proud of this girl and was hoping that she would bring some stability in this boy’s life. Wait a sec….it was past 12 and Sheila could never stay awake beyond 10 or 10.30pm, so it couldn’t be Sheila. Then who was Raj talking to? On any other day, Col wouldn’t be bothered but lately he was a bit worried and without realizing, he found himself tiptoeing towards Raj’s room. As he reached closer he could hear Raj better, till he could hear him absolutely loud and clear.
Col heard a one-sided conversation for the next 15 – 20 minutes which completely numbed him. He couldn’t believe what he heard. After what seemed to be hours, Raj hung up and went for a shower, an old habit of Raj. Col entered the room, picked up the mobile and dialed the number and spoke briefly. He then switched off the mobile, removed the SIM and placed the cell back to its place. Raj came out and was shocked to see his father and asked him if he needed anything. Col asked – “Who were you speaking to?” “A friend of mine” said Raj. “Since when did you have friends in Poland?” Asked the Col. Raj’s face was pale – “Are you spying on me?” Col’s voice was shivering – “Am I glad I am?” “So now that you know, yes, I have some contacts in Poland” said Raj gaining his composure. Col said – “What’s the deal that you are striking with the traitors?” “None of your business” said Raj. Col retorted –“Of course it is, why only me, it is the every citizen’s business, the entire nation’s.” “What nation are you talking about? What has this nation given you? A bullet wound in your left leg which has made you lame and few copper medals on the chest, which you don’t wear and nobody cares for?” Col asked him to keep quiet and give him the details of the deal. Raj went on – “I am not going to be satisfied with a few metals on my chest, I need more. A few secrets and I get paid in dollars.” Col was shocked – “How could you even think of this?” Raj said “Why not? If I don’t, someone else will, for all you know the Defense Minister will, so why not me?” Col retorted – “You can’t be my blood, I won’t let you do this.” Raj ignored him and went on drying himself. The Col called out – “Raj… the nation still comes first for me” and shot three bullets at him point blank. He kept on firing even after there were no bullets and for once wished there were more bullets in a gun.
The shot rang in the ears like it happened just now and a shiver ran down his spine. The Col wiped the cold sweat from his temples and went to his room to retire for the day. He did think about the gun which was in thrown the sewer nearby and how the SIM was flushed down the toilet and the mobile phone went into the garbage which got cleared the very next day. The Col was glad that the garbage got cleared regularly at his place and that in the chaos of the next day, everything happened without anybody realizing that all evidences were cleaned. What could not be cleaned was the Col’s guilt that he had raised a traitor at home.
That night the Col slept peacefully and never woke up to see another day.
