The Silent Killer

Beep!
Beep!

A grey colored alarm had been ringing. A thin hand with red scars seems to be caused by mosquito