A Scarred Tale

AUTHOR NAME: Harshal Gupta

AUTHOR INTRO: This is Harshal Gupta.Blogger at  Impressions. I am an 18 year old budding engineer who sometimes tries his hand at short fictions and poetry.

STORY:

Those were the days. When I was the centre of attraction in the Montgomery High. Every girl in the school wanted to date me, be with me, and love me. I was good at sports. Be it basketball or baseball. I lived in the upper west area. The poshest location in the city. Dad drove a Bentley, I drove an Audi and mom drove a BMW. I had servants who took care of everything. From my breakfast to my dinner. I was living the life every teenager once dreamed of in his life.  I knew exactly what to do and when to do. I was the one worshipped by all. The one who would have the most beautiful woman of the world as his wife and together we would live in each other's arms forever. Those were the days. Those were the dreams and those were the realities. But as they say, nothing stays forever, be it good or be it bad. The sun always has to set and rise again. And so in one flick I lost my strength, I lost my physical beauty, lost all of my so called friends. And why did that happen?

It was a beautiful Saturday night. The young, vain and naive me threw one of the biggest parties of the town. I was walking around the mansion, proud of the party, proud at being the one. People kept coming to me saying: “AWESOME PARTY MAAAANNNN.” Suddenly seeing a strange light in my dad’s study, I went over to find out the cause. Entering, I saw a creepy looking psychic with her bowl pouring over it like the Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter. A long purple cape draped over her body, a hat covered her hat. Multiple rings adorned her fingers. In font of her there was a huge crystal bowl with all kinds of electric sparks inside.

“Welcome John. I have been expecting you.”

“Wait. Who the hell are you and what are doing inside my mansion? How did you even get in?”

“Relax John. None of that is of concern here my child. I am here to tell you about you, your future.”

“How do I know you aren’t some con trying to dupe me of my money?”

“Child. If I had to take away your money, I’d have already done that and you wouldn’t even have a clue.”

Seeing no other option. I relentlessly agreed to hear what my future exactly held for me.

“You have a lot of baggage from your past, don’t you son? Your parents death when you were 12 caused a lot of grief to you hasn’t it?”

“Hey Woman. I thought you were going to tell me about my future, not my past.”

“I am. But you hold a lot of baggage from your past. The way you reacted after your parent’s death. The booze, the drugs, hanging out with the group downtown. I know the grief takes a hold on you, but if you don’t mend your ways my son, I’ll be forced to paint your future dark.”

“What are you even talking about? I am leading the perfect life I can. I have all the pretty friends, the money and power. Why should my future be dark?”

“Because where you stand right now. You have already turned into a beast. It is not visible outside, but soon it will explode from every inch of your body.”

Disgusted. I stood up to leave. Bloody lunatic she was. Pretending to be some kind of psychic and shit. I’ll show her who she was dealing with.

                                                                    ***

Oh how low can this gender even fall? These chauvinistic sexist pigs, boring and arrogant to the brim, think that without them the world cannot even survive. Who the hell do they think they are? Every single on them I meet is a lowlife character, flaunting his dad's riches and not giving a damn to the other. Oh how much I hate them. I prefer dying an old main in a nunnery than even thinking of marrying such men. And pffft, who even needs men. They aren't that essential to live. And why does the school even think that I am the weird one. Because I'd rather prefer reading my books rather than ogling at the catalogue of boys like the rest of the girls in the school.

I wish these people behaved a bit more like those from my village in Tennessee. How lovely and compassionate they were.

“Do you like it Hailey?”

“Like it Dad? I love it. It is beautiful.”

“Want to see it from inside?”

“Duh. Obviously dad. Sheesh, what kind of questions you ask?”

I had lived most of my life in Tennessee. Dad owned a ranch and we lead a happy life. Me my dad and my mother. The three of us were content with each other. But fate did not like us being happy. God loved my mother more and took her away along with our barn and ranch with a fire.  I was six. Too young to acknowledge. Too completely sink in the fact that my mom had left me forever.

Slowly as the years panned out. My father started having problems. Fate was again playing it’s cruel role and my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. For better treatment we had to move to the city and hence the new house.

                                                                          ***

“What the hell are you doing here? Who let you in?”

