TW: reference to CSA, incest
“You can confess, you know?” Abir said, looking at the man on the hospital bed. The man seemed to have a million tubes coming in and out of him and was undoubtedly nearing the end of his journey in this world. His upcoming journey to the place he was headed to, was a different matter altogether.
“Confess what? Own up to your stupid delusions.”
“My stupid delusions. You can stop lying, Mohan. There is no soul other than you and me in this room. That is if you don’t count the grim reaper standing right next to you.” Abir chuckled.
Moving closer to the bed, Abir continued – “I am not recording this conversation. I have no devices on me. I can strip if you want me to. I am sure you will like that.”
Abir and Mohan stared at each other for a good five minutes; one could slice through the tension between them as they sat in the icy cold intensive care unit room.
“Just confess, Mohan. Trust me this is going to help you far more than it will ever do me any good.”
“Help me. How the hell is submission to your fancy going to help me? Don’t you see, I am on my deathbed? It is the end for me. I don’t have time to entertain your little whims, to give in to your cooked-up stories. Go find your closure someplace else.”
“Oh, I don’t need closure. I will get my closure the moment a scum like you stops breathing. It is you who might benefit from some good old closure.”
“Mohan, free yourself from this cycle of deceit. Admit to all that you did all those years ago. I was a child, and you exploited that. Surely you must know how wrong it is to touch a child the way you did, to do all that you made me do.”
“Oh, shut up! Stop behaving like you didn’t like it, Abir. You enjoyed it just as I did.”
“Enjoyed it? I was eight years old Mohan. I didn’t even understand most of the things you did to me. All these years, I knew you were vile and cruel, but today I have realized that you are dumb and ignorant as well. Maybe there is no closure for monsters like you. Rot in hell, you bastard.”
“What did you call you? Bastard!! You bloody, ungrateful little prick. Get out of my room.” Mohan’s breathing became laboured and uneven.
“Get out….” The monitor flatlined. The hospital staff rushed in within seconds, trying to revive Mohan.
One of the nurses turned to Abir and emphatically said – “Sorry Mr. Bhagwat, we have lost your father.”
