Adhi Kaalai (Early Morning)

"yelundhiringa... neram aachu" shouted his wife. (Get up, its getting late)

He jolted up looking for his glasses. His wife walked out of the room cursing him under her breath. She must be upset, he thought. He came back home in wee hours of the morning, after a very late night party with his useless friends. He wanted her to keep quiet, but she was constantly growing on him. The kid's school bus has broken down and he is on duty to drop her and it is already late.

He walked into the bathroom to get ready. He came out fresh, but his headache was piercing his brains. His daughter ran towards him shouting "appa....." (daddy). He lifted her with one hand and listened to her intently as she narrated all that happened the previous day at school, the evening at home, and night. Children are always happy with their parents. Daughters with dad especially. He and his wife would be like a kite without a sky if not for her.

She whispered in his ears "Appa, amma un mela sema kovama irukaanga." (Dad, Mom is so angry on you.)
He walked to the breakfast table. He said to himself "tell me about it". He let her daughter down and told her "finish the breakfast and we will be off to school by car".

His daughter exclaimed "Yay...." and started rhythmically ".... daddy is.... dropping me, daddy is... dropping me".

He patted her back and went to dress. He opened his closet and picked a suit for the day. He heard his wife muttering at his back. Today was just another bad day for them.

After 15 minutes, he walked down the stairs along with his daughter to the car. He buckled her up in the back seat. He has to catch the highway and once on highway, its about 20 minutes drive to the school. This drive and the conversations with his daughter during the drive is something he cherished. Precious moments they were. All those moments were recorded in the memory. His headache, not bothering him anymore.

Out of the garage, his daughter started her routine "appa, you know oru boy irukanla avan romba bad" (Dad, that boy is very bad)

"Yendha Boy?" He asked. (Which boy?). She replied "That Vidyut. He is playing all the time in the class".

"Ha Ha." He laughed. She continued "You know what he does, he takes everyone's book and scribbles in it".

"He is such a bad boy daddy." Without waiting for any reply, she started singing her school song.

He lowered the sun visor and opened the mirror to look at his daughter singing. He could see her singing while staring out at the window. His car was swiftly moving on the highway, leaving many cars behind. He thought as he tapped on the steering to her song's tune, children are god. With what belief do they follow their parents? Without a question? Would they ever ask "are you my real mom and real dad?" Such strong is their faith at this tender age. Can grownups have such undying faith? So much the kids can teach. They are not work of divine. They are divine.

He was so lost in thought, he didn't realize that his car was drifting towards the left. As he ran over the reflector for the hard shoulder, he panicked and pulled the wheel abruptly away. He pulled it so abruptly on the highway that his car swayed to the right and nicked the car on the right lane.

He could hear his daughter shout "Daddy.... enna aachu??" (What happened?)

He shouted back "Dont move."

Nicking the car on the side track, made his car skid. He turned the steering wheel abruptly to the other side and his car skidded fast towards the fender. He screamed at his daughter "Brace!".

His car hit the fender. The car swiveled and was thrown into the traffic. The car turned two times and he could see smoke from the front of his car. His eyes closed momentarily. He opened his eyes and he was facing the traffic and he could see a 1 ton pick-up headed straight at his side, straight at him. He closed his eyes and thought at least her seat is on the other side of the car. He turned to look at his daughter, who was still at brace position. Good that he had occasionally trained her. He closed his eyes and to hear a loud noise. The pick-up rammed into his car. It was over.

He could not move an inch. His neck was hurting. He could see someone trying to break open his side door. He murmured "My child".

"She is fine. At the ambulance", said an uniformed man working at cutting the door on his side. It looked like huge scissors. He could not keep his eyes open. He realized that he may not be awake for long. He could sense his blood pouring out through his legs and forehead.

He opened his eyes again and he figured he was inside an ambulance. His daughter was holding his hand. She was crying profusely, he looked into eyes that were scared and swollen red. He tried to clutch her hand, but his hand wouldn't move. Except for his eyes that were fixed at his daughter, no part of his body moved.

It was a miracle his child was not injured, except for few scratches. Good car. He thought about his wife, "she will cry, but she has to live on."

He looked deeply into his daughter's eyes. She hadn't' stopped crying or stopped saying "Daddy.. Daddy".

He felt blessed to hear her words at this time. He slowly nodded his head. Very slowly and faintly he said "Appa sollu, Appa". (Say Appa)

His daughter couldn't understand and she kept crying "Daddy, Daddy". He smiled and closed his eyes.

+Oru Iravu (That Night)

The Year 1996

Babu, computer technician. At 23 years of age, he worked at a small store during the day assembling computers for buyers and by the evenings he worked as a keeper for a browsing center. Being a computer technician, manning a net browsing center came easy for him. Browsing centers were a new thing in the country. Many homes didn't even have computers. Most people who came during the evenings simply spent time to understand internet and for some people it was their first time using computers. For a school drop out, Babu's knowledge on computers was quite good. That kept the owner unworried and busy with the other businesses. 

