One Foot Down

When the police had come at Sujay's apartment to inform his family, the door was unlocked and left ajar. There was a cluster of footwear outside. People had come to give condolences to Sujay's parents but mostly they wanted to know how had this child bully been taken down. Everybody knew who the culprit was. It was Manoj. Some of the relatives were outside the Deshpande's apartment, banging the door, calling them names. The police had already briefed with Manoj's family. They were innocent. The police were searching for Manoj, a 13 year old who had killed a 15 year old Sujay.

Turning the time back a few weeks at the start of the summer vacations meant that boys were going to play their hearts out. But nobody set a foot out. Sujay was a bully and brutal and ruthless would be the only compliments that would best suit him.
When Sujay spotted a kid playing and enjoying, the he gave the kid a beating enough to make him bleed. He would always give a reason for it.
'Pleasure comes after pain and don't you dare mess up the order.'

After he had given the required amount of 'pain' he would make the kid play, for he had deseerved the pleasure and if did not or could not, 'looks like you need more', he would say. And there would be more pain there on. This is not about that though. During the start of the holidays, Manoj and his family had moved into the same society as of Sujay's.
Manoj was not outgoing at all, being an introvert he only kept to his books. So Manoj and Sujay did not get to be acquaintances for some days. News came to Sujay form one or two of his sadist friends that Manoj was a shy boy and needed to be handled delicately. Thus Sujay sent few boys who lived in the same building as Manoj's and told them to invite him to have fun. Manoj did not comply during the first few requests, did not see the need to.

His mother then pestered him with going out like normal boys but he would not budge. After a week he accepted the request, took pity on them and was ready to play some cricket for the first time. Instead of heading off to play cricket they took him to Sujay, said that he could teach him how to play well and more.
In the beginning Manoj could comprehend as to why, why Sujay was trying to bring him out more, being over friendly. When the pressure on the cooker became too much, the whistle blew loudly, Manoj outright rejected Sujay's request to have a sip of beer, to come out play, to buy some snacks, once to give him a rub, to sneak in some money and more. Sujay could not bear with such attitude and hit him with a smile on his face.
'Some things have to be done. No excuses.'

Manoj watched other boys hang out from the window in his room. Even though it was the first time he was ragged he did not have fear, was just uncomfortable. He could have complained to his parents about it but since it seemed too much work, gave up on that idea. He reached to a conclusion that taking the matter in his own hands sounded reasonable. Yet he did not know what to do and he thought of it for hours. From the following day onwards, Manoj was seen going to Sujay to get bullied, willingly. Sujay did not step back from Manoj's outrageous behaviour instead he welcomed it.
'Don't worry I'll be gentle.'

Several days later, Sujay only focused on Manoj, others enjoyed believing that sympathizing with Manoj would be waste of time. They believed that at the spur of the moment Sujay had chosen Manoj and felt sorry for others but that could change any time.The discomfort started giving Manoj the answers that made it clear what he wanted to do.

On the day of the murder, Manoj was seen on the terrace. He had been there since dawn and it was noon. Sujay was below looking for him. When he spotted him, waved at him to come down with a wicked glare in his eyes. Manoj then stood on the ledge of the terrace. He could have jumped and it would have ended. He raised his right leg and imagined placing the foot on the world. He turned away and walked down to meet Sujay. In his left pocket of the jeans was a pen without a cap, in the right a pair of scissors and tugged in the sock of the right leg was scalpel which he had stolen from his elder sister's room.

Manoj walked with his head down towards Sujay. Meanwhile Sujay threw pebbles at him and shouted at him as he came forward. When both were facing each other, Sujay pressed on Manoj with his palms and pushed him back. He then slapped him, followed by a kick in the belly. Manoj growled and fell to the ground on his butt, facing down, his hands on the ground.
'Get up, ass hole.'
Sujay grabbed Manoj's right should with his left hand and jerked upward. Manoj got up with his right hand holding Sujay's left. He took out the pen without the cap and stabbed its nib in Sujay's left hand just to stumble him back with pain.
Quickly Manoj removed his shoes and threw one at him to distract him and ambush him with the other in his left. Sujay brushed that away but was stabbed in his thigh with the pair of scissors. He fell down and Manoj climbed on him and sat with his foot pressing on the scissors. Sujay let out a cry, struggled. At this Manoj pulled out the scalpel with his right, tossed it to the left. He then slid it down Sujay's left shoulder with interrupted struggled from Sujay. Blood did pour out.

Manoj got up after he stabbed the scalpel in Sujay's right shoulder blade. Sujay cried loudly. Time was ticking. Boys were watching. Manoj picked a big chunk of rock, heavy and walked towards Sujay. Sujay tried to crawl but Manoj pressed on the bleeding thigh ruthlessly. He then help up his head back and tears could be seen, He looked pale. The Manoj let go. Splat and thud.
'Oops' said Manoj with a hoarse voice. He walked ways from the corpse, towards the crowd of teens which stared at him. He went in front of them and spit at them. He glance at the sky and then set off walking away. Away from that society. Away from the city. Perhaps there will be talk of the ruthlessness. Perhaps they will catch him. Perhaps he will run away. Perhaps...