The Dangerous Dad

By Santosh Singh

Shani does not have a care in the world. The fourteen-year-old is a cop’s son who enjoys life with his friends and family. His elder sister’s wedding is coming up and he wants to make sure everything is perfect.
But amidst all this happiness, there are mysterious events happening at home, that he is not privy to. His mother and sister hush up when he walks in, his father keeps sending him on errands that don’t seem too important, and the house has a deathly monotony he cannot fathom.
One wonders what goes wrong for him to land up in the hospital – having shot his father dead and a bullet buried in his own chest.
Was the bullet more lethal than the secret he now hides in his heart about The dangerous Dad?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Srishti Publishers
• Release date: Mar 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9789390441938

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Santosh Singh

Srishti Publishers & Distributors

A unit of AJR Publishing LLP

212A, Peacock Lane

Shahpur Jat, New Delhi – 110 049

[e-mail]

First published by

Srishti Publishers & Distributors in 2022

Copyright © Santosh Singh, 2022

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This is a work of fiction. The characters, places, organisations and events described in this book are either a work of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to people, living or dead, places, events, communities or organisations is purely coincidental.

The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publishers.

Printed and bound in India

Acknowledgements

It is still unbelievable that I have written a book. Perhaps it was God’s wish, my parents’ blessings and the advice of my family and

friends which made it possible.

O lord of all lives, thanks a lot for rewarding me with a human life and everything I don’t think I deserve, and blessing me with the thought of this story.

Dear readers, heartfelt thanks for picking up a debutant’s book. But it isn’t a book you’ll read and forget. Every morning, stories of harassment of girls printed in leading newspapers will not let you forget this book. But now, the best part of my life is to serve you as an author.

My loving parents – if I have ever seen god, then it is in you. It was the magic of your unconditional love, constant support and motivation, which encouraged your rather careless son to commit to a meaningful task, to become an author. I don’t have enough words to thank you.

My brothers Satish, Sandip, brother-in-law Anuj, sister Purnima, mausa Kushmendra and mausi Madhuri – during the frustrating years of this project, whenever I felt low, I found you all standing behind me. Heartfelt thanks for your love, support and encouragement.

My wife Anjali – without your support, advice, contribution and encouragement, it would have been impossible to pen down this story. Thanks a lot.

My friends Sachin, Nitin, Manish, Rahul and Shani from Mumbai; Sultan, Manish, Fahim and Sandip from Lucknow; Ajit and Ajay from Agra; and Anu from Jaipur – I wouldn’t be here without your love, support and advice. Thank you.

Team Srishti Publishers – thanks a lot for your interest and faith in my work and for providing me with a chance to interact with the readers.

My editor Stuti – your hard work made my rather ordinary English readable. Thanks a lot for your contribution.

I’d also want to thank those who never liked me and didn’t wish to see me succeed. You were the reason I kept going.

The silent spectators

1

3 May 2021

11:30 a.m.

King George Medical College, Lucknow

H ow is Dad? I managed to ask.

The day I opened my eyes after a long period of unconsciousness, unaware of the happenings around me, I found several policemen staring at me. I had shot myself after burying two bullets into my dad’s chest with his own service revolver. Inhaling a deep breath, looking around desperately with my eyes half open, I wished to know my dad’s status.

He has breathed his last.

You’ve killed him. You are a murderer.

Why did you shoot him? He was such a nice person!

Finally, I heard the worst news as the words uttered by the policemen fell onto my ears. For the next few moments, I kept watching the ceiling fan moving above my head without blinking my eyes, while tears formed a thick screen over my eyes. Soon after, tear drops rolled down my eyes in a stream towards my ears. I looked around and noticed there were three policemen. One was standing to the left of my bed while the other two stood to my right. I scanned their faces. I shut my half-opened moist eyes, praying to the lord of heaven to save a seat in his realm for my beloved dad. I had really loved my dad, but unfortunately, I myself had pushed him into death’s jaws.

Shani, how are you feeling now?

A voice echoed from the left of my bed.

I opened my teary eyes before whispering, Fine.

I met your mom. You must be thinking about her. She became a widow and her only son became a murderer at the same time. He regretted inhaling a deep breath as tears welled up in his eyes.

