Four

An old short written years back. Posting for archival reasons.

He came home and found his four brothers gagged and tied up. And behind them stood a man, smiling as only malice can.

“Hello, Arjun. I was waiting. Remember me?” he asked, walking to the corner.

“Why have you tied them up? Where are my kids?”

“That’s not an answer. That’s evasion. For a decorated hero of the Great War, you’re quite dumb,” he said, readying an arrow in a strange manner.

That’s when Arjun saw the thumb-less hand.

“Ekalavya!” He lunged at him.

“STAY! Or your wife and kids will pay for it. Hah, so you do remember!”

He shot four arrows in quick succession.

“I’d have had a thumb, a career, and a life, if it weren’t for you and your promises. Instead I was left with four fingers. Today, I leave you a corpse for each. Tell me when you’re done disposing them, and then your family,” he grinned, “at least what’s left of it, will be released.”

Ekalavya stormed out of the room, banging the door en route.

Arjun stood on the riverside, beside four raging fires, while his wife and kids rushed home from the hospital, realizing it was only a hoax call.