THE CLIMAX

That day started like any other day. Still it was a different day. Because that was a day when Nitin got an idea in to his barren mind. An idea about his close friend, who had lost everything material and that, mattered, to a series of gambling. Gopal was his name. Nitin had wanted to help him financially, each time catastrophe happened. But unfortunately that desire remained just a desire. For Nitin too was a very ordinary man financially .Nitin had an ability .he could write stories and poems. He used to in his younger days .But marriage and family life had distracted the writer in him .hence that chapter he thought was closed until that day that day he got a story idea in his mind. He decided to make Gopal its hero. Nitin was sure it would create waves in the literary world. The writer in him was coming out of his hibernation! Thus he planned to save his best friend. The story had all the trimmings to please all and sundry. It had tragedy, love, fisticuffs, love and sex. A tailor made theme for a mega serial. Nitin dreamed for him too. Welfare brought to him and his friend with his own ability. Thinking about it all itself made him feel rich and happy. Next day Nitin went to temple and made necessary offerings to god .he always did thus before he started any auspicious deed. He came back home and settled to write his pet story. The story started thus. "Ramu was a man who had wanted to win the world in no span of time' .So it went on and on .The semblance of the hero to his friend Gopal was irrefutable and as clear as day light and that was exactly what Nitin had wanted too. But he kept all a secret from his friend. As he did not want him to have any kinds of anticipations for the better .What if the story misfired and drowned all hopes. That would be suicidal to his friend who was already neck deep in problems. Days flew past. The story reached an important stage. A stage where Nitin had to find or fabricate a fitting climax. What should it be? This thought started to gnaw his mind. Should he give a happy ever after “finale or a tragic one? .Since it was about a person who is living, he has to be careful about not hurting his feelings or senses. But Nitin was so taken away by his creation and its impact on his readers that he threw caution and feelings to wind. That was but natural. The creation becomes the creators dream. He was now more concerned about his story's climax. Gopal, on the other hand was put to so many excruciating experiences due to his lack of finance. Some cut throat financiers started to visit his house and started to pester him and even threaten him with dire consequences. Even his family life had started to swing from one end to the other .His wife was unable to take in more .So she fell ill. Gopal's daughter too had to discard her ambition to become a doctor. She started to throng the employment exchange office .A total blankness and helplessness crept in to Gopal's life .
Nitin was unaware of all the turbulent happenings in his friend's life although he was just a stone throw distance from his house .He was busy trying to find a fitting climax for his story .Sentiments had no place there what so ever.!! He did not know whether to make it a tragedy or a comedy. He knew Kerala women preferred tragedy. But personally speaking he had wanted a happy ending for his story .As it was about his own dear friend .Now Nitin was totally confused. But his confusion was short ‘lived!
It was a Friday. Nitin got up early to brood over his story's climax. Then he heard a boy calling out to him frantically. It was his neighbourhood boy, Raju. “What is it, Raju? Why are you shouting for me so early?" Raju was trying to gather his breath when he said "Sir, didn't you know?' Our Gopal sir committed suicide in his bedroom fan yesterday night .There's big crowd already there. “Nitin felt nauseous. But how was it possible? He was preparing to find a solution for all his financial problems why didn't he wait? Or was his heart break so great that he did not want to even discuss it with his best friend "?..Nitin was feeling very guilty and inconsolable. Days dragged by.. The funeral, the ranting and the goodbyes were all over .Nitin was back at his creation, after a pause of few weeks. Now he did not have to burn his brain over the climax .So he finished the story fast .
