KALPANA

"Vivek, I am going to the park for a walk," said Manas.

Manas and Vivek were flatmates. Manas worked for a multinational financial firm and Vivek worked for a media house. It has been a few days Manas was feeling down and so he used to go for a walk at a nearby park.

It was a sunny day. Manas was sitting on a bench. Suddenly at a distance he saw a girl; lush black hair, beautiful round eyes, charming face as if she has directed her route directly from heaven. Unable to settle his curiosity Manas approached her.

"Hi," said Manas.

"Hello," she replied.

"I was looking at you, just could not help but compliment; you are very beautiful," said Manas.

The girl seemed confused and looked at him.

"So sorry if this was inappropriate but i really mean it," said Manas.

She smiled back and got busy in her phone. Feeling she was not interested in the conversation Manas left to where he was previously seated.

After sometime he saw her approaching towards him.

"Hey, I was little busy at that time, thanks for the compliment," she said.

"You are welcome," said Manas,"if it is not rude, may I know your name?"

"Sure, I am Kalpana, and you?" she replied.

"My name is Manas," he said,"please have a seat."

Kalpana sat beside Manas and they started chatting. They were talking as if they had known each other for years. After sometime, as they were about to leave, it started raining.

They ran towards a nearby tea stall and stood under its shade. The downpour started getting heavier.

"Kalpana, lets have some tea, what say?" asked Manas.

"Hmm,  that's a good idea," she said.

They sat on a bench inside the stall, and started enjoying piping hot cup of deliciousness. They continued chatting and also exchanged their phone numbers. The rain stopped, they bade goodbye to each other and left.

Manas entered his house singing," Chandi jaisa rang hai tera, sone jaise baal, ek tu hi..."

"Hey," interrupted Vivek,"You and singing a love song?" Vivek seemed confused.

"Yes my bro, yes" replied Manas happily,"I have an interesting news for you."

"Arey waah! What?" said Vivek.

"Today I met a girl at the park," said Manas.

"Who? What? How?" said Vivek looking extremely confused and in disbelief.

Manas narrated the whole story to him and went away to his room singing. Vivek was still in disbelief and said to himself,"He approached a girl and there was a conversation between them and they exchanged numbers; that's impossible. After his breakup one year ago he has kept himself completely away from girls and always looked lost in himself. Well maybe, time has changed and changed for some good,"

Days passed and Manas' closeness with Kalpana started growing. But it was also affecting his work and his relationship with Vivek, who was always with him through his thick and thin. Manas was taking way too many leave from his work. Moreover he used to lock himself in his room most of the time talking to his Kalpana. Even, Vivek saw him only once or twice in a day.

One day as Manas was getting ready to go out.

"Where are you going?" asked Vivek.

"None of your business," said Manas.

Startled, Vivek asked,"What has happened to you, you were never like this?"
"This Kalpana has made you a mad man."

"Hey, shut up!" shouted Manas,"Not a single word against Kalpana."

Manas slammed the door and went away. It was not the first time, Manas has previously fought with Vivek regarding Kalpana.

Some more days passed and the situation was getting worse. One day while Manas was in the bathroom, Vivek sneaked into his room and stole Kalpana's phone number. He went to his room and tried calling her, but the call said the number did not exist. Vivek smelled something fishy but he left as he was getting late for work.

Later that evening, when Vivek was back from office, he heard a girl's voice in Manas' room. He kept his bag on the couch and went near the door. He heard giggling and whispering. He always doubted everything about Kalpana. He dialled her number again, it said the number did not exist. Not able to control his curiosity he knocked at the door, but it slipped open. He saw no one. As he was cautiously entering the room, a figure jumped at him and stabbed him in the chest by a dagger. He dropped dead on the floor.

"Kalpana, Kalpana! Why did you kill him?" shouted Manas.

Shocked and unable to speak he called the police.

"Sir, sir, my friend is killed, please come fast, please sir," said Manas in a frightened voice.

The police arrived. Manas was standing near the door with the dagger in his hand, blood smeared over his body.

"Sir, please come in, she killed my friend," said Manas pointing towards the chair.

But there was no one in the room. The police insisted that there was no one present there but Manas kept on saying that she was sitting on the chair crying.

But there was no one. There was no Kalpana, she was just in Manas' head. He was suffering from dissociative identity disorder. The girl in the park, in the tea-stall, in his life was just his creation. There was no one there. The girl's voice that Vivek heard was all by Manas' second personality. She was Manas' Kalpana.

Police arrested Manas on the charge of VIvek's murder. As he was being taken away by the police, Manas looked at the Inspector, smiled and said," My Kalpana will come back for me, she will be there for me forever."