The Voice

Splaaaaash!

I tried to wash my eyes so that I could wake up. I looked at the watch with my eyes half open half closed, still wanting to shut down and go to bed. 

The watch said half past two in the morning. 

I knew it was an odd time but "I have to do this!" I told myself. "Time is never an issue for a writer! And in fact the night is the best time to write, with so much silence!"

Suddenly....

"Oh for GOD sake switch off the light and go back to sleep you fool!!" someone screamed from somewhere. I looked around to find who it was.

"Hello Mr.! Where are you looking? I am speaking from inside you." The voice replied again.

"Inside me?? What the crap are you talking? Are you some kind of ghost or something?" I was terrified. 

"Aaah! You idiot haven't you seen those Indian movies where in the inner conscience reflects in the mirror and talks with the hero! Arey yaar I am your 'Antar-Atma'."

"What the crap are you talking! Why don't you show yourself!" I screamed with fear.

"Well sorry dude! We Antar-Atmas have not yet evolved so much that we can show up ourselves." The voice replied calmly.

I didn't know what to do at all. Fear, confusion, bewilderment, every strange emotion seems to haunt me. 

"How can I trust. I need proof!" I rambled something out of my mouth finally.

"Proof?? Well it's like asking yourself who are you! Well I won't mind your stupidity, go on." 

"Tell me my name..and.. my date of birth!" 

"Mythreya... a.k.a matty, maddy... born on 23rd feb 87 at Kurnool, a small city in Andhra Pradesh. Want more proof? Ask me!"

"My favourite color?"

"black and white. And you like these colours because your ex-girl friend Pooja loved them. And don't be stunned. I also know everything about Pooja. I know that you still love her somewhere deep in your heart, though you pretend as if you have forgotten her and moved on. So what more do you want to know? The first time you met her? The first time you held her hand? First kiss? About your first....."

"Enough! Shut up now! Why the hell are you out of my body suddenly! Let me work. I am a writer!" 

"Aaaaaaaah! Don't tell me this crap! Writer! Who the hell told you so?" 

"What..."

"Writer! Nice way to cover up your joblessness. The thing is your are worthless."

"Now if you don't shut up...."

"What can you do to me? Can you punch yourself? Can you kick yourself? Ha ha ha. Atleast someone is having fun!"

"I don't want to talk to you. Let me do my work. I am begging you, Please!"

"Aah! I hate it when you cry like a sissy. Well show me what are you writing."

"Huh?? I cannot show you anything now...."

"Then tell me your story........ I will tell you how is it."

"Ok.. wait..... well.. I was thinking to write a horror story."

"A horror story! Humm... go on... tell me what it is..."

"The story beings in a gloomy night... the door opens slowly....'keeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkk'... the monstrous witch enters... her long poisonous teeth... her sharp nails.... her hair all messed up.... she is very very scary.... and aaaaaah.. yes... who is her victim...  a poor thin man. Yes this is it. This is it!!"

"Whaaaaaat! This does not sound like a horror story to me. This is every married man's story!"

"Oooh is it! I never thought of it that way.. humm... poor chaps! Well... how about romantic stories! Yes romance it is...."

"Humm.. well .. let us see.."

"Romance.. love.... humm.. love happens in college right! College stairs.... before the library.... a beautiful girl is walking with books in her hands... and opposite to her.. a handsome young boy.. is walking straight down towards her.... she is walking.... he is coming .... she is walking.. he is coming... and then suddenly......'DASSSHHH' they hit each other... the books fall down.... the girl bends down to pick up them... the boy helps her.... both of them see each other... eyes meet eyes... breathe meets breathe... and love takes birth... yes.. this is it....THIS IS IT!!!!"

"Hello oo Mr we are not living in the eighties... this is the twenty first century.... love does not happen like this.... today everything is online....online love.. online marriages.... and ...sometimes... even. online... ...honeymoon....."

"Honeymoon!!"

"yeah  yeah.. saw it in some site..."