He, usually, sat next to people to teach them how to use computers, browse the internet and etc. One such customer is this young lady who visits frequently during the evenings. 

Babu had a particular delight in sitting next to her during her browsing sessions. His thirst for her was visible on his eyes. Her saree was an ornament on her making her more voluptuous. Every time Babu grabbed the opportunity to sit next to her.

Babu didn't miss any chance to touch her anywhere. Even in the 10 to 15 minutes he sat next to her, Babu would do a variety of audacious things outraging her. Babu would press his knees against her legs in the pretext of looking closely into the monitor. He will rub his arm against her shoulders while adjusting the key board. Sometimes he let his hand between her hand and body to get hold of the mouse. Babu got aggressive with days passing.

For some reason she never complained, despite her anger that she controlled. Babu seemed to understand it as her visits to the center was becoming less frequent. Babu started imagining her in every picture he saw on internet. His obsession was growing fire inside him. He saw her in all the pictures he had downloaded from internet. Its 2 weeks now and she hasn't shown up at the center.

That evening his boss had a computer repair to be attended to. He gave Babu the address and asked him to attended to it on his way back. 

It was 7 PM when Babu pressed the door bell at the house. An old lady opened the door and Babu informed her about the computer repair. As she was walking out, the lady shouted into the house that the repair man arrived. Babu saw the lady walk out and waited by the door for someone to come. Another lady in mid 50's came out and showed Babu the computer room. The room had an a/c and it was running. Babu recognized the computer that he assembled few days ago. He took out a screwdriver from his pocket and opened the computer to check the problem.

He heard the lady say to some one that she is going to the market. Babu finished working on the computer and he set it up on the work table. He pocketed the screwdriver, turned on the computer and waited for the Windows start button to appear. Once it came up, he decided to leave. But the past hour he realized that no one came to check on him.

He walked out of the room and called to see if someone is around. She came out of her room. His heart started pounding. Its her house. And they were alone. His eyes gleamed with desire and it showed in his smile. He greeted her, but she didn't really reciprocate. The computer had come home only to avoid going to the center. He asked her to check on the computer and if it was satisfied. His eyes glued to her.

He wanted to rekindle those browsing center moments in this house. He thought the moment was opportune with his desire flaring up. She sat down to check the computer and while she was at it, he gently touched her shoulder.

She startled and moved to the side. He bent close to the monitor and made it appear as an accident. But inside he was shaken. She appeared confused to him, but her lack of protest gave him extra courage. 

He went closer to her, with his heart racing like a bullet. He straightaway grabbed her hand and asked her "Why are  you not coming to the center? Don't you like me?"

She pushed him away and shouted at him to leave. 

As she raised her voice Babu said "Please don't shout. Someone might hear us." 

But she shouted more ferociously. Screaming at him to leave.

Babu suddenly pulled by her dress and shut her mouth with his hand. She could feel his heart vibrating against her back. She was looking for a chance to stop him, but his arms were crushing her like iron bars. 

Babu whispered in her ears "Didn't I say shut up?" 

"How much low do I have to stoop?" he said, as he cupped her. "You arrogant lady".

She violently kicked her legs. Babu tore her shirt causing his nails tear into her skin. At that moment she sprung out from his clutches and she ran for the door. She looked back at the evil face of the browsing center guy. His eyes red, but a smile at the corner of his lips. Smiling at her helplessness.

The large, lonely home handicapped her. Her heart was racing faster than her. Breathing heavily she was forgetting that she was not shouting.

Babu's sublime urge fueled this brutal hunt. He imagined most of what he saw on internet. He took a leap grabbed her already torn shirt. That made her slip and fall. Babu grabbed the opportunity and sprung on her. He used his right hand to shut her mouth as he sat on her stomach. Her one hand was pushing him from his chest and the other was looking for something to hold on to. His weight made her totally defenseless.

He took his screwdriver out. Waving it across her face he said "I will kill you if you shout."

Her eyes were wide. Her legs still kicking in the air. He could feel hot air gushing out of her nose. He nodded at her, and kept the screwdriver on his lips, signalling to keep sssh. He rested on his knees and she coughed under his hand when the weight was relieved off her stomach.

Tears constantly rolling, her eyes begged him to let go. As he loosened his hand, with all the strength she could gather, she bit him. He slammed her head with his hand. Her head hit the floor and she cried in pain. And she kept crying at her helplessness and she cried more realizing what was happening to her. She tried not to feel anything.

When her other hand got free, it continued to search in the dark for something to hold on to. Her left hand got hold of something, she dragged it and hit his head. Instantly she could feel a cold object piercing her. Babu pulled out the screwdriver from her stomach and she could feel her cold blood on her fingers. 

Babu stood up, looking at the woman who lay like a flower crushed under a feet. Her fingers were not moving. Without wasting a moment, he ran out of the door into the dark street. That night never ended for both of them.