NEW Sam-Arjun OS

THE BROKEN SILENCE

His finger brushed over the printed letters on the sealed envelope. It is a very rare occasion nowadays when he receives a government sealed document. He had last received such an envelope 33 years back when he had resigned from the ever dominating and partial police force, he had once worked for.

And since then, this is the day when he had touched anything termed official. He could guess what it was. Even at the age of 68, his instincts have not abandoned him. They still keep pricking him at times. But what amazed him was the corrupted government's curious investigation to get hold of his address. Hardly anyone knew where he stayed now. The department still kept a few talented and efficient officers.

He kept the letter on his lap and picked up his specs from the bed side table. The framed glasses on his nose cleared his vision and he looked at the closed envelope again. His eyes moistened as he read his name on the creamy white cover printed in simple bold letters.

Mr. Arjun Suryakant Rawte.

The last heir of the Rawte family.

A painful lump hit again at his chest and Arjun left out a silent moan. Arjun Rawte had never mourned over his losses. Fluttering his eyes Arjun opened up the wrapped paper and pulled out the letter from inside. It was an invitation.

The long forgotten team was suddenly being recalled by the department after these long years. A sad chuckle left his lips. Another defeat in his life. A team of the deliberately chosen best officers whom he couldn't save from a criminal's wicked mind. The ETF team ended and the department allegedly accused him of negligence in duty which resulted in their death.

After a long tough fight he could prove himself off the charges and was released. But the feel of defeat wasn't gone. He was defeated. The brave team sacrificed their lives infront of his eyes restoring their blind trust on him forever. He couldn't forget them nor could he stand a replaced team. So he left the department 33 years back and then onwards the existence of Arjun Rawte was a puzzle for everyone. A new ETF team wasn't formed nor anyone ever tried to.

The thoughts that had flickered and burned him all these years were again going to be rekindled by the department for some strange unknown reason. The department had suddenly decided to remember the sacrifices of their brave officers and award their families in a grand function and Arjun being an integral part of one of the best team was also invited at the event.

Arjun kept aside the letter in an angry disappointed groan. The invitation reminded him of his helplessness again. He kept looking at the sheet of paper beside him. The edges were fluttering with the breeze from the open window. He held it before it flew away.

Main nehi jaunga...samjhe ya...' his words fell short. The paper fluttered furiously, mocking at his own deceptive belief. He signed and kept the letter over the envelope neatly on the bedside table, weighing it with his own specs on it.

The lonely soul walked away. He still had a household to manage alone.

*****

The shocked faces turned even more astonished as the old man in a black suit walked graciously through the long hall and reached towards the gallery door. The woman from the management team spotted him instantly and walked to him with a forwarded palm and a beautiful smile.

"Welcome Mr. Rathore, we are really glad you could make it...how are you doing?" she greeted him, smiling at the grey haired, spectacled gentleman with a moustache and a clean shaved stubble.

I am fine...thank you...shall we...' Sameer Rathore appreciated her gesture with his usual calmness and moved ahead.

The lady followed him inside and showed him his seat. Sameer thanked her formally and opened the buttons of his formal suit to take his seat. A few officers sitting beside him instantly engaged him into a cordial conversation. Its sometime Rathore had retired but his effectiveness and efficiency during his work had made him missed by many of his staffs.

Rathore's mind kept wandering around the huge gallery waving or smiling at the various known faces he had worked earlier. He had always respected his work and honored the status it had brought him. IPS wasn't really a bad place for him as long as one remained true to his own duties and job.

It was sometime and Sameer was busy chatting with an officer beside him when suddenly the lights dimmed and the darkness caught their attention. Sameer straightened and looked towards the raised podium in front which had a single spot light towards one end.

The host of the evening took his place in front of the microphone panel and greeted everyone. The evening started on a jovial note, with so many known and unknown faces gathering together. But as the evening moved ahead the happiness and laughter slowly faded into a grim feeling. The dead were being remembered and along with them were the unfading memories associated with them once.

Patience had always been an inborn virtue for Sameer Dhamsingh Rathore, but whenever it came to this elapsed team, his impatience would take over him, resurfacing his restlessness and regretful state. He had left the ETF team a fortnight before the incident happened which killed all of them in a blast. It was a sudden night's call to an emergency at his home.

His father had had a massive cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in a very critical state. He had to leave that very night without meeting or bidding anyone properly. All he could do that night was speak to Arjun over a minute call and inform him about the emergency. Arjun had assured him to take care of things diligently until his return.

