The Fatal Mistake

By Soumya Ranganathan

"This is completely insane, why do you keep rambling like this?", said the irritated Kavita.
"This is not rambling, I really mean it, I have been having the same dream over and over again. It can’t be a mere coincidence", said her sister Mala.
"Oh, so you mean to say that I should not sing on stage today because you are having some stupid dream that I will fall off from the stage?", she asked.
"I really don’t feel good about this Kavita, you really shouldn’t go for it today", she begged.
"You don’t know Mala, I have been practicing so hard for this day. This is the final day solo song competition and I can’t miss it by any chance, I can’t let that stupid Priti win it again", she roared.
"Then don’t go on the stage, stand outside the stage and sing", Mala said absentmindedly.
"Yeah, why don’t I stand outside the auditorium and sing. Please Mala, give rest to your weird imagination and relax, nothing is going to happen to me", Kavita said and walked out of the house.

It was a Saturday and Mala’s school was closed, so she stayed at home. Her elder sister, Kavita was in the college and she was having her annual day celebrations in the college. Mala and Kavita were really close and nothing could ever come between them, that is why when Mala started having dream about her sister, she was really scared. Many of her classmates said that Mala was psychic and whatever she told came true. It happened for the first time when she was in the eighth standard. She had just said that some of the questions would surely come for the exam and all the questions she had pointed out came, her friends were shocked but she had brushed it off saying that those questions were so likely to come, she had just muttered it out. Then on regular basis whatever she said came true, she became the class astrologer, everyone asked her opinion before doing anything. She was just enjoying herself, she didn’t think that she had any particular talent. She just told people what she really felt and what is thought was mostly right. There was nothing new about it, she was always good in her judgments.

Life went on as usual. But then she started to have these strange dreams and she was really scared now. She had never before had dreams like this and she was scared that if these came true then what? That is why she was trying to explain to Kavita not to go that day. It was not once but for the past five days she was seeing the same dream that when Kavita will go to the stage the wood under her will crack and she will fall into the hole under the stage. The dream sounded rather strange, how could the stage crack under Kavita and above all the annual function was being held in a prestigious auditorium and such incidents were never heard of there. Kavita was really irritated by the strange behaviour of her sister, she had always listened to what Mala had said but today she just couldn’t listen. Maybe Mala was jealous, what is Kavita won the competition? Kavita knew that Mala had this streak of jealously inside her, but that had never come in between their relationship. Kavita was good in studies as well as her extracurricular activities and Mala was just average. Mala always thought that her parents preferred Kavita to her, Kavita had tried to make her understand that this was wrong and their parents loved them equally, but Mala never understood. But all this could not hamper their relationship, they were still the best of friends. Mala had never done anything till now to show her jealously except for voicing it out, but maybe today she was trying to stop Kavita from the competition. Kavita soon brushed off this thought, Mala couldn’t be so selfish.

And Mala was not selfish, she was really worried about he sister. The whole day she had kept fidgeting and her mother had asked a few times as to what the matter was, but Mala didn’t say anything to her. Soon the evening arrived, Kavita was already in the auditorium with her college friends and her family was getting ready to go for the function.

Once in the auditorium, Mala quietly entered backstage and spotted Kavita. She thought that anyway Kavita was not going to listen to her, she would participate in the competition, so might as well wish her best of luck. Mala hugged Kavita and Kavita sighed in relief. Her little sister had scared her really badly. Now she could completely concentrate on her song. The programme began and soon Mala forgot about her dream, but as soon as Kavita entered the stage, Mala froze in horror. She could clearly see her dream in reality. She closed her eyes so that she couldn’t see anything that was going to happen. But soon she heard her sister’s melodious voice. Nothing had happened. Kavita was fine. Mala sighed in relief. Finally the song got over and Kavita walked towards the green room.

Suddenly her foot struck something and she heard a crack. The wood below her cracked open and in she fell below the stage. The audience were shocked to hell initially, then there was noise everywhere. Mala was shocked but she reacted quickly, she ran to the stage and lay down to pull up Kavita. Soon others too started to help her and finally they got Kavita out of the hole. She wasn’t hurt much, she was just in shock. Her father took her to the hospital and within an hour she was fine as before. When she regained consciousness, she searched for Mala. Mala stood beside her with a trophy in her hand.
"So Ms. Singer, how are you feeling?", she asked.
"I am fine", she managed to mutter.
"So here is your trophy, you won the competition. You defeated Priti this time", she said proudly.
"Yeah, Mala, what you said came true", she said.
"Shh! Don’t say a word about that, it was a mere coincidence. I don’t want you to tell this to anyone", Mala said.
"Fine, I won’t tell it to anyone. Are you sure it was a coincidence?", she asked.

