The Butterfly Effect

Few night birds by the tea shop gaped as a Black Bentley Continental GT accelerated on the lonely Old Mahapalipuram Road or OMR in short. Spotting a brand new imported devil at an odd hour was unusual for anyone passing by. The high end Bang & Olufsen speakers and the subwoofers were roaring with Another Brick in the Wall as the car slowed down its pace in the Sholinganallur junction for the signal. Pramodh’s mobile played The Girl of my Best Friend by Elvis Presley. Darshini Shinola Bell spoke the other end “Hey sweetheart! How long will it take for you to reach office? “. “In a jiffy” replied Pramodh replied in a husky tone.

Pramodh, the youngest son of an influential industrialist liked to live life king size. Darshini was also from a rich family. Both worked for the same company, but met each other at the Dublin for the first time. Pramodh halted the car at the office entrance for security check. There were very few employees on the eve of Diwali. The security guard at the entrance gave him a wary look and double checked his id and car in spite of the being famous for his posh. He opened the gates after he was convinced. She was in floor 2 and he was in floor 6. He entered the Building and two security guards were busy listening to a FM channel. He entered her wing in the second floor which was isolated that she must have been the only person there. She looked gorgeous in her Halter top and a polka dot skirt.

Pramodh reached her cubicle and saw her busy chatting with nearly 15 people. Seeing him stand in front of her, with great excitement asked him “What happened sweetheart? Is everything ok? Did you get “them”?” He smiled and replied “Yes! Of course honey” She sprang up from her seat and gave me a tight hug. He pushed her gently and said “Slow down. Cameras!!!” She pushed back and eyes filled with enthusiasm she urged him “I would like to see them NOW!!!” He calmly replied, “Yes. I have it in my car. So shall we leave?” She replied “Yes. I am dying for it” and they rushed to the car.

Both of them came out of the lift and walked towards his car hand in hand. He closed the door and immediately she pulled him closer and looked into his eyes for a moment. “Where is it?” She hissed into his ears. With a disappointed face he replied “Inside the dash board. Let’s just get out of here first.” She nodded silently and after the security check they roared through the OMR back again.

He parked the car in the deserted road leading to ECR. She immediately pulled out a small black polythene bag from the dashboard. Shinola slipped her hands into the bag and took out a small pack. She smelled it with immense pleasure and exclaimed “Marijuana?!” He smiled back as a gesture to her question. She fired back “What about the other stuff?” He calmly replied in his husky tone “Check the dashboard completely” Inside the dashboard was a Davidoff Magnum cigarette pack and a lighter. Not taking her eyes off the stuff she was examining, she asked “And the drink?” He replied with exasperation “It’s resting beneath my seat” and pulled out an ice box from below. He opened it and took out a small bottle which read Absolut Vodka.

“Let’s get started then” she said excited and started to open the cigarette packet. “Now? Let’s hit ECR and find a spot and then start” he told her firmly. Without waiting for a reply, he hit the accelerator. The road was totally empty. As they moved slowly near the toll gate, he asked her “Why did you ask me to bring them here? We would be better off at our farm” She replied with a big grin with traces of malice “My fantasy is to drive on a lonely road when I am high” He freaked “Have you gone nuts? Do you want us dead?” She came face to face with him and just replied firmly without any expression “No. Just drive”.

After crossing the toll gate and driving for a kilometer, she signaled him to stop the car. She took out the half open Davidoff packet and the other small pack which contained the Marijuana. She took a pinch of the Marijuana powder and smelled it. “It’s from Columbia. It was really tough to get it from there. I should really thank my friend for getting it for us” He was talking to her with a pride. She just gave a nod, took out a cigarette and emptied the tobacco leaves. Then she carefully blended the Marijuana leaves into the cigarette along with the tobacco. She performed the same on 3 more cigarettes. Pramodh was awestruck seeing her work on the drug with such an ease. She took out the Vodka bottle and carefully placed the two glasses on top of the dashboard.