I didn’t want to do this, I mumbled.

You should have controlled yourself. After all, he was your dad. Although he looked familiar, I couldn’t place him, despite my best efforts. I had too much going on in my mind.

Suddenly, I felt a sweet pain on the left side of my chest and placed my right hand over it. Most of my chest was covered with white dressing. Before mom could snatch the revolver from my hands, its bullet had dug into my chest, punishing me for my sin of having shot my dad. I turned my gaze sideways, taking a look at the monitor showing the pulse rate of my heartless heart. It said ‘84 per minute’.

Are you alright?

I nodded inhaling a deep breath.

Do you have any idea of what you’ve done? Few moments later, the same voice echoed. Finally, I recognized his round face adorned with bushy eyebrows. He was Samir uncle, one of my dad’s friends and also the uncle of my lost love Riya. Finally he answered his own question. You committed two crimes; one, you murdered your dad; two, you tried to commit suicide.

You fired two bullets into your dad’s chest but there was a single one in yours. Why? The policeman to the right of my bed spoke for the first time.

Perhaps he was right, but I didn’t bother to look at him. Hey, stop! He is still critical, Samir uncle intervened.

Where am I? I whispered noticing the life-support instruments with their flickering LED lights around my bed. Wires attached to them were disappearing into my body.

You are in the trauma centre, an emergency unit of King George Medical College. You were admitted here day before yesterday, Samir uncle went on gently.

King George Medical College, located in the heart of my city Lucknow, can be considered a destination for those who had treated their lives badly or who had been treated badly by their lives.

When did Dad pass away? I asked shifting my eyes outside the window. The rustling leaves of a tree and few birds flying high in the blue sky came to my sight, but soon, tears blurred my vision. I felt as if the chirping birds were making fun of me. Perhaps their lives were better than mine.

Yesterday afternoon, Samir uncle replied with a heavy heart. You shouldn’t have done this. You’ve ruined your life, your career…

Of course, Samir uncle was right. I shouldn’t have shot my dad or I should have shot at least one more bullet in my chest. Perhaps, my decision to shoot myself in the chest was wrong. I should have shot myself in the head. I was lost in my thoughts when words uttered by a policeman from the right side of my bed fell into my ears. Someone who doesn’t love his life, his parents, why the hell would he care about his career?

Where is mom? I asked looking around my bed, clearly agitated at being surrounded by these unknown men, and worried for my mother.

She was right here a while ago, but not sure where she is now. May be the doctor has called her. One minute, let me check, Samir uncle added before rushing out of the ward.

Soon after Samir uncle walked away, I shut my eyes. Tears welled up inside me as I realized that I had not only killed my dad, but missed his funeral as well. Although there wasn’t any point in performing his last rites after shooting him dead, but I wished to do so. After all, I was his only son.

2

Shani beta, how are you? I heard my mom asking. I opened my eyes thinking of what to say. I watched her helplessly instead. Two of the medical staff quickly entered the ward following Mom, asking her not to speak loudly, but Mom didn’t pay any heed.

Why did you do this, bhai? Komal di lamented, walking up to my bed. Mom had arrived along with Komal didi. Once, I had heard my mom saying that Komal didi was my step sister, but for me, she was my entire world.

Bhabhi please, don’t lose heart! Samir uncle tried to pacify Mom, but it proved futile.

You shouldn’t have done this, my son, Mom managed to utter while tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

Sorry Mom, I managed to say before turning my gaze sideways. I shut my moist eyes, clenched my fists and screamed at the top of my voice. For the next few minutes, only the sound of crying echoed in the ward. Mom and didi were sobbing uncontrollably. I was not sure whether my mom was sobbing for her son who was a murderer, or her murdered husband.

Are you alright, my son? I heard Mom asking.

I looked helplessly at Mom. Her fair-complexioned wet face had turned red. I nodded.

How are you, didi? I turned to Komal didi and dared to utter the words, raising my hands to wipe her tears.

Didi said nothing and kept sobbing.

When Mom gathered herself, she came closer to me and mumbled placing her right hand over my forehead, Shani beta, don’t feel guilty. You are alright, and that is enough for me.

