Iravil nizhalaaga (இரவில் நிழலாக)

Seventeen - The crime (2)

Indhu: Surendran.

Parthi: Minister ah?!

She nodded.

Indhu: Namma colleges, innum rendu moonu schools, antha hospital ellame avanodathu thaan. Benami name la nadathitu irukaan. Ellame yaarukum theriyama kandu pudichi mudicha. Na panna thappu. Commissioner ah nambanathu.

Iniyan: Ena?! City Police commissioner ah?!

She nodded.

Indhu: Chandran.

Indhu: Oru naal personal ah meet panni ella proof um kudutha. Next day, he asked me to come to the commissioner office. Naanum pona to meet Surendran.

Harish: What?!

Indhu: Commissioner avanoda aal. I was shocked too. But avan onnume pannala. He just warned me. Ithu elam ithoda drop pannanum nu sonaan. Apo vera option ila. Na sari nu sollitu vanthuta.

Indhu: Next day, Ganga mam ah paathu ela proof um kudutha. Enaku etha aana ithu media kita kudukanum nu sonna. Na silent ah avana pathi innum dig pannite thaan iruntha. But yaarukum theriyama. Apo thaan oru naal, na class la irukum pothu, Vikram ku odambu sari ila nu vanthu kooptaanga. Terrace la irukaan nu sonaanga. I went there. But ivan ila. In fact anga yaarume ila. But someone pushed me. Na keezha irunthu paakum pothu vikram thaan irunthaan. Avalo thaan enaku theriyum.

Tears flowing from everyone's eyes.

Vikram: Sorry Indhu. Ne silent ah pannitu iruntha. Na thaan sothapita.

He cried again.

Iniyan: Vikram ipo ne sollu. Unaku epdi ithu elam theriyum. Ne en maadi ku pona.

Vikram: Oru naal en veetuku pakkathu veetu paiyan ku fits vanthuchu. Hospital kooptu ponaanga. Two days la vanthuduvaan nu en kita sonaanga. Thideer nu oru naal vanthu, avan eranthutaan nu sonaanga. It was shocking. Na apo 10th padichitu iruntha. Avanoda 5th year death anniversary annaiku avanoda appa suicide pannikitaru. Annaiku internal exam irunthuchu. Permission vaangi weekend la ezhutha pona. Ganga mam vanthaanga enakaaga.

Vikram: Mam, mudichita.

Ganga: 3 hours exam ah 2 hours la mudichita. Athuku annaike vanthu ezhuthitu poi irukalaam la.

Vikram: Ila mam. Friend oda appa eranthutaanga.

Ganga: Sorry pa.

Vikram: Parava ila mam.

Ganga: Ena aachu?

Vikram: Suicide mam.

Ganga: Oh no. En?! Ena aachu?!

He explained everything. She was shocked.

Ganga: Vikram itha un kita solla kudathu. But solra. Un support um iruntha Indhu kum nalla irukum

Vikram: Indhu ka? Ena mam solreenga.

She took out the file. She looked here and there,

Ganga: Ithu elam photo eduthuko. Veetla poi porumai ah padichi paaru.

Vikram: Ena mam?!

Ganga: Ethum kekkatha. Seekiram edu.

Vikram: Na ellam photo eduthutu poi padichi paatha. Apo thaan purinchithu ena nadakuthu nu. Avan naama thoda mudiyatha thoorathula irukaan. Avana thoda mudincha oruthanga venum nu nenacha.

He stopped for a second.

Vikram: I trusted someone whom I shouldn't have.

Parthi: Yaaru?

Vikram: Dharmaraj

Harish: Ambika college chairman.

He nodded.

Mansi: But avar nallavar nu thaan na nenacha.

Vikram: Naanum athan nenacha. Oru thadava avara oru accident la irunthu save panna. Enna help naalum veetuku varalaam nu sonnaru. Sari nu pona. Avar kita ellame sonna. Help ketta.

Dharmaraj: cha ipdi elam manushanga irupaangala. Avana pathi enaku theriyum. Enakum avana pathi nalla opinion ila. But ivalo mosamanavana, kolakaran ah irupaan nu nenaikala. Cha.

Vikram: konjam help pannunga sir.

Dharmaraj: Na pandra pa. Ennala ena mudiyumo na pandra. Central ah enga katchi thaan. Seekirama pesara.

Vikram: Thanks sir. Antha school college la padikara pasanga and hospital ah irukara patients um baathika pada kudathu.

He nodded.

Dharmaraj: Intha vayasu ku ne ivalo yosikum pothu. Naanum ithu elam yosipa pa.

Vikram: Thanks sir. Ungala thaan nambi iruka.

Vikram: Anga irunthu vanthuta. Next day, morning college pona udane Indhu ku etho problem nu ava friend en kita vanthu sonna, ava maadi la iruka nu sonna. Sari nu pona. Anga Surendran oda aalunga ena katti vachi adichaanga. Apo thaan thideer nu ava voice kettuchu. Surendran avala thalli vida vanthaan. Avan aalunga ena katti vachi iruntha rope ah avuthu vitaanga. Na odi varathu kulla-

He stopped for a second.

Vikram: He pushed her. Na paatha. Apo thaan ava ena paathu irupa. Na thirumbi Surendran ah adika vantha, he pushed me too.

He finished saying and cried hard.

Vikram: Sorry Indhu ellame ennala thaan. I'm really sorry. Intha guilt.

He kept crying.

Vikram: Ithuku naanum sethu irukalaam.

Mansi got up and left the place. Saranya followed her,

Saranya: Mansi

She hugged him,

Mansi: Enaku kashtama iruku, saran. They both have gone through something that they don't even deserve. Vikram avalo azharaan. Ennala samadhanam kuda solla mudila. Avanuku na stranger aava nu na nenachi kuda paathathu ila, saran. Enaku bayama iruku.

Saranya: Mansi, this too shall pass. Nambu.

She pulled away and nodded.

Thanks for reading darlings ❤