The End Of The Line

Charan was sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee and munching cookies, when he heard a knock on the door. He went towards the door and peeped through the peephole and saw a young lady was standing there. He grasped his gun and opened the door. The girl said, "Exactly I was here last weekend and forgotten my purse here. Can I check the house for the purse?" Charan replied grimly, "The room service cleans the rooms after the exit of the previous owner and I think you will have better luck finding your purse there." The girl smiled, "I have asked there already and they said that they didn't find any purse in the room. Look, sir. I want the purse very badly as my return tickets are there. I won't take much time and I will give you 1000 rupees if you help me." Charan smiled, "Do I look like someone who will take in a stranger for 1000 rupees?" The girl said, "Please, for humanity. If it was not urgent, why would I be risking going inside the room with a stranger in it?" Charan said, "My name is Charan." The girl smiled, "Hello. My name is Lisa Fernandes." Charan asked, "Are you on vacation here?" Lisa replied, "Yes." Charan said, "Come in and fulfill your desire. I don't think I have seen any purse here." Lisa went inside and started searching for her purse. Charan looked at her carefully and said, "You seem to be from a wealthy background. Are you alone here?" Lisa asked, "Why are you asking that?" Charan said, "Just curiosity." Lisa replied, "Yes. I came here to visit my uncle's wedding. He wanted my whole family to join, but mom couldn't come due to arthritis." Charan asked, "What about your father?" Lisa replied, "He left us years ago." Charan smiled, "Same here." Lisa smiled, "You don't look like a local. You must be on some business trip?" Charan replied, "Yes. My business doesn't let me stay at a place for too long. I'm always roaming and meeting new people." Lisa smiled, "Same here. I'm a photographer and vlogger."

Charan smiled, "That means you must have seen most of the world by now." Lisa smiled, "Actually to be honest, I haven't went aboard yet. A lot of family denial and a little bit monetary problem has stopped me from boarding the plane to London." Charan asked, "London?" Lisa replied, "Yes. My dream destination. I want to vlog near the Big Ben and make videos and memories there." Charan smiled, "London is not that great as you are saying. It is full of pesky people and notorious criminals." Lisa smiled, "Risk is everywhere. Be it London or India, but should we start suppressing our love and wishes because of that?" Charan replied, "No. But, you should know the price and shouldn't be afraid to pay it." Lisa said, "Anyway, let's not argue. I cannot find my purse here. I think I must have lost it." Charan asked, "What about your tickets, then?" Lisa replied, "Nothing. Just have to buy the ticket again. Looks like my trip to Goa has extended a little more than expected." Charan said, "You should give me your number in case I find your purse somewhere." Lisa smiled, "My card is in the purse. If you find the purse, you will get the number too." She smiled and went outside the room. Charan smiled, "Life is so strange. It gives you a reason to live when you are ready to die." He smiled and went to the bathroom.

Alphonso was standing in the heavy rain, looking at the man digging holes in the ground. The holes were filled with wet mud and muddy water and the men were almost at the verge of drowning in the water. Manohar said, "We should stop the work today. The rain is quite heavy and the winds are blowing quite strongly. Our people have already risked their lives enough today and we cannot let them stay in the hole any longer." Alphonso said loud, "Okay. For today, it's enough. We will continue the digging after the rain stops. Go and eat your lunch and get rest." Alphonso quietly went towards his room and threw his coat on the floor with anger and tiredness. "Should I bring some food for you?" Alphonso turned and saw a young, slender girl standing there with a plate in her hand. A bowl of steaming soup and a plate of white noodles were there. Alphonso asked, "Who are you?" She replied, "My name is Vandana. I'm the daughter of Vyjanthimala and she has told me to provide food and keep care of you." Alphonso asked, "Why? Do I look like a child to your mother?" Vandana replied, "It's a tradition here. My mother served your predecessor and now I'm honored to serve you." Alphonso looked at Vandana carefully. She was a little wet, probably because of the rain and her brown skin was shining in the light of the lamp near the wall. She was wearing a burgundy colored sari with a black jean pant underneath it. Alphonso went near her and said, "Feed me the food, Vandana." Vandana slowly sat on a stool and Alphonso sat near her feet.