I looked into Mom’s moist eyes and queried, How are didi’s marriage preparations going on? Perhaps, it wasn’t the right time to ask such a question, but I couldn’t resist myself. Komal didi’s marriage was my long-cherished dream and it was scheduled to take place on the 18th of May 2021, in another fifteen days.

Don’t think about that, Mom said. "First you get well, you’ll have to arrange everything… you’ll have to do her kanyadan." Mom stretched her lips to flash a fake smile. It wasn’t the first time I had seen her smile that way.

How can I, a murderer, do kanyadan? I uttered fighting back my tears, an art I specialized in.

You are my brother first, Komal didi intervened.

Before I could say something else, a nurse stepped in holding a syringe in her hands and said, I know this will hurt, but don’t worry, it will help your wound heal.

How is he? Mom turned to the nurse when she was done.

He is out of danger, the nurse replied looking at me before interrogating. Have you had your breakfast?

No, I shook my head.

Well, have your breakfast. You have to have your medicines after that, she said before leaving. Within the next few moments, Mom sliced an apple and insisted I eat it, but I refused as this was the only way to penalize myself for my sin.

My son, don’t punish me, you have to take your medicines, Mom said and forcibly slid a slice of apple into my mouth. I hardly ate a few slices and held the glass of milk handed by mom. Tear drops rolled down my cheeks and accidentally a few drops of it fell into the glass. I think it was a mother’s heart at work, otherwise who else in this world can feed her husband’s killer.

3

Hey, a few minutes ago you were talking about your sister’s wedding. When is it scheduled? A policeman quizzed eagerly as soon as Mom, didi and Samir uncle left in the evening, leaving two of the policemen with me.

I didn’t respond, and rather lay in my bed staring at the moving ceiling fan above my head.

Tell me, what is the date? he repeated in the same tone.

The 18th of May, I replied half-heartedly, without even looking at him.

Today is the third, he whispered and added frustrated. What a stupid boy you are! How will your poor mother manage everything?

I didn’t know the reason of his frustration.

Is there someone to help her? Another policeman intervened.

I shook my head, although I knew my Mamaji was around to help.

You should have thought about your sister, what will she say if someone asks why her brother killed her dad? one of the policemen spoke up.

The policeman was right. I should have thought about my didi, but it wasn’t like I had not thought about her. In fact, I had spent four years of my life thinking about her. I inhaled a deep breath thinking what to say next. Finally, I demanded. Do you have the newspaper of 2 May? 1 May 2021 was the fateful day which had turned me into a murderer.

Do you want to see your name in the headlines of the newspaper? He grinned heading towards his black-coloured duty bag. Don’t worry; it was more than enough to get you noticed by the media. Now, everyone knows who Shani is. He unzipped his bag and pulled out a copy of The Times of India before tossing it on my bed.

I held the newspaper in my right hand and scrutinized its cover page. I felt my eyes tearing as I glanced at my dad’s blood-pooled image pasted on it. His eyes were shut as if he was sleeping in peace after keeping us sleepless for all those four years. I read out the headline, which said ‘He killed his dad and human values’. I hardly went through a few lines of it before placing it aside; the pain in my chest had shot back.

The sound of footsteps could be heard, breaking the awkward silence. My doctor walked in, followed by a police officer.

Jai hind sir, the policemen saluted him before moving aside. How is he doctor? the officer interrogated my doctor.

He is surely out of danger, but not quite well yet for interrogation, my doctor clarified.

I just want some information related to the incident, the officer insisted, heading towards me.

My doctor reluctantly agreed and the officer turned to me. I dared to look at him and felt his eyes red enough to scare me. His clean-shaven face with bushy eyebrows was dark enough to push my life into darkness, and his six-feet-tall structure enough to remind me of my beloved dad.

I am investigating this matter. Tell me how the incident took place, the officer directly came to the point , looking straight into my eyes.

I turned my eyes away to gather the courage to communicate with him.

Tell me what forced you to take such a drastic step, the officer went on.

Sir, I didn’t want to do this, was all I could utter. Then, why did you shoot your dad?

This was the question I didn’t want to answer. I remained quiet. I am talking to you. I heard the officer’s voice rise in anger. Sir, he isn’t quite well, my doctor intervened.

The officer turned to my