The Photograph

   It was yet another Sunday evening and the new cafe at the exact center of the market has got their usual customer- Ritwik . However today Ritwik was not alone, he had someone else with him, someone unknown to the staff...but to him someone of his acquaintance...It was none other than his childhood friend Soham. Ritwik and Soham were meeting each other for the first time in the past ten years. Dating years back, Ritwik and Soham grew up together more like brothers. They were not classmates but it was on the account of their fathers that they were introduced to each other. Ritwik's father had started business years back in collaboration with Soham's father and it was no time that the relationship developed from business partners to family friends. The more their business flourished, the stronger became their friendship. Soon Ritwik and Soham were born and they with time developed the same friendship that their fathers had. Though they went to different schools yet their friendship was famous. The mischievous plans that they carried out, the football matches, the fishing expeditions, the family picnics, and whatnot. However, after school life, Soham went abroad for higher studies and Ritwik remained in town. Ten years have passed and now they have met again in person. Although they had written letters to each other during the initial years soon the habit faded as both seemed to be indulged in their own personal life. Soham is now an architect by profession and a part-time photographer by passion and Ritwik is looking after his father's business. Ritwik also has a younger sister named Sneha whom he loves the most in the entire world even more than his entire family and Soham.

    

However, the relationship is not the same now as it used to be ten years back. There was an awkward silence and Soham was the first to break it. He said, "How are you mate? How's life?"

Ritwik spoke with a kind of reluctant voice, "Fine, everything's fine! What about you?"

"Fine, perfectly fine! So are you carrying on with uncle's business or pursuing something else as a profession?"

" No carrying on with Dad's business."

Again there was an awkward silence.

Soham again interrupted, " Won't you ask me about my profession?"

"Yeah...What do you do?"

"I am an Architect and I still practice photography. Ohho! I completely forgot! Nevertheless congratulations on your Married life! Though I wrote to you but once again sorry for not being able to come! By the way, how's our little sister Sneha; she may have grown up by now! You could have brought her!"

Ritwik somehow stammered and he started sweating, he said," T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U! Sneha- is completely fine- She-is-not here-Yes!- she-has-she-has went abroad-STUDIES!"

Soham exclaimed, "Ritwik are you fine? You don't seem so! Should I drop you home?"

"No-no need, I can go, Sorry for the Inconvenience, sorry!"

Ritwik literally hurried out of the cafe and Soham stood astonished, "What happened, is he unwell, but he did not seem so at first, but he seemed reluctant to speak to me and what happened when I took Sneha's name! No..no..I think I am thinking too much, maybe I should stop reading so many crime and thriller novels!"

Days passed and every time Soham called Ritwik, he did not pick up the call and out of the few times he picked up, he just slammed the words 'BUSY' on his face before Soham could even speak a word. It seemed to Soham as if it was ignoring him or as if he did not want to face him.

More days passed and Soham was literally tensed and out of nervousness finally went to Ritwik's house and carried his camera so that he could tell him that he had come to take some pictures as memories while in reality he actually went to check on his best friend because he was literally tensed about him.

Finally, the car stopped outside Ritwik's house. Everything looked the same, the gate, the big garden outside, the house.. as if he was back in his childhood. A sense of happiness and excitement passed through his nerves, and excitement of being back in the place where he had spent the cherishing childhood of his life. Reaching the door, he pressed the bell.

A young lady came and opened the door and asked," Yes, whom do you want?"

Soham replied," You must be Ritwik's wife, is he home? I am his childhood friend, Soham!"

"OH! Soham! Heard about you a lot, please come in, he is home."

He goes in and finds Ritwik sitting on the sofa reading newspaper. "Why weren't you answering my calls, I think you have completely changed, I am going back to Delhi the day after tomorrow!" he said in anger.

" I am very sorry, I was literally busy with my business and I am also very sorry for the last day!"

" OK! Never mind I forgive you!" " Now let's go and take some pictures, I will carry them as memories, unforgettable memories of me and my best friend!" "Hey! is that a family picture," he asked looking at the huge photo frame hung on the living room wall. " Is that Uncle and Aunt, wait a minute, is that beautiful girl our little sister, Sneha?"

Ritwik stammered once again,"Y-E-S!" " Soham, let's go and take pictures, don't waste time!"

They clicked a whole lot of pictures and Soham also clicked some couple photos for the newly married couple. After having lunch, he finally returned.

Feeling contented on having spent a great day, Soham sat on his desktop to take printouts of the photos to be given to Ritwik. After the editing, he took printouts and thought of looking once at the printouts. It was late night and he was going through the pictures when something struck him which bought shivers down his spine.

The first two pictures were usual but the third where Ritwik and his wife were standing had a vague appearance of someone else behind the two, a girl, a young girl. he was kinda astonished, he looked once again carefully thinking his eyes to be wrong, but no! he saw the girl again a bit clearer this time. Every time he looked the picture seemed to be clearer and this time it was crystal clear. Peering at the photograph once again, he was frightened, he was sweating with chills running down his spine! With trembling hands, he somehow caught hold of his cellphone and called Ritwik and asked him to meet immediately as it was urgent. Ritwik came literally rushing with his car thinking his friend to be in danger. He ran into Soham's house looking for him but however found him in the living room sitting with a serious face.

"Oh, God! Are you fine?" asked Ritwik.

" Please Ritwik without any further ado answer the questions I ask you!" " Where is Sneha?"

"WHY, I told you she has gone abroad for higher studies!"

"NO! SHE HASN'T! YOU ARE LYING!"

"WHY WILL I LIE? HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT?"

"BECAUSE" Soham showed him the photograph, " SHE IS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH!" "RITWIK, I clearly remember she was not present physically when we clicked those pictures, you said she was abroad, then how come? And the most intriguing part is that I clearly remember that the appearance was vague and every time I looked at it, it got clearer and clearer, HOW RITWIK, HOW?"

During this entire time, Ritwik had turned all pale and numb. Sitting on the chair, he simply burst into a cry.

"WHAT HAPPENED, PLEASE TELL ME!" Soham was almost screaming.

Somehow bringing himself together Ritwik started," For the last few years, Sneha was no more the bubbly girl she used to be! I noticed this change once we admitted her to the College. We thought she was having some difficulties adjusting and that it would soon go away. We never paid heed to her problems, even me being her elder brother, did not try to listen to her problems being always indulged in work. Towards the end of last year; she started behaving differently all morose, did not speak much, did not eat properly, locked up in that small room in her own little world! Yet we never paid heed to it! However one night after coming back home, my wife told me that she has not come out the entire day! I went straight to her room and started banging the door and after some time somehow broke it and found her hanging, I still cannot forget the scene! On her table was her diary and I gave it a reading. It was written that she was facing a lot in her college, she was ragged, bullied, was forced to take drugs and as a result, she could not bear it, she thought herself to be unlucky, she was dying every day! My sister has been through a lot! I failed as a brother, I failed SOHAM!" saying this he broke down.

Soham who was holding the photograph looked at it once again and saw the young girl smiling at him. Tears rolled down his cheeks and the photograph fell from his hand.............

MORAL: Pay heed to what your younger ones want to say before it's too late!