The debt we owe - Chapter 2: Akash Hegde

Akash was with his friends, the short tempered Rana, timid and quiet Ramesh, and Kiran, who had just arrived having finished his meagre "shift" at the police station. Kiran had only recently gotten the job of delivering all sorts of things to the local police station, tea, newspapers, letters, etc, it was mostly because his father was a senior constable there, grooming his son to become a high ranking police officer. It was all a pipe dream as far as Akash was concerned.

Just today Akash received a letter from Ramya, that cute girl who everyone doted over. He wouldn't open it, he wouldn't even mention it to any of his friends, he'd read it later in the day and hide it in that box inside Praveen's room. Well Praveen had dissuaded Akash from entering his room and touching that box, but so what? It was theirs, not only his, but he can also reprimand him all he wants later. Akash smiled to himself. 

But then, how could Akash forget his own disposition? His identity? He was the younger son of the criminal Prateek Hegde, the seemingly innocent gardener who turned around and kidnapped a little girl and killed her, the townspeople reminded him of that from time to time, all the controversy had died down now thank God, but no one really forgot, in a town such as this, gossip is all there is. And Akash could never forget either, his mother Veena was ample reminder, she lost her mind after her dear husband was accused of such a heinous crime.

They passed the old monk who was rambling prophecies as usual, Akash will never forget what the monk told him all those months ago, "You should find the truth boy, YOU should, everyone else is clouded by misery or delusions of grandeur, YOU, are innocent, find it". It confused Akash, what was this old man rambling about? What truth, but now it rings in his ears, was he talking about my father? That criminal? Is he one, really?

Now the old man was muttering something as well, they saw a new face passing him as well, he was asking directions to go to the police station, they assumed he was a tourist and Kiran stepped up to answer him, just when the old monk shouted, "The wrath of nature is quick and merciless, it strikes down all, the rich and poor, the proud and humble the wrong and the just..... and the culprits and innocents, there is no prejudice, but only retribution". 

That startled everyone there, the tourist was taken aback and seemed to actually consider the monk's words seriously, until he didn't. Kiran volunteered to guide him and left, bidding his friends a silent goodbye.

Rana began his usual, "The old man is rambling again", he said and chuckled, "whatever he does, it's all nonsense, and hear it, its all so pessimistic too", Ramesh replied with his soft voice, "some of them are true, you know". Rana looked down on Ramesh, "It's all curses isn't it? The old man curses all those he looks at", Ramesh replied again, "They're not curses, just bad futures", the old monk was his grandfather and he couldn't simply stand Rana slandering him every time they came across him. Rana jumped to give Ramesh a punch when Akash intervened.

Rana looked at Akash with contempt, but calmed down a moment later, it doesn't take much to have Rana fly off the handle, most of its his own mistake anyway but the bonehead is one of Akash's oldest friends.

Rana subsequently left, saying that he had some homework to do, leaving Ramesh and Akash. "My father saw an elephant recently", Ramesh started, "It was walking alongside the cars and bikes like it was a vehicle itself", he said with amusement, "They're becoming more and more common lately", Akash replied, "Monkeys and deers and elephants even leopards and tigers as it seems", it was strange truly, they seemed to be travelling in unison, across the town and away to some other forest, it was very strange.

"Even Praveen says the forests seem much too empty lately", Praveen was Akash's elder brother, he was a wood cutter for the local sawmill, he also worked as a driver occasionally which is how he knew Ramesh's father Ravi, and also sometimes in the tea estate of Mr. Velu, his brother was his rock and role model, he worked day and night to keep the family afloat, made enough money to even send Akash to school at the cost of his own education, he was everything Akash hoped to be, strong, independent and resilient.

"I see", Ramesh said quietly.

"See you tomorrow Ram", Akash said and bid goodbye.

Later that evening a frantic Kiran came rushing to Akash's house, he claimed to have some great information for Akash. He said it simply and outright, "Your father was framed Akash".

That's all it took, Akash's mind was filled with all the bullying, all the backlash, all the threats he and his family had to suffer, all the reporters, all the police, all the haters who laughed and lampooned at him, it was all a lie, it was big fat lie. He took a while to collect himself, "How do you know this Kiran? I don't appreciate pranks or lies", he said calmly though he was a mess in his mind. "No, that tourist I led to the station, he was himself an officer from the city, he wanted to talk to your father about that girl's disappearance and I overheard their conversation, your father was framed, even officer Saurav was convinced of it, I know, I heard".