Vandana said, "What are you doing?" Alphonso smiled, "Don't worry, Vandana. It's a tradition back in my country to sit near the feet of the woman who takes care of you." Vandana said, "But, the tradition here is that no leader should sit near his servant's feet." Alphonso said, "No one is servant here. I'm with you because of my interest and you are with me because of yours." Vandana replied, "No one said this things before. You are different from other leaders. They would have eaten the food like a pig and then have sex with his servant by now." Alphonso asked, "So, you came here to have sex with me?" Vandana said slowly, "It doesn't matter anyway with my wishes. If you want to have sex with me, I can't say no." Alphonso rose and sat beside her. He said, "So, the women here are not free as Bablu mentioned. Anyway, how can your mother send you here to sleep with me?" Vandana asked, "So, you are not going to do anything?" Alphonso asked, "You want me to do something?" Vandana replied, "I think I should go." Alphonso caught her hand and kissed her lips. He slowly whispered, "I will only touch you when you want to." Vandana smiled and went away. Alphonso smiled, "Crazy woman." After finishing his lunch, he took out his map and punched his hand on the table, "Where can you keep the treasure? I have searched the whole graveyard and the smell is killing me. Moreover, people are doubting my decisions and are starting to think that I'm mad. I will have to find the treasure soon or else there will no way left for me." Alphonso put the map in the table and went towards the graveyard. He saw that a man was standing there, holding an umbrella. His other hand was tightly grasping a bouquet of blue larkspur and was standing there silently from some time.

Alphonso went towards him and gently patted his shoulder. He turned and looked at Alphonso and said, "If you are a pickpocket, there's nothing I can give you, except for the flowers which I have stolen from a flower shop to put it on my daughter's grave." Alphonso asked, "Do you come here everyday?" The old man replied, "Only when I get a chance to steal flowers from the shop." Alphonso said, "You always keep stolen flowers on your daughter's grave. Do you think she becomes happy by this?" The old man said sadly, "She understands. She understands that her old father can't afford to bring her flowers with his money. She understands." Alphonso said, "You may not know but your daughter is already quite happy that she have a father like you. She doesn't need some stolen flowers." The old man said, "Monster. That monster took away my child from me. What was her fault? Why did he raped and killed my child?" Alphonso replied, "Bad people are born out of bad blood. His father never teached his sons to stay in their limits and they will soon feel the consequences. Don't worry, sir. Your culprit has got his punishment." The old man asked, "How do you know that?" Alphonso replied, "Because I killed him." He took out his gun and shot a bullet in the old man's head and then said, "You got justice, sir. Now, go and enjoy the afterlife with your daughter." Alphonso took his body and threw him in one of the holes digged in the graveyard. The sound of the gun alerted the people and they came running towards Alphonso. Alphonso looked at them and said, "Start digging faster. We don't have enough time." He went inside his jeep and drove towards the free road. Manohar cane near the hole and saw the old man's body. He smiled, "He finally got peace." He and his fellow laborers started digging the ground.

Charan was standing near a shop, drinking coffee when he saw a familiar face through the glass window. He looked carefully and then his eyes became red with anger. It was Alphonso, standing there smoking a cigarette. Charan quickly finished his coffee and slowly went towards him. Charan saw that Alphonso was wearing some kind of uniform and Charan deduced that he is in a gang right now. Charan slowly covered his face and walked towards him. He wanted to nab him, but the crowd was too much and also nothing will come out of it anyway. He slowly clenched his teeth and walked away from Alphonso and started looking at Alphonso stealthily. Alphonso finished his cigarette and went inside the jeep and soon he was speeding away towards the thick forest. Charan started following him on a bike and soon both Alphonso and Charan stopped near the mouth of the road that leads to the graveyard. Alphonso stopped the jeep and slowly walked down the muddy road and reached the graveyard. He looked at the workers and said, "I have decided that we should postpone the work for tomorrow as heavy rains are signaling their arrival." Manohar said, "Okay." All of the workers left the work and went away to their homes.

