Accident

"Shradha ,do you have any idea where and with whom your son loiters through out the day?" Sharad  yelled as usual when he entered the house in the evening.
Shradha , preferred to act dumb to ever rising outbursts of her husband. Sharad ,who earlier was as cool as his name was, who would whenever come back home was like a fresh gust of cool breeze  with the passage of time had converted into a volcano ready to erupt any moment.
"Shradha ,where is Sohard ?" Sharad screamed again to find Shradha his otherwise docile wife ignoring him
"He is sleeping. He has headache." Shradha spoke timidly fearing the outcome .
"Headache my foot .Let  me handle that rogue once and for all on my own." Sharad joined his hands threateningly towards Shradha ,who knew that that time the only alternative left in front of her was to stay out of her husband's way.
Sharad banged open the door of their only son Sohard's room who was sleeping and was covering his head with a heavy pillow. Sohard's young fair hands were tightly clasping the pillow. Sharad's ire melted like an ice cube and he whispered in Shradha's ears to get pain relieving balm. He then for a few minutes massaged Sohard's head and then came out gently shutting the door behind.
"His migraine gives me creeps .l don't know how to get it cured?"
"He is fine. You also had migraine as a child. He will also be fine when he will grow up." Sharad's father spoke when he entered the drawing room hearing the commotion.
"Why were you shouting ?  Have you gone crazy ? Every other day you yell at your wife and son."
"Papa you, Ma and Shradha always protect him .Do you have the slightest of idea where he was today ?"
Much to Sharad's annoyance and despair all the three nodded. He wondered why while sharing the same roof he was the only one who was unable to win confidence of his teen aged son .Why the gap between the two of them had widened, why he was unable to bridge that gulf .
"Sharad , you need to mend your ways, your continuous nagging is dragging your son away from you . Remember no one has power to stop the flow of brimming rivers and youth is no less than that.Give him his share of liberty.  Let  your son explore the unexplored." Sharad's mother spoke while gently stroking his silky hair which had a few fresh streaks of greys.
"Mother this world is full of vices. More than a Friend a guide parent needs to play the role of a saviour ,a protector."
"But son."
"Ma ,let me handle my son in my own way."
"Aunty ji, leave it . There is no use of singing verses of wisdom in front of a fool who keeps on harping his own tunes on every occasion." Sharad's best friend Rohit spoke jestingly as he had overheard their conversation.
"Through out the day we all friends counsel him for being friendly with Sohard but to no effect. Neither he nor my brother -in- law is ready to budge. They both crave to remote control their children. Bhabhi you two should have one more baby ."
Shradha blushed while Sharad spoke, "lt was my sole decision to have only single child whether a boy or a girl as l want to give best of everything to my child ."
"Thank God .He blessed you with a boy otherwise your daughter would have felt suffocated with your dictatorial nature."Rohit winked towards Sharad's father.
"Rohit, come to the point .Why have you come?"
"I have come to remind you summer festival will start tomorrow. I am arranging tickets for Honey Singh's concert for Sohard and My children."
"Rohit , you know l won't send him".
"But, why Papa ?" Sohard came and sat near his grandfather's feet imploringly looking towards him to intervene.
"Sohard ,will go. How can you forget the Gurdas man night which you had attended at his age."
"Papa"
"Sharad , don't worry we all will go my family and yours .l have asked my sister to allow her son Girish also to accompany us."
"Ok .Sohard  you have to stay near me."
"Fine Papa " Sohard gave a smile to Rohit and rushed in to tell all his friends that  like everyone else he was going to enjoy a night of fun spiced with Honey Singh's music.
Next night both the families had a gala time .Rohit was upset because Girish hadn't come.Sharad on his part became young again that day. He was elated to see his son tirelessly dancing on the beats of latest Panjabi songs. He promised himself to have more such wonderful moments with his son.Sohard also hugged his father after ages that night. At around one at night after dinner all of them retired to their abodes.
Next morning at four Sharad was forced out of bed to hear the continuous door bell .He was bewildered to see Rohit outside .
"Rohit what happened ? What are you doing here so early ?"
"Sharad ,hurry up we have to reach city hospital ."the tremors in Rohit's voice shook everyone as all had come there.
"Girish " Rohit was about to say something but he saw Sohard who was classmate of his nephew.
"Sohard ,go dear sleep. Sorry l have disturbed your sleep ."
"No uncle ,l am fine .What were you saying about Girish ?"
"Girish ,no  you heard it wrong.l was telling your father to get up for a walk ."
Rohit muttered as if from a deep trench .He hugged Sohard  and forced him to get back into his room.
"Rohit " Sharad's heart sank to see tears flowing down his dear friend's eyes.
