Early morning ...

"Dhurvendar (Dhruv) India's leading table tennis player, stumbled into a swimming pool in front of his house last night and died - We pray to God to bring peace to his soul. Our deepest condolences to his family, relatives and friends.

We will get the detailed news by listening to the Journalist Mr. Ajay on the field.

Ajay - "There is no doubt that the death of Dhruv shook India. No one could accept that Dhruv, who was an example to future youth had fallen and died of drunkenness. This was confirmed by a broken bottle near the swimming pool and another bottle on the table. It is shocking among the people that a well-to-do man dragged his life through alcohol like this. Whether there are other reasons for this will be known only after a physical examination of the body. Now sportsmen, celebrities and his friend Vikram Adithya are here (at Dhruv's house). Journalists and reporters are not allowed inside" reported him.

This was the main sad headline for today that was being covered by all the news channels.

*****

An hour ago,

"No....... No...... No......! not to be my friend... No chance for it" Vikram Adhitya was shocked and ended the call. He then rushed to Dhruv's home hurriedly.

"Dhr... Dh ... Druv .... you talked to me nicely yesterday... don't leave me alone..." Vikram cried and drove the car at full speed and in a few minutes, he stopped in front of Dhruv's house.

"Dhu......... Dhru ....... Dhruvvv ... Hey ..... Hey Dhruvv .... get up .... dude ... Dhru ..... Aah ... aa ... aa ..." Dhruv who was lying motionless inside the ice box. Vikram knelt down before him and cried.

"Dhruv ... wake up dear ... Hey ... Don't leave me alone ... Dhruvv ... Get up dude ... Don't go .... Hey Dhruvv ... Oh ... My friend ... How can I see you like this... ? Your ... friend Vikram has come and crying before you... Can't you... hear me Dhruv?" he leaned over the box and cried. The hearts of all those around were in agony, no one can comfort Vikram at that moment.

"My Son Dhruvv!!! Vicky... Vicky... your life (Vicky).... he has come son! My dear son... look at him ... look at him suffering in front of you ... my saint!" Hearing the voice of Dhruv's mother, he hugged Dhruv's mother comforting her.

"Vick ... Vik ... Vikram, my boy ... fell into the water... I can not believe it .... I can't .... Did he built this swimming pool to snatch his life? I can't believe...." she moaned.

"Maaaa ... don't cry Ma ... Dhruvv .... Dhruv .... I .... will be .... there... maa...." Dhurv's mother leaned on his chest and closed her slowly.

"Maaa... mothe .... water .... " and those who were near sprayed water on her face and took her to the bed.

Shiva came there crying and he hugged Vikram, "Shiva ... Dhruv ... do something ..... and bring him back... my life without Dhruv ... alas ..........."

"Sir.... bear the reality ... I have no medicine to alleviate this pain.... sir, if you should be brave ... don't break yourself..."

Rakshita came cryingly and said, "Dhruv! Alas, How it had happened? Vicky! I have lost a good friend!" She cried.

Ahana got out of the car and didn't come inside to see Dhruv. She cried sitting in front door of the house. "Didn't even think I would see you ... in this condition... You told me yesterday that you would be with me forever... God! Don't you have heart?" She cried as if she was ten feet away. Shiva and Vikram looked at Ahana alternately with tears in their eyes.

The person asked Vikram, "Body lying in the water for so long and autopsy had done. It will not stay long. If you say yes, we can finish the final thing."

"Aaah .... still ... only one hour ...... my Dhr ... Dhruvvv .... let him be with me ..... our .... Friend ... has to come from Mumbai .... let her see him once...."  Vikram sat unbelievable with his memories with Dhruv as Shiva tried to comfort him.

After a while, Vikram handed over his ringing mobile phone to Shiva. Shiva came outside and arranged someone to pick up Vaishali from the airport.

Ahana sat near the entrance of the door, looked at Shiva and said, "Shiva .... I cann't believe it ...... this could not have happened" her tears wetted Dhruv's house.

"Come inside, Ahana ... How much affection Dhruv sir had for you? Come and see his face once" Shiva called her.

"Ah .... ah ... I can't .... I can't ... Shiva .. I'm not able to see that smiling face remained motionless.... I am not coming ...." she cried.

Shiva who did not force her, went towards Vikram and received a call from Vidharth Aditya. He gave it to Vikram "Vikram ... Dhru .... I heard that sad news .... Don't leave your heart! Be brave!" Said him.

"Did you see that our ..... friendship has reached this point? Did you see that my friend has left me? Is this what you mean before?" Vikram's frustrating tone.

"Sorry Vikram.... Should I have to come to India?" asked Vidharth.

"Brother.... can you give back my friend's life?" Vikram mouned by what Vidharth had said earlier. Vidharth had no answer and remained silent.

Vaishali came, "Dhru... Dh...... ru .....  ..... thuru ..... Vic ...... Vicky..... What happened to him? Vicky... How could this happen to him?" Both Vaishali and Vikram couldn't control the tears.

