SHORT STORY

MISTY

Ring! Ring! Ring! An un-soothing sound wakes him up in a hotel room which is well furnished letting in the cold breeze kissing through rose pattern curtains on the window.

He picks up the phone and hear his father's voice from the other side.

Father: - Hello, How are you Rohan?

Son: - I am good dad. How about you?

Father: I called to inform you that your grandfather is admitted to hospital and we came to Himachal to see him.

Son: *Shocked* Hope  he gets well soon. Is misty with you too?

Father: MISTY? Oh, shit! We forgot to bring her with us.

Son: How can you leave a family member like this? When did you went to Himachal?

Father: Day after you left.

Son: Oh no! It's been a week and she is all alone. *Cuts the phone in anger, and runs to catch the earliest flight to home*

*Closes his eyes to sleep while travelling through thoughts*

Rohan wakes up in his bed and demands for coffee. Mom says I am busy come and get it from the kitchen. He walks to kitchen yawning while his eyes got stuck to some amazing beauty in the back garden. He ran into the garden to pick her up in his arms and greets her with a beautiful smile. She is a lovely kitten of white color with black patches all over her back. When he took her to his mom she smiled looking at her but that smile was disrupted by his demand of keeping her. She shakes her head and said I don't know go and talk to your dad. I have no say in this. Rohan gathered some courage and went to his dad. He was getting ready for the office. Rohan showed him the kitten and he smiled. When he asked his dad to keep her he said no. He looked at her eyes like she was asking won't you keep me? You'll just throw me in this harsh world? And suddenly, Rohan pleaded to his dad and said He don't need any gift this year all he wants is her to stay with him. Looking at his puppy face his dad allowed him to keep her and hearing that he ran towards him mom and told her the good news. His mom asked what are you going to call her?

He looked towards her and said "Misty".

That day he became a Dad.

She became a very important part of his life. The first thing they seek for in the morning was each other's face. In night, She walks slowly and get in his bed. She wouldn't eat until it comes from him. Rohan's sister hated misty as she gives all of her love to Rohan only. This was the routine of their life when suddenly one day Rohan got to know he has to go to Bangalore for a week to represent his college in a science competition. He wanted to go to Bangalore but he was worried about Misty?

When he came to home he was sad and looking at his face his dad asked what happened to you?

He told them about the competition and how he is worried about Misty.  Then his sister said why are you worried about her when we all are here. We will take care of her but you must seize this opportunity as not everyone gets such a wonderful opportunity. Knowing his family is there he left to Bangalore after giving lots of kisses to misty. During the competition all he could think of is misty and blame his hard luck that no one's phone was reachable. He won the first prize in the competition. He was happy that night not because he won but because he was going back home. He thought to rest a night and leave tomorrow morning. He checked into a hotel.

Ting...  Captain says they are about to land. He reached home and opened the door. He screamed out loud "MISTY? MISTY?" but, there was no response. He searched for misty in every corner but he failed. Tired and exhausted he fell on the ground where he finds her misty under the bed but dead. He cried a lot that one competition has cost her misty's life. He dig a grave for her. When his parents came back he was not talking to them. when his father asked him what kind of behavior is this? He replied in anger, "What else you expect?" How could you left her alone? How could...his voice was stopped by the loud voice of his sister's slap. She said all that you care is of that animal. He looked at her furiously and said, "She was not an animal. She was my daughter. so strange it is when a human gets ill we get scared but when an animal dies we don't even shed a tear. Are they just some toys which are made to entertain you? Don't they have any feelings. Just imagine if you are stuck in a room for a week without food and water? We would still juggle around to look for food but she died waiting. Do you even realize you killed my daughter?

Nah, how can you? you are so cold-hearted.

saying that he went to his room and slammed the door.

That evening his father came  to him and said, "I am sorry Rohan. You said it right. We must have taken care of her. We are sorry. Saying that he hands him a puppy saying He might not be able to take her place but it's just a way of saying sorry to my son. I love you"

Rohan hugged his dad with tears in his eyes and said I love you too!

--dupenbabbar (flamingpen)