A Night with Messengers of Death

I heard that people were mourning and it woke me up. I found all my family members were crying and I was wondering what had happened at a sudden. To know, I left the bed and rushed towards the drawing room. There were lots of people in the room and were crying. My mouth got opened to see that I was lying in the center of these people. My body was lying straight on the floor, wrapped with white bed-sheet with opened face, and my eyes were closed. My face was expressionless and my lips were glued together. Ahh… Am I Dead? Is this my (dead) body lying at the center? I started yelling, “ Hello, I am alive. Look behind, I am alive and talking to you.” But, nobody is looking at me nor listening to me.

I propped up against the wall, and started staring the people. Somebody put his hand on my shoulder. I looked back and saw a very old man in white beard was standing behind me, and smiling. His forehead was broad and full of wrinkles. There was a glow on his face, and he was wearing a pristine white gown. I asked, “ Who are you, Sir?” He said very calmly, “I am the messenger of death, and I am here to take you along with me.” I asked desperately, “Where? My family is crying for me, and I have to tell them that I am alive. In fact, all fine.” He said, “My dear son, you have left your body. This is the real You, the divine You. You have to come along with me as lots of people are waiting for you there.” I asked, ‘where.” He smiled and said, “I cannot quench all of your queries immediately. You have to come with me. Lets start for another journey.”

I couldn’t protest, and started along with him. I came outside of my house, and there was a grand all white spotless wagon with white and tall horses. The old man asked me to step in the wagon, and I did the same. The vehicle was having a typical gothic and natty interior and couches. He sat in front of me and the vehicle jolted, and started flying. I was surprised with the speed, and flying was tremendously smooth. For some time, I forgot about that had happened today’s morning. I asked the man again, “Sir, would you please tell me where are we heading.” He didn’t say anything rather smiling. He propped up against the pillow, settled on the couch, and closed his eyes. I started looking outside the vehicle; there were clouds all around. After few minutes journey, a huge gate appeared covered with white clouds. Other side of the gate was not visible to me; there must be a building. The wagon stopped at the gate and the old man asked me to step out. I came out of the wagon and started looking around. It is said that the humans can see till infinite, and if it is true then I must say I didn’t find anything in any side except clouds.


I felt that the old man is nudging me to move forward. I looked back, and he was doing so. He touched the gate and gate was opened automatically. There was a road going in but still I couldn’t see where it was heading. I stopped as I saw that a man with long beard was sitting on a throne in left side. There were four 6 and half feet tall bodyguards, two in each side of throne, were standing. There was a table lying in front of him, and a man was doing some calculations sitting close to table. The man with long beard asked, “Is this Shah Rizwan?” I said, “Yes.” One of the bodyguard said, “ You rat. This question is not for you. Keep your mouth shut until you are not asked.” The old man who came along with me said, “ Yes sir. This is Shah Rizwan. I already have forwarded the list of his sins to the concerned person. Now, He is yours by all mean. May I go Sire?” The long beard man said, “ Yes, you may, and thank you for taking him here. It was not an easy job. Kudos to you.” I was wondering, I neither protest nor quenched my queries with old man so how could it be a tedious task to take me here. And the old man is getting applauded. I was seriously surprised. The old man went away. I was standing alone, and was feeling like in front of an interview panel.


The long beard man turned to me and said, “ So, Mr. Shah Rizwan. We will ask you few questions and based on your answers we will award you the right place, Hell or Heaven. Please be truthful because as much you be truthful your chances for heaven will be high despite all of your sins that you have done.” I was confused and still not sure what to do but was nodding my head in Yes.


The beard man asked his first question, “How many time you have said a lie?” I scratched my head started calculation if two lies per day, it means all around 50 thousand lies and for a safer side lets make it 55 thousand. I said confidently, “Sir, 55 thousand lies.” The long beard man instructed the person sitting next to the table to get the answer validated. The man said, “Sir, there is a huge difference in the values. The correct value is 3650667.” I said, “Sir, there must be a mistake. Answers cannot vary at this huge difference.” The long beard man said, “ My son, you will be provided with all the details of lies that you have told to your Mom, Dad, Wife, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Relatives, Friends, Teachers, Supervisors, Colleagues, Subordinates, Clients, Vendors, Neighbors, and Strangers.” I said, “ Sir, would you please allow me to ask one thing?” The man said, “ Hmmm, but please close this fast.” I asked, “Sir, Would that have been counted if I did want to take my kids for a picnic and I requested a leave saying my supervisor that I am not feeling well, so couldn’t join office.” The man said, “ Yes, dear. This will get counted. Any minute deviation from the actual statement would be treated as a lie.” I was being firmed that I had to be more genuine to be in Heaven.