Mala wasn’t sure whether what she said was true or not, whether she believed that it was a mere coincidence, but she just didn’t want anyone to know about it. In a few days Kavita was back home and life went on as before.

"Hi Mala, you play badminton really well", Nakul said , running after Mala in the court.
"Thanks! You are the champion and you are complimenting me", she blushed.

Mala had been a fan of Nakul since the time she had seen him playing. He had been her inspiration and he was the reason she was playing badminton in the first place. She really liked him, but had never got the courage to talk to him. And today she was astonished to see him come and talk to her.

"You are a champion too, you should really participate in the junior badminton competition this year", he said.
"Really you think so?", she asked.
"Yeah sure! You are good, believe me", he said giving her a slight pat on her shoulder.
"Would you help me?", she asked.
"Sure girl! I would love that. See you tomorrow at four, I will be waiting", he said.
"Thanks, I will surely come", she smiled.

A current ran through her body and suddenly she was in the seventh heaven. She ran home, smiling all the way. She usually told Kavita everything, but she had never told her that she had a crush on Nakul. That day she was so happy and Kavita wondered what had happened to her sister. Later that night Mala slept thinking of Nakul. But soon she was having another dream.

Kavita was all alone in the room, she was reading a novel "Accident by Daniel Steel". Suddenly someone entered the room and Kavita looked up and smiled and then went back to the book. Then the other person spoke something, she couldn’t see the face of the other person. Kavita looked shocked, she too spoke something but nothing could be heard. Suddenly the other person took out something gleaming from a bag, a blue coloured bag with the picture of Snow White in it. Kavita lay on the bed with blood all over her.
Mala got up completely drenched in sweat. She looked over at Kavita, she was sleeping peacefully. Mala was shaking badly, she got up to drink a glass of water, but she dropped more water than she drank. She lay on the bed once again thinking about the dream. What was happening? Who was the person who entered the room? What was that gleaming object? What had happened to Kavita? And that novel Kavita was reading, she had never seen that in here life. She had never seen Kavita reading that. Maybe it was just a dream! But what did that mean? Thinking that she dozed off once again. In the morning Mala thought of telling Kavita about he dream, but she didn’t want to worry her. The day passed on uneventfully.

Mala was eagerly waiting for the clock to strike four. She was shivering in excitement. She couldn’t believe her luck that Nakul was going to teach her. She ran all the way through to the court and gasped in surprise that Nakul had already arrived. She walked up to him.

"Hi, I guess I am late", she said.
"No, I am early. Actually I have never coached anyone before, so I am a bit nervous", he said.
"You and nervous! I thought I was the one who was nervous", she said.
"You are nervous! Why is that?", he asked.
"If the champ is teaching you then you have to get nervous", she said.
"Please don’t call me a champ, I am just ok", he smiled.
She laughed.
"Let’s start", he said.
And soon they got off playing. Nakul was really good and Mala wasn’t bad either. Nakul was really impressed by some of her shots. After an hour of playing they took a short rest.
"You are really good, Mala", he said.
"Thanks", she blushed.
"You are blushing, you really look cute when you blush", he smiled.
She couldn’t believe her ears. She merely looked at him, looking puzzled.
"Sorry, did I embarrass you?", he asked.
"No, I was just surprised that you would say something like that", she said.
"Why? Can’t I appreciate a beautiful girl?", he asked.
"Nakul! Let’s start the play", she said shyly.
They started the game again. They played for another hour and then he called it off for the day.
"That was a great game, I really enjoyed it", he said.
"Yeah same here, it was fun", she smiled.
"Would you like to play with me daily?", he asked.
"Yeah, that would be great", she looked startled.
"So will meet you tomorrow at four", he said.
"Yeah", she managed to mutter and ran all the way back to her house.
She had really started to like Nakul a lot. It had been three years she had watched Nakul and this was the first time she had come in contact with him and she was really excited.
That night again she had the same dream about Kavita and she again got up drenched in sweat. This was really scary now, this dream was something really serious and she didn’t want anything to happen to Kavita. But she kept her fears to herself. The next day dawned.

