The Bud That Never Bloomed

“The Bud That Never Bloomed” is one of the outstanding stories of the first biannual International Short Story Contest 2018 written by Nayyara Younus, New Indian Model School, Dubai, UAE.

The Bud That Never Bloomed

"One cut and that's it!" Her mind whispered when she stood in the washroom with a razor in her hand.

She thought of all the ridicules and taunts she got because of her one failure, which diminished the shine of all her other victories. She thought of her dear mom and dad, how they had to face her teacher with heads low because of her. Nothing was in her control, not even her tears.

Her decision was firm and nothing could change that.

She did not even let out a cry. The inner pain had overpowered the physical pain.

Her mom was the first one to see her loving daughter in a pool of blood with a letter beside her cold body.

Dear mom and dad,

I know I have hurt you both a lot, but now you don't have to worry because I wont be there anymore. I'm leaving to an eternal world of peace. Sorry for everything. I never intended to hurt you both. Love you Mummy and Daddy. Thank you so much for everything. You are the best parents in the world, but I am the worst child.

Her body was rushed to the hospital. But the doctors were helpless. They informed the mother about her daughter's demise.

Flashbacks raced through the mother's mind. How her husband had scolded Raima, their daughter for failing in Mathematics. How she herself stopped talking to her daughter.

"It’s all my mistake....it’s all my mistake. Raima...my dear.." Mother cried yelling this. She soon lost her consciousness.

Soon, the body was brought out of the hospital room. Ashok could not resist the sight of his daughter's lifeless body. He broke down in the hospital corridor.

The body was cremated according to the customary rituals with all the relatives and friends around. All those relatives and friends mocked Raima on her failure. All those led a young bud, yet to bloom into nothing but a lifeless, cold body.

Raima's mother, Deepika had lost her mental stability. She did not utter a word after the demise of her dear and darling daughter.

Raima's father, Ashok confined himself to a world of office work and nothing else- no parties and no socializing.

It was Raima's 15th birthday a month after this incident- February 14. Deepika went to the office-room where Ashok was sitting, thinking deeply about something which made his face look restless.

"Thinking about Raima ?"

"Yes Deepika. Today is February 14."

"I was also thinking the same."

"She used to call herself the Aphrodite of 21st century. Aphrodite spreads love in everybody's life. That's how she would describe herself, right?”

"You remember her calling you daddy for the first time?”

"Yes. It was so cute. Isn't it? What about her calling you manny instead of mummy?”

Deepika laughed for the first time after two months.

They together reminisced all the good old times they had with their daughter.

"She was a gift from the Almighty for us. She was born after 10 years of marriage." Deepika said.

"You remember our family doctor telling us that you cannot conceive a child?”

"Yes. I do. Giving birth to Raima was nothing less than a miracle."

A sudden gloominess spread over Ashok's face. A sudden realization that Raima was not with them anymore. It did not take any longer for that gloominess to spread over to Deepika's face too.

"I still can't get over my regret, Deepika. If we had been a little more supportive to our daughter, this evil thing would not have happened."

"I really want to turn the time back, make everything alright and have Raima with us now." Deepika said with teary-eyes.

"She had told me that her Mathematics exam did not go well. I should have paid more attention to it when she had said that."

"Raima told me she finds Mathematics hard. I should have helped her with it."

"Now, there is no use of telling "if I had", Deepika. She is not with us anymore and we cannot do anything about it."

"What will we do without Raima in our lives? We are all alone in this world."

"Can we live without her?”

"No"

"So?”

They both looked at each other as they together decided to do it.

"Three deaths in three months"

"That too, all the three are suicides"

"It all started when their daughter died."

People whispered when the cremation rituals of Ashok and Deepika were going on.