Two years ago,
"Pay your debt. Or we will seize your house. Someone in debt should not live in such a luxurious house. You have received enough extensions. This is the last one. One week is the max you will get. Good Luck." said Dhananjay as he reached the exit, followed by his 4-man enforcer squad.
" Thank you. I will surely get all that amount in ... a week. " The door shuts in the face of the demoralized young boy named Devansh. He turns around as he walks back to the sofa and sits there, hand on his head.
"Maybe I can get a job. But that will not help me get all this amount. My savings are barely 10% of the required amount. 25 lakh Rupees in a week($30500 approx) is impossible to get by conventional means. I can buy a lottery. Not with the rotten luck I have. Banks will not give me any loans as I don't have a stable income. Taking a loan to pay another loan is a bad idea, anyway. There is no way out but to sell this house to those greedy bastards. "
Devansh half-heartedly concludes that the best option is to sell his house to pay the loan. He knew this decision was the right one. His only fear was his mother's reaction because she had sentimental value attached to this house. This house was the last thing his father bought before dying of Cancer.
His father was a small but well-respected businessperson known for his integrity and hard work in the market. He bought this house as a gift for his wife and son, with most of his savings.
Not long after they moved in, he got Lung Cancer because he smoked too much. They spent all the remaining savings on his treatment. So, they took a loan from the local moneylender for his operation. The operation failed and a week later; he passed away.
Devansh finds his mother in the kitchen preparing a meal for him. She is humming while cooking with a radiant smile on her face. Her ignorance and smile added to the burden of Devansh's solution. He mustered all the courage he can and said, "Maa, Dhananjay came to collect the loan money. He gave us 1 week to repay it. So, I was thinking..."
"Oh! don't worry. We will get the money. Forget it for today. Here, I made your favorite dish, Shahi Paneer. Do you want to taste it?" she said. "Maa! We don't have money to waste on these dishes. I don't even like Paneer anymore. I used to, but." Devansh stops as his mother gently smacks him on his head.
"Don't lie to me. I know you better than anyone else. And it is not a waste of money because today is a special occasion." "What is the special occasion? Only rich people celebrate every little occasion."
"Bawla (Idiot). How can someone forget their birthday? And here I was worried I wouldn't be able to surprise you with this feast. Cannot believe you are turning 18. Happy Birthday, my baby boy. " She said as she kisses him on his forehead and pulls his cheek. Devansh tried hard to fight the tears, but his eyes overflowed with his mother's love.
They both sat down and finished all the food. Devansh burps as he finishes his last poori. " I hope you like your surprise for your birthday. It is not as grand as last year's party. " " I loved it. There is nothing better than the magical food that you cook. It is a great gift for me." he said before his mother replied, " I am glad you liked it, but it is not your gift. Here, this is your gift. This pendant is really special." She is holding a pendant with a greyish-white stone in its center.
"This is Papa's pendant. I remember him wearing it. Thank you for this amazing gift." Devansh said after putting on the pendant. " The pendant and this house are two of the last gifts that your father left for us. Take good care of it," she said.
After that conversation, he lost all the courage to tell his mother about selling the house. He became unsure of the decision, hence concluded to find another way out. He wanted to honor his father's legacy and his gift to them. But this decision changed the course of his life for the worse.
After failing to get the money, he begged Dhananjay to not take his house. He said he will do whatever he could to save his house and repay the money. Dhananjay eventually agreed if Devansh begins working for him. He couldn't believe Dhananjay agreed so easily. But soon enough, it became clear why. They asked him to get a few packages from shady people in a back alley. Every pickup would mean 30,000 off the amount. Devansh knew that something was fishy. But with no other choice left, he turned a blind eye.
His situation was getting better when the Police suddenly raided him during one of the package deals. The Police apprehended Devansh, but he remained relaxed the whole time.
"Oh, my god! Police are here. I am getting arrested. What should I do? Run away. What if they shoot me? Nah, I will just relax and not say anything. They will get me to go for sure." he thought as he put up a brave front.
"Oh god! This is too much. They are putting handcuffs on me. Why am I so unlucky? Maybe if I say something, they may let me go." he changes his train of thought.
"Officer, I am innocent. I was just passing by. I don't know them. This is a misunderstanding." he pleaded."Nah bro! You are one of us. He was with us, officer. " said the dealer."Shut up! You all are under arrest for illegal drug deals. Reserve all the statements for the court."
They arrested Devansh for buying illegal drugs. He told the name of his employer Dhananjay to the police. They informed him that Dhananjay denied any employment and relation apart from him lending money to Devansh. In the end, Dhananjay framed him as the sole culprit, using all his money and influence. They sentenced him to 1 year in prison for his involvement.
Devansh served his time in prison and was once again a free man. The prison experience was unpleasant, but his concern for his mother made the time glacial. He could finally meet his mother after months. She met him only twice in the last year. Previously they met for three months. He arrived at his house, but it was locked. He got a call from the hospital asking him to come and meet his mother.
He races to the hospital to find out that his mother got lung cancer. Devansh was stunned, unable to accept the truth. He meets up with his mother in the hospital room.
"Maa Namaskar! How have you been?," asked Devansh." Dev! My boy. I am much better now that I get to see my ladoo. You look weak. You missed my cooking. I will replenish your health with my cooking once I get better." she said with a smile and teary eyes.
They talked for an hour, catching up on everything that had happened. After they locked him up, Dhananjay took their house in place of the loan and some money. When she got diagnosed, she had to use up all the money for the treatment. Now that the Cancer is spreading, they need to do a segmental resection operation. For that, he needs 5 lakh rupees ($6000 approx). "I will get the money, whatever it takes. I have changed a lot. Even if no one wants to give me a chance because they think I am a bad person. I will find a way." Devansh said.
"I have full faith in you, Dev. But don't lose your path. Even if no one believes you, your mother does.No matter what happens, I believe you are a good man. I do." she said as she hugs him.
Devansh left the hospital with loads of money to earn. Devansh once again was at his wit's end. He had no choice but to resort to stealing. His prison mate and mentor taught him a lot of techniques, including stealing techniques. Two days later, he met with a horrible accident but survived. Now he is drowning at the bottom of a lake.
Devansh reopens his eyes as his locket floats in front of him. Taking the locket in his hands, he prayed passionately from within his heart. Devansh lets go of the locket and grabs his neck, now struggling for oxygen. He lost all hope when there was a sudden burst of light.
There is bright blue light surrounding a beautiful, shiny white and blue shankha(conch) that appears just above him. He reaches up and grabs hold of it. As soon as he grabs the sankha,...
To be continued ...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fun Fact-:
According to Hindu culture, the conch shell is a revered and sacred emblem of the Hindu god Vishnu, known as the Preserver. When blown, the sound heard from the conch shell is said to be symbolic of the sacred 'Om' sound, and Vishnu, who's always portrayed holding it in his right hand, is the god of sound.