Alphonso looked around and said, "Charan. It's been quite a long time since we last met. I hope you are not so angry with me." Alphonso rolled as Charan fell on the ground and covered himself by mud. Alphonso laughed, "You really thought that I will let you attack me so easily." Charan tried to punch him, but Alphonso quickly dodged the punch and threw him over the ground. Charan pulled Alphonso's leg and threw him over the mud and then started punching him rapidly. Alphonso kicked him and threw him over. Charan asked, "Why did you killed my brother, my family and my Alia?" Alphonso pointed towards the graveyard and asked, "Why did you killed those innocent girls? Why did you killed anyone anyway?" Charan replied grimly, "To protect and sustain me and my family. Vivek was a maniac then and the drugs have tricked his mind into thinking that he can do anything. I tried to stop him, but he didn't listened to me. He was my brother, my life. And you killed him." Charan tried to hit Alphonso but someone hit a bamboo on his head. Alphonso looked at him and said, "I don't have time to listen to your useless shit. I have a treasure to loot." Manohar said, "Let's kill him." Alphonso smiled, "No. We need him."

Charan opened his eyes and saw that Alphonso was sitting on a chair in front of him. Alphonso smiled, "I'm feeling quite suprised today. I have been waiting for you since so long and thought that you will bring an army and then will attack us. But, you just came here like this, without any protection or person behind you." Charan said angrily, "People like you need protection, who are so coward that they threatens people whose hands are tied. I am alone enough to kill every single of you." Alphonso smiled, "Let's not talk about bloodshed and killing right now. Tell me where did your father hid the treasure that you have been so yearning to achieve?" Charan replied, "That treasure is ours. You and your flithy people don't have any right on it." Alphonso said, "Your father looted their ancestor's money and accumulated it in his safe. The money is theirs and you don't have any right on that treasure." Charan smiled, "Oh, really? So you are what? A freedom fighter, a revolutionary who will freedom these poor souls from the vicious circles of society." Alphonso smiled, "I'm their leader and I have every right to help them take their money." Charan said, "Don't believe his words. He is a liar and treacherous bastard. He will suck out all the help from you and then throw you like an empty juice bottle. He is no one's aide." Alphonso said, "Take him to the graveyard." Manohar and his fellow laborers picked him up and took him to the graveyard.

Alphonso stopped near one grave and said, "Melissa Fernandes. Age 18. Can you say how she died?" Charan replied, "I am not saying that I'm a good man or my brother was any, but that's how life is. You are not a saint either, but a murderer yourself. You killed my love, my innocent sisters and mothers. Can you justify that?" Alphonso replied, "Your family died because of your sins. Alia died because she chosed you and you what your father died because of you too." Charan asked, "What do you mean?" Alphonso replied, "You went to prison for your brother's crime and couldn't accompany your father that day. Vivek never cared about his family anyway and that's why your mom accompanied your father that day and the rest is history." Charan asked, "How do you know that?" Alphonso replied, "Because I was there that day. I shot bullets in your father's body." Charan said angrily, "You bastard. I'm going to kill you."

Alphonso said, "Okay. Since you are not going to tell me the location of the treasure, it's better to send you to your family." Alphonso took out his gun and was about to shoot when a bullet pierced his hand. Alphonso and Manohar quickly ran towards their jeep as various bullets started killing the laborers. Charan looked around and saw that the old man has come to his aid. Charan asked, "How did you get my location?" The old man smiled, "Location? It was evident that you would have come here only to find your ancestral treasure." He untied his ropes and took him to the jeep and soon they were outside of the forest. When Alphonso saw that the firing has stopped, he slowly peeped and then said, "Let's head back. Charan has escaped." Manohar said, "This treasure is only unlucky. We don't want any treasure from someone's grave." Alphonso smiled and shot a bullet in Manohar's heart. He then slowly pushed him on the ground and shot another bullet in his head. He then slowly walked towards the jeep and soon went towards the village. Alphonso mumbled, "Run, boy, run. I know that you will come here only. I will be waiting for you." He smiled and speeded towards his village, as the clouds again started hiding the sky....