School was really boring. When she came back home, Kavita had already come back from the college. She was lying on the bed reading a novel, as usual. Mala tiredly sat on her bed and looked at Kavita. She gasped in shock. Kavita was reading "Accident by Daniel Steel".
"Where did you get that book from?", Mala asked.
"This is Sweta’s book, she gave it to me", she replied.
"I never knew you read Daniel Steel?", she glared at her.
"Sweta told me that this was really an emotional story and I would love it", she said.
"Why did you come back early from college?", she asked.
"The lecturer was absent. Anyway one of my classmate is coming here today, he has some doubts in economics", she said.
"Which classmate?", she asked.
"You don’t know him, even I didn’t know that he stayed in our apartments till today", she said.
"Fine! I am going to Neha’s house, we have to do our homework together", she said picking up her books.
"When will you be back?", Kavita asked.
"In an hour, I have to go for Badminton practice after that", she said, she had goosebumps all over her when she thought of Nakul.
"What is this new you have started, badminton practice daily?", asked her sister.
"Someone told me that I was good and should participate in the junior tournament in the colony, so he is just teaching me", she said.
"He? Who is this he?", she asked.
"He is the champion of our colony and he is coaching me now days, you should see him, he is great", Mala said.
"Eeks! Badminton, please I hate that game", she said and got back to her books.
"Yeah! You can’t see anything apart from your books", Mala said and walked out of the house.
An hour later Mala came back from her friend’s house and saw that Kavita was clearing the table.
"So did that boy come?", Mala asked.
"Yes he did, he just went a few seconds back", she replied.
"You should have made him wait, I would have met him too", she grumbled.
"He will come here daily till our exams, so you can see him some other time", she said, going back to her room.
"Fine, I am going for my practice, will be back in two hours or so", Mala said and out she went.
This time Nakul wasn’t there, so she started to practice on her own. In another five minutes, Nakul came to the court.
"Sorry, I am late", he said.
"No problem, what happened?", she asked.
"Actually my exams are coming, so I have to study. I am weak at a few subjects", he said.
"Fine", she muttered, she didn’t even know what he studied or where he studied, she made a mental note of asking it later.
The game went off even better than the previous day. After the two hours both of them were completely dead.
"God! I just don’t feel like going home", he said.
"Why?", she asked.
"I just feel like playing with you the whole day, it is so much of fun. Once you go home, you have to start studying the horrible subjects", he said.
She laughed.
"What are you studying?", she asked.
"I am doing Final year Economics hons", he said.
"Great! Even my sister is doing that", she said.
"You have a sister, I didn’t know that. Doesn’t she play badminton?", he asked.
"She hates outdoor sports, she hardly comes out", she said.
"Oh! Mala I have to leave now, I am getting late for my tuitions", he said.
"Yeah bye! See you tomorrow", she said.
"Not tomorrow Mala, I have to take extra tuitions tomorrow, we will meet day after tomorrow", he said.
"Yeah fine", she said looking dejected.
This time she didn’t run all the way home, rather she was quite upset. He could have taken out at least an hour for the practice. That night again she had that bad dream, but this time she could see a few more things. She could see that the gleaming thing was a sharp knife. She could see that the other person was poking the knife at Kavita. And before Kavita lost her consciousness she wrote something on a piece of paper, it looked like a name "alam".
Mala got up feeling quite nauseated. The dream felt so real that she was literally shaking in fright. Who was Alam? And who killed Kavita? Why would anyone want to kill her? She would have to ask Kavita, who Alam was.
The next day, Mala confronted Kavita.
"Do you know any guy called Alam?", she asked.
"Alam? No I have never heard that name, why are you asking that?", she asked.
"Have you picked up a fight with someone?", she asked.
"No, but why are you asking me all that?", she asked.
"Nothing", she got up. "Maybe what I am thinking is all wrong, maybe I am going mad", she thought to herself.
"Mala, I have bought something for you. I was at Lajpat Nagar today and I found something that you will love", she said taking out a packet.
Mala gasped in shock, it was a blue bag with Snow White on it. She held on to the bag, nervously. She had become completely pale.
"Did you like it? I thought your bag has become really old, so I bought this for you", Kavita said.
"Thanks I love it", she managed to say.
She thought over her dream once again. The murder weapon would be in her bag or maybe she was the one who took the weapon from the bag. Would she try to kill Kavita? " But why? Why would I kill my own sister? What is happening ", she looked really scared.

The next day was no out of usual. Mala was worried the whole day. She kept thinking about her dream again and again. When she came home in afternoon she lay tiredly on the bed. She soon dozed off. When she got up it was four in the evening.

