the story of a couple who were sent to earth as there was space shortage in hell
"Hi good morning ?? "
"Good morning --but what are you smiling about?? "
"God has ---oh sorry !! the Devil has granted your wish !! 10 more minutes and you and me will be reborn --will be sent back to earth in our present avtars --and then you and me can HUG each other as much as we want hmmm !! muaah. "
"But how did it all happen ?
"You do know that Dracula sir was having a lot of space problems ---what with the number of sinners growing by the millions. This place was being over flooded ---so a committee was set up and a delegation was sent to the Gods to ask if they agreed to send some of us back to the earth as living beings.---As usual the Gods wanted some time (they can never decide ) and their letter of acceptance has just reached our office.""
"Ooh !!I am soo... excited !! will get to see our family and our long lost friends . "
"Yeah!! me too am looking forward.
Just then Draculla arrived with all his usual fanfare of horse carriage and bells and dust-storms etc.
Hmmmm--here,s a bit of a news for you both .'
SIR!!!???( both feigned ignorance)"Yes we have decided to send you back to the earth kicking and alive .---arent you happy ??---why are looking so dejected??? ---I was expecting some smiles....
"We don't want to leave YOU and go away Sir you looked after us so well !!
hmmm.... thanks . anyway get ready 1...2...3...a--n--d.
and they landed on earth
"hey its beautiful book at the sunshine !!! "
"Yeah its glorious isn't it this was one thing we never could get down there in Hell "
suddenly they see a crowd gathering around them ---bho---ooo---t. bhoo----ooo---t
No no we are back see we are not ghosts --- we are alive again!!! please don't run away
""how come !!! we saw you turn into ashes before our own eyes.I was the one who lit the pyre for both of you . "" said one from the crowd.
""But we have been sent back to you ---aren't you happy to see us ?? Ramu my son !! wait I will give you proof
see this cut mark on my eyelid I had got it when you threw that stone at me ---and ,and this cut on the wrist when you held my hand so tightly in that frightening movie ---see sonny please believe us .
ok!!! let me tell you about one thing else which only you and"I" !!! your mom ,know about --what happened when that girl ----
"ok!! ok!!! though I don't believe you !!! you can come along with me .... "
"hahaah thats better !! "
"psst !! ,what is it that I dont know about him and you know???
""shhhh.....!!! I will tell you later" .
*********
""Radha ---aa ---open the door we have some guests ... they say they are my parents
"but you said they were dead !!"
""yes bahu we have come back to life --you are so pretty""
""are they really your parents ...???""
""yes by some miracles they have come back to life ..and its true ..because she knows things about me which only my mom knew . ""
**********
As the news of THE RETURN OF THE DEAD spread around ; people thronged Ramus place , media , police , NRIs, society for eradication of superstitions et etc . and though Ramu and family did not like this intrusion into their privacy but the lure of the cctv, cameras and also the coverage by the media compensated well for the disturbance ---and ,like they show in movies stalls of chaiwalas etc sprang up in short a small 'mela ' sprang up .
People brought gifts for the LIVING DEAD ; you can visualize all those scenes from the movie GUIDE when the fasting Dev Anand is turned into a SWAMI the same things were happening here, only Dev Anand was not alone he had his better half too in fact SHE was the one who was answering all those questions -- and the believers were bringing in offerings in cash as well as in kind . There were invitations from places far and wide . The department of tourism too !! was trying to bring about a collaboration
.
.Ramu who was now on leave without pay and who proved himself an excellent secretary managing his parents P. R. work accepted these invitations but--- for after 6 months when he knew the rains will come and the number of devotees would dwindle .
He discontinued his kids schools so that his whole family could accompany his now CELEBRITY parents . Ticket expenditure was no problem as he was working with the INDIAN RAILWAYS --and as for school !!!???? ----He had enough money now ;to send them to the most expensive schools after paying a handsome donation and he also hoped to provide them with seats in whichever college they wanted to because he knew money would buy the best degrees and qualifications for his children.
He was banking on some foreign T V channels who were extending an invitaion to lands across the seas .for world wide coverage and wanted to put up LIVE SHOWS in many countries --but there was a slight hesitation on Ramu's part regarding EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS AND PAYMENTS . It clicked and Ramu was overjoyed.--this meant a life long source of income .
Meanwhile both our central characters who were now not only getting tired of being transported from place to place and of those interviews where every one asked the same questions ---they were even dissapointed to see all the chaos that ran round on the earth forget the sins and the sinners but even nature was not doing its duties the clouds played truant during the monsoons , the rains played havoc after the monsoons ---winters brought ice and summers burnt the earth .scientists were experimenting with the mere existence of the human race --all in the name of development --the whole concept of GODS earth had been destroyed ---flora and fauna were on the brink of extinction ----GLOBAL WARMING was there but for burning human relations and destroying the ecology ---not for thawing international animosity --there it was all GLOBAL FREEZING not even a hand extended .
Both our "living dead" thought Hell to be a better place; at least there was a brotherhood among'st all the inhabitants --who always showed solidarity to each other whenever an intruder arrived ---even if from heaven .
They were wanting to go back ---but the love and greed of being with their son and his family held them back from sending a request to the 'Prince Of Darkness ' but one day ---when they asked their son to go slow and stop all these visits and shows etc as they had become tired, what their son said was heart breaking ---
"Now look here mom and dad or whoever you are We are letting you stay with us and tolerating you only because you are contributing to the families income ,otherwise you may please go back. We are also tired of all this commotion we have lost all peace from the day you have come. I have even lost my job had to take that long leave only to look after you .I am tired and sick of all this --you don't even know how to pull small magical feats or miracles how long do you think will the people continue to look at you two as museum pieces??""
The two "sinners from hell" were heartbroken couldn't even utter a word
They just held hands and hugged each other, tears rolling unabashedly from their eyes .In a few minutes the silent tears became wails and the DEVIL and his son the 'Prince of Darkness" couldn't bear to see their subjects in such a pathetic state --they immediately sent a request to the Gods to arrange for the duos return .This the GODS granted at once because they too were ashamed of all that was happening .
Both our protagonists were informed of this .
They went to love and kiss their son and grandchildren but met with a rebuff so they just looked into each other' eyes held each other into a tight embrace went out into the sunlight and then disappeared .NEVER to come back --
As they entered the supernatural world their embrace broke but they knew they were in a better place.
.AND ALL HELL BROKE LOSE TO WELCOME THEM
This story is about a couple ---Neera and Amar who were ghosts and who were sent to the earth as there was space shortage in Hell