“I am Hailey Bennett. I am here to meet you.”

“Go away you stupid scum. I don’t want to meet anybody. Who the hell even told you about me?”

“Your English teacher who is now mine gave me these writings you wrote. I needed to tell you how beautiful each of them was and how much I loved them.”

“Go away please. I beg you. I cannot be seen like this.”

“Why? Because you are disfigured. Because you do not like the way you used to? Why do you think people only care about your looks?”

“Because that is what the world cares. The bling. The looks. That is what only the world looks for. Not who you are inside or how you are as a person. That doesn’t matter to them. They see my disfigured face and they have a topic to gossip about. That is why I have stopped meeting people and that is why I don’t want to meet you. “

What did that stupid girl think she was. Some mother Teresa. Oh poor John. I must go to help him since he is disfigured and then I will take in the accolades. If only I hadn’t woken up that morning. That stupid morning. 

“Master John, wake up now. Otherwise you’ll be late for school.”

“Aaahh. 5 more minutes Mrs Morgan” I said turning my face up rubbing my eyes. Suddenly hearing a gasp escape out of her. I asked what happened.

“What did you do last night Master John? Where did those scars come from?”

“What scars? What are you talking about?” Panicked me ran for the closet mirror and freaked out. Scars etched across my body I watched myself in horror. My body was marked in the most gruesome way ever.  Near to the mirror I saw the psychic sitting, watching over what was happening around.

“What the hell did you do to me?”

“I did warn you John, didn’t I?

What did you do to me? What did you do?" I yelled, running up to her and shaking her by the arm. "What the, flipping hell, did you do?!"

With a wave of her hand, she sent me flying across the room. Some of the servants who were loyal to me including Mrs Morgan, my legal guardian, rushed over to my side. As I looked up, the psychic transformed into a beautiful young woman who was floating in the air.

"My name is Estrella, and I am an enchantress. You have done nothing but been cruel to the people who've taken care of you and have been nothing but selfish and cold-hearted. You are now cursed to look as ugly on the outside as your heart is on the inside."

I knelt and begged, "Please, change me back. I'm sorry for what I've said, I didn't mean to. Please, I'm begging you. Please, turn me back to the way I was."

"I'm sorry, Matthew." She replied, "It is already done. The spell will continue until your twenty-first birthday. If you are able to find someone to love you as you are, without her knowing of the spell, you will be freed. If you don't, you will remain this way forever."

With that, she disappeared, leaving me alone with my servants in despair.

“Why wouldn’t he let me help him? Why wouldn’t he let me take care of him? He deserves all that?” These thoughts kept running in my mind. These writings are so beautiful. The emotions, the words are panned out so beautifully. Why do sometimes people think that only the physical beauty matters to the world and not their inner beauty.

“You know I will keep running behind you no matter what happens. I’ll keep following you until you start talking to me.”

“Look Haley. You cannot be around me.”

“Give me one good reason why?”

Answering through a choked up throat the poor guy could only let out a few words: “Because I am dangerous and don’t want to hurt you.”

“Dangerous? What are you even talking about? I don’t even care how you look, I just want to be friends with you. Know you on the inside. I want you to confine in me. Make me your friend and I won’t let you down.

Should I trust her? Should I not? Is she really genuine? Does she really not care two hoots about my scars? Sensing the turmoil in me. Mrs Morgan spoke:” I think you should give her a chance Master John. It wouldn’t hurt. And if she really cares you will finally have a friend you can understand you and talk to apart from us oldies.” And then she smiled. She displayed one of those heart-warming smiles and somehow I felt confident again.

“Hello.”

“Hey Haley, this is John.” Said a meek voice from the other side on the phone. My heart jumped with joy. 

Finally the boy had started to open up. Yay.

“Hii John. How are you?”

“Alive, I guess.”

“Ohh stop it you. Be positive and the world will be positive to you.”

“Yeah right. Tell me one thing. How come you are so positive about everything? I see you smiling every now and then. How come you are so happy everytime?”

“I don’t know. It’s just something I have. Why can’t you smile more often? I bet it would make you feel good?”

“There should be something to smile about.”

“Yeah well. I bet I am going to make you smile soon. Very soon.”