"Oh! Humm... how about an action thriller?"

"Just shut up haan! You lack everything. Have you read the book "how to write fiction" by Dick Harry? Or his "1001 fiction plots"?"

"Dick harry? Who is he? Is he a famous writer? Has he written any famous stories?"

"Oh no! He is not into fiction. He just helps people write fiction!"

"Oh!"

"Well you see there should be planning, you should have a format on how to write a story.... make a plan... choose the plot.... choose the characters... mix some emotions.... add some masala to the climax... and we have a perfect story!" 

"ooh... doesn't it look like cooking a dish!"

"Well story writing is in fact cooking..... that's why they say...'cooking up a story!'"

"Humm..."

"What the hell are you talking to yourself at five in the morning! Didn't you sleep?" My mom suddenly came from the behind.

"Woooh! Mom.. you scared me! I was cooking....err...writing a story!"

"oh! So you got a story? No.... i figured out I don't have the right ingredients!"

"Huh? Humm.. this boy is really crazy!"

................................................................................

p.s: people say when you are confused listen to your inner-conscience. I did it and I got this!

 

The Talk

[conversation overheard]

"Hey hey look girls!! Shahid is looking so cute...... wow! I wonder why kareena dumped him?" 

"No i think saif looks matured! Shahid looks like a kid!"

"whatever... move to the next pic!"

"Woooooh! Who is he??????"

"Oooooooh i really don't know where that came from!!! Sorry girls but he... err... he...."

"Just tell us who is he??"

"He is just a friend nothing else! Trsut me!!"

"Are you sure??? I doubt! Bol kab se chal raha hai? God! You didn't even tell us!! Thats bad Pooja, thats bad!!"

"No no nothing like that....please girls ....try to understand me. He is just a friend!"

"Ok enough of crap Poo! Tell us the whole story!"

"Well... ok ok ok!! it was like.. i met him and he is comepletly mad at me!! Right from the first day! he has proposed me and I wanted to ask your help."

"Humm!! Not bad girl! Well he is ok, not bad!"

"Are you nuts! Look at his pot belly!! He is soo fat!!!"

"And god! He has no sense of dressing! Look what he is wearing! Not even branded!!"

"And look at his face yaar! So dull, boring! Not even a smile!!!"

"Common yaar! Just don't decide by the looks!!Pooja I feel he is not that bad"

"Shut up! what the hell do you know about boys?? You never even had a real boy-friend in your life!! I had four of them! I know lot girls! Trust me!!"

"Pooja, tell are you serious about him?? Don't tell me you are dating THIS GUY!!!"

"No no!! He is just a friend! I have not said him yes till now!!"

"That's good! Well lets look at the other prospects! So which car does he own?"

"What!!! He doesn't even own a bike!!!"

"GODDD what are you doing girl!!! he is such a loser!"

"Nevermind! What does he do? Has he got a job or something? Settled??"

"What!!! Jobless!!!"

"Don't tell me about the Recession and all those stupid things!!"

"Look at you! You will get a lot better guys! You have a job. You own a car yourself! Why the hell do you even look at this guy!"

"Please girls! Stop it! Pooja I think what important is the character!!"

"Stop it Priya!! You and your character go to hell. You don't know anything so just shut up! Pooja baby listen to me. Ok lets forget about all the things! he is not rich, he is not settled, but baby what about the looks!! Don't you want six-packs??? Just like john, hrithik, srk!! Common baby there are so many out there. All my boy friends had six packs!! They knew what i want!"

"And hey look closer he even has pimples!!! Ewwwwwww"

"God! So clumsy!"

"How do you bear him even!!"

"By the way.... tell me did you do anything??"

"GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

.....................

Ok folks! I guess the conversation was getting a bit personal so i had to cut down the audio!

Well yeah you guessed it right! 

The guy being talked is of course RAHUL!

just kidding rahul...

its not you. It was me!! 

I have to accept it. It's tough. 

And they tell me it's a "man' s world ou there". 

