ready with 20 lakhs and wait for my next call",

Phone gets disconnected.

"Inspector Rafeek, I want my kid back. I am giving him the money." Archana trembles and cries.

"Archana ma'am, I can understand your pain and I would be doing the same if I was in your place, but please try to understand. This kidnapper doesn’t seem professional. I assure you; your child will be safe. Just give us a chance to handle the situation".

"Inspector Rafeek, he is my only child. He is my soul. I don't want any harm come to him", Archana sobs.

Phone rings again.

"Hello…!" she picks up in an instant.

"I know, till now the inspector has told you how naive and unprofessional I am in this field of kidnapping. To ask for 20 lakhs doesn’t ask for tension. Right? I don't look dangerous right?

Deal is Changed. Inspector Rafeek, now judge me. Here's the new deal – I want 2 Crores. I was not in the favor of any blood shed earlier, but I am up for anything tonight. My next call will be my last and that will happen 5 minutes from now. Do I sound professional, now... right? (He laughs hysterically over the phone)"

Phone gets disconnected. Silence in the room.

"Inspector Rafeek, I want Aman now. Please save him, please!!", Archana cries dramatically.

"Archana ma'am, do you mind if I ask to manage the ransom money in case of emergency. This son of a $#$$ was not at all the one I predicted. I am not saying that we could not handle the situation without the ransom money, but I want to explore all the safe options", Inspector Rafeek is trying to find clever options way out.

"No, I do not have that much amount and I want my kid back inspector Rafeek. Do whatever you can do", furious Archana demands.

Phone Rings.

"Hello"

"Now that you have changed your perception about me, there is good news for you. I still want those 20 lakhs, not more than that. Do you watch cricket?", the kidnapper asks.

"What?... No, but why?", Archana replies in astonishment!!

"Wrong choice of words. I thought since your husband works for the cricket committee, you would have an interest in it. Now that I know, this is not the case, turn on TV and switch on to the channel number 455. What do you see?", asks the kidnapper.

"A Cricket Match being played…", Archana replies, still clueless.

"What's the Score?", kidnapper asks.

"I don't know. I don't know cricket much", Archana replies in haste.

"Learn it, then…", kidnapper shouted in rage.

"What do you want me to do", Archana cried again helplessly.

"I just want you to know that Aman is alive only till this match is running. I want you to be present at the "Rahul Dravid" stand of this stadium with the money I asked for. Your target is to save your kid and you have only 265 balls remaining. Hope for more wide shots and no balls", he laughed and disconnected the phone.

"Archana ma'am, how much money do you think you have now?", inspector Rafeek asked.

"I have 25 lakhs in the bank", Archana said.

"Take them out, we might need them", inspector Rafeek instructed.

"Listen, I don't want any media attention. Aman's father is in Dubai, and I don't want him to know about this do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am, you got it."

*****

2 Hours later.

Phone rings again.

"How many balls are left?", Archana asked in fright

"30 Archana ma'am", Inspector Rafeek said, and they move into the stands.

As they didn’t know whom to find in the stand, they started searching restlessly every single corner of the stand. When only five balls were remaining, she saw her Aman dancing and enjoying in the stand.

"Aman", she kissed and hugged him as much as she could. She checked him all over, if he was hurt.

"Mamma", he was happy.

"Who brought you here?" Archana asked

"Uncle brought me here, he said you are coming to take me, so he left. He asked me to give you this", and he handed her a piece of paper.

Everybody breathe a sigh of relief, since Aman is safe now!!

*****

Next day morning, news run on television.

NDTV India News:

"There is a shocking incidence happened in Bangalore yesterday. A 21-year-old cricket player committed suicide in his home. Mithil Raj has been the captain of his school cricket team and college team. Mithil Raj is the same man, who is known for his record of highest score of 889 runs in a single inning in a test match played at the school level. Reason behind his decision of leaving this world are still unknown. A sad day for India today"

Archana opens the piece of paper her son had handed over to her. It's a little note from the kidnapper.

"ma'am, I am sorry for what I am doing to you. Two years ago, on this very same day, a team for Ranji Karnataka was going to be announced. My family members were so happy as it was obvious that I would get a chance for my best performances."

"That morning I got a call, not for reporting to the team, but for something else. The person on the other side asked for Rupee 20 Lakhs for the final selection in the team. That person, as I later found out, was your husband Sujith from the cricket committee. So, I never got a chance to play for the country."

Give these 20 lakhs to your husband, so that next time, a Cricketer will lift a bat, not a gun!!"

"Sorry… I had to take you through such painful emotion of losing a family member. I'm a cricketer, not a murderer.'

*****