Today I called Haley. It felt pretty good I guess. It was one of the longest talks I have had with someone since a long period of time. We talked about school; we talked about her life in Texas, her transition towards the city life, things about her dad. Oh how lovely did it feel. To open up to someone. To let go of the emotions you have been holding in for long. At least she seems genuine and not fake like all those friends I had. What if she turns out to be the one who ends breaking my curse? After 3 years of surviving through torture and pain and the agony of seeing myself in the mirror I will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

I think I am falling for John. Despite his scars, he is a very genuine person at heart. The way he looks at me in the eyes, our long walks, long phone conversations, his poems describing me, the way he genuinely sometimes cares for me. Would it be wise to wise to tell him about my feelings? I pondered over the poor petals of a rose.

I am going to tell her about my curse and the old psychic on our next walk and then tell her about my feelings towards her. I really hope she has the same feelings I have for her. On our next walk I hope things change for us

                                                                           ***

I saw something amazing happen today. John confessed his feelings for me and I said yes and we leaned in to kiss each other. As soon as my lips touched his, suddenly a transformation out of the blue occurred and he suddenly became the guy from the school pictures. The old John Smith. The handsome loving John Smith. Confused me, I asked him the reason and then he confessed everything to me. How he was so greedy in the past and how the psychic cursed him until he found true love of his own or he would remain disfigured for ever. No matter what happens I still love him and will always do so.

                                                                              ***

I am back to my old self. Thank lord for that. Though I promise I will change myself now and that I will hang out with the right crowd and try to make things happy with Haley. People aren't so bad in this world after all.

The Kawi Vengeance

Author: Harshal Gupta

Author Introduction: This is Harshal Gupta a.k.a Mischief Manager. I am an 18 year old engineering prodigy who has just entered into the world of engineering as well as blogging. I started blogging around May 2012, and since then it has been no looking back for me. I love to listen to hard metal, an avid reader of Love Stories, Satire works, poetry and humour fiction. I blog at Impressions.

The Story:

"Whatup butt-steak? Ready for the fireworks. You better be, gonna see them in 2 days." the head of guards smirked at me while I was strolling along the lawns of the Kawi Prison. Kawi Prison. One of the worst prisons in the states. It had a capacity of about 5000 prisoners.And was a nightmare for each of the felons present there and Yes, sir I am a convicted felon, proudly residing in the Kawi for the past 10 years of my life in this hell-hole. One of the many lessons that one learns in prison is, that things are what they are and will be what they will be. Things in the past 10 years haven't changed a lot. Every fucking day I try to wake up knowing that it will not be worth it, every day I am thrown out of my cell to rascals like Billy, Bogs and The Sisters, every day I am fed same old shit they call food. Every fucking day. And why, because the god-dammned judge appointed by Uncle Sam thought that I killed my slut of a wife. The same woman to whom I gave my everything, showered her with expensive gifts, made her feel like a princess she never was, and what did I get in return. The view of her banging another man in my bedroom while I sat in the car ready to give her a big surprise. The woman I loved went behind my back and hamstringed me.

Then and there I had this huge urge to take out the .38 Caliber from the glovebox and shove all the bullets down her and her god-damned lover's ass. But taking control of my emotions I backed out the driveway and drove away as far as away from that little piece of shit. And then the fucking judge blames me that I killed my wife and that he found the god-dammned bullet casings in the river. It's true that whenever life screws you up, it ends up being pretty bad, and so for no fucking fault of mine, I was given a 10 year death sentence which meant that I will have to rot 10 years worth of my life in that prison after which I will be sacrificed to the upper hand. I just sat there as the Uncle Sams's servant took hold of my fate and decided what to do with it. As the hammer struck, guards took hold of me and shoved me down the van taking me to the worst place I ever imagined in the US of A. That was the year 1949. When my good days bade me farewell and I anticipated the bad ones. On the outside I was a vice president of J & M Holdings. In the van along with the other chained felons I was transported to the Kawi Prison. The guards and the their chief stood at the gates to welcome us into our new homes. The old timers in the prison were anticipating our new stay and were jeering through the wired walls. Our chained asses were led into the room where a personal meeting with the Warden was organized.