Wooh!!

P.S: No offence to ladies out there. And yeah even RAHUL doesn't have six pack abs! 

It happened to Me

The scene is set in a dark room with two big monstrous looking guys and a woman who looks even dangerous. They are waiting happily to rip apart me and cut me into small pieces. The typical torture room. I look into the lady's eyes. Red with blood. Suddenly her teeth grows longer and sharper, she bares her claws, the men take out their horrendous weapons. I want to run but GODDD they have chained me...

Everything suddenly goes dark... I feel unconscious. 

SPLASHHHH!!

They throw water upon my face and focus light right into my eyes...

and finally break the silence...

"Draw me the NAND gate using op-amps! Whaat you don't know!!

 What's the amplitude difference between GSM and CDMA?

 Oh! So you are a lousy engineer? Now I know why your marks are so low!"

Yes!

You almost guessed it right. It was one of my B-School interviews!

Trust me i could only give you a verbal description of the torture. It was hell.

...........................................................................................................................................

You know it all starts happily just like a bollywood movie. Happy family, the kids are all smiling, the wife is all smiling. Ok ok I wont go into the movie details now!

It was the same for me too.

i wrote the entrance exams. Fared well.

"Congratulations Mythreya! We are happy to inform you that you have been selected for our next round of selection i.e GD/PI" 

The monitor flashes this "feel good" message. And yeah I am happy, my mom dad.. and not to forget suddenly my girl friend, who thought till yesterday that i was really good for nothing, showers extra loveeeee upon me, pampering me, even the romance is all time high. 

'Wowww! Not bad man' That's what I say to myself.

And then the whole process begins.

PUNE - SIBM interview: the first of the season!

"I love travelling! Yeah trust me. In a way I feel travelling and going to new places helps you discover yourself. I feel like I am so close to nature."

OK! This crap was purely for the interview. 

I land in pune a day earlier so that I could be comfortable with the city and all.

As soon as I enter the streets of Pune looking for a Lodge, my eyes run a 100 miles per sec speed checking out hundreds of girls. BEAUTIFUL GIRLS!! 

Woow! CHICK HEAVEN!

(Really no offence to ladies. I am a nature lover and an admirer of beauty!!! TRUST ME!)

After a nice opening I settle in my room. Wander here and there. look at some more "EYE CANDIES" and then have some nice Maharastrian food. 

The night was long....

We roll in the bed together, clinging together tightly, then a scream.....

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

You dirty minds....what were you thinking!!

it was me screaming and "We" meant THE BED BUGS AND THE MOSQUITO'S which gave me company for the whole night crawling up my body, sucking my sweet blood and yeah thankfully I didn't even close my eyes once the whole night.

THE D-Day : 

Gooosh! It was 10!!! I rushed to look at my call letter. 12 noon reporting time. 2 hours left. Ample time. The calender read "FRIDAY the THIRTEEN". What a day to kick off my first interview of the season!

By 12 I am at their campus. 

IT's one of the Best Campuses in India! 280 acres in a hill top. 2850 feet above the ground. Rather a hill station to put it technically. And a splendid infrastructure. With even a cricket ground!!!

Woow!!

All good things come to an end. And so did the happy scene. 
I was somewhat shocked to see 239 more students along with me. 

Later I realized that this was just a sample, there were several batches like this summing up the total candidates called for the process to be "2400" and try to guess the number of seats...

yeah do it fast...

1000?? No.... Err 750 something....what...no.....hummm common.. atleast 500!!

Well my dear friends... here is the first twist..

Just 180 seats out of which

15% reserved for Management Quota.

25% reserved for SC/ST

10% for OBC 

2% for sports, PH, etc etc

5% for kashmiri migrants and what not...

Pheewww

so the total seats for an OPEN CATEGORY guy like me ended up to be just 80-90!!!!

Now if you are really good at maths calculate the competition.

THIS IS INDIA my friends. THIS is when I am reminded of my country's BILLION PLUS population!!

