‘After all- it is the truth, accept it’, he said calmly.
It was a fine weekend like always until he declared his depart. His favourite strawberry cake baked for the evening get together rest untouched over the table top. Supper wasn’t prepared by the mother and father kept packing-unpacking his stuffs. They both knew their son no longer needed them or their objects.
He looked away dismissing the pleading eyes. He did not want to hear their request or to see them crying. He was adamant on not changing his well-thought decision. He had been fighting for it since long, seeking permissions from different governmental bodies and authorities. After a year of hard work and sweat, he had been awarded with what he thought he deserved.
They stood motionless. It seemed that the emotions were dead in the scorching heat of the day, eyes appeared reluctant to give away the truth and heart had given up on its hope for life. They looked at each other, devoid of words.
Son busied himself in arranging the documents. He had planned it well. The list was already in place- things that he owned and things he would like his parents to have for the rest of their lives. A cupboard was also dedicated to the ‘important and legal papers’ for their easy reference. He had instructed his relatives to be nice with the poor souls. He knew it would be hard for his parents without him, though he had believed it would be definitely better than the present.
It was 1 pm of the noon. None of the two hurt lives had dared to speak to each other. Father had involved himself in his vegetable garden- digging and correcting the position of the eggplants sown. Mother devoted herself to the lord, murmuring hymns with tightly closed eyes.
Son was done with his last work.
He collected himself strong and started to walk past the rooms, the small temple where his mother sat, the garden where he had grown and the father who had been his only friend. Parents seemed ignorant of his good bye.
He walked, tears trembling frantically down his cheeks. It was harder than he had anticipated.
The main gate croaked, disturbing the lost minds of the parents. They looked out, his shadow still seemed moving. Mother hurried towards father for help, laden with grief.
They had been struggling to ‘keep the positivity’. Ever since their son had been diagnosed with Cancer, they had put their time and money to make him fit – again. Doctor had been hopeful. The three had fought together till the time their son had decided to quit. Quit the game of life and surrender self to death. The time has not yet come, but son was willing to be early.
It had been a year ago when son had decided for an assisted suicide. He had requested them to end his sufferings. Cancer had bought him all – the pain, the guilt and the hopelessness. Watching his parents running after him at an old age had left him ‘with this choice’. He had seen the loans taken for his medication. He had seen them wide awake during dark nights. He had seen them dying for him every moment. He could not take it any longer.
They ran after him to stop him for the last time. They ran to the best of their effort, weeping and calling out for him with a resigned mind and helpless heart. ‘
If only they could bargain few more hours with him, they thought, they would have loved him little more. If only they could stop him for a while, they thought, they could regain his lost hope. If only they could hug him tight, they thought, they could change it all.
But he was gone too far this time – not to return at all.
“We were sure that we will protect him, from all the evils… and believed we ruled his life (and death)… But o Thy, you proved us wrong… He opted for the Hard Choice…Why so soon?”
The purple tooth 