Few days before the incident Sameer's father expired and he had to remain back for his last rituals. The night before the incident he had called up Arjun stating about his reasons and again Arjun had assured him spontaneously. Sameer had stayed home without looking back. He knew arjun enough to know the truthfulness of his words and his dedication.

But again destiny failed him and he lost his precious team in a blast at midnight when they were led to a closed underground godown. He watched it in the news telecast and it left him into a disarranged state. He instantly called up the Commissioner who informed him about Arjun's arrest and then his plight. Each incident brought out the slowly subsiding anger inside him.

His anger towards Arjun and his own guilt kept him rooted away from Mumbai and he never returned back. He got himself transferred everytime here and there but not anywhere near Mumbai. He had lost all his reasons to return to this city. He lost his longest friend Roshni, he lost his team, he lost his Arjun and he lost her.'

Aisha...the blast took her away too and he couldn't even appreciate her for the little meanings she had started giving his life.

A loud applause broke the silence in the auditorium and also the suffocation inside him. These long years have made him realize a lot of things. He now could realize Arjun wasn't at fault for anything. He had always kept the promises he had made him. But destiny failed both of them. Their similar losses and pain secluded them. One bore the pain in his blames, the other in his arrogance.

The ETF team was being remembered with its various significant victories and achievements. Everyone along with some of the benefited victims was applauding at their bravery and courage. Sameer was feeling immense pride as he was being mentioned the Chief of such an elite Team and called on the stage.

Sameer stood up slowly smiling at the officer sitting beside him and took slow steps towards the podium. His age has weakened his limbs but not his resolves. His heart was still beating thinking about the glistening faces he had once lost. His ears still rang with the greetings he had once arrogantly ignored. No one ever called him Rathore Sir' after them. Neither anyone called nor did he allow. It was just a remembrance from them.

Sameer reached the stage and was formally received by the present DIG of the police department, who would be presenting the award. But before the award was taken the host took a moment and called for someone else, who had recently arrived inside the auditorium.

The then second-in-command and later the Chief of the ETF team during the absence of Sameer, Arjun Suryakant Rawte.

The name itself was enough to turn all the faces in the audience towards that one particular chair that the man had occupied. Sameer eyes too started searching him in the crowd and it wasn't long when the tall, slightly bent, with a framed spectacles and grey hair was spotted sitting towards the end of the auditorium. He seemed to be struggling with the sudden attention and was looking towards the door for an escape.

An Escapist. Sameer muttered under his breath.

Arjun was soon forced on the stage and welcome with another standing ovation, with joined hands clapping for both of them.

Arjun had last met Sameer years back when he had come to hand him Sikander's official file. They had met and spoken several times then. But their relation couldn't be revived. The talks were again restricted to their work and need. They kept their self-made promises and avenged their loved one's death. But the relation that had died with her, couldn't be recovered. Both parted ways after their revenge, never to look back until today when their loses again brought them closer.

The award was handed to both of them remembering the team they had led so efficiently. Both of them kept silent. It wasn't a moment of happiness for them and they would not mourn for the sacrifices once made.

Both walked down the podium in the same awkward silence as the evening moved ahead with other brave soldiers.

Arjun took the steps down attentively and started walking towards the door. Sameer waited for a moment down the stairs and then followed him outside. It was the same disturbed state. Though both of them stole hesitating glances at the other, none of them tried to break the silence.

Arjun walked out of the auditorium and dropped on the raised pavement beside the road, quietly breathing in the fresh air. The crowd, the noise, the memories, everything was suffocating him. His fingers had just clutched over the butt of the wooden piece of pride when he felt a hand over his shoulder and turned back to find Sameer standing behind him.

kaise ho Arjun?' he asked him stepping in front of him,

Arjun looked at him surprised and slowly nodded his head replying his query. A silence followed. Sameer took a seat beside him on the pavement keeping the distance between them.

tum kaise ho?' Arjun suddenly asked after a long pause,

zinda hu...' Sameer replied signing out loudly,

Tum abhi rehete kaha ho?' Sameer asked and was replied in silence again so he continued,