Now the process..

Unlike other B-Schools, SIBM has an additional round. No not the torture chamber though.

Its called the "Group Task". 

Of course they need some "TOOL" to eliminate so many students!

We went in to a conference room. I socialized with my fellow groupmates or rather to say my fellow "Victims". We became quick friends.

I was the 3rd in the group of 14. 

After waiting patiently for 4 hours they give us food coupons.

As usual none of us ate anything much in the morning. So we dived upon the food.

AND wooh... all we get is a small piece of SANDWICH and they tell us its going to be a loooooong day so plz help yourself with the food!!

As soon as I put my little piece of bread in my gigantic mouth, i get a call..

"K Mythreya! Who is Mythreya here! Quick! Stuff ur food into you mouth and run! It's your turn for the interview!!"

I start running without even cleaning my mouth.

As soon as I enter the Big room I find a lady with two men.

"Please come in Mr.Mythreya!"

I walk in, close the door behind me. And I pull the chair..

KEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!

the chair makes a weary sound! I flash a wried smile on my face.

The lady signals me that i have bread pieces stuck on my lips... 

WHAT A START!!!!!!

And then starts the RAPID FIRE ROUND...

"So you are from ELECTRONICS and COMMUNICATIONS engineering."

after they realize that I am BIG ZERO in Technical background and all I have done is timepass in my engineering they venture into other fields.

"What is MUTUAL FUNDS? STOCK EXCHANGE? CRR? FISCAL POLICY? INFLATION?
  Who is the RBI head?"

I bang my head to answer these questions. Few I succeed and few go to the drain.

Then the usual "OK Mythreya tell us why do you want to do your MBA?"

"Ma'am as you know I am into theatre and stuff... I want to open a production company. So I want to do my MBA!"

"What!! Production company? My dear friend then why didn't you tell us before. We were wasting our and your time! You are in the wrong place man! Why have you come to SIBM!

Go to the National School of Drama or the Film Institute of India. Why MBA???"

Time to defend...

"No ma'am... blah blah"

"See Mythreya you seem to be pretty confused in your life? Think first what you want! You are interested in theatre, drama, why waste your life yaar! This MBA thing is all crap man! Do you think once you step in SIBM money will flow to your feet. Companies will beg you to join. And all the girls run behind you to marry?? please don't be in such a dream! Wake up it's recession time! We are all hit badly!"

All I could do was SHUT MY MOUTH and wonder what the hell happened!!!

"OOh you got a job! No two!!! Pretty good man! Wonderful companies! I say go work for two years and come back! See they are offering you 3 lakhs man.....You know how much I got when I started my career? 1.2 lakh.. and look at you 3! that's pretty good! Just go and do your job man! SIBM is not the place for you!"

Thank You!

And I am kicked out of the interview!!

Again wait for all the 14 guys to finish their interviews! 

I don't know what went wrong... everyone came out smiling out of that dark room except MEEE!!!

Crap man! Crap!

Next was the GT or the GROUP TASK.

A student came in and commanded us..

"Stand in the line according to your numbers! Hey you number 3! Stop chit-chatting! You are here for some purpose!" He screamed at me. 

"Now try to put this fact into your head that you are going in for the GT! It's not an individual task so try to do as a group! Use your head! Bend your ass! Get the task done!"

For a time being I thought I was in some army camp! 

As we entered the room, i saw a small circle and some 7-8 feet away from it was a line beyond which was a hanky!

I was just wondering what the hell is this trap..just then..

"I guess most of you have made out what is the task by seeing it! So go ahead with the task!"

Me, "But ma'am what do we have to do?"

"What! So you haven't browsed through the PagalGuy. So you have not done your homework!"

Mocked again...Damn.. 

The task that lie ahead was not simple. It was clearly impossible!!

14 members into he circle, and we had to make a guy jump from the inside of the circle and make him touch the hanky which was lying some 7-8 feet away and bring him back.

NOTE: he should not touch the ground, none of us should cross the boundary of the circle.