I am Mr Hadley, the warden of the prison and this is Mr Warton the head of the guards and you are convicted felons. First rule of the prison would be NO BLASPHEMY. I shall not bear that the lord's name is being taken in vain inside the walls of these prisons. The other rules you will figure out as you go on. 

There are two main beliefs: Discipline and Bible. Here you will receive both. Put your trust in the lord, your ass belongs to me." With that the warden completed his introduction and we were led to the delousing room. Unhooked and naked, the cold water was thrown at me like a fire-fighter trying to put out a fire. After which the guards threw some delousing shit making me half blind. After which we were marched to our cells. Marching us in naked like the day we were born, skin burning with the white shit. The realization comes when they put you in that cell and the bars slam shut. Nothing but all the time in the world to think about the old life. As the guards went by and the night strolled in the jackasses went about trying to break some one down. It was a religion as they said. Somebody or the other always breaks down crying and don't quit till they reel some fish in. Soon, they caught one. And the chants began, spranging the guards up from their slumber and making them walk right towards the prisoner who went down. He protested against them, tried to convince them that he wasn't supposed to be here. But Warton was not in the mood for shit like this. He opened the bars and beat him with an inch of his life. Clueless bastard would not have thought this was gonna come to him on the very first day. The night dragged by slowly with all kinds of thoughts swimming by.

A buzzing alarm woke me up in the morning. The sound was accompanied by the guards taking the roll call of the prisoners. And then we were let out of our little cages. Confused, angry, sad I was at every step. Why would something like this happen to me? What wrong have I done? and such were the questions that were keeping me aloof and busy all through the first two months at prison. And let me tell you, the two years you spend at Kawi prison are the toughest years of your life, not saying that the rest years become easier for you, but you tend to learn to live with it.
Soon around 7 years of my life passed in that prison.

On the morning of May 17th 1956, while taking a shower with dozen or more men. Not caring about the modesty I go on. IT has now become a habit to shower along with all of them. Only good thing was that at least the water was, soothing the tortured muscles of mine, Billy, an ex-boxer looms from the billowing steam and asks me: "Anybody come at you yet? Anybody get to you yet?". Feeling disgusted I move out of the shower and walk towards my cell.

Being in the prison, you are forced to do some kind of productive work. Although you may not like it, but it kind of becomes necessary for you to keep your mind busy and keep all the godforsaken thoughts at bay. So in Kawi, we had to work in a laundry which used all kinds of industrial washers and presses. All though a nightmarish job, it helped me to keep sane in the world of mad-men.

One day while slumming my ass in the laundry, John comes up to me and says:" We are running low on Hexite Bruce, Head back up and fetch us some." Obeying the orders I walk to the room of boilers and furnaces where all kinds of sump pumps, old washing machines, pallets of cleaning supplies and detergents are kept. Spotting the drum of Hexite, I pick it up and turn around only to find Billy and his accomplices blocking my way. Peter and Rooster cover me from the sides while Billy looks at me from the eyes dripping with lust. Grabbing a handful of Hexite, I try to warn them against coming at me. but both they guys hold me tightly and bend me up against an old washing machine and then Billy comes into action.What happened next, I guess you should know that. Prison life is no fairytale.

Things like this went on and on for a while. Prison life consists of routine, and then more routine. Every month or two, I would show up with all kind of bruises and signs on body. Needless to say, Billy and his team had found a dumb victim in me. Although I never gave up the fight to save myself, because if I did not fight, it would make it much more easier not to fight the next time. Sooner, I started having all kinds of headaches, diarrhea, vomiting and shit.Thinking that it would pass, I did not care too much about it. But then it started to get worse with time. Getting a bit worried, I go to the infirmary to get myself checked. The doctor took all kinds of fluids like blood and urine from my body and gave me some medicines and let me off. After a about a week later, I was summoned to the infirmary and told that I was suffering from AIDS. being completely aloof to the name, I ask him what is this AIDS shit. And he gives me all the high and low of the disease. Not believing it, I ask the doc to recheck the data and that he could possibly be wrong. But the doc said he had rechecked the data more than two times and that he couldn't possibly be wrong.

All shit broke loose for me. All the "WHY's" I had avoided for so long came back running to me. I was angry. I was depressed. I was alone. I wanted to run free from this hell-hole.

