Life in Seconds

14/05/19  07.41.03 PM

It is said that in your last moments your life flashes before your eyes. It’s a lie! You might say what does a spoiled brat teenager living in upstate New Delhi know about all this. Well, I do because a few moments (not even seconds) ago I lost control of my new Honda City. It was a gift from my dad for my birthday which is coming up in a couple of days. Obviously, I took it out for a ride with my friends, and we had a few beers on the way (YOLO!). It shouldn’t even surprise you. Because that is my stereotype, isn’t it?


Driving at around 100 kmph in the city streets, I swerved to avoid something on the otherwise empty, straight road and it looks like right then the car decided to stop responding. The brake isn’t working, and I have tried to turn the wheels to no avail. I am still holding on to the steering wheel in the opposite direction hoping the car would just come to a halt somehow. By my estimate, there are a couple of seconds before the car turns over and hits the sidewalk. I am convinced these are my last moments and I still don’t see the promised flash with the best of my life yet.  

14/05/19  07.41.04 PM

I am still holding onto the steering wheel, jammed to the other side, but the car is drifting away towards the side of the road. Just then as if out of thin air I see Krish. My eyes must be tricking me. I haven’t seen him since the 10th board results came out. Not since he abandoned my friends and me and refused to join us for the after results party. Hooligans, he called them I remember and told me that I would end up somewhere bad if I were not careful (I don’t think I can argue on that right now). He outright said no to joining our ‘Rich Stupid gang.’ My best friend of 8 years had walked out.

And now he is standing right there. With his trademark ‘I told you so’ look I had so often seen when we were friends. He always had this reserved for me every time after he bailed me out of trouble. I wish he can bail me out of this one, one last time. Maybe he can hear my thoughts because he is smiling now. I smile back. I am so happy to see him.

14/05/19  07.41.05 PM

Next to him, I can see my dad. He isn’t looking down on his phone or into his laptop like he always does. He is looking right at me, hands crossed over his chest. I can’t recall the last time he had looked directly at me like that. Like he cared for me, cared what happens to me. My heart is beating faster, and I feel elated.

Part of me wants him to scold me, take away these car keys. He does not move. I wish he would. He is still standing there, with that look of concern on his face. I try to shout out to him, call him for help but no voice comes out of me.

14/05/19  07.41.06 PM

I notice another figure with dad. I squint my eyes to focus, and I find that I am looking at my mother. She is glaring at dad. She had made it very clear that giving me this car was a bad idea but both the men in the house had laughed it off. I am old enough is what my father had said. My mother has now turned and is looking at me with tears in her eyes. I want to say sorry to her and promise her that I won’t be doing anything like this again, but once more my voice seems to be lost. I wanted to make her proud of me, and all I have managed to do is make her cry again. If only I had a chance to go back …

14/05/19  07.41.07 PM

There is a loud crash. All of them vanish. It is all black now.
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