Miles to Marvel Part 1

Prologue

The pills were in my hand. I was thinking if I should wait, but wait for what? I had lost everything. Death was the only escape. But should I really do this? I mean what will happen to my mother, when she will know that her only son committed suicide. She won’t have anyone to take care of her, as it is, her husband passed away only few months back. Her husband and my father. But she is a strong woman, she will handle it. I was trying to give myself assurity that everything is going to be all right for the others, but nothing could have changed for me. No job, no money and no love. Life had turned into a joke, but if just a little sign. Forget it, nobody is remembering me. Everyone is enjoying their lives and I am finding reasons to live when there’re not any. I broke the seal and put the capsules in my hand. I even stole these pills from the neighbouring Aunty, I wonder if she knows it already and I ask her to forgive me. Oh lord! Forgive all my sins, I am ready to die.

A few hours back...

‘Rishi!’ shouted my boss. The ridiculously fat-tall creature stood right next to me. His face had turned red hot and was ready to kill me. In fact he resembled the fatter version of Ravana.

‘Yes Sir’ I said in low tone.

Photo Vidushi Kumar. Follow at Instagram: vidu29

‘Rishi you asshole, what on earth have you done! We lost the BMR group’s contract because of you! They said it was a very lousy presentation. Lousy!What shame is it to this company!’ My boss made sure that the word ‘lousy’ echoed in my ears. I had nothing to say, I had ruined it.

‘Sorry Sir’

‘Sorry? Is that all you want to say? Well Rishi Airan, you will be sorry indeed. Pack your stuff and get lost’

There was no point arguing with the boss, he was known for not respecting his employees. I packed my stuff and left as soon as I could ‘Asshole! How dare he call me that’

Well, the day started out to be very bad, I thought after meeting Natasha it would be better. I reached for an auto, I asked him to drop me at Cafe Mondo. Natasha had asked me to meet her there at three. Thankfully, I was kicked out by one. I was definitely not happy with my job but I really needed it at the moment. An alumni from IIMA can easily get a good job, but with current business scenario even I had become a little doubtful. Currently nobody was interested in hiring postgraduates in Bangalore, until and unless they had outshone themselves in their business schools. What I had were average grades and a very average job according to IIM standards. Which I now lost. My only hope, my girlfriend. While I was in the auto, I received a phone call. Ravi Sahu was calling, my friend and stock advisor.

‘Ravi, How are you man?’ I tried to sound cool and high spirited

‘Not good Rishi’ he said

‘What happened?’ So its not me with the bad day then.

‘Rishi, we lost it man’

‘What? Ravi what do you mean We lost it?’

‘The stocks for Arya Group fell by seventy seven per cent, we are screwed man’

I just heard the 77% loud in my head. All my savings had been invested in Arya Group. Nearly ten lakhs rupees gone. And thats when I knew, my downfall had started. I was in too much shock that I couldn’t even take the details. I put my phone down and started to think. What now?

My dream of setting up a business venture had been crushed within ten minutes.

After getting down from the auto, I needed only her, and there she was waiting for me already.

‘I thought we were meeting at three’

‘Actually I was just leaving’ Natasha said

‘Meaning?’

‘Rishi, we need to break-up’

Bulls eye! Rishi Airan was finally punchered from head to toe. The final shock of the day. In fact the evening was left, what else bad was supposed to happen?

‘Natasha you can’t do this to me’

‘Rishi I don’t have time, my flight for Abu Dhabi leaves in four hours’

‘Abu what?’

‘Sorry I didn’t want to hurt you and go, so I never told you about my job’

‘And now you are not hurting me’ I literally felt like punching myself and her. But that will only lead to me to jail, the last thing I would want today.

Natasha without saying a word left. I stood paralysed, doing nothing but see her catch the cab and leave. The next thing I did, I sprinted to catch up with the cab, twenty-thirty seconds of chase and she was gone. And then I landed with the decision, I must quit!

***

Back again in my room, I sipped some water and was about to take my first pill. ‘ Ah, ha, ha, ha,Stayin' alive. Stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha,Stayin' alive.’ It was my blackberry. This modern world doesn’t even let you die! The number was unknown. ‘Now what, has my mother died too!’

Praying to god that what I said wasn’t true at all. I kept the pill aside and picked up the phone.

‘Hello, is this Rishi Airan?’ said a female voice

‘Yes, this is’

‘Rishi, this is Sunaina, Siddhartha’s cousin. We met like two years ago’

‘Siddhartha’s cousin Sunaina, hmm...wait oh right! Canada cousin Su right?’

‘Yeah exactly! Thank god you remembered’

How couldn’t I, what a time it was! A moment ago, I was ready to die but now, her voice put me into two minds. ‘Life is still bad’ I thought. But why is she calling? Did something happen to Siddhartha? He is my best pal from school and college.

‘Listen Rishi, I have something to discuss. Details later but basic plan’

As she spoke, I put all the capsules in the bottle. I capped it to so tightly that next time even Mrs Costa will have trouble opening it.

I am not dying anymore.