"Oh, I am missing my badminton practice…….oh Nakul is not coming today", she sighed in relief and again lay on the bed. She could hear Kavita in the hall. She was with her classmate, teaching him. Mala got up and freshened up, then she came out of the room to go to the kitchen. On the way she passed the hall and she stood for a while to see the guy, Kavita was teaching. Her heart took a double jump, as soon as she saw him. Nakul…….. Nakul was in Kavita’s class and she is teaching him. She quietly walked into the hall.
"Hi Mala! Come meet Nakul, he is in my class and Nakul, she is my sister Mala", she said introducing them.
"Hi Mala, I didn’t know that you were Kavita’s sister", he said.
"Hi and I didn’t know that you were Kavita’s classmate", she said with a smile.
"Excuse me! Am I missing something? Do you people know each other?", Kavita asked.
"Yes, I told you about the champion who coaches me for badminton, Nakul is the one", Mala said.
"Oh Great! I didn’t know that", she said.
"I should say that Mala is great, you should just see her playing", Nakul said.
"I have heard that you are a champion, I should see you playing sometimes too", Kavita said with a smile.
"I have called her so many times to see my play and she never came and now she will see Nakul playing", Mala thought, as a tinge of jealously hit her.
"I am not a champion, you are the champion of the college, you should see your grades", he told Kavita.
"Oh please Nakul, stop that", she said giving him a shove.
"Kavi, don’t be so modest dear", he smiled.
Mala stared at them strangely. "Even she didn’t call her Kavi, who was he to call her that way and anyway the hell was she behaving like this with him?".
"I am tired, let’s go out for a Pepsi", Nakul asked Kavita.
"Yeah Sure! Mala would you like to join us?", she asked.
She stared at them. She felt that they didn’t want her to join, Nakul didn’t even ask her.
"No, I am a little busy. You guys go on", she said.
"Fine! Come Kavi, let’s go", he said.
"He looks so happy that I am not going. We have practiced so hard, didn’t he ever feel like going in for a Pepsi break with me", she was really pissed off. She walked into her room without even saying bye to them. She sat on the bed and the scene flashed through her mind again. The way both of them were looking at each other and talking to each other. "Was there something going on between them? He looks quite impressed with Kavita and who isn’t? She always impresses everyone with her sweet talking and her flirtatious attitude. But why Nakul, why couldn’t she have just left Nakul for me? I loved Nakul, God! Why does this happen to me always? I will have to talk to her", she thought.

That night their parents were not at home, so this was the perfect time Mala could talk to Kavita.
"Kavita we need to talk", she said gravely.
"Yeah, what’s up?", she said, looking up from her novel.
"From when do you know Nakul?", she asked.
"I told you he is my classmate, I know him from three years", she replied.
"Are you close to him?", she asked.
"What sort of question is that? He is a good friend of mine", she said.
"Good Friend! You are having an affair with him", she screamed.
"Oh yeah! I am having am affair with him", she said sarcastically.
"Please Kavita! Don’t make a joke of it. You have snatched away everything from me but not this time. I won’t allow Nakul to fall into your trap", she roared.
"What nonsense are you talking? What trap? And what do you know about Nakul?", she asked.
"I know that I love him, I truly love him. My love is not an infatuation, I have loved him for four years and now when I am about to get him, you are playing your tricks", she shouted.
"Mala you are completely out of your mind, Nakul can never love you", she said.
"Oh yes! And why not? Because you love him and want him, you can’t do this to me, you can’t. I won’t let him go away from me", she looked really flared up.
"Listen Mala! You don’t know a thing about Mala, he will never love you because….", before she could complete her sentence, Mala had poked the knife she had brought in her bag into her stomach. Kavita gasped in horror. She turned and tossed in pain. She had a pen in hand and in the book she wrote "mala" , It’s mirror reflection when Mala saw looked like "alam". Kavita lay dead in a few seconds. Mala quietly cleaned all the fingerprints from the knife and kept it over the body. Then minutes later she screamed. Hearing her all the neighbours rushed to the house. Mala ran out like a mad girl and soon the police had arrived. Mala was in no condition to speak, everyone knew that she had loved her sister so much. The police registered the case as a robbery cum murder, the thief had come to rob the place but Kavita saw him and in order to save him he killed Kavita. All the while Mala was in the hall watching her favourite cartoon "Snow White".

A week later, everything came back to normal. Mala again started to practice badminton with Nakul. That day Nakul had come with a friend of his. He introduced him to Mala.
"Mala, this is Yash, my boyfriend", he said.
"Hi Yash, Nakul why did you refer to him as your boyfriend, you could have called him your friend. Boyfriend seems so weird", she said.
Nakul looked towards Yash and he smiled back.
"Mala you have become a good friend of mine so I wouldn’t hide it from you. He is my boyfriend, I am a gay", he said frankly.
Mala looked stoned. She froze to her bones. She ran all the way to her house and sat on the bed.
Kavita was so right, "Kavita I am so sorry, I am so sorry…..you were right…..He could never love me……he could never love me", Mala cried.