The beard man threw next question to me, “ How many times did you steal the things?” Now, I am very cautious. I start including the biscuits, pens, pencils, fruits from gardens, stationary, and everything. I thought thoroughly about all the events, added sufficient buffer and said with a low voice, “ 3000 times.” The long beard man instructed the person sitting next to the table to get the answer validated. The man said, “Sir, this time it is close to the actual value. Actual value is 3273.” I took a sigh of relief, as the answer was pretty close to the actual value.


He threw the next question towards me, “So, Mr. Thief, how many times have you cheated the people?” I was again taking almost all the incidents. I started counting; I have cheated my mom and dad many times in returning money after bringing the vegetables or any other items, cheated my teacher by copying the other student, cheated my brother and sister by getting their share of any eatable, cheated my friends by using their bikes without any information, cheated my subordinates and colleagues by adding my name on the tasks that was actually done by them, and cheated my wife by flirting with other girls. This time I did want to more accurate, so I thought thoroughly and said, “ 800, and started staring at the long beard man with keeping my ears open.” The long beard man instructed the person to get the answer validated. The man said, “Sir, this time it is higher than the actual value. Actual value is 679.” My face started glowing as of a king after a glorious victory. Heaven seems to be confirmed. The long beard man said, “ Closing any project before the scheduled time is considered as a failure. So, please don’t be happy that if you overrate your faults as it shows that you don’t have any count of your faults. Still, mentioned figure is close to actual value, so your chances for getting in heaven are slightly higher.” I was standing like a statue there. Now, his statements were making me pesky.


The long beard man touched his beard and said, “Mr Cheater, this is the last question to you and the final decision will be based on the answer of this question.” I started shivering; I found I was perspired. My ears were widely open; my mind was waiting for a trigger to start the calculation. The long beard man said, “ How many time have you wasted the things? You can take 1 logical unit for each item, as measuring units for different items are different. I did want to accurate at the level maximum as any slippage could lead to hell. I started recalling events when I had wasted any resource and said, “ Can I get a pen or paper as number seems to huge and difficult to calculate.” The man sitting next to the table gave a pen and paper. I started calculating, but not found any clue to calculate all the logical units. I was finding me numb, was I nervous or it was really difficult to calculate the items that I had wasted? An idea lightened in my mind, “ Give a utmost higher value. It is better if actual value is lesser than the quoted value. An idea can change your permanent residing option. I said strategically, “Sir, the quoted value could be on higher side but I want to be most genuine this time. I think I have wasted at least 300,000 units of all the items.” The long beard man instructed the person to get the answer validated. The man said, “Sir, this time quoted value entirely different from the actual value. Actual value is 445,749,463,915,732,679 units.” I started crying, Sir please check, this cannot be happened. This difference is very huge. I just want to know the parameters. Please tell me Sire, please.


The long beard man took the list in his hand and said, “let’s start with natural resources. You have wasted at least 4 liters of water everyday apart from your need. So, you wasted 4 units everyday, 120 units every month, and 1440 units every year. This further adds that you forced a person to live without water for 36 days every year. These 36 days will also be added in the form of seconds in your wastage list. You never switched off your vehicle while standing at red lights and wasted around 2 liters petrol every month. So, you wasted around 24 units of petrol every year. This further adds the effort for digging it out, refining, transportation. You never switched off your TV, fan, AC, and bulbs when you were not in your room. This each unit has been added as well as the tasks that could be done with the wasted power also be added. You wasted food many of the times that forced many of the people to sleep without food. Their foodless times have been added. Also, you wasted efforts for cropping and cultivating of cereals that also have been added. You wasted paper a lot with out any reason. Due to which many of the trees have been cut down that further led to less rain and deterioration of earth, and imbalance in nature. My dear son list is end less, so whatever our list says that’s correct. And I have no doubt saying that you must go in Hell as you have never cared the things and wasted them without any reason. You are a big time cheater, thief, and liar.” He instructed two of his bodyguards to take me to the hell. I started crying but the bodyguards were not listening to me. I said, “Sir, please give me a chance, only one chance….”


