Friends for never: A suspense drama

 

22 May, 2025, Time: 8 AM...

(Phone rings) A man, just waking up, answers in a sleepy voice, "Hello? Who is this?"

The other person on the line speaks with intense fear and worry. "I... I... Rohan."

The man, now fully awake, processes this name with a rush of emotions. "What happened, Rohan?"

Rohan, still shaken, responds, "Sam, our high school mate... Ravi... He died yesterday."

Sam, confused and worried, asks, "Yesterday? But yesterday was our high school reunion."

Rohan replies, "Yes. After the reunion party, Ravi went home, but at night... he died. The reason is unclear. There were no death marks, neither suicide nor murder. He was just 27 and had no health issues. No one knows why he died."

Sam, now deeply concerned, says, "Don't worry, Rohan. I'm coming to Delhi on the next flight."

Upon arriving in Delhi, Sam is picked up by Rohan, who had been anxiously waiting. Sam has many questions, but Rohan remains silent until they reach their old high school.

As soon as they arrive, Rohan, angry and tearful, confronts Sam. "Why didn’t you come to the reunion? It was our 10-year reunion! You never picked up calls. I didn’t even know your address or phone number. I got your number with great difficulty. Why, Sam? We were best friends!"

Sam, with tears in his eyes, finally responds, "Do you remember, 10 years ago, on our last day of school, when Dev left without telling us anything? We were heartbroken. I told myself that I would find Dev and bring him back. Until then, I wouldn’t stay in contact with anyone."

Just then, a police officer calls Rohan. "Come to the police station," he says.

At the police station, the investigating officer asks Rohan and Sam about their relationship with Ravi and everything they know about him.

Rohan begins narrating the story in the first person, taking us back to 2013.

"Sam and I came to BrainVidya High School, Delhi. Ravi was our batchmate. We first met him when he was bullying some younger children. Then, a sweet-looking boy with eyes shining with wisdom and energy stepped in—it was Dev. He boldly but humbly told Ravi to stop bullying others. Ravi, angered, was about to react when the school bell rang. This interaction sparked a rivalry between them.

"Dev was our classmate—charming, funny, a little idiotic, decent in studies. Eventually, Sam, Dev, and I became best friends. We realized Dev had a unique patience. Even when Ravi and his friends constantly mocked him, he never reacted. Sam and I believed he was scared of Ravi—after all, Ravi was a 6’3” muscular guy, and Dev was a skinny boy. But we were wrong."

One day, when Dev didn’t come to school, Sam and Rohan visited his hostel. Dev opened the door and let them in. Inside, they saw a large photo frame filled with Dev’s boxing and karate achievements. To their shock, Dev had just won a gold medal in a state-level boxing match that day.

"Dev never told us about his achievements, his family, or his past. We never asked—our friendship was built on fun and craziness. Ravi, however, could not tolerate Dev ignoring him or being more popular. Throughout the session, Ravi mocked Dev, but Dev remained the same—patient and unaffected."

One day, Dev left his ID card in school. Sam and Rohan decided to return it, but before doing so, they noticed his birthdate—May 21. They realized they had never celebrated his birthday.

A year passed. They moved to 12th grade. During vacation, they planned a surprise birthday party for Dev. On the first day of their 12th-grade session—May 21—they celebrated. That night, intoxicated from their first taste of alcohol, Dev shared something personal.

Showing them a scar on his right-hand middle finger, he said, "When I was five, a boy pushed me, and my finger got caught in a door. It was badly injured. That night, God came into my dream and asked me, ‘Will you give that boy the same pain he gave you?’ I told Him, ‘No. Life will punish him. I can’t.’”

That was the first time Dev had shared something personal. Sam and Rohan, though drunk, realized Dev’s purity.

Time flew, and soon it was their farewell—May 21, 2015. Everyone was excited, preparing to say their goodbyes. But Ravi had a different plan.

That night, after the farewell party, Ravi and his friends sneaked into Dev’s hostel room. Dev had forgotten to lock his door. They entered silently and brutally attacked him. Dev’s breathing stopped. Panicked, Ravi and his friends fled.

In that moment, Dev found himself in a surreal place, believing he was in heaven. A man approached him and asked, "Will you give the same pain to the boy who gave it to you?"

Dev, remembering his childhood dream, replied, "No. Life will punish him. I can't."

The man, revealing himself as God, said, "I created each of you, but you live with your own choices. You have always been on the positive side, my child. I grant you your life."

Dev suddenly woke up, alive but shaken. Not understanding what had happened, he packed his bags and disappeared, never telling anyone.

Back in the present, the investigating officer asks, "Do you know where Dev is now?"

Sam and Rohan shake their heads. But then they remember Dev’s ID card—it had his full name. "Devendra Kumar," Sam recalls.

The officer orders his department to search for Dev’s records. Hours later, they find an address—Dev’s parents lived in Shimla.

Upon reaching Shimla, they find a large, lonely house. An old lady answers the door. When they introduce themselves as Dev’s friends, she welcomes them silently. Inside, they see pictures of Dev they had never seen before.

"Where is Dev?" they ask.

"He never returned home," she replies. "Five years ago, I received a letter. It said: ‘Hi Mom, Dev here. Sorry for ignoring your calls and messages. I am in Kashmir, and I will not return home. But if two idiots ever come looking for me, give them this letter.’”

She hands them the letter. It contains Dev’s address.

They travel to Kashmir. Upon reaching the address, they find a Karate and Boxing Academy. They know Dev must be nearby. And then, they see him—charming, skinny, with shining eyes.

Meanwhile, the truth behind Ravi’s death is revealed.

That night, while sleeping, Ravi relived the night of the attack. Suddenly, he saw a man standing before him, the same one Dev had seen. The man said, "I created each of you, but you live with your choices. You have always been on the negative side."

Ravi woke up, thinking it was just a nightmare. But then, the man appeared before him in reality and said, "I grant you death."

Ravi's brain was overwhelmed by the shock of memory and emotions. His left brain was completely damaged. And just like that, he died.

Dev was right. Life had punished him.






written by Devansh Gupta

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