With not much difficulty he found a publisher to publish his work. It was a tribute to his dear dead friend. The success of the book was Instaneous. There was no looking back for Nitin after that .Media praised him. Congratulations poured in. Women drooled over him. Some producers were willing to make it a serial at all cost. There was a queue of sponsors too for it .Nitin was feeling so heady with the sudden success. Probably Gopal, his dead friend was helping him from heavens! Success brought along with it all the luxuries to Nitin. In the middle of all those affluence he did not forget to help Gopal's family financially .Now Nitin shifted from his rented house to a beautiful flat of his own .His motor cycle gave way to a brand new Maruthi car. His story was now the current craze in Television serials. Nitin's brain started to tick again. Why not write story about Raja. Yes the same boy who had brought him the news about Gopal's demise? Nitin knew Raja very well. His parents had abandoned him when he was a little baby. He was brought up by a scheduled caste lady, Arya. It was indeed a classic plot for a tear-jerking story about a poor boy growing up against all odds to become rich and a cynic. Nitin called Raja one day to his side and told him about this idea. Raja was thrilled. He told Nitin that he would narrate to him all the little hurts and happenings of growing up as an orphan. And later with a foster mother -the mockery called life. Nitin was very happy. He actually wanted to write a story soon. Because his publishers were already pressing him for more. They were pushing him to a corner for another blockbuster story. Nitin told about this idea to his wife .She too liked it instantly. But she had a better idea in her mind. Why not add her story too to it and make it a double bonanza, rolled in to one? She told about her interest to her husband "Nitin, we can make it more colorful and interesting, if my story too is added into it .You can merge the two and make it in to one. That way it would have some love and sweet moments .Raja's life so far is devoid of it isn't it?" She paused to see how her husband was taking it all. "Excellent"! Nitin explained.so it started .The colorful life of his lovely wife Meghana and the dreary life of raja were merged in to one to make it a very good reading material. He wrote with many sweet memories crowding him...He did not know the time flying.He had so much to put forth A part of it was about his own sweet wife .It was forming in to a very heart renting work.. Nitin was exulting at his own ability.
It was an October evening, Nights were long and day’s shorter. Meghana had wanted to go for her friend's house warming ceremony in the morning .But Nitin was in no mood for an outing. So he asked her to go with Raja in the evening .Nitin was in the middle of finding a fitting climax for his new story.
A story with his wife and Raja as the inspiration. Meghana and Raja started their journey to her friend's house in an auto rickshaw. The evening traffic was dull. So the auto driver started to drive quite fast. Even on repeated bantering that sot of a driver paid no heed. The auto raced through a sharp hair pin turning and banged head on with an oncoming lorry. The collision was so hard and high, that it killed the passengers in the auto instantly! But not the auto driver .By some strange luck or destiny, he was thrown out. Meghana and Raja took the entire brunt. And succumbed to their wounds……
The bodies of Meghana and Raja were taken in an ambulance to their respective homes Nitin now stood looking down at his beloved's lifeless body with baited breath. He did not know what do you say .Tears failed to flow he felt choked .His thoughts ran down to the past years how he had refused marriage as Meghana's parents were against their love .She was a north Indian settled here in south ,and he a south Indian staying near her house . To make matter worse, he was just an ordinary school teacher .There was also a gaping age difference between them .But in spite of all the barriers their love bloomed in to wed lock. She was at present expecting their first offspring. How fast the cruel fate snatched away all his glory! So easily his life got ashroud like gloom. Now why does he need all the power and fame? For whom and/or what???He started to cry. He for his love, his life together with his family. Everything has been snuffed out .so many aspirations,ambitions …Everything tumbled down at the wave of fate`s wand…. Nithin did not sleep. The clock chimed twice. An owl was hooting somewhere. A slow rumble of the thunder was heard in the distance. It was going to rain. That was nature`s way of washing away the heated and emotion laden atmosphere. His beloved`s soul too would merge with the rain drops and reach heaven!! Yes rain was auspicious for the dead!! Suddenly he sat upright. A lightning flashed.Nitin started to shiver with a shocking realization All the three dead were dearest to him. Gopal,Meghana ,Raja .THEY ALL DIED WHEN HE STARTED TO WRITE ABOUT THEM!!!!When he fumbled for a fitting CLIMAX they all died and showed him a way. So He was a "doomed" writer!!!He realized it all so late .So in a way he killed them all with his pen. Nitin started to weep uncontrollably for an emotion he himself did not know..
The clock now struck three in the morning .Nitin was awake and decided. An uncanny calmness swept over him. He wanted to atone for the sins he unknowingly committed. Slowly he put on the light and took his pen and a clean white paper. Then he said a silent prayer and slowly started to write -A STORY ABOUT HIM SELF!

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