Ayi ne mujhe call kiya tha...baba hospital main the tab...main tumhare ghar bhi gaya tha..per tum waha nehi the...fir pata chala tum hospital gaye the...per...' Sameer stopped as he looked at the remorse stricken face of the man sitting beside him,

tum sahi the Rathore...mere fitoor ne sab khatam kar diya...main kabhi baba ko samaj hi nehi paya...ab jab iss umar main akela hu...samaj sakhta hu...per ab bohot der ho gayi...main hamesha har waqt late hi ho jata hu...uss din bhi...' Arjun stopped as his voice started shaking remembering his love,

Aj Roshni ki bohot yaad aa rahi thi...Itne saalo baad Mumbai ne firse sare zakham tazaa kar diye...aur ab to tumhe blame karke khud ko sukoon bhi nehi de sakta...' Sameer said in a lost tone,

Mumbai ne mujhe bohot kuch diya...per main kuch bhi apne pass nehi rok paya...sab chale gaye...Roshni bhi...ayi bhi...Baba...ETF...tum...' he stared at him and Sameer glanced at the broken man. He shed an assuring pat on his arm and shifted closer to him. These long years have mellowed down his anger and reasoned his regrets.

Karan mila tha ekdin...Pune main...Uski father ki kuch ancestral property hain waha...ussi ke liye gaya tha...tumhare bare main puch raha tha...pata chala usne Simmi se shadi kar li...aur abhi dono Pune main hi shayad rehete hain...koi business start kiya hain...' Sameer replied,

chalo acha hain...dono ko akal aa gayi...zindagi main kabhi na kabhi humsafar ki zaroorat parti hi hain...' Arjun replied in a sad tone,

haan...' Sameer hummed back softly,

har koi tumhari tarah pagal nehi hota...' Arjun said and looked at him.

aur nehi to kya?...kya?' Sameer continued unknowingly and then looked at him realizing the meaning behind his words.

Arjun chuckled at his shocked expression and then the accepting nod on getting caught unattended.

tujhe shadi karna chahiye tha...apno ke liye bhi kabhi kabhi jeena acha lagta hain...' Arjun mumbled the words,

Kisse shadi karta? Jisse karna chahta tha...usne bina bataye saath chor diya...fir kabhi jeene ka maan nehi hua...' Sameer replied back thoughtfully,

tu abhi bhi waisa hi pagal hain...' Arjun whispered softly,

haan...Pagal hi hu jo usdin team ko tumhare hawale chor ke chala gaya...nehi jata to aj...' Sameer voiced out in a depressed tone,

Aj sab hote...ETF, aisha aur Roshni bhi...kash usdin tu Roshni ko mere ghar na bhejta...khas tu khud hi usse receive karta...kash meri bad naseebi uske saath na jurti...kash ye sab kuch na hota...kam se kam wo hume aise chor ke...sab meri hi galti thi aur hamesha rahegi...ETF ko bhi nehi bacha paya...Aisha ko bhi nehi...tu sahi karta hain...main bhi apne ap ko kabhi maaf nehi kar paunga...' Arjun said giving a distant look,

Agar ye batein dus saal pehele kaha hota to shayad main teri batein maan leta...per aj iss umar main ake main tujhe blame nehi kar sakta...' Sameer started but Arjun tried to defend but he kept continuing,

nehi aj nehi...maine kabhi teri baat nehi mani...kyuki mujhe laga tha maine Roshni ko jaan bujh kar ek galat insaan ke pass jane diya jo duty se alawa kuch bhi nehi sochta...apne kaam ke liye...wo sab kuch kar sakta hain...aur hua bhi aisa hi kuch...aur ye jante hue bhi main kuch nehi kar paya...mujhe sab pata tha...wo threats, wo case, Sikander, sab kuch...fir bhi...main Roshni ko...' Sameer kept speaking but arjun interrupted him,

Roshni humare beech hamesha rahegi Rathore...wo kahi nehi jaa sakti...aur nahi mere liye tera gussa...tu chahe mujhe blame kare ya khud ko...the fact remains that we couldn't save her...and we are being punished by her absence...jo iss zindagi main kabhi khatam nehi hoga...' Arjun replied him,

khair, kya karta hain abhi? Abhi bhi unofficially case handle kar raha hain?' Sameer asked him, trying to forget their fights,

Nehi...buddha ho gaya hu...ab koi itna bharosa nehi rakhta...' Arjun smiled,

hmmm...' Sameer hummed thoughtfully,

retirement ke baad tu rajasthan wapas chala gaya?' Arjun asked him,

nehi...bhaisa ne wo haveli babasa se apne liye likhwa li thi...mujhe babasa ke death ke baad pata chala...isliye wapas nehi gaya...Delhi main ek flat main reheta hu...abhi to kafi saal ho gaye waha...' he replied,

hmmm...' Arjun hummed in response,

Sameer chucked at his response surprising Arjun, who stared at him curiously.

