Ghosts by Chance

“What happened? Where are we? Why did you stop the car?” Minister Arvind asked the driver in frustration. He was on the way to inaugurate a repaired gutter in his constituency, Makhan Ganj. He was already two hours late.

“We are near Dariya Pass, sir. A man is blocking the way.” As the driver finished his sentence, a shabby-clothed man came running to where the minister was seated. He had folded his bruised hands and was crying.

“Please, sir... help us. A car rammed into us when we were crossing the road. I survived somehow. But…my wife... and child are seriously injured. They need to be hospitalized immediately... Please, help us.”

“What the hell? You should have crossed the road carefully. Roads are for vehicles, not for you cheap beggars to wander around. How dare you stop my car? I’m the minister, and I have to attend an important program. I don’t have time for these petty matters. Call an ambulance, and wait. Don’t waste my valuable time.” The minister angrily gestured at him to go away.

“Sir, please. They will die if you don’t help. I can’t wait for an ambulance. It’ll take time. I beg you, sir. Please, understand.” He tried to hold the minister’s hands, but the minister pushed away his hands in disgust. The minister’s escort crew arrived and pulled the man away from the car. They pushed him to the side of the road. The man was still begging while trying to get up.

“What the hell are you waiting for? Move, move.” The minister yelled at his driver. The driver stepped on the gas.

After the inauguration program, Minister Arvind was attending his party meeting. After a while, his personal secretary came and handed him a phone. The call was from a police inspector.

“Hello sir, I’m Vijay. I am a circle inspector of Lakshmi Kua. Umm… there is something… I don’t know... how to tell you, sir…” He paused.

“Just tell me. I don’t have time. I’m in the middle of a meeting.” The minister replied in frustration. The inspector cleared his throat and said hesitantly.

“Sir... your family was on the way to Makhan Ganj, and... their car... well… rammed into a tree.” He stopped.

“Wh-what...? Is my family okay...?” Minister Arvind was tense. The meeting paused, and the party members stared at him.

“Ehm… They… They died on the spot, sir.” The inspector’s voice was quiet.

“Oh, god… n-no! No, no, no...” The minister collapsed on the floor as the phone slipped through his grasp. Some of his party members rushed to his aid. They placed him on a chair, patting his shoulder gently to calm him.

“Sir…? Sir…?” The inspector was calling. Minister Arvind shakily picked up the phone.

“How… How did it happen?” His voice was trembling. Tears were rolling down.

“Sir, according to a witness, a man along with a woman, and a child suddenly appeared in front of the car. It seems the driver tried to avoid them but ended up crashing into a tree.” The inspector replied. Suddenly the minister remembered the shabby-clothed man who stopped his car on the way to Makhan Ganj.

“Wh-where did this accident happen?” He asked.

“Near the Dariya Pass, sir. We couldn’t find that man or the woman with a child. However, three hours ago, a woman with a child died in an accident, and her husband committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree nearby, sir.” The inspector replied.

Minister Arvind collapsed, unconscious.