The Red Scarf

The noise of horns on the busy road of Gurgaon was causing havoc. Priya was having a splitting headache , partly because of the noise and partly because of the loneliness she was feeling in this big town. She had recently shifted to Gurgaon from a small town of Punjab to work in a call centre. Not used to insolent behavior of her co-workers, she felt quite lonely in this big city and to add to her vows she got a rental accommodation in a society at 12th floor, which was considered haunted as some girl committed suicide there. Only a few flats were occupied that too by single , working people as the rent was quite affordable for them in this costly city . This desolation was causing her to perform badly even in her office. Suddenly , the auto rickshaw stopped in front of “ Moonlight Apartments” , her destination . She got down and went inside the apartments .

“Moonlight Apartments” were a newly constructed apartments with lush green ,manicured gardens at its entrance . Priya with heavy heart got inside the lift. She was greeted by a sweet, sugary Hello from a girl who was already in the lift.

“ Hey, I am Simmi “, she said in a friendly tone.

“Hi, I am Priya “, Priya answered

“Which floor?” , Simmi asked

“ 12th floor ,flat no 101”, replied Priya.

“Superb, I am staying in Flat no 110 at the same floor, so we are neighbors “, Simu excitedly told Priya .

 Simmi came like a whiff of fresh air for Priya. They both used to come back from their respective offices and often used to hang out together at Priya’s place. A new found friendship lifted Priya’s spirit and her performance at work also improved. So after end of three months she got a salary increase and a bonus. She invited over Simmi for a small treat at her flat. She prepared Pasta and a cup of filtered coffee for Simmi. Simmi gifted her a red scarf with small white flowers on it . The girls chatted and Simmi told Priya that when she came to this town ,she felt so lonely, she was not used to the insolence of people of the city , she tried to go back but owing to economic condition of her parents failed to do so and then one day......

Knock knock.......

Somebody knocked on the door .

Priya opened the door, the society’s guard was standing outside.

“Madam hi, today is society’s meeting right now , you please join that”, he told Priya

“Woh last year, ek madam ji did suicide here , so everybody pay homage to her as she died this date, last year”, he told Priya.

“ Ok, Bhaiya Ji ,I will come and will inform Simmi madam too”, she told watchman .

The watchman looked puzzled but left the place. Priya and Simmi went downstairs to community hall where almost everybody from apartment has gathered to pay homage to the girl who committed suicide last year owing to in adjustment in this hostile city. Priya went in front to have a glimpse of the picture of the deceased girl. Simmi’s smiling face was looking at her from the pic , wearing the same red scarf. She looked at the chair next to her where Simmi was sitting, only the red scarf was lying there.