Chapter 2: Prologue [2]
The camera also recorded the arc of the ball in the sky as it flew down towards the edge of the boundary but the nearby fielder was running backward as their eyes locked at the ball like an eagle eye and the fielder raised hands to catch the ball.
And then—
THUD.
Caught.
The ball that about cross the boundary was caught by the fielder and he caught it by a jump at the line of the boundary.
At the same Umpire raised his up as he is point his finger up and the meaning is simple as it is declare as OUT .
The big screen also show us the review of the caught from moment how the filder run back and stand inch away from the boundary line.
As the ball was about to cross the boundary line the filder jump high and caught the ball with one .
The impossible ball was caught and the screen show and declared it as OUT.
Raghav's apartment went pin drop silence.
His knees gave way...as he lay him back into the wall.
On tv screen, the scoreboard froze.
Delhi Daredevils — 212/7 (20 over)
Mumbai Indians — 216/8 (20 over)
MI win by 4 Runs.
Result was declared on the big screen :-
Mumbai Indians won the Championship tittle of 2035 .
The stadium fans erupted with loud explosion of cheers and noise as they chant wining team name.
" Mumbai Indians"
" Mumbai Indians"
The Mumbai Indians players and staff rush out to the field, they were cries echoing through the broadcast by the fans and staff.
Beautiful fireworks continuously shot up as it bloomed across the sky.
The commentator Raj ' voices came through the Tv screen announcing with excitement and disbelieving the outcome .
"What a strategic fielding set by Mumbai Indians captain which is commendable."
" I also think it Raj , that Mumbai Indians has a well visionary leader as there captain and they will one step ahead of others team with today's victory "
" I am completely agree with it in you, this is not the end of Mumbai Indians but it show how high they set there game play on a level of international cricket."
" Yeah, this is well trained team, ok let us look at today match highlights who is Man of the Match and Man of the Tournament."
The second commentator Aditya also announced with e excitement.
"This how a final match should be and impossible finishing catch out was done fabulously by player R.Das !"
"And today history is created by Mumm...baaai Indians as they secure their tenth IPL championship title! "
"There gameplay was absolute dominance in this year series!"
Raghav stared blankly looking at the unbelievable victory of Mumbai Indian and after a moment as the realisation of Delhi Daredevils loss hit his heart as we can see sadness and grief eyes as well as his lips parted, but no sound came out from his mouth.
It wasn't just a game — Not to him because it reminds him of his past regret and mistakes that every missed chance he'd ever had.
A goal or a dream that had slipped just out of reachbut every boundary of his life that had fallen one foot short.
He slumped deeper into the recliner into his regret and desire to play for India.
Then his hand slipped ~
The pizza box fall down on the ground and the remaining Slices were scattered around the floor.
On the screen, the camera cuts to Arjun Khanna whose head is bowing towards the fans then he gloves off, kneeling on the turf as the Mumbai players lift the trophy. The Delhi fans eyes were numb seeing the victory slip away from them.
Suddenly Raghav's vision became blue....
At same time his chest tightened—a dull ache, like sharp stab in his heat . As he feel the pain immediately he pressed his hand against his chest with gritting his teeth.
"Ahh… I… can't…"
As soon as this words just came out so low like whisper and the remote that was in his hand slipped out as his trembling hand and the remote hit the floor with a hollow clack.
Thum~
He tried to breathe with all his strength but his lungs refused to breath.
He look straight to the TV and he saw the colors of the screen bled together the reds, blues, and golds fading into a blur of grey. Now he can't properly listen to sound of the crowd as it was slowly dimmed to a low frequency.
Then his eyes shift outside of his balcony where his old cricket bat was placed hanging there shoke in mud and dust. He started to recalling his passionate days of his cricket career in his college days. His hope for waiting for the selected call from Delhi Cricket Board but the call never came. Thier were many regrets now one of them was the apology that he want ask to his son but he never made and like that the life passed quitely by him while he was chasing after job interview in his nineteenth and after that his life went on project deadline of his office work life.
At this moment his mind is full up with his past regets and some decision he want to change and now there is only one though in his mind.
' If after death reincarnate exist I just don't want to repeat the same mistake as my current life .....'
He can't let go his past regets at his last moment of his but his thoughts were on something imaginary.
' but If only I could have another chance to restart my life from beginning I could have changed all my regrets and descision '
He thought shifted to an imaginary dream If only I could have tred hard and focus on my career might things would have changed..…'
'....it would have been better from my current life, as losser in his life, without family and friends.'
Lastly he glanced at the Tv screen as it was showing the victory parade of Mumbai Indians and the tv screen light reflection fall across his face.
And then he closed his eyes,... everything went dark.
After sometime he didn't feel anything, it was like his whole six senses were blocked and his surroundings was like eternal darkness...pure darkness.
Suddenly a question came into his mind.
'Is this hell or heaven, where I will be going ''
As he was wondering where he his but then a gentle smell of sunflower and also the smell distinctive combination of spices and aromatic spreads in the air that tickled his nose. After few seconds he realised this familiar scent of sandalwood incense and his mother's cooking sabji filled his nostrils.
" Wow , this smell feel familiar"
Raghav's eyes slightly open as he looked around, then he realized that this wasn't in his sterile apartment but it is that he was in… his childhood bedroom.
The room walls were full of poster of his favourite cricketers , they were the God of the Cricket, The Master Blaster — Sachin Tendulkar; The poster is where he is raising hit bat, next poster is of Rahul Dravid in his defensive poses on the ground and lastly the poster of Sourav Ganguly , the Maharaja of Indian Cricket, fans called him as Dada, the poster is on how he is holding the T20 World Cup trophy.
They were all his idol of his childhood,a boy who has dream to become like them.
After taking a deep look on everyposter as he remembered how he struggle to collect this poster from the festival street stalls.
He protested to his family to buy this poster for him , he also threat them that he will stop eating food. Finally after some struggle his mother give up and buy him this posters.
At that time this were his happiest days for him to collect this poster and dream to become a great professional player like his idols.But in the future, things got out of his track.
As he was lost in his awful past memories....after some moment give up on think what has happen as he face was is dull expressions.
Then he sigh~
He scrambled out of the small bed but his limbs feeling strangely light from his orginal body and as he walk few step that was slightly uncoordinated with is mind . It seems his body is not in his full control then to conform his doubt he looked at his hands.
(To be Continue)