Nothing Of Value

Mahesh sat on a high-backed chair right in the middle of his bedroom. He was waiting for his friend. Bhaskar. He had known Bhaskar for more than four years now. Much before he had met Kavita. Kavita, with whom he had fallen in love at first sight. And who was Mahesh's fiancee now? They had got engaged two weeks ago. Mahesh had gifted her a thin gold chain with a silver locket on that occasion. A locket with his and her pictures in it. "I shall treasure it," Kavita had said softly. 

Mahesh wondered why Bhaskar was so long in coming. It didn't matter, not really. Time was of no importance to him now. Life itself had become meaningless. He could wait. 

He remembered the day Bhaskar had bumped into Kavita and himself at the Marina beach. "My best friend Bhaskar," he had said. And had proudly introduced his companion. "This is Kavita. We are getting engaged soon." She had said hello and added, "We are going to see the latest movie at the multiplex nearby. Why don't you join us?" And Bhaskar's polite reply, "I have some other work." He remembered his own slightly surprised voice saying, "Maybe all three of us can get together for a meal sometime." He smiled grimly now at the memory. He wondered if anyone had found her body yet...

There was a knock on the door. Bhaskar. "Come in," he called out. His friend's face, smiling, changed into one of alarm when he saw the gun in Mahesh's hand. "What are you doing with that...?" His voice abruptly trailed away as three bullets from the revolver plummeted into his chest. The silence which followed was deadly. 

Mahesh's mother came running into his bedroom from the kitchen. She screamed when she saw Mahesh removing the gold chain from Bhaskar's pocket. "Why did you kill him?" she shouted. "Why?" "Because of this locket chain," he replied, holding it up. "I wanted it back. I have killed Kavita too, Ma."

"You killed your best friend and fiancee for such a trifle?" she spat out the words at him. "You deserve to be hanged."

The gunshots and screams had brought the neighbors there. They stood at the doorway, taking in the situation. One of them called police headquarters. 

Kavita had been beautiful. Last evening, they had gone to the beach again. They had stayed there for only half an hour. It was enough time for him to put his hands upon her neck and squeeze the life out of her. He had left her body there, at one of the lonelier spots on the sands. She had not looked beautiful when he left her. 

He had the locket now, he thought grimly. He didn't open it to look inside. He already knew what was there. His and her pictures in it. Bhaskar's and Kavita's. He remembered the agony he had felt when he had discovered she had substituted his friend's picture in place of his own. Indeed, he had killed his best friend and fiancee for just a trifle. Nothing of value.