kitni ajeeb baat hain...kabhi humhari baatein rukti nehi thi...aur ab batein aur bache hi nehi...Mumbai ne humse batein bhi cheen li...' Sameer mocked,

haan itne saalo main kafi kuch badal gaya...hum bhi badal gaye...bas Mumbai nehi badla...aj bhi waise ka waisa hain...' Arjun replied back,

tu yaha kya apne ghar main hi ruka hain...ya...' Sameer asked him,

nehi lodge main...uss ghar main jane se daar lagta hain...siwai ek sunapan ke alawa waha kuch bhi to nehi bacha...' He spoke up,

maine kai bar socha tha uss ghar main jau...per kabhi himmat nehi hui...Roshni ke bina wo ghar...fir socha tha Aisha ke saath jaunga...per wo bhi...' Sameer sounded depressed again.

A long silence settled between them again. None spoke a word. It wasn't strange though. They are in a habit of sitting together in a cumbered quietness while their heart broke numerous monstrous storms inside them. The program inside the auditorium was moving towards its end and the doors were slowly being opened, wrapping up the night quietly.

Sameer looked at the watch and stood up. Arjun felt his absence beside him and stared up. The absence wasn't new, but it was much more stronger today. Their eyes met as they read their inner turmoils swiftly.

The Old Arjun-Sam was back. Though they hadn't or wouldn't acknowledge, things have drastically changed in these years. They have cornered their search for peace. They no longer lived to explore. They have settled with the little things they have and lost. They understood the little moments in life. They were more brave now. They were together even when distant apart.

Aj chaloge?' Arjun voiced out in a tone just louder than a harsh whisper, but Sameer knew the meaning.

The awkwardness might never go, the hesitance would always remain, but its long Arjun had asked him something and he never denied his friend.

A nod from Sameer and a hired cab from the street set these two gentlemen free. Free of their own regrets, their own sorrows, their own unhappiness. They would never return back to being the best of friends for the world, but inside their hearts, they had already started sharing their lives. A life they had once dreamed with their loved ones. Love is lost for them, but life was still alive, with memories that were worthy and commendable than anything else.

unres

Reswa😉

unres...😃
Arjun is 68😲 i m trying to imagine wo kaisa lagta hoga😕
Letter aya... Invitation aya...
Arjun is guilty of the loss of his team
Nobody knows where Arjun stays🥱 ... Chhhupke baitha hai,,😕
Wah ab dept ko brave officers ko yaad karna hai😕 n arjun was invited as he was a part of the team
paper ko kya samjha raha hai😆😆😆 yaha bhi sys dega
Sammy❤️ mai line marne ko ready hu😆😆
Thakur..buttons na khulwao.. humari niyat bigad jati hai.. khas kar jab wo sammy ho🤪
Sameer's helplessness😭😭 he is also sad abt losing his team
yes..nobody was to blame...😭 just their destinies failed them😭😭

Sameer n Arjun's sour relation.. when will it mend.. both accuse each other for some strange unknown thing.. which they themselves know that were not under anybody's control...
Wah,.. Sameer spoke 1st.. that too ARJUN😳😳😳
'main hamesha har waqt late hi ho jata hu...uss din bhi...'... 😭😭😭 Arjun still feels guilty.
.'aur nehi to kya?...kya?'😆😆sammy ullu hai bilkul... sarcasm bhi nehi samajhta.. BTW.. mai ready hu... sammy se shadi karne ke liye😆
Acha hai.. kam se kam inka blame game bandh hoga🤢
Arjun n Sammy me Rimi ka bhoot ghus gaya. 'hmm.hmm hmmm.hmmm' hi karte rahenge🤢🤢
Chalo.. old form me back😳😳 isse acha kuch nehi ho sakta😃😃

Nice os thakur.. Apke OS ka jadoo dekho.. mera net chalne laga😃😃😃😆😆😆 Aur likhte raho...taki mera net chalte rahe😆😆 SYS?

hummm

Awesome! 😳
Rimi, this is just fab! I loved it!
Beautifully written! 👏
This has to be one of the best OS ever written on SamJun!