“It’s all set. Play my favorite Pink Floyd” She urged him while sipping her drink and taking out the cigarettes which she had prepared earlier. She gave one to him and he stated the cigarette and spoke in a weird tone and bewildered look “Hey Shiny. Look. I have never done this before. Are you sure we must do this?”. She freaked “What’s wrong with you? This won’t do much damage” She lit both the cigarettes without even waiting for an answer from him. He started the car and moved slowly with the psychedelic music. Shinola started going high after completing her 3 rounds of vodka and one full cigarette of Marijuana.

Pramodh was not only feeling his mind to drift but also the steering. He was trying narcotics for the first time. She emptied her glass and the vodka bottle and threw them outside. She lit her second cigarette and inhaled it deeply and chocked for a second. A drop of tiny tears emerged from her eyes. “Slow down baby” He told her. Pramodh increased the speed of the car to 60KMPH and he forgot he had to steer. Both of them were high on the drug, vodka and the music.

The car drifted towards the right side of the road and suddenly there was a huge thud. It was like the car had bumped on something and had run through it. “S***” He screamed and pushed her back to her seat. The car screeched to a sudden stop. Shinola was out of her mind and started to babble. He rushed out of the car to check what he had run through. A cycle was lying on the middle of the road and someone was lying besides. He was totally flabbergasted and started walking towards the man. He saw there totally made him shiver. A man was lying in a pool of blood with his right arm crushed and the brain popping out of the skull. He was dead. He had killed a person. He stood there thunderstruck and Shinola came near him in a slow chaotic motion. Her legs shook and her body drifted here and there. “What is it honey?” She asked him scratching her head and leaning on his shoulders. “I’ve murdered a guy. Can’t you see you idiot? It’s all because of you and your stupid fantasy” He screamed. She never seemed to regain her senses. Suddenly 2 guys came running from nowhere. Pramodh immediately took her hands and started running towards the car. She pushed her in, opened his door, ignited the engine and fled for his life. The Human legs chasing the car were no match for the Bentley Continental GT.

The Following Morning

Pramodh’s residence, Pebbles Beach Road, ECR

A police officer got down from the Highway Patrol van. The security opened the gate and let the inspector in. He was received by Pramodh’s father in the Porch. “Come in inspector” he treated him with a formal smile. The inspector took a look over the Black Bentley with the scratches and the dent on its bumpers. “Sir, where is your son? Are you aware of what your son had done last night?” The inspector started the conversation. “I know everything that had happened last night inspector. We can talk about it” Pramodh’s father replied. He gave him an uncomfortable look and in an authoritative tone asked “So what are you expecting from my end? I am ready to pay any amount”. “Your son had killed a person and fled away from the scene. I am now forced to file an FIR and finish your son’s life. To ease the scene you can pay me and I shall take care of this case and the victim’s family.” Pramodh’s father smiled at the inspector straightforwardness and replied “This was much easier than I had thought. So what’s your amount Inspector” Before Pramodh’s father could complete the sentence, the inspector replied “2 Lakhs”. He wrapped the money in a Blue color Polythene cover and finally left with the warning note “Ask your son to be careful when he drives and it will be good if he doesn’t drive the car anymore.”

Inspector’s residence

“Lakshmi I am home” The inspector entered the home smiling. “What has brought smile on your face?” his wife asked him with an excitement. “It is nothing great. I just got 2 Lakhs from a person regarding a case”. His wife gave a disappointing tone asked “Why would you get the bribe now? I thought you were a straight forward person.” As again he cut her before she could finish her statement “Ok stop your advice. I know what to do and what not to” She never opened her mouth again and disappeared into the kitchen immediately. He took his mobile and dialed a number. “Hello. Meenakshi Sand suppliers… Yeah this is Inspector Raghuram here. I have asked for 5 loads of sand and 4 loads of Blue metal by next Friday for my new house construction. I just wanted to remind you in advance. Can you confirm me on the same? No problem. I will come over there in the evening to make the payment…”

Meenakshi Sand and Blue metal company

“Thanks for the payment inspector” The receptionist grinned and carefully locked the blue color polythene cover with 2 Lakhs into the safe. A few minutes later the owner went through the ledger for that day’s transaction. “Where is Mani?” He asked the receptionist. “He has gone to deliver the load for the Esteem Traders’ Adyar site” She said. “Ok. Make a note of the Inspector’s deal. Assign it to Mani. 5 loads of sand and 4 loads of Blue Metal must be delivered to his site at any cost on Friday. Ask him to meet me when he comes back” he threatened her.