So it implied we had to make him jump in the air. Of course we were also given ropes, bricks, clothes, threads, and two footballs. I wonder what footballs were doing there.

Anyway it was clear now, I was certainly into an army camp doing a TARZAN jump. The good thing was I was not chosen to do the suicidal jump!

And guess what...we were given TWO FULL MINUTES to complete the task!

GREAT!

And yeah just as you thought. We made a fool out of oursleves by just clearing 1 feet and not 7-8 feet. The three panelists though had a good time laughing at us making a fool out of ourselves.

So I even got a group which failed as a group!

Woow!!

After the great GT we were rushed to the GD room.

I didn't know what happened, maybe it's just that I am a mere human. AFter waiting for whole 6 hours and without food and such low on confidence and still entering into a GD room..

I couldn't have felt more luckier!!

As we entered the GD room, it was all set. Two more panleists. 
We were given a case study and we were directed to think as a manager!

I hate case studies man! Common if you could think like a manager then why the hell were you trying to do your MBA!!

Well it was a page long case and I had not even finished reading, they said "START" and two-three people started screaming. In a minute almost 6-7 people started talking. No one was listening to anyone. They were just vomiting sentences. All the charming and nice guys and girls who were with me togther and whom I had imagined to be my future peer group at SIBM had suddenly transformed to some monsters! Everyone yelling at everyone. And I had the GREAT BLACKOUT!

I was blank! I didn't understand what was going on. My throat went dry. 

Into the 5th minute, I thought it's now or never. Then suddenly my dear friend No.2 kicks my leg and signals me 'OPEN YOUR STUPID MOUTH!'

I enter the GD finally... BUT.... suddenly everyone stops and they look at me. Pin drop Silence. 

I stare for a full  second at them and then suddnely i shout some crap which is completly irrelevent to the topic and I am again silent.

I do the same shit twice more and shut down for the rest of the GD.

Finally after 12 mins of hell the GD is done with. The panel starts asking few guys to summurize. They were poor souls who couldnt open their mouth just like me.

I am pretty good at summrizing. This is finally my chance.

And wooooooooooh!!

I am NOT asked!!!

They ask to leave....leave just like that...

My last chance to make an impression also went down the drain.

And as I leave the room... Only one thought came to my mind...

"FUCKKKKKKKKKKKK! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO!!!"

The day finally ended...or atleast I thought so.....

GOD had some more things in store for me...

It was alredy 8:30 when i reached PUNE bus-stand. I went in hoping to find a good bus so that I can go and just book my ticket and then eat my dinner and sleep.

Guess what happens!!

SHIT!!

"It's friday dude!!" Thats what the travels guy tells me.

All the poeple of PUNE suddenly felt the strong urge to go to Hyderabad on a friday night!

Crap!!!

"Dekh bhai last bus 9 ko hai! Woh bhi I can arrange for you cabin!"

"Cabin? woh kya hota hai?" I wonder

"Arey cabin yaar! Driver ke baju mein!"

BESIDE THE DRIVER!!!

GREAT.... I am having a hell of a day!!!!

Finally NO FOOD NO SLEEP and the worst day!

I wonder what OPTIMISTS would still find good in this...

So folks... this was my just one story...trust me.

I had 3 more like this...

SCMHRD, PUNE - deja vu

IMT nagpur -  why did i attend even!!

GIM - thrown out blissfully. 

XIM, bhuvaneswar

IIT kgp

SIBM Bangalore

IIT kanpur

IIT Madras

Wellingkar 

these are in the pipeline of hell..

It should be March - the month of hell...

And yeah None of them except XIM are in Hyderabad.

So if you feel I would still love travelling, shifting to 5 cities in one month buring thoudsands and thousands of money..that too all alone..then GOD help you!

No sorry... it must be GOD HELP ME!!

Coffee Blues...

I hate coffee..
I know .. all of you are looking at me weirdly.. thinking.. who is this 'idiot'..
and..
guess what..
Now I got another reason to hate it more!!!

