She kept dialing his phone and still no reply. She screamed
with anxiety, “Damn it! Why are you not responding, Raghav? Pick up the phone.”
Chintu came running and asked her, “What happened, mamma? Why are you
screaming?” She took a deep breath and calming herself replied, “Nothing,
Chintu. You had your milk?” Chintu replied, “Yes and I also had choco-crunch
with that. It was yum.” Smita smiled and told him, “Ok, good. Now go and
complete your drawing.” Chintu replied, “Ok, mamma. You don’t worry. You also
drink milk with choco-crunch and you’ll be happy like me.” She smiled at his
innocent face and kissed him on his cheek. Chintu flew again to his bedroom.
Smita dialed Raghav’s phone again and still the same. Dark thoughts
started encircling her, “is he alright? Or is he sick? Has he fell in the home?
Or has he met with an accident?” Her heart skipped a beat and the thought scared
her out of her wits. She was shaking like a leaf and dialed his friend’s phone number.
Bhushan picked up the phone and Smita hurriedly said, “Hi, Bhushan. Smita here.
I’m trying to call Raghav since a long but he’s not picking up my phone. I’m
really worried. Can you please go and check?” Bhushan was surprised and
replied, “Ok, ok. You calm down. Don’t worry. I’ll go and check.”
Bhushan rushed to the wing B and in a few minutes, he was in
front of Raghav’s home. He pressed the doorbell, but nobody opened the door. He
pressed it several times and stood for almost 10 minutes, but no response. He
also got little worried and called out Raghav’s name loudly. But still there
was no answer. Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was Smita on the other side. He
picked up and she asked, “Did you meet him? Is he fine? Please tell me.” She
was almost crying. Bhushan calmed her down, “I am at your home, Smita. But,
Raghav is not opening the door. But you don’t worry, I’ll do something.”
Smita was on tenterhooks and started crying. Her mother
rushed towards her and asked, “Smita, what happened dear? Why are you crying?”
Smita gasping for her breath replied, “Mom, mom…..Raghav is not picking up my
call. I’m so worried. It’s been 4 hours I’m trying his phone.” She again
started crying and her mom tried to soothe her down, “Don’t worry, Smita. He
must be fine. You’re worrying a lot.” Smita replied, “No, Mom. His friend also
went and pressed the doorbell, called
out his name, but no reply. I’m very much worried. I need to go, Mom. I need to
go right now.” Her mom stopped her, “Are you mad? Don’t be so impatient. You
know it’s lockdown everywhere and you can’t travel at this time. I won’t let
you go. Let’s wait for some time.”
Here Raghav’s neighbors also came out of their homes and
tried calling Raghav. But no response. Bhushan called Smita and asked her, “When
was the last time you talked to Raghav?” She replied, “At 2 O’clock and now it’s
7 PM. I’m so much worried, Bhushan. I think I should come there.” Bhushan said,
“No, no. Don’t panic. We’ll try to open the gallery door and enter the home.
You don’t worry. I’ll call you back.” He hung up but Smita was scared and
worried like hell. She was crying and praying like anything.
There was a crowd of 20-30 people gathered outside Raghav’s
home. They were planning to enter his home from backside. Someone brought the
ladder and they decided that Bhushan will climb the ladder to the gallery. Then
he’ll break open the door and enter Raghav’s home. Around 10 people were
standing down the ladder supporting Bhushan to climb up. Bhushan was scared because
it was the 10th floor but he gathered some courage for his friend
Raghav and so he started climbing. Almost 15 people were standing at the Raghav’s
door and constantly pressing the doorbell and calling out his name.
Bhushan climbed panting heavily till 5th floor.
There was a lot of chaos at the front as well as back door of Raghav’s home.
People were guiding Bhushan, calling out Raghav’s name loudly, discussing the
scenario with the new people joining the crowd. It was a mission for everyone
of them. More and more people were joining the scene and there was a pandemonium
in the society.
Suddenly, the door was opened and Raghav came at the door.
He was surprised and confused to see such a huge crowd standing at his door. Everyone
at the door was looking at him as if he was an alien. They were surprised to
see him fine and normal. He asked them, “What happened, guys? Why are you all
here?” His neighbor, Mr. Sharma said, “Raghav, are you okay? We all were
pressing your doorbell and trying to call out your name since a long. Your wife
was calling you and she was very much worried. You were not responding to calls,
doorbell and so we thought……”
Raghav shockingly said, “What you all thought? I’m dead?”
Mr. Sharma replied, “No, no, no. I don’t mean that but everyone was worried.” Mr.
Sharma looked down and was confused not knowing what to say next. Suddenly he
realized something and said, “Bhushan is climbing up to your gallery. We need
to tell him.” Raghav was shocked and said, “What? Oh God!” He rushed towards
his gallery and saw huge crowd again down the gallery and Bhushan climbing up
till 7th floor. He shouted his name, “Bhushan, what are you doing?”
Bhushan saw up and was surprised and happy at the same time to see Raghav.
Before he could reply, he lost his balance and slipped.
Bhushan fell from the 7th floor and when he was
in air, everyone was shouting, screaming and gathering down the ladder. His fall
scared hell out of everybody, but people caught him, and he had no injury.
Raghav looked gaspingly at the scene with a shock. And the second minute there
was a barrel of laughs all over. Everyone was laughing the terrible situation
off. Bhushan was still scared and rushed to Raghav’s home and the crowd
followed him.
Bhushan saw Raghav and asked him angrily, “What were you
doing, man? I’d have been died today because of you. Smita is calling you since
4 PM and now it’s 9 PM. We all are gathered here trying to know about you since
last 3 hours. And you were asleep? How careless of you!” Raghav kept mum for a
minute and then said, “Sorry, dude. You first please come in. In fact, all of
you please come inside. I’ll explain everything. Just let me call Smita, first.
She must be worried”
He went inside and called Smita and could hear her crying
and abusing him, “You nonsense guy. What were you doing? You scared hell out of
me.” He calmed her down and told her, “I’m really sorry, babe. I’ll explain everything,
but now you just calm down. Drink some water and I’ll talk to you again. You’ve
sent the entire city at our door and I need to handle them now. So, I’ll talk
to you later. Ok? I love you, babe.” She replied with crying voice, “I love you
too. And you better call me soon.” He said, “Sure, babe. I promise this doesn’t
happen again. I’m sorry again. I’ll call you back.”
He came in the living room with water bottles for everyone and
handed over one to Bhushan. Bhushan gave him a tough look and drank some water.
He was still scared and couldn’t forget his experience in the air.
Raghav started, ‘Guys, I’m really sorry.” Looking at
Bhushan, he said again, “And I’m extremely sorry, Bhushan.” He smiled because
he was also visualizing the scene of Bhushan falling from 7th floor.
Bhushan angrily asked, “Why’re you smiling?” Raghav tried to control his laugh
and said, “No, nothing. I’m really sorry guys. Actually, my wife has gone to
her parent’s place with the kid and now it’s lockdown. I was alone at home, so thought
of having a beer and lunch enjoying my favorite movie and my own company. But I
didn’t realize I had 3 beers and after lunch I don’t know when I fell asleep. I
talked to Smita before lunch and I thought I’ll be awake by evening and then
call her back. But I didn’t know my freedom and enjoyment will be at this
price.”
There was a minute of silence and everyone burst into
laughter. Bhushan started abusing him, “You were having party and I put my life
at stake, you asshole. I just hate you. You die and I promise I will not come
for your funeral.” Raghav hugged him and said, “I’m sorry bro. I won’t die coz
I know you’ll climb till 10th floor for me.” And again everyone
started laughing their heads off.