Mani reached the office after 2 Hrs. The receptionist informed him of the Friday’s delivery and of the Boss’s wanting to meet him. Mani updated the Boss “Everything was delivered on time. But the lorry is in a bad condition sir”. Boss promptly enquired “2475?” Mani replied “Yes sir. It needs a lot of repair. If we don’t repair it the earliest, we will be caught in F.C.” The driver furnished with a long list of repairs to be done and the two settled on the amount to be spent on the repair to be 2 Lakhs. He went to the receptionist for the money. She took out the blue color polythene bag from the safe and handed over to the driver.

6:30PM Friday

ECR

Surprisingly, the road was peaceful without pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle maniacs. Darshini was leaning on Pramodh’s shoulders and listening to an enchanting song. Pramodh was driving extra careful today. Darshini was sad for what had happened that night. She combed his hair by running her fingers through it and gave him a gentle massage to make him feel comfortable. Both spoke very less. She liked the silence but badly wanted to break it. “Dear, please forget whatever had happened last Friday. Just think it as some bad dream. We have a life to live. Whatever happens, I will be there beside you” She said kissing on his forehead. He smiled and nodded by rubbing her hair and with a gentle pat on her head

****** *******

The driver and the cleaner approached the lorry arguing when the lorry should be repaired. “We need to deliver the load to the circle inspector’s new plot” Mani replied to him and started the lorry. After hitting the main road, the cleaner requested Mani to stop somewhere to have a fag. Mani tried applying the breaks but it failed. The driver took a quick look at both the sides of the road for a tree or a building but he found nothing. The panicking cleaner beckoned Mani “Look!!! Hit the car just in front of us. That’s our only option.” “Are you mad? How can we kill someone?” He replied in the same panicky tone. Desperate cleaner screamed “I don’t want to die because of a brake failure Mani. Just do it. No second thoughts”

****** *******

” Are we going to the Pub?” She asked him. “Not to the Pub. We will go for Ice Age-3. It’s been a while I saw any good animation movie”. “But tickets?” she asked him doubtfully. “Don’t worry. I will take care of that. I know a person in Satyam and he will…”

Thud!!!

The lorry hit the Bentley GT continental merciless and took it screeching upside down along with it for a few meters and then it came to stop. The lorry shattered the windshield of the car and the now emptied windshield of Bentley took the huge wheels inside comfortably and crushed the safety balloons. There was no movement from the inside of the Bentley. The cleaner and the driver opened the door and jumped out and had the fastest sprint of their life.

7:30PM

Meenakshi Sand and Blue metal company

“So what have you got to say about the accident? 2 people were killed. Where are the driver and cleaner?” Inspector Raghuram questioned the Lorry owner in a threatening tone. “Mani. Come here” He shouted and both the driver and the cleaner came out from a room. They stood with their heads bowed to the ground. “Sorry inspector. There must be something that can be done from my end. I want the lorry back and have the cases cleared as they are my wife’s relatives” He explained to the inspector. “How much can you pay me? This is just one another case for me” he asked the owner. “Anything you ask for, inspector” he said. The inspector grinned “2 Lakhs” The owner begged for time. Suddenly, Mani went inside and took out the blue color polythene cover and handed it over to the Owner. “I didn’t have time to leave the lorry for servicing” He hissed. The owner gave him a disgusting look and passed the cover to the inspector. The Inspector recognized the cover and accepted it plainly. When he was about to leave, the owner ran after the inspector “Inspector. How will you handle the case? The dead are from influential families…” The inspector turned and smiled “I am going to close this case as DRUNKEN DRIVE. I have made all the arrangements”. He gave a hearty grin and walked away.

*******************THE END*****************