My wife used to say that I was a hard man to know. Almost like a closed book. I did love her a lot, but I think I did not know how to show it. I did kill her. Of course I did not pull the trigger, but I did drive her away from me, and that is why she died. Now I am running a race towards the death. The path of my run is yet to be chosen. Will it be by the fucking disease that Billy has fucked me in or by the laws of Uncle Sam.

After the meeting with the doctor, my life changed a lot for myself but not for the prison. I still had to slum up in the laundry and still had to catch up with Billy.

Finally it looked like I was supposed to die along the laws penned down by Uncle Sam, and I had my death in two days. And that day I met Billy. I noticed that he had some paper sheet coming out of his pocket. 

After he was finished, I sneaked out the paper and quickly hid it before any of his dumbass friends could see me stealing it. Walking back to my cell, I waited for the night to come to see what was such a paper doing in that boxer's pockets. As the night came and the guards locked down the cells after the evening  count, I quickly scanned the paper and it was nothing but a map of the Kawi prison with some special markings beside the laundry room.Confusing as it was, I decided to confront him what it was about.

Next day, walking up to Billy. I said: "Billy, I know your little thingy beside the laundry. And I think the warden would not like your little jiggly hula thing.

Billy:" What the fuck are you talking about dipshit?"

I:" I think you know what I am talking about, you ignorant fuck." And I take out the piece of paper, much to his horror.

Billy: " Bastard. Where the fuck did you get this?" And he punches me.

I: "I don't think hitting me is going to help you, you fuck. I am gonna go straight to the warden to expose whatever you have down there. Unless, you tell me what exactly it is."

Billy:" It is nothing. None of your fucking business."

I:" Oh. Maybe it is warden's business then."

Billy: "Stop! Stop! It is a tunnel. Me, Rooster and Peter have been dugging a tunnel for the past 20 years of our life in this prison. It is almost complete and we plan to escape today.

I:" Well, too bad, ain't it. The warden will bust your ass pretty good when he finds out. "

Billy:" Bastard. You won't tell the Warden."

I:" Why do you think I shouldn't tell the warden? You gave me fucking AIDS. You troubled me at every  step of my life in Kawi. Why the fuck would you think that I wouldn't tell the warden."

Billy:" because it gives me one shot at prison Billy. I may have been rude to you. I may have troubled you. But you know how Kawi is. According to my term I still have 5 more years in this hell hole."

I:" I will look into the matter Billy.

The whole night I kept on thinking what should I do. Should I expose Billy and his group of bastards, should I escape with them or should I just keep mum and suffer on, after all Salvation Lies Within.

Finally I came to a conclusion. I have suffered enough. First from my wife, then from the Uncle Sam's servants, then every fucking day in Kawi. From today on I will stop the fucking sorry state of my life and be right to those who are wrong with me. Today I decide to go over my impotency to extract revenge. come tomorrow I shall expose Billy and his team and deny that bastard his one shot at freedom.

No Title Given

Author: Harshal Gupta

Author Introduction- 

This is Harshal Gupta a.k.a Mischief Manager. I am an 18 year old engineering prodigy who has just entered into the world of engineering as well as blogging. I started blogging around May 2012, and since then it has been no looking back for me. I love to listen to hard metal, an avid reader of Love Stories, Satire works, poetry and humour fiction. I blog at Impressions.

Story

"God damn Skrillex. What the hell are you doing? The slayer is right in front of you, can't you see it. Play carefully, or I will ask Dragon Slayer101 to kick you out of the warriors."  shouted Meghana a.k.a Princess Butcher.

Meghana was a player of World of the Ancients, a  Massive multi player online role playing game. Maggi by her side, dressed up in shorts and a loose t-shirt she sat in front of her xbox and slayed and played the game non-stop after returning from Platina International, her workplace. She was a Level 89 Princess, and a pretty arrogant one at that. Her life basically consisted of her office, her xbox and her World of the Ancients. Sometimes the virtual life almost became a reality for her and she could be seen trying to take out her sword in times of reflex. Well, let's just say, virtual life played too much of a part in her life. In reality she was a beautiful 26 year old, an MBA grad from a top-notch B-school, yet still unmarried. She prides herself in the amazing strategic thinking she has and the amount of power she holds at the office. After all she is the Vice President of Platina. Her only talkative companion in office apart from her bosses is Arup, a senior IT technician, who unfortunately had to discontinue his studies due to family stuff, and thus somehow after corresponding his degree, he landed a job at Platina. Though Meghana talks to Arup, she only consults him for his IT expertise and not on a friendly basis. 