....

Love is in the air...

Rahul... Fell in Love Finally!!!!
I mean.. common.. even Rahul???
God....

I mean.. they say..
there are 960 girls for every 1000 boys...
Guess...Now.. I am going to be one of those... 40 unlucky souls.....
Fine.. I am happy for rahul atleast...

But....
.....



"Dude.. urgent help yaar... please dont mind.. I need some money yaar.. i will return it to you soon!!" Rahul pleaded...
"Fine.. but why do you need them???" I asked...
"Aaa.. welll.. the thing is.. aa.. the thing is...."
"Idiot.. tell me.. "
"I got a date with Reha.." he finally uttered...
"nice my dear friend.. very nice!! Stupid.. when you don't have the money ask her to cancel the date.. or ask her to pay!! She is also gonna eat na!!"
"Dude... forget it.. you wont understand.. when you have a girlfriend you will understand!!!"

Huh...
Finally.. the realization of the eternal truth!!

"By the way yaar.. forgot to mention... Reha is bringing her friend along....so maybe I thought....."Rahul said..
"What??? what did you think now???" I was skeptic.
"Why don't you come along yaar.. It will be fun.."
"Forget it!!! What the hell will I do there yaar!!"
"Arey.. just come.. it will be fun... and Reha's friend will be there yaar..!!"
"No no yaar.. I am in no mood... and you know I hate coffee!!!"


The next day I found myself... waiting seriously like an expecting father... but not my baby....
for the ladies ....
"Dude... I guess they are not gonna come.. lets leave.. " I said finally..
"Shut up yaar.. I just called them.. they have left from their home already..." Rahul screamed at me..
"oooh great!! Well.. at least order something.. or the coffeeshop guy is gonna throw us out.. the waiter has already started looking skeptically at me.." I tried to convince him.
"Sorry dude.... lack of financial resources!!" Rahul justified.
"Remember.. optimum use of minimum resources!!" He added
"Shut up! you ass!!" I scolded him.

Finally the almighty showed mercy and after forty minutes of hell.. the ladies arrived..
But ya..
I was forced to show such emotions as if .. when they walked in.. I turned back to life.. and as if I am so excited to see her and her "Friend"!!
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" Reha jumped ...
"Hi this is.. Aeysha!" We had a formal introduction...
"Aeysha Takiya???" I tried a PJ
"No! Aeysha Sharma!" she told me irritatedly...
I tried to check the Aeysha chick.. for a while.. but then...
Reha gave me the.. *Will you stop your X-RAY scan* look!
I tried to explain (through my looks) that I am an engineer and not a doctor!
Nevermind!!

But Ayesha... She was beautiful.. the only problem with her was..
She had her hair pulled back.. and even her reading glasses on..
It was like.. "Fuck Off boys! I am not in the mood!!"
So.. rather a tough call for me...

Suddenly... after a while...
Rahul and Reha moved to the table beside...
And I was left with Ayesha alone...

"So what was your name.. sorry I forgot!" She said..
I really hate it.. when people forget my name...
"Mythreya! . well you can call me Matty!!" I said..
She looked at me strangly... and then..
"Mythreya.. is such a nice name.. why do you hate it??"
"I don't hate my name!!! It's just that people find it difficult ot pronounce it.. so I help them out..." I snapped back
"So what do you do.. I mean hobbies!" She asked..
"Well hell lot of them.. Writing is my passion... I even own a blog!!"
well let me tell you.. i thought.. that would impress her...
But...
No emotions.. like.. nothing...
Finally.. she spoke..
"Blogging??? What does it mean???"
Now that was a disaster... I didnt even thought of explaining it to her!!

Now we finally decided to fulfill the purpose of our date or meet or whatever you call this thing!
We odered the drinks!

