Live till you die

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar

Rohan laid down on the railway tracks. He gazed at the moon lit sky, and the twinkling stars above, where he would be in sometime from now. Life wasn't that peaceful, at least death would be; he thought.

"So you've decided to end your life, is it?" Asked a voice.

Rohan turned and saw an old man, but he didn't answer him.

"He's the one who gives life, so only he has the right to take it too" He continued pointing his finger at the sky.

"Do you think that everything shall end with your death? No. Your soul would wander helplessly on earth, you would feel guilty for having taken this decision. But then it would be too late."

"So what do you suggest me to do?" asked Rohan looking at him.

"Get up! Live till you die!" He said. "So far, you'd lived for yourself. Now, leave for others and see the difference"

"Live for others? What can a helpless man like me do?" Asked Rohan.

"Many things. Now, give me your hand!" He said coming forward and extending his hand.

Rohan held his hand and he pulled him up. They started walking together on the tracks.

"Well, there are many unhappy people around ending their precious lives" He said."You must stop them and help them to continue to live"

"Sounds good. But how would I come know who is going to die and where and when?" Rohan asked.

"Good question. From now on you will come to know through your dreams" He said.

"My dreams? But I don't remember any when I wake up in the morning" Rohan said.

"From now on you will remember!" He said.

"Who are you?" Rohan asked turning and looking at him. But he was gone.

That night Rohan got dreams about those who were trying to end their lives. The next day when he woke up he remembered them.

***

Rohan changed the mind of a rich middle-aged man who was trying to commit suicide.

"A fighter never gives up, cowards do!" He concluded.

"Thank you, for coming in the right time and saving my life. Now I realize what a coward I was. Tell me, what help I could be to you? How am I going to repay this?" He asked "Here is my visting card."

"I'll let you know soon" Rohan said keeping it in his pocket “You need to save some people on my behalf as I can't be in many places in the same time, got it?"

"Sure, partner. Anytime, just call me" He said smiling.

"Good" He said walking away.

***

Later, he saw a lady standing before a lake. Then:-

"Thinking about ending your life?" Rohan asked.

"Yes.." She said looking at him.

"Have you thought about the baby in there?" He asked pointing his finger at her stomach. "What did he or she do to deserve this?"

"He ditched me! How would I live now?" She started crying.

"Well, you are making his life that much easier by deciding to leap into that lake and end your life. Do you think that you're punishing him by doing this? No. Actually you're encouraging him. Tomorrow many more women are going to die because he is going to cheat them too" Rohan said.

"Now, what do you want me to do?" She asked.

"Live! Fight! Remind him his mistake by giving birth and bringing up his child. You did nothing wrong in your life so why should you pay the price for what he had done?" He asked.

"All right" She said wiping her tears.

***

Later that evening, on the top of the tallest building in the city, a beautiful girl was looking down from the terrace:-

"Is something holding you back from doing what you wish to do?" asked a voice.

"Who..who is it?" She asked turning behind. She saw no one, but darkness.

"Well, fear kills you a thousand times before death can kill you just once" He said walking from the darkness towards her, looking down.

"Nice choice. If you jump from here it would be sure death. But have you ever thought about your loved and dear ones? What would they go through ones they come to know that you are no more?"

"How does that matter to you?" She asked.

"It doesn't really matter to me much. But if I were in your place I wouldn't even have thought about it" He said.

"And they say hell is a cruel place to go to!" He added.

"Hell?" She said.

"Yes. Where do like you think people like you who end their lives go to?" He asked.

"I'm cheated in love" She said breaking into tears.

"Is such love worth dying for?" He asked "All right, let me not waste much of your time. I'll toss this coin; if I get heads you go home and live as if nothing had happened. If I get tails you can jump down this terrace."

"All right" She said wiping her tears.

He tossed the coin and caught it.

"Well, its heads now forget this and go home"

"All right"

"Promise me you won't even think about it again?" He asked.

"I promise" She said smiling at him

"That's like a good girl" He said.

"Who are you..?" She asked. But he was gone.

***

Rohan organized a group of people and started saving many distressed people from committing suicide. One evening he attended a party with his friend. There:-

"Oh, the man on the terrace!" cried that beautiful girl.

"I think you've mistaken me as I’m seeing you for the first time" He said.

"Think again. You saved my life that night. I'm so much..." She said.

"Sorry, I’ve never met you before. Come on Rajesh" He said going with his friend.

"Why did you do that?" Rajesh asked him.

"My job is to help others and not seek anything in return for what I have done. If I talk to her then it will lead to one thing.....then that one thing will lead to another thing"

"Then you may have to marry her " He added smiling.

"Yes, sometimes it's better to cut a long story short!" He said smiling at him.

The End