Bro, It was me… (fiction)

“Sherry, are you done, they are home.” I shouted as I saw their car across the street.

It’s the first time after my wedding last month, that Megha, my elder sister is coming for dinner with her architect husband. Days were so busy and we hardly got time to sit and chat leisurely. Mom and dad also wanted to see her son so I had invited them today. Sherry, my wife prepared the main course and sweets were my responsibility as always. Today’s special was Gulab Jamun.

They arrived in time and we sat for around an hour chatting about various stuff and finally moved to the dinner table. Yashvendra, Megha’s husband has been into the field of construction for quite some time now and have established himself quite well. After the dinner we all sat around the tea table for a sip of coffee. Suddenly my sister asked to show the wedding photos. I went into my room and she came along. I was pulling out the heavy wedding albums from my cupboard while she was just wandering around in the room when a photo frame caught her eye. It was four of us (mom, dad, me and sis) while on a holiday in Andaman and Nicobar.  She jumped out of joy after seeing that pic and chuckled over and said, “you remember this trip?”

“Oh Yes, how can I forget this one”, I said. But the very smile of joy was soon replaced by a streak of fear on my face. She looked at me and made a questioning gesture. And suddenly she said “Oh, is it about Ross Island?? You haven’t forgotten it yet? Suddenly a devilish smile swept over her face.

Ross Island is a deserted British colony on an island in the Andaman seas. We went there while on our trip to Andaman and Nicobar Islands during our summer holidays.

Aerial view of Ross Island

We boarded a ferry service from Port Blair docks for the 15 minutes ship ride to Ross island. All the time we were so mesmerized by the scenic beauty and the island terrain that we were experiencing for the first time. When we were half way towards the Ross island we could see the ruins of once the British administrative head quarters.

Once the administrative headquarters of the British empire, Ross Island is deserted today. The place is in pathetic ruins but is worth paying a visit . Important ruins include a church, cemetery, swimming pool, chief commissioner’s residence and several office buildings and barracks. Taken over by the forests and undergrowth, the place completely possesses a haunted look. At least haunted enough to scare a 12 yr old. That was my age when we visited Andaman and Nicobar.

The moment we stepped out from the ship on the Ross Island, I was filled with a pinch of fear by the desolated building structures. Although it was bright sunlight but the huge overgrown trees were not allowing the sunlight to reach the ground completely. The roots of this tropical vegetation have taken over the abandoned structures and the view was really frightening, at least for a kid of my age. My sister was continuously telling me things about the British colony and the people who used to live here. I was wondering how she knew so much about this particular place in our entire trip. She clarified that it was a part of her history curriculum. She told me that the most violent of the criminals used to be kept here in very small cells and were made to face harshest of the punishments. Mostly these were the prisoners who tried to escape from the cellular Jail in Port Blair. Here they were entirely at the mercy of the British officers and which means death was the easiest punishment they could think of. Some were made to work till they fell down of lack of energy while some were made to swim till they couldn’t swim anymore. Some were made to bath in boiling oil and some were ripped of their skin. The tales of brutality just starts here. My sister was giving a detailed description of all this as if she had seen all this.

Ruined church in ross island

My child mind was already petrified by this horrendous description but the moment we entered the hanging point, the imagination of someone being hanged just went thru my eyes and I could feel my inner wear wet with sweat. I stand still and was staring at the hanging ropes and suddenly there was a loud scream from behind the building. I was like stand still and couldn’t move at all. I was scared to death when I realized there was no body in the room. I could feel the flow of sweat down my spine and the pain of fear in my heart. My heart was beating many times faster than normal. I started running like anything towards the door. I was more scared to find it had grown dark and started crying. I was running towards the nearest group of people when I heard someone calling my name from behind.  It was my sister. She was running towards me. I ran and hugged her as if I had met her after years. She wiped my tears and started consoling me. I kept hugging her tightly till she gave me water and washed my face. Suddenly I saw mom n dad coming from far. My sister said, “don’t tell them otherwise they won’t let us roam alone. Wipe your tears and clean your face and be with me”. I moved my head in nod and said, “You are so sweet sis, thanks a lot. I was so scared.”

“I know, now don’t roam alone and be with me”. She said.

As I was remembering all this sitting beside Megha in my room, while holding that picture in hand, I could feel that same streak of fear running down my spine.  I hugged her and said,” you are really a life saver”. She didn’t know how to react and gave me a towel to wash the sweat on my face and whispered,” bro, it was me”.

“I know it was you who saved me otherwise I would have died of shock”, I said.

“No, that scream. That was me”, She whispered.

“Whaaaat ?”, I shouted. “Are you mad? I could have died of heart attack.”

“I am sorry brother. You didn’t share your ice-cream with me so I thought of taking revenge. I am sorry.” She said with a repenting face.

“Just for that Ice-cream?”

I felt like hitting her but things aren’t same anymore. She is the mother of one now.  “But how could you imagine me sharing my ice-cream when you never did that. Not even that chocolate.” I said.

“No ways”, she clarified with an angry face.

And the fight continued till my mom arrived and did the settlement as always.