"Dhruv ..... Friend! ..... Is this why .... Vick ..... Vicky .... Celebrated your victory like this? .... Dhruv ... " she cried.

After a while, "Shiva... Did Ahana come?" asked Vaishali.

"Hmm... there is she...." he said.

"Come on..." Vaishali said.

"No..." Ahana shooked.

Vaishali went near her and said, "Don't hurt us.... Ahana ... let his soul... rest in peace ... Come and see his face only once..." Ahana didn't want to trouble them. She stood idle looking at him.

Ahana remembered the words of Dhruv often sayimg "Ahana! I love to see these eyes without glasses"

"Today I have to see you in this cooling box .........." she let out a sigh of deep breath.

Then his words echoed in her ears as he said, "Make way for a smile in your face..."

"You have given yourself an indelible sadness for a lifetime! " She saw his hands that she held yesterday, tears rolled down and wetted Vikram's hand. No one was in the position to console the other.

"Vikram sir... all arrangements are being made in the place you have mentioned. It was done. Finally, take a look at Dhruv once" said the man.

"Hmm ..... Carry on" Vikram who saw Dhruv's face for the last time tried a lot to control himself but broken down.

"Whom and what should I blame? Did this is a reason I bought this land in such a hurry to give as a gift to my friend out of desire? he didn't even enjoy it!" Vikram thought in his mind could not stop the rolling tears in his eyes.

"I didn't even glance the sesame field flowers;
O

venomous guy, your laugh is pricking me;
and rotates like a giant wheel without axle;

Even if you had rest on your back;
o

r drop down on the earth dead,
you are a pride to our caste people;

Your smell on the breeze;
Y

our affection all over the forest;
In the whistle dance, I get soaked in your thoughts;
No lame excuse; come and stand;
You cut to pieces and kill the death;" (These lines from Asuran movie almost killed me while writing this part. I dedicate these lines to our beloved smiling King Dhruv)

The green land that Vikram bought as a gift for Dhruv becomes his funeral land. Vikram and Dhruv sat down in the lawn and talked at the same place yesterday evening,

Is God so evil? What would the mind voice of God when Vikram and Dhruv visited the same place yesterday.  My imagination is "Man thinks life is enduring; The Lord thinks poor the man is;"

*********
That evening, Vikram, Vaishali, Ahana and Shiva sat with Dhruv's family in front of Dhruv's house. The Workers removed the water from a swimming pool in front of Dhruv's house.

Vikram stared at it and Dhruv's words flashed before him, "Vicky ... come on ... I'll be help you to train swimming."
"Hey .... nope Dhruv! Are you playing with my life?" "Ha ... ha ... no dude ..." Dhruv's laughter rang in his ears, and he just stood there not wanting to wipe away the tears that reaches the corner of his eyes.

Vaishali called out, "Vikram ..." and he came to the present.

"Vicky, you have to comfort us... but you are struggling... Shhhh... I can't believe yet... Dhruv, "When did he practiced drinking? I knew he was depressed and that's why I asked you to take care of him, Vicky" Vaishali said with tears in her eyes.

"Even if this world says so, I wouldn't believe that Dhruv was drunk, Vaishali... Yesterday, I promised him that I would quit drinking and threw the bottle away" he said.

"Yeah ... but how did the investigators got another bottle of wine? Also, the autopsy report clears that Dhruv had drunk" Vaishali says anxiously.

"Hmm... I feel like my brain is paralyzed, I can't even decide or think anything"

"Am I the indirect cause of this? May be because of me whether he started drinking?" Ahana said hitting herself on the head.

"It will not be like that..." Vaishali approached her.

"In the media, television and the press ............. Let it be known that this tragedy has happened due to unexpected stumbling and the medias should stop spreading the news that Dhruv faced this tragic end due to alcohol ... the loss of my friend ... I couldn't bear it but still I can never tolerate these words ... His death, it is okay, even if it wasn't heroic death ... but I can't accept that he embraced this cowardly death. Even if God gives him such a death, I will change it ... " He said and called Shiva.

"Shiva, No matter how many crores it costs, arrange to tweak everything from the news that is no longer published to the news that is printed. I will take care of the police and whoever comes" said Vikram.

"Vikram... that's all it has come out already ... let's see what we can do next" said Vaishali.

"No Vaishali .... I am sure Dhruv would never drink. Maybe even if he was drunk, stumbled and fallen into the pool, he was well trained in swimming then how could this happen? How is it possible? My intuition is telling that there is something mysterious in this. Is this the meaning of the bad nightmares? Oops! Even when I left yesterday my foot got slipped! Even then, Dhruv asked me to stay...
This would not have happened if I had been with him... Vaishali, How can I bear this? I feel like he is standing next to me" said Vikram worriedly.

"This may be his fate, Vicky... What to do, we have to face this. He is gone and not going to come back, Vicky. You, do not confuse your mind!" Vaishali tried to rescue Vikram from this messful state.

To be continued...

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With lots of Love,
Udhaya Vivek.