Chapter 11

[MEMBERSONLY] [NOCOPY] part 11 updated on 06/04/21

For a long time Virat was blank as he held the djembe close to him and stared into oblivion. A crow crowed and he looked into one corner where the crow was sitting peacefully. He tried to make sense of his surroundings but couldn't understand a thing. For some time he clutched the djembe and kept looking ahead. His fingers caressed the djembe. Then he gave a faint thump and looked down on the djembe.

He started thumping it but couldn't feel any rhythm in it. 

Who am I who am I am I a bad person

Did I really betray my Jeeva

I betrayed my brother

I did that in my jealousy

Meri jalan

Apni jealousy me maine apne bhai ki zindagi ka Sauda kar diya

Wo bhai jisne mujhe apni jaan se zyada chaha

"Am I a bad brother"

His heart started beating faster so did the thumping.

SAMRAT

Samrat came running and got him released from the bully who was trying to choke him

He fought nothing less than a hero at the moment

He really fought like a hero

"My superhero Samrat" 

A smile appeared on Virat's face and passion seeped through his veins and transcended onto the djembe.

Kitna achchha bhai hai Samrat duniya ka sabse achchha bhai hai Virat bahut lucky hai

Samrat jaisa koi nahi

aur tu, Virat tujhe dhyan rakhna chahiye tha, dekh teri vajah se tere bhai ko kitni chot lag gayi hai dekh kitna khoon nikal raha hai

Virat was suddenly reminded of the blood oozing out of Samrat's arms and he saw that blood on his own hands

Virat's heartbeat was sinking and thumping got slower.

Use kuch mat kaho, please, uski koi galti nahi hai

Abhi bhi ise iski chinta hai

tu thoda bahut iske jaisa kyun nahi ho sakta

Samrat to sabka dhyan rakhta hai

Virat was now thumping the djembe more aggressively than before.

Isne ek bar bol diya Vahini to ye Samrat Salukhe ki zaban hai likh ke le lo

Bada responsible hai. Apni zimmedari se kabhi muh nahi modta hamara Samrat

Tu thoda bahut iske jaisa kyun nahi ho sakta

nahi hona mujhe Samrat ke jaisa

tu thoda bahut iske jaisa kyun nahi ho sakta

All those words had started hammering into his head and he closed his eyes in frustration as anger erupted like a volcano on the djembe.

"Nahi hu main Samrat main Virat hu. main Virat  hu. Virat."

He kept on hitting the djembe with an untamable force while gritting his teeth in anger, pain and frustration.

No longer able to keep up with the inner anger his hands stopped all of a sudden.

He closed his eyes.

Virat

Virat opened his eyes and found teenager Samrat standing before him with a djembe in his hands and smile on his face.

He was about to open his mouth.

Ha Samrat

He looked aside and found his teenage self standing there smiling at Samrat but hiding a lot behind that smile.

Samrat moved towards the teenager Virat and handed him a djembe.

ye kis liye hai

tujhe gussa bahut aata hai na Shiva jo hai,Samrat chuckled.

Aur tu meri jaan hai mera jeevan mera Jeeva. Lekin wo...

dekh mere bhai, gussa, jalan, dard, jab tak andar rahe tab tak khud ko aur doosron ko barbad karta rehta hai isliye jab bhi gussa aye use apne bheetar rakhne ki bajaye is par nikal lena theek hai

Hmm

Aur ha, yaad rakh, Samrat held Virat by shoulders, mujhe tujh par poora bharosa hai. Mera shiva is duniya ka sabse achchha bhai ho na ho bahut achchha bhai zaroor hai, ek bahut achcha insan zaroor hai kisi ko bhi sabse achchha hone ki zaroorat nahi hai Virat. Flaws sabme hote hain tujhme mujhme sab me lekin wo flaws, hamare emotions hame bura insan nahi banate. Ha kabhi kabhi hamse bura kaam karwa sakte hain. Thoda dhyan rakhna. Lekin ha yaad rakhna agar kabhi tujhse koi galti ho bhi jaye to apni galti ka paschatap karna, khud ko maaf karna, khud ko bura samjhne ki galti kabhi mat karna...

Samrat turned and pointed his finger at Virat

...kya samjha, Samrat smiled.

"Samajh gaya," Virat returned the smile and gave a thump on the djembe.

He looked up and found both Samrat and Virat gone.

"You are right, Samrat. Nobody is perfect. Aur perfect hone ki zaroorat bhi nahi hai. Maine galti ki hai. Bahut galat kiya hai tumhare sath. Maaf karde mujhe. Lekin main apni galti ka paschatap karunga."

Virat smiled and caressed the djembe and got ready to play it once again.

---

Patralekha looked up and found Samrat staring into her eyes.

djembe thumped again.

For some reason she was no longer afraid of those eyes.

She looked straight into his eyes and managed to whisper,

"I'm sorry"

Samrat's lips curled up into a smile and he went to sleep again.

Patralekha's mouth opened a bit as she saw him smiling and her heart got emptied of all the burden.

---

A beautiul melody of djembe started floating in the air.