SMS

When we moved into our new house, John and I went about like two adventurous children exploring every nook and cranny of it. The house had a funny name —Asha Putli but it was a delight, and the pool was something of a luxury in a crammed city like Mumbai. The furniture had been thrown in as an added bonus by the owners who seemed in a rush to get away to the U.S., so we could hardly believe our good fortune. A week after we moved in a parcel containing a brand new cell phone arrived for me. It was gift wrapped so I guessed it was a late wedding present from one of our friends. There was no return address, so I could not send a thank you note.

John didn’t seem too interested in the piece, but I was fascinated by it. It was just like the model I wanted to own when I was in college, but neither I nor my best friend Marcus could afford it back then. He had promised to buy it for me someday, but we lost touch after I met John, and I never really intended that he should buy me that cell.

The following weekend John informed me that he was going away for a two day business trip, it was terrible. It would be our first time apart since we were married. Early Saturday morning, I tried to keep a cheerful look on my face as I said goodbye to John.

I then tried to keep busy by cleaning up, and gardening. By evening I thought I would simply turn in early, John would be back on Sunday night, and life would be normal again.

I ordered a pizza and switched on the television, as I waited for the pizza to be delivered. The show on television was boring, but then I noticed an advertisement at the bottom of the screen—Answer the question coming up during the break, and Win a free trip to Switzerland. I grabbed my trusty cell and waited for the question. As soon as the question was flashed on screen I shot off the answer as fast as I could.

Soon I heard the familiar Beep…that meant I had a message. I happily opened the message thinking it was from John, but it wasn’t, in fact I didn’t recognize the number, the message was a curious:
“*”
It reminded me of Marcus who always replied to my sms with an asterisk. Strange I thought, anyways, I had nothing to do while my pizza came, so I looked up Marcus’s number and got his sister on the line.

“May I speak to Marcus please? Is that Jane?” I enquired.
“Caitlyn?” I noticed a hesitation in Jane’s voice.
“Yeah, hi Jane, how are you? Where’s Marc?” I hoped I wasn’t intruding, it was only 9 PM , but I didn’t want to disturb them if they were at dinner.
“Cathie, I…err, about Marc, he passed away last month. He had been severely depressed for quite some time after your marriage. He err…had an accident, took an overdose of sleeping pills, and went for a swim…”

I heard a sob, and tried to hold back the tears welling up in my eyes.
“Cathie, I’m sorry I’m going to have to call you back…” I heard the click of her hanging up the phone.

Just then the door bell rang, my pizza had arrived, but I could not eat. If Marc was upset I should have known what was bothering him, and tried to help him. I paid the pizza guy and placed the pizza on the dinning table, and stood for a while gripping the table for support.

Beep…I had a new message. Again it was the same “*”. An uneasy cold draft brushed at the back of my neck, strangely the windows were closed. I decided to call it a night, and started towards the master bedroom, when a loud splashing sound caught me by surprise. It didn’t sound like my neighbor’s pesky cat falling into the pool again, but like something heavier. I used the back door to access the pool, but there was no sign of anything having fallen into the pool. The water was as still as a sheet, not even a ripple, giving it the appearance of black marble. Yet I could feel a biting cold draft surrounding me, on what had so far been a warm October night. The cell in my hand startled me, as I realized I had a new message.

“Stop overreacting” I scolded myself.

The message sent a chill down my spine:
“Glad to see that you liked my present, Happy Friendship anniversary Cathie …Marc”.

Before I could react a sudden cold grip around my right ankle made me stumble, I hadn’t realized how close to the pool I was standing. I tried steadying myself but before I knew it the water was surrounding me from all sides. My scream only served to get me a mouthful of stinging chlorinated water. The burning sensation in my lungs grew unbearable as the air escaped from my mouth, and my lungs craved for oxygen. The grip around my ankle seemed to anchor me to the bottom of the pool, looking up all I could see was the raven black sky and a few stars that resembled the asterisk from the sms. Soon I was lightly floating above the pool away from the death grip at my ankle. I looked down to see my lifeless body floating in the now still waters of the swimming pool. I was still holding on to that wrenched cell.

John was inconsolable when the cops informed him of the “accident”. He could no longer bear living in the house, which we had so lovingly tended, and moved out to live with his parents. Sometimes I can still see myself in the water even though the police and their nosy detectives have gone. I try not to think of it, I will shortly be one year dead, not a very comforting thought, but there is no next level after your dead. This is eternity, and it can sometimes be boring.

Of late, I have found quiz shows quite entertaining and sometimes use my old cell to even sms them the answer. People who pass by the house sometimes stop and wonder why the television is blaring when there is no one living in this house. But you don’t have to be living to be bored and watching the television. Oh and by the way since you are reading this so intently, may I have your cell number, I have this great sms I’m sure you will by dying to read….*