Just then his brother Praveen arrived, seemingly having overheard their conversation. Hopeful, Akash got up ecstatic, "Kiran, tell Praveen what you heard, tell him", he was sure his brother would do something, their father was framed, he was an honest man after all, but Praveen didn't respond to Akash, only had his eyes dead locked onto Kiran who he dragged out of the house in silent anger. 

As the days passed, the floods got more and more frequent, one of friends' house was flooded first, and then 16 huts were washed away, and their school was closed off for the next week or so. But Akash couldn't forget what Kiran had said, and later how Praveen responded to it, coincidentally no one heard from Kiran after that day, Praveen had also not come home after that day, what was happening?

Find the truth, you are innocent.

The truth was in front of his face, his father was innocent but was framed by the police for their incompetency, but, what does he make of his brother's behavior and that Kiran is now missing? He didn't want to do this, but he did, he was being objective and unbiased, that is what the damn monk meant anyway, that I was untainted and so I can see and judge clearly. He went to Praveen's room, he must find something here, something to lead him to understand everything.

He went to the place that came instantly to his mind, Praveen's cupboard, inside where he kept that box of theirs, yes, their box, not his.

Once he opened it, what he found there made him go quiet suddenly, his thoughts became quiet, he was still, he should've been screaming in a frenzy but no, was he truly surprised?

It was raining heavily, but no matter, Akash took his bicycle and rushed outside as he bid his absentminded mother goodbye, he had that thing with him, he had to find Praveen. My rock, my role model? Really?

He went to Geru's chai stop and asked about his brother, Geru replied that he saw Praveen driving a female tourist out of town yesterday, after that he went to Mr.Velu's estate, when asked about Kiran, Geru said he didn't know. He then went to Mr. Velu's estate to ask him about Praveen, Velu's security guards refused to let him in to ask around, but Akash had had it, he pulled the gun out and pointed it at the guard, "Where is he?!", he demanded to know. Shortly, Velu arrived and helpless in this situation told him that Praveen was in the forest.

Akash rode to the woods nearby, the mud was hindering his cycle so he had to walk on foot, he ran and ran in all directions, screaming Praveen's name which got lost in the many trees and the rain swallowed the echo, he must've ran for hours as it seems until he finally saw Praveen, who was coming out of a ditch.

Tears were running down his eyes, his own brother, he looked up to only him, what was he doing? "Praveen!!", now he heard him and was shocked the moment he saw what was in Akash's hands, a gun. "Wh- Where did you get that Akash?", he said stuttering in nervousness, "You know where I found this you are lying bastard!".

He raised his hands and spoke, "Don't do anything brash Akash now, I am your brother, I can explain, let me explain".

"You being my brother is the problem don't you see?!", Akash said between tears and a morbid anger. "Is that Kiran? Did you kill him?", Akash said pointing to the ditch, "No, I didn't, it's for him anyway", Praveen said mindlessly and immediately realizing his slip again pleaded and bargained. 

"Go on, explain yourself my dear brother!", Akash spat in anger.

The he learned the real truth, his brother was approached by the police on behalf of that Rajan Tilak, they offered a grandiose amount of money to keep his mouth shut about the girl's disappearance, in return for his father Prateek Hegde being the fall guy in the same case. So all the money his brother received and took care of his family with was a huge bribe to keep their own father in prison? 

"You knew our father was innocent! You agreed to keep him in prison voluntarily! What kind of son does that? I looked up to you you know", Akash screamed in frustration. "I barely had any choice Akash, you're not the elder son, you don't understand, I had to take care of the family and these people were ready to go to certain extreme lengths to ensure my compliance, it was not a pleasant alternative I'll tell you!".

"We'd have done it together you fool!", Akash was crying profusely now, "mother has gone insane because she thinks her husband was a murderer, think about it!".

"And now Kiran's dead as well? Add being a murderer to your sins Praveen, you are no longer my brother!".

Akash was morbidly angry, in a frenzy and a storm of emotions having engulfed him completely and a gun in his hand, what will he do now?