Lost Friend...

Dear best friend,

It has been a long time since we both sat and laughed our heart out on the bank of a dancing river. Those days have now become a fading memory, so delicate like a withering petal of rose. I still search for ways to get back to those days when the two of us, best of friends, spoke our heart out, guided one-another through all odds and held one another’s hands, come what may.

We had been friends since the day we began understanding socialisation. Wherever we went, we went together. We were perfect for one another. And then came the ill-fated day when everything changed! My life became as barren as an ice-desert! That day I lost you, my friend!

It was a wet rainy evening in the month of July. The atmosphere was gloomy as if it was mourning the ill-fate of mine. My sister was combating against death with a faint hope of longer life. She was diagnosed with a rare disease, whose name I couldn’t even spell! That day it seemed her condition was very critical. Her shrill cries constantly sent chill waves down my heart. I couldn’t even imagine a life without her. She was my lifeline. The doctor said that the antidote for this disease is a very costly thing but it was the last option for her survival. My parents broke down! Shattered to pieces! Who could see their child dying in front of their very own eyes! I was baffled! Unable to decide what to do. How to save my sister!

The only thing which was lingering in my mind was to get the money at any cost. But how? I had no clue. Yet, I went out in search of money. I begged, cried, shouted, ran aimlessly, did anything possible for someone of my age to do, went to all extremes to raise the fund, but it all resulted in failure. I returned home dejected. From a distance, I could hear my sister’s moaning. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was lost! Suddenly, an intense shine dazzled my eyes. I shrunk my eyes, trying to figure out what it was. Retracing the path of the light, I could see a shiny golden idol of Lord Ganesha on the table of a shop. “It must be very costly”, I thought. “Will it be enough to buy the antidote for my sister?”. I decided to ask the shopkeeper but he was nowhere to be seen. Time was running out and with every ticking minute, my sister was nearing her death. I saw no other option but to grab onto the golden shiny idol and run!

Yes. I stole the idol! I did it! I ran and ran and ran. To the outskirts of the village where there was a jewellery shop. I produced the golden idol and asked how much cash would I get in return. The figures which he said made no sense to me at all. I asked,” That’s a lot of money, isn’t it?”” More than your father has earned in his lifetime”, replied the shopkeeper. “Thank you so much”, was all I said and ran to the medicine shop. Wasting no more time, I rushed home with the antidote. My sister was given the antidote and she recovered within a month.

My sister lived but I had lost my best friend. My friend turned into my greatest fear. A feeling of grave guilt crept in. From that day onward, I was never again able to face my friend. Ten years have passed and even now the memory of this incident haunts me. If only you could forgive me, my dear friend, maybe I will get a new life. You know, I didn’t have a choice!

My dear shadow, I want you back, my friend. I want to be free of this guilt of theft which none other than you know I committed. My shadow, I want you to be my partner again rather than being a haunting sense of guilt.

Yours loving,

Krishna.