Beyond the Fateline....!!!!!!

The weather has suddenly changed from the childish meanderings of the soft sun to thunderous melancholy. It’s raining outside. The ambience is just perfect for me to tell my tale. But don’t worry; it is neither a spine chilling story nor a mushy romance. It's rather factual.

Ten years ago, I was a frustrated man in my 20's. The reasons were the usual ones------ a lousy job, dissatisfied parents, and of course a woman. It was so predictable that I visited an astrologer.

The astrologer, with his hollow voice, gleaming greedy eyes and a broad smile pretty much fitted in with his profession.

"Good morning, Mr Frank. Please list all the necessary details regarding the time and place of your birth. Perhaps you would care to show me your palm......."

The next few minutes left me spellbound. There sat the astrologer, repeating my life story in detail. "So this is the way it stands. Against your parents' wishes, you decided to opt out of college and took up a small clerical job with a small business firm. You then came across a seemingly innocent, beautiful woman with whom you had fallen in love----- Janee!" he said adding," But your parents disapproved because she was headstrong, so you left home. Years passed, and you wondered whether Janee really loved you or not

Your boss seemed to restrict your promotions and transferred you to the less flourishing branches of the company. That's when it all became clear. See, you always knew it------- he was the one she really wanted......."

"Stop!" I cried out. "That's enough. You know everything." I took a deep breath and asked,” Does the future hold any promise?"

"Everything will be fine. Well, almost everything. There may be just a minor hitch, inconsequential to your life afterward," said the astrologer. At that moment, he paused. Something was troubling him.

I realized he was suppressing some information. I tried to get it out of him. "I will write out everything in detail for you, come some other time," said the astrologer nodding his head characteristically. Suddenly, life took an upswing. My boss got transferred and i came back. Janee had little choice, but to return to me. She admitted her mistake and i found every reason to forgive her. My parents.....?

By then, they had accepted to accept my way of doing things. All this did not happen in a fortnight's time, bit it took some time to reconstruct my life. A couple of years passed by.

Yet something bothered me. I visited the astrologer several times but it was fruitless. He simply wouldn’t tell me everything.

He said he was still preparing notes for the horoscope. He seemed to be playing with my life, which he could read like a transparent piece of glass. My curiosity grew, as I could see that I was merely a puppet in his hand. One morning, I stormed into his office." I demand an explanation, I must have it." "Come some other time. It is nearly complete."

Come some other time? But there will be no other time!" I shrieked in anger. I had lost my nerve. I experienced fear, anger and madness. I smelt blood. Across the table, I could see a sheet of paper. Despite the distance, I could figure out my name clearly.

A penknife rested on the sheet so as to prevent me from getting a glimpse of it. I reached out for it. He resisted my move. I reached for it again. This time, I got what i wanted. Well not exactly.I grabbed the knife and, in the ensuing tussle, stabbed him accidentally. He dropped dead.

I picked up the sheet. "Everything about Mr Frank seems to be fine. His life will ultimately follow a smooth happy course. However, there is one dark deed that he will commit, one for which he will never be arrested. It is difficult for me to tell him. But I am sure, he will commit murder.

What is more intriguing is that I cannot figure out who the victim will be. Not his parents, neither his former boss and definitely not Janee. Someone not quite relevant to his life. Someone whose relevance shall arise only from the everlasting stigma of unjustifiable homicide. I am so confused......."

Sourav Singh Roy

(This story was published on 30th May 1999 in the Asian Age in the category of one of the best original short story composition)