Dragon Slayer101-"Good job Princess Butcher for having my back there, I almost got killed by the enchanted bunnies"

Princess Butcher-"My pleasure Dragon Slayer101. It is always great fun to cut-throat these bitches whenever you are around, the other clan people don't really play as good as you."

Dragon Slayer101-"That is an overstatement Princess, I am sure they also play well."

Princess Butcher-"Well, not as good as you."

Dragon Slayer101-"That is why I am the clan leader, ain't I? ;)"

Princess Butcher- "See, I never go wrong. ;)"

Dragon Slayer101-"Anyway, I better leave now. Got loads of stuff to complete for my maniac boss. It's always nice playing with you. Tomorrow at 7, meet me at the Sahara Deserts. The castle has to be owned. Bye"

Princess Butcher-"Bye Dragon Slayer101"

As soon as Dragon Slayer101 signed off, Meghana signed off too. Dragon Slayer101's playing skills, his leadership qualities, his way of finding out quick alternatives to demanding situations really attracted him. She always wished she had someone like him in her life. She had always been a lonely girl, with very few friends whom she could trust completely. Well, all she could wish for is that the next day could be better than today. And thus she turned her PC off and went to bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arup, please come immediately to my room, I need you to fix up these server issues, we have been having lately, spoke Meghana.

Arup- Yes Ma'am.

Meghana- See this. The Dell Xenon has not been responding since last two days, and it is now really screwing up with the office work.

Arup- I will see to it today ma'am, and will make sure that the issue gets fixed by tomorrow.

Meghana- You better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Princess Butcher- "Woahh. That was some pretty good way to deal with the guards of the castle there, Slayer. Great work indeed."

Dragon Slayer101-"Well, all it requires is how you adapt to situations. Plus, I waste a lot of time here. That is how I became the Strider."

Princess Butcher-"LoL, truly said Dragon Slayer101. Didn't your mean boss give you homework today?

Dragon Slayer101-"Don't talk about her. She is a big pain in the ass. I have to completely dismantle a server, and fix it. It's gonna take me a whole night. But World of the Ancients is important. Otherwise, how will I save you from the dragons. :P."

Princess Butcher-"Ohh!! Puhlease!!- I can slay dragons effectively. You only complimented me the other day. :P"

Dragon Slayer101-"LoL, we will see."

Princess Butcher-"Yes we will Dragon slayer, we will."

Dragon Slayer101-"Btw, where do you stay Princess?"

Princess Butcher-"Me? Ohh, I stay in Mumbai. Juhu area, to be specific."

Dragon Slayer101-"What? And you are telling me this now? I live in Mumbai to. I live at Central though. But still, you never told me. This is not fair."

Princess Butcher-"Hawww!! You never asked me. How will I know that you are also in Mumbai." 

Dragon Slayer101-"Well, now you know na. :P."

Princess Butcher-"Yeah, I do. Btw, give me your number no. I shall call you up sometime and then we can meet."

Dragon Slayer101-"Sure, here, 9900990099, Do ring me up. :)"

Princess Butcher-"Sure".

As she punched in Dragon Slayer's number into her phone, her phone showed that it was already saved in her cell by the name of Arup. Confusion took over her, and she was left mind-boggled. To confirm her state of mind, she chatted:

Princess Butcher-"Dragon Slayer101, where do you work?"

Dragon Slayer101-"Me, I work as a senior IT technician at Platina International. Why?"

Princess Butcher-"Ohh!! Great. Nothing, just like that. Anyway, I gotta run, tc, byee."

Mind-bogglin as it was, she still could not believe that THE DRAGON SLAYER was Arup. A simple down-to-earth guy who just kept up to his tasks and was an introvert. The amazing leadership skills and the mind strategies Dragon Slayer101 was using were actually his. Holy Mother of God. I think I have to change my perception of people an not judge them by their academic backgrounds or their level at the office. I think I need to improve.