"What will become of my sister ?Girish is no more."
"What ? What are you talking about have you lost your mind ?" Sharad made Rohit sit and was clueless to which direction he should move as on one hand his wife and mother were crying bitterly and his old father was struggling to open bottle of sorbitrat as being heart patient he could not handle such a news on day break .Twice Girish had come to their house with Rohit and had won everyone with his refined mannerism.
"Sharad, like l was telling you he was denied to move out at night. Today in the morning half an hour ago he called me. He was worried. Last night with an excuse that his granny my mother was not keeping well he had taken permission from his parents to stay with us for a night. Actually he had planned to attend Honey Singh night with his few friends .He told me he had a lot of fun but as he was scared to accept his folly he had spent night with his friends. Today in the morning his father called him to tell he was coming to pick him from our home.You know his father can't spend even a night without him." Rohit began to sob.
"Then ? " Sharad patted his friend .
"Then he told me on his friend's Activa he was coming to our home.l had entreated him to wait for me .But he was so scared of being exposed ,of being caught by his father that he didn't listen to me. I was waiting for him ,but then a phone call finished everything .He  was driving rashly and couldn't balance on a turn and fell into a deep gorge on the outskirts of our village.
"Papa " Sohard's voice diverted their attention whose legs were trembling like paper.
"Sohard ,what are you doing here ?" Sharad tightly held apple of his eyes near his heart ."
"Papa ,what will Girish's parents do ?"
Sharad was astonished to hear about his son's concern for Girish's parents .He hugged him once more and left without saying a word alongwith Rohit to his sister's house. 'Girish palace ' was engraved on a beautiful steel plate outside her newly built house.
"What a pleasant surprise !Sharad you have come to my house." Girish's mother was all smiles unaware of the cruel blow of nature on her.
"Rohit ,your eyes are swelled up. I hope mother is fine ?" Rohit's sister spoke.
"Where is Girish ? You had said you will bring him", Rohit's brother-in-law spoke.
"I will take you both to him, " Rohit said avoiding eye contact with the duo opening the rear door of his car.
"But,why didn't he come himself ?"
"He can not ."Rohit's words pierced the heart of his brother-in-law who felt helpless to speak further as his soul warned him of something terrible.
From their house hospital was at half an hour's distance. Rohit's sister kept on talking about Girish , their plans for him, possessive nature of his father. Her planning as he was supposed to give twelfth papers.
"Hospital . Rohit is mother admitted here ?" Rohit's sister spoke as she hurried out of the car. Almost all of her relatives had gathered there. Before she could get to know what had happened her eyes caught glimpse of her mother who was beating her breast and wailing bitterly while sitting on dirty hospital floor.
"Girish ,where is my Girish ?" She took hold of her brother's sleeve.
"Who is Girish's father? A nurse came holding a paper .l need signatures for his post mortem."
The mention of post mortem made Rohit's sister fell unconscious while his brother-in-law rushed inside the hospital. Sharad persuaded the elders of the family to go home and prepare for last rites . Girish's mother in an unconscious state was rushed home. When Sharad entered hospital he saw Girish's father kissing his lifeless  distorted body carrying it in his lap.
Sharad felt nausea due to the strong stench permeating in the ward.
"I don't want any post mortem. He is my child ".
"Rules have to be followed .lt is a police case ."an elderly police official spoke.
"I don't understand how can parents give keys of vehicles to their children ? In the name of liberty first you spoil and then cry ."
"I wish l had given him liberty.l wish l was friendly with him .l never gave him keys.l wanted best for you .My child Girish. My  fears have come true.l wish l had myself accompanied you out ."
Rohit and Sharad made futile attempts to console the poor father ,whose world was completely destroyed  like a card house. Somehow, they convinced him for the cruel process and finally the moment of last rites dragged near. At home Girish's young body was kept only for a few minutes . Rohit's sister insisted to see Girish's face one last time but her husband refused ,he didn't want her to see his pale ,limp face with stitches running across his forehead .He wanted his wife to remember their child's young vibrant face.
Girish's mother's wailing was subsided by the Ram Naam chanting when his body was carried to the cremation ground.
Sharad was shocked to see the presence of Sohard  alongwith almost all his classmates , their parents and teachers .Sohard tightly held Sharad's hand like he used to do as a child of three fearing that he would get lost in the vast sea of the world, during all the last rites. Girish's pyre brought tears in the eyes of even those who had come there as a part of some one else's last journey. Girish was looking like a small bundle of clothes buried under the wood when his pyre was lit.
Sharad wiped Sohard's tears who was continuously saying,"  Papa ,l will never disobey  you" . While Sharad vowed in his heart to give his son his share of sky...