Trust me..
I am not much used to this coffeshops..
I just know one or two flavours of them..
And I thought why not I try something different...
And there it was..
I dont remember... what it was.. some... Tropical Tea.. or whatever... It seemed good in the photo.. colourful...
And then finally when it arrived..
I had it all..
I realized this guy charged me 100 bucks for making me drink some coloured water!!!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaak!!
It sucked to hell!!!
But.. I had to pretend as if it was the best thing I ever drank...
Gentleman Manners!!

Well...I thought... maybe.. I should .. try something and not waste my time..
I mean.. Rahul really inspired me..
and that Ayesha was.. not bad also...

"So Ayesha.. nice name... infact... you are also beautiful!" I tried to flirt around.
"Nice Dress!" I added
She didnt speak a word... I doubted was she deaf or was I dumb??
And she after a loong minute.. reluctanly said a.."Thank you!"
No, actually she didnt say it me.. she threw it on my face!
But.. hope didn't die out in me..
"Are you single? Boyfriend??" I hit it directly now!!
"I have no boyfriend.. and I am not even that kind!! I am just a simple girl!" She put it to me!
"Not even that kind???So what kind are you??"
"Its not like that... just that.. I didn't meet someone so nice to fall in love with.."
"Really! Well you should look around... there are nice people around you!"

I looked straight inot her eyes...and then finally asked her..
"Do you believe in love at first sight!"
"No... Not today atleast!!"
"What... "
"Nothing.. No I don't believe...."

And this way.. I tried to flirt around.. woo the lady..
And finally.. I even asked her number...
But the good thing is.. she somehow gave me hers!!

And finally..the end came..
Rahul rose from his chair and..
"Guys.. me and Reha want to spend sometime together.. if its late for you guys then you can leave!"
Ya he politely told us to get lost...
"Ayesha! Why not I drop you at your place?" I tried to be polite with her.
"No yaar! It's Ok.. Well My Brother is waiting for me nearby.. I will have ot join him.."
"Oooh.. ok.... bye then.. nice meeting you..."




Two days passed..
I thought of Ayesha for some four to five times...
And finally picked up the number.. and called...

"Hullo! Is this Ayesha? I am Mythreya.. Matty!!"
"Ayesha!!! There is No Ayesha here! Wrong Number!!" A angry old man scremed right inot my face!

The Longest Night Of My Life

I still remember the night of thirteenth December 2006. The unforgettable Friday the thirteenth.
It rained heavily. Maybe a cyclone.
The News reader warned people to stay indoors. For the time being he was my only company as my parents were out of station. No food in the house. I couldn't even get something from outside.
"what am I gonna do?" I screamed to myself.
"One day without food you wont die matty. Remember fasting is good for health." My alter ego replied.

I sighed in dismay. The loneliness was killing me.
I took a deep breath and said to myself, "what worse can it happen!"

"SHITTTTTTT!!!!!
A power cut at this hour! Aaaarrrrggghhh!!!"

It was pitch dark.
My mom had warned me to get some candles from the shop.
'Oh mom, I wish you were with me!'

My body shivered. Partly due to the storm and partly because of a strange fear.
Maybe the darkness; maybe the loneliness.

CRRRRRRAAAAAAASSSSSSHHhhhh
Suddenly there was a breaking noise. I was taken by shock.
'it's the wind; don't worry' I said to myself and tried to calmed down.

The storm beat the windows. I had to shut it down or the floor would be wet with water.
I went near the window. . . .

something stopped my steps. . .

it was a shadow of a man, a humanly figure. . . .

But what on earth was he doing in my backyard at this hour!!!!

"Must be a thief!" I concluded.
I thought of screaming. . . but maybe he is armed and who will listen to me in this strom.
I grabbed the broom and silently I went near the backyard.

I tried to open the door slowly. . . . . .

THHHHUUUUUUUUDDDDDD
"Ooooh God!!!!" I screamed as I slipped and fell on the wet floor.

I must have alerted him. he must have escaped.

NO He didn't go. He was moving nearer.
Suddenly I looked down.

HE HAD NO HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT THE HELLLLLLL!!!!!!!

