Death Celebration

Once, in a city, there was a girl named Pooja who lived in a joint family. She was very intelligent and always topped her college. Be it studies or competitions, she excelled in everything. She had a best friend named Seema, who was very close to her. They shared everything and spent a lot of time together, forming a strong bond. Seema was average in studies, but Pooja always supported her, saying that grades do not define a student’s knowledge or quality.

Everything was going well in Pooja's life, with her final exams approaching and job placements being offered in college. Everyone knew she was a topper, so her chances of selection were high. Pooja had started focusing on her studies as the final exams were just a month away. Little did Pooja know, her journey was about to take a different turn.

Seema had been absent from college for a few days, and her attendance was getting short. Pooja felt lonely at college and decided to call Seema to check if everything was okay and why she hadn’t been coming to college. When she called, Seema informed Pooja that she was very unwell and might not be able to give her exams. Pooja encouraged her, saying, "Don’t lose hope. You’ll be fine, and I will give you the notes for the exams." Seema replied, "You are my bestie." Pooja smiled warmly and said, "Take rest; I’ll see you later."

A few days later, as Pooja was returning home from college, she thought of taking the notes to Seema’s house. However, it was raining heavily that day, with no sign of it stopping. Pooja stood by a tree, hoping the rain would lessen before she moved. When the rain didn’t let up, she decided to put her notes in a plastic bag to keep them dry and thought that getting to Seema was important, or else her year would get ruined.

Pooja figured if she ran, she could reach Seema’s house quickly. But as she dashed through the torrential rain, she had trouble seeing anything ahead of her. She was almost there, just 15 minutes away, when suddenly she was struck by a truck and fell to the ground.

When Pooja opened her eyes, she found herself in a hospital. Strangely, there were no family or friends around. The doctor and nurses were discussing her case and mentioned that no one had come to see her in a week. Pooja thought, had no one informed her family? Seema, who had been unwell earlier, was now okay, so she wondered why no one came.

In pain, Pooja tried to get out of bed but struggled. She thought that perhaps her parents were hesitant to visit because of her condition, but the doctor had mentioned they would come. She felt an urge to talk to a nurse, but the nurse ignored her. Pooja found it odd but thought she would wait for her family.

Eventually, her family, along with Seema and other college friends, arrived. Pooja felt happy, thinking everyone was delighted to see her, but she noticed a different emotion in their eyes—happiness? At that moment, Pooja’s father exclaimed, "The doctor says she has died; please complete the death formalities and let us take her body home."

Pooja was in shock and said, "But I’m alive!" She called out to everyone, even to Seema, "Look, I’m alive! I had an accident on my way with the notes!" Seema maintained a smile as she responded, "Now you’ve become the topper, see? Your competitor is gone!" Everyone around seemed joyful, as if they had just received good news.

Pooja cried, realizing that the world had turned upside down. They were celebrating her death as if it was a blessing. In that moment, Pooja felt a profound realization that she could perceive their true faces. She understood that in this world, people valued luxuries over human emotions, using relationships for their motives, only showing their true colors when it was too late.

Moral of the story: In today's scenario, people prioritize material wealth over human connections. Relationships often dissolve when motives are not aligned, revealing that not everyone is honest. The reality is, some people celebrate the death of others, eagerly waiting to leverage their emotions or properties. These true faces often become apparent only when it’s too late, highlighting the shallow nature of human connections in this life.