There was dark all around, and my wife switched the light on. I was sweating. She asked me, “Was I dreaming bad?” I said, “Yes.” I saw, bulb in balcony was On, I asked my wife to switch this off. This was just wastage of electricity. I lay down again and was thinking about the dream, and decided No More wastage, lies, cheating if I want to go heaven.

Who am I?

It is raining outside, and raindrops close to road lamps are looking beautiful. Despite all noise due to rain, a different kind of serenity is spread in the atmosphere. July is the month of rain I know but this year it is raining very heavily. I am sitting on an easy chair and looking at the road, few people are running to a direction covering themselves with polythene sheets; must be they are running to their home. Thunder noise of clouds is audible after an irregular interval. This time it was loud rather very loud with a flash like 100 halogen lamps have been switched on together. Flash was of so high intensity that I could see me in the mirror keeping all the lights switched off. Again a deep silence is all around; rain does not seem to stop today night. I am feeling bit hungry but I don’t want to call any one to give me something nor I want to get it myself. I am hypnotized with the environment so much that I am feeling like I am glued with the chair. In fact, I am sitting alone and enjoying this loneliness with looking at the raindrops.

I can see a car coming towards me. Its light beam is very intense and hitting my face and eyes. For a moment it spoiled the environment and I am wondering can these people not drive at low beam unless if it is required. The car passed by, and again I am in the same environment that I want being in for last two hours without expecting any disturbance of any kind. I started looking at the street lampposts; raindrops are looking stronger this time and hitting the ground with more intensity. The noise due to raindrops is gradually coming on high node. I am continuous staring to a lamppost without knowing what I am looking at, what I am trying to find. But such moments are very rare in one’s life when the person is sitting and thinking noting or the mind doesn’t allow thinking about anything; I am in the same situation right now. After a long long time, I am sitting and not thinking for work or the issues running in life. I am feeling blank at the moment, as I have nothing to worry about. It seems to me that all my worries have been dissolved in rain.

Watch is showing 11:20 pm. I am hungry a bit but not intended to have any thing. A tea can be helpful but skipping the idea of having tea. Time to sleep man. I stand up and going to my bedroom slowly. It is almost dark in the bedroom but I don’t want to switch the light on. Darkness is creating a cozy environment; I want to go with it. I carefully go to bed and sit thinking for tomorrow. I just remove my shoes, and lying on the bed. My eyes are getting closed. I am loosing my sense temporarily. Gradually, I am going deeper and deeper.

Beep Beep…Beep Beep. Ahh, my alarm clock is screaming, I wake up and switch the light on. I am trying looking at the clock but still not able to see the time due to haze in my eyes. I rubbed my eyes twice and looked at the clock again but still clock hands are not clear. Numbers are almost invisible. Oh, how could I forget I have started wearing specs? My hands are searching the specs on the table; I put the specs on my nose and saw the time. Wake up man it is 6:30 am and you are getting late for office, I am murmuring. I put the slippers and rushing toward the bathroom, on the way I looked at the mirror, and stopped. I yelled, is this I. A man with white eyebrows & hairs, wrinkled forehead, weak eyes, and squeezed cheeks. I am looking at my hand and my hands are full of wrinkles and white hairs. I am stunned and looking around, and stuck on the calendar. This was showing July 10, 2046. I am going to be 66 after 5 days. I am returning slowly to the bed and sit upon. I am trying to recall the recent things. The words I could recall are, “Mr Shah, was associated with the organization for last 10 years, and he gave his best to the organization during his tenure. Today is his last day in the organization. We all wish him….”.

Yesterday, after the farewell, I drove back home directly. It was raining heavily. I parked my car and sat on my easy chair, and started watching the raindrops….