Ashutosh was on the rooftop. The cloudy sky was rumbling with thunder. It was not yet showering. The smoke from the cigarette was going up and wanted to hug the fading daylight. And it looks like a painting in front of him, the busy city and busy roads. The scene was not as empty as the front. Most of the vehicles on the road were GELECTICA's vehicles and essential services. It seemed that all were alive and busy and It was feeling like only he was left behind.

Sitting on the chair he was thinking about the news he saw last night. Why would authority take only the young to Mars for the settlement of the colony? Is it the end of the planet? How would they live without Aurobindo?

At that moment Sarala walked toward her husband on the rooftop, her sniveling face just illuminated a lot of stories and her mother's affection. He put the half-ended cigarettes on the ashtray and hugged Sarala. Despite having a lot to say no one said anything. Both sobbing.

The government already become ineffective. The government was not run by the people elected but in the accordance with the private giant entities. One of them was GELECTICA, a private space mining company. Teens and adults were taken for mining on the surface of Mars, and GELECTICA led this event. So it rained lashed. Both went inside the room.

Ashutosh didn't find anything to do. He was anxious and desperate. After one day he going to lose his son. This thought persistently circled in his mind. He was roaming in the drawing-room. Hearing the ringing of the telephone he rushed and pick up the phone. He said ' This is Ashutosh, who is this? How can I help you? '

From the other side of the call, an aged voice was whispering " we can help each other. There is a way to not send our youngsters to Mars, there is a way to hide them. " Ashutosh got awestruck and remained still for a while.

This story is dedicated to @Sky

#creativewriting #shortstories #fiction


© Bapan-Ray