Suspense Short Story – Helping Hand – Need it or not…
Photo credit: chelle from morguefile.com
ONE….
I exactly remember that day….As usual, that day also I was sitting in a bar. I was drunk(litlle) and I saw a man entering. I had never seen him here. He was in a black jacket. He sat next to me an ordered loudly..”One club soda, please..”
“First time here..haan..??” I asked him as there was no other topic to talk about..!!
“Yes..I landed in your beautiful city today.”
“City..?? You call it a city..?? It’s a goddamn village..with lots of needy and poor people..” I yelled.
I continues, “People don’t get job here, don’t have enough money, they can’t send their children to school and you call it a city..?? A beautiful city..??” My drink was helping me to get my frustration out, I guess.
“You want a job..??” He asked.
“Yes, of course..I need it..”
“I can give you a job..a simple job that can give you a big amount of money..what do you say, brother..?? Yes or No..??”
“What is the job..??” I asked happily.
“Yes or No..??”
“Oh yes, of course I’ll do it.” I said.
“Here is your first salary, mate”..He took out a bunch of notes from his pocket..”Fifty thousand..it’s half of your first salary, half after you complete your task..”
“What task..??” I was actually busy counting the notes..!!
“You just have to..ahem..ummm..you just have to kill some shi*head..”
I stopped counting notes..”I just have to do WHAT..??”
“A simple murder..”
I looked at the bunch of fifty thousand rupees..and thought about another fifty thousand after the task..but here, the task meant MURDER..
I was in deep thought, after a few minutes in the roller coaster of thoughts..I said,
“Alright..I will do it..”
“Good..good for you..” He said calmly, “This is the photograph of the person you have to kill, this is his time-table..that will help you to get him on the right time and I will keep my eye on you, mate. I will give another fifty percent on the spot you kill him..I’ll be there tomorrow..”
“I don’t want it if you have to commit a..commit a..murder..””It’s a simple plan..and we..”
“Shut up..” she stopped me, ” shut up..don’t act like a child..can’t you simply differentiate between good and bad?”
“Look at this money..just look at this whole bunch..” I yelled throwing notes to her.
“I said, we don’t want this money..din’t I?”
“And I told you, we need this money..and I’m not going to change my decision..can’t you remember the fu*king poverty..can’t you remember the day your kid was kicked out of the school ‘coz we couldn’t pay the fees..can’t you remember all those things..?? Haan..?? Answer me..come on..Answer me..” My voice was getting louder.
“Look,Rehaan..listen to me, please..” small drops of tear started to roll out of her eyes, “there is a very small line between what one ‘WANTS’ and what one ‘NEEDS’. God gives us what we need, not what we want. And this money is what we want, but not what we need..”
“I tell you, we need it..”
“Your need will slowly turn to a habit and then helplessness will take its place..I just tell you to give him his money back..God will help us.”
“God has never been a helping hand for us..I am going to commit it..and that’s final..”
“I still believe you will not do it..I’ll be there on the spot with you..I have faith in God..”
THREE….
And the day came..everything was set as per the plan. I was waiting for the target. I took my place behind a huge banyan tree. I was also looking for that person who was going to give me another fifty percent after the task..ummm..murder. There he is, I thought..looking at the window of a multistory building very next to that banyan tree. And suddenly my eyes caught another creature on the bench on the other side of road. Yes, that was my wife. Still trying to turn my decision around..My target came exactly at nine thirty for a walk. I took my gun out from my pocket. My wife was staring at me. I glanced at that window and then looked at my wife. She was trying to say, “No..No..Don’t do it..”I didn’t want to lose my concentration..I wanted that person to come near to that banyan tree. I took aim. That was the most curious moment of my life. I took the aim..unfortunately my eyes again caught my wife’s eyes. That fear, that scream, that sharp vision like a sword, that small teardrops in her eyes turned me..I stood up, took the aim at that guy looking at me from the window..and a loud noise..I shot him dead..
She kept staring at me..I think, she couldn’t decide what to do. I placed my gun back in my pocket and pulled my legs to go the police station….
I kept my gun on police officer’s table and surrendered myself….
The punishment for the murder was..Life imprisonment..
FOUR….
REHAAN
MISS YOU EVERYDAY
YOUR WIFE
