Smouldering Ashes by Aniruddha Banhatti (free novels TXT) 📕

fire, one inspector, one sub-inspector and two policemen were burnt alive. Meanwhile, the wounded boys lying on the road were taken to government hospital but refused admittance unless accompanied by a police officer. At last they were rushed to a private hospital. Out of the five, Sudhir and Narendra were quire serious due to broken skulls and delayed medical attention. Sudhir was the only son of Mr. Appasaheb Bhosale, a freedom fighter. On reading the news, Chitre felt as if his blood was replaced by icy water. His tongue was swollen and he was getting red in the ears. After Gokhale recovered a little, Chitre heard himself telling Gokhale in a cold icy voice,
"Leaving tonight is not possible. We will leave tomorrow morning."
***
They heard the cold-in-the-head horn of the mail van. At this time of night?
"Must be a telegram,"
Gokhale sat upright, startled. There was the postman getting out of the van and approaching them. Gokhale turned a blind gaze towards the printed letters on the telegram:
Sudhir Expired. Please come. Need help. -- Appa.
***
Coming back from Mumbai four days later, when Chitre saw the secluded rocky spot from the bus window, a monologue began in his mind:
No, Maria, it won't be possible now. You had said that your father won't object to your marriage with a Hindu. But now my life has changed. Now we are going to continue the battle for freedom which Sudhir was fighting. Job, marriage, now these things don't mean much in my life. Within two days, I will say goodbye and leave for Mumbai.
On getting down at Pali and then walking to the mines, Ahmed gave them two letters. One for each. They went to Chitre's quarters and sat reading the letters. Chitre's parents had also read about Sudhir's murder by the police. They had requested Chitre not to think rashly and make a hasty decision. They knew about his friendship with Sudhir. On completion of their studies, when Chitre and Gokhale were planning to join Sudhir's campaign, their parents had finally persuaded them against doing so. And now after serving for three years in a mine as geologists, the edge of their distaste against the present establishment had blunted a little. Chitre kept remembering snatches of conversation with Maria. This additional bond.
Gokhale's parents had also written to him in a similar vein. At last Gokhale broke the long silence, "Chitre, forgive me. I won't be able to hold my own before Ma and Pa. They have seen a lot of hardships. Still two of my sisters are to be married. I feel that my parents have a right now for a few happy days at the end of their hard working lives. In the end I hold their happiness more important. There may be something selfish behind such thoughts, like stability, security, etc. But if nothing can be changed --- , but if every-man thinks like this the atmosphere will become more and more poisonous, but --- No meaning in anything at all. Tomorrow Pa arrives here,"
he concluded abruptly and hid his face in his hands.
Chitre said,
"I am also in the same position. I can't sacrifice my life. We are very weak. We don't have courage like Sudhir."
Then Chitre walked towards the corner, looked at the cobweb and shouted suddenly,
"Forgive us, Sudhir, we are impotent. Do you hear? Castrated."
The spider moved a little. Gokhale lifted his face from his hands and stared at Chitre. The spider came down on its thread and hung before Chitre's face. Chitre watched it swinging carefree and started to laugh loudly. Gokhale looked at him a little alarmed. Then a heavy gust of wind blew in through the window and rain clattered noisily on the tiled roof drowning out the sound of Chitre’s laughter.
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Publication Date: 06-10-2010

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Dedication:
To my dear wife MANJU