Karma never dies...

By C. G. Sreedevan

Dev leaves his parents in Kerala to return to Chandigarh- the city where he was born and brought up. Naturally he considers the city to be the place where he could shape up his career as well. At his first regular workplace he meets a girl named Surbhi and they become good friends. Suddenly an accident takes their relationship to another level but as some secrets of her life unearth, will Dev be able to handle this emotional onslaught? And will they keep their word of remaining ‘friends forever’? How do boy-girl karmic equations change at workplace? Will Dev realise that some secrets could ruin a relationship! 

The story of urban youths set in the backdrop of the Indian Retail Boom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C G Sreedevan
• Release date: Aug 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516357741

C. G. Sreedevan

The author is a Retail employee working as a Visual Merchandiser for a lifestyle brand. He was born in Chandigarh and brought up in a town of Himachal Pradesh with parents hailing from Kerala- a state in Southern India. A young writer interested in writing about issues affecting the youth, his first book 'Desire to Perdition' is a fictional account of events he visualized. A strong believer in 'Novus Ordo Seclorum', he believes in a world free from religion, caste, color and other factors which divide humans. For his articles you can visit his personal blog www.cgsreedevan.blogspot.com

Book preview

Prologue

The siren of an ambulance van speeding across sends shivers down my spine. ‘God bless’ I cry in my mind as my eyes go sullen. How could I forget that fateful dark night when he had judged me for my sins! For many the ‘Judgement day’ may be mythical or philosophical but for me it was something which sent me into deep oblivion from my parents, from my friends and most importantly ‘from myself!’

After making way for the van, she parked her car to the side and closed her eyes...and remembered...    that fateful night...

She was restless; in fact she was feeling a strange concern for him. While they left home from work earlier in the evening, he had mentioned that he would be going to his maternal uncle’s place at Zirakpur.

After tossing around on her bed for a while she finally decided to satiate her urge to hear his voice.

‘Hey Suri!’ ‘What happened dear?’

‘Nothing!’ ‘Just tell me where are you?’

‘I am on the way’

‘Swear on me Sandu’ ‘Are you wearing a helmet?’

‘Do hell to that wretched thing!’ ‘You know that I don’t wear it!’ ‘Bapu da raaj chalda hai!’ (My father rules!)

His father was a high rank police officer...

‘How many times have I told you to either stop this reckless attitude else I will never talk to you!’

‘And yet you talk!’ he replied.

‘You know Sandu how much I love you’ ‘I cannot bear any harm to you’ she said sobbingly.

‘Ok baba I will wear a helmet but on one condition...’

‘What?’ she asked.

‘You must quit smoking!’

‘It’s not that easy Sandu’ ‘It will take time!’ she said.

‘No first promise me that you will quit smoking right now only then I will start wearing a helmet’ he insisted.

‘What has my smoking got to do with your safety?’ she fumed.

‘Are you going to quit smoking or not?’ he asked.

‘Sandu...wait we will talk on this...’ she pestered.

‘Yes or no...’ he asked again.

‘Sandu please...’ her voice cracked.

‘Ok then I guess I got your answer’ ‘I am free to do anything now’ ‘Will stopover and get drunk and do all that you stopped me from doing’ ‘Let’s see what happens!’ he said.

Hearing his adamant attitude she lost her patience!

‘You are impossible Sandu!’ ‘Just do whatever you want to and don’t talk to me again!’ she said while disconnecting the call.

Feeling full of anger, pain and disgust she stood up from bed and went towards the refrigerator to gulp down some water. She was back in bed after washing her tears soaked face. It was half past ten but her eyes were still refusing to rest.

‘Maybe reading a novel would help me relax’ she said as she slid out a book from her study rack. Time was passing but her concern for him refused to die.

After a few minutes and still unable to sleep she just placed the book back in the rack, switched off the lights and closed her eyes.

An hour later...

She was suddenly woken up by the continuous ringing of her cell phone.

At this time of the night, she thought as she looked at the clock...All of a sudden his thought left her nervous and frightened...She picked up the phone and said,

‘Hey Sandu are you alright?’

But this time there was someone else on the line...

The beginning...

(December 6, 2008 eight months ago...)

‘Your attention please...train no. 2312 Kerala Chandigarh Express is arriving on platform number four’ ‘Ting Dong!’

Dev looked outside the window as the train slowly made its way into the Chandigarh Railway station.

‘I am back my friend’ he whispered at the signboard of the station. He always considered the city as his best friend for it was not only his birthplace but the place which never let him down and somehow he had an intuition that it would also be the place which would give him his recognition...one day...

He remembered those tense moments with his father back home when he was trying to convince him...

‘Dad, I want to find work and study further in Chandigarh!’

‘Don’t be stupid!’ ‘You have your family and relatives out here’ ‘There is no point of staying in Chandigarh’ ‘Just grab your certificates and return’ ‘Will try to get you into some government service’ his father frowned as he spoke.

‘Dad but you spent more than two decades of your life there and my entire life was based in that city!’ he pestered.

‘Ok fine I will give you just five thousand bucks’ ‘If you could find job and survive then you can take the call’ ‘If not then save enough to return back’ ‘Is that clear?’

‘Ok dad but at least you can give me your ATM in case of emergency’ he pleaded.

‘No don’t try to be smart’ ‘You will not get any card because I expect you to return once you collect your certificates’ ‘I hope we are clear on this!’

The echo of his father’s words reverberated in his mind!

Meanwhile the train made its final halt at the station and he stepped out to feel his beloved city again. He took up his mobile to call Nips- his best buddy!

‘Hey man, where are you?’

‘Yep just entered the station’ ‘Have you arrived?’

‘Yeah man the train just reached’

‘Okay then I am coming towards the entrance’ ‘Just hang in there and wait for me’ ‘Do you copy?’

‘Copy Dev’ ‘Roger That’

‘Roger That Nips’ ‘Over and out...’

The place where it all began...

(December 13, 2008)

Dev looked at the office clock. It was evening with the clock striking 6. He had been waiting for his turn since last two hours. Mr. Kamal Kapoor the vice-chairman of the group had arrived in the office only an hour ago but it seemed as if he was initially interviewing females and candidates from far flung places.

‘Well that’s good’, Dev said to himself, ‘seems like this company has sound professional values’

He finally stopped reading the magazines and looked around at other candidates in the waiting hall. Most of them were well dressed although in casuals. Well, what else to expect when you are seeking a job in retail sales especially when the chunk of vacancies were in casual and sports sections. Hence here too he was the odd one out as he never felt comfortable seeking job in casuals. Dressed in formal trousers, the bottom of which almost grazed the floor and a cream shirt with a well knotted and dotted broad tie, he felt it was better to be wearing something which safeguarded your confidence.

After a while the assistant announced,

‘Mr. Devan it’s your turn next!’

Meanwhile miles away...

She was not able to believe what was happening to her! Why was her life taking such a strange turn? Only a few days ago she was planning her marital days with Vikas- her boyfriend of three years and today she was feeling unsure of her future with him. Sometimes she rued being born