Matter of Choice

Posted by Praveen 26 September, 2008

Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at something non-poetic. Infact the very first time i have written something in a story format. So, if you find anything wrong or anything that could be written differently/better, please let me know so that i can make the changes in the next attempt.
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I reached home and hit the bed straight. Everything has been said and done. All the things have come to a grinding halt and there is nothing else left to do anymore.

Emotions knew no meaning and I was trembling with uncertain thoughts. All my hopes and all my dreams have just come crashing down within a span of 30 minutes.

All things that I treasured meant nothing and try as much, "I couldn’t sleep". Until today afternoon, everything was so good. I felt like a "prince" living life to the fullest.

But in one fateful afternoon, I witnessed what I "never dared to dream". And that ended it all. My whole world came "crashing down" like a toy house. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to live or if I wanted to die. "Life had become a question mark to me".

Try as I might, I just "could not hide these emotions". And I cannot go out and say this to anyone. Wiping the tears that ran down my cheek, I ran out of the house.

I knew not where to go. And with nowhere to go, I ended up sprawled on the sands of the beach looking into the distant sky trying to find an answer to a very simple question – "Why?"

The next 24 hours was the longest time I had ever spent. Not knowing the answer and unable to get myself to confront the question, I caved in meekly and withered into the shell that slowly made its presence felt ever since the afternoon before. Finally, without realizing what I was doing, I dialed the number to find the answer behind it all.

30 minutes of sobbing, 30 minutes of reasoning it out was not enough to convince me of what I witnessed was right. But still, I did not have the heart to disconnect the phone and after much pleading agreed to meet in person. 30 minutes extended to 3 hours.

Finally, after 3 hours of arguing, talking, trying to make sense of what happened, it was quite evident – My "once healthy" ship has hit something and is sinking fast.

Do I bail out or do I stay put trying to save it? It was not a choice of courage or escape. It was a choice between life and death!
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based on real life incidents.

Categories : Short Stories Tags : ,

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