I was shivering. I was almost dead.
I had never encountered ghosts but . . . . why me!!!

I shut my eyes and prayed the almighty. My heart beat a thousand times a minute.
I was sooo afraid even to scream. I couldn't utter a word in fear.

BAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGGGG!!!

The door fell open. . . . and i screamed "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH"

And. . . . .

I saw my shirt hanged by the clothesline in the backyard.
I had forgotten to bring it inside when my mom left it to dry.

"FUCK!!!! it's my shirt!!!!!"
Fuck man fuck!

"Aaah. . . ." I almost died of heart attack.

I panted heavily. I breathed in relief.
Then I got up and shut the door.

luckily after hours of searching, I found a small torch. I decided to go to my bed room and shut myself under the blanket.

As I walked on, i saw somethign shining in the dark. I couldn't understand for a sec.
"aaaaahhh" I screamed.

meeeeeaaaw.

SHIT! It was just a cat. it must have come in doors through the open windows.

I jumped on to the bed and prayed for the sun to arrive.
It was the longest night of my life.

"Fuck man! Fuck!! You got scared of your shirt! Ha Ha" Rahul shrieked as I narrated him the whole episode.
"But dude. . . .I don't remember any cyclone in December 2006 and in fact it never rained at all that year due to drought. And I don't remember any Friday the thirteens in that December also?? Ok forget it. Tell me which flats do have backyards and how did you think someone could climb all the six floors in a stormy night to your so called backyard!!!"

"WHATTT!! Well Just shut up. If you don't wanna believe don't believe. I don't care!" I yelled at him.

"ok ok relax dude!! Just chill ok." Rahul replied cooly.
"well I have a story too. wanna hear?" He looked at me excitedly. It was still seven and I had plenty time to kill.
"Shoot!" I said.

'The other day, me and my friend were at the graveyard near my place, having our usual booze session.
Suddenly my friend had to rush quickly to his place and I was left alone with two tins of beer.
I couldn't carry them home neither could drink on the roads.
So I decided to finish of the drinks at the graveyard and get back to my place.

Suddenly my eyes fell on a grave.
it read:
Rose Fernandes
Born: 5th Jan 1985 Died: 27 Aug 2007

Oh fuck! It's your B'day Rose! Happy b'day dear Rose Fernandes.
Why did you die so young?

"beacuse I had cancer. Anyway thanks for wishing me rahul!"

"WHATTTTT!! Who r u?? WHo is the bloddy bastard who is playign such a trick!!" I screamed

"It's me. Rose. Don't fear I won;t harm you." A women in white sari replied back as she moved towards me.

I ran as fast I can and ran untill i reached my home and shut myself in my room.
I can never forget the night."

"WHAT!!!!! You Boozed in a Graveyard?? And you are telling me you saw a dead women talking to you when you got high? Well tell you what you are nothing more than a drunken brat. At least my story didn't involve ghosts!!!!! get real dude." I roared.

"you don't believe me! well come with me to the graveyard I will show her." rahul spoke back.

"Are you nuts? You a mad man. I won't come with you anywhere." Me

"Ha! Why Mr.Coward? Looks like you wet your pants just by hearing the name of the graveyard." Rahul bawled.

"Give me a break ok. Look I am not coward." Me again

"Then come with me" Rahul challenged.

"Fine. Lets go and meet your new dead friend. Maybe I will ask her out." I snapped back

we went to the graveyard. But as I entered my hands shivered. I don't believe i was doing such a crazy thing. We entered and then. . . .

"Well dude sorry! " rahul spoke as we entered the graveyard.

"sorry? why so?" Me a bit astonished

"You won! Actually I was just kidding. There is no rose. I wanted to test your courage." Rahul replied.

"Oh god you are such a. . . . I told you see. there are no such fucking things as ghosts!!" Me again.

Just then someone came from the behind and. . . .

"Are you looking for me?"
A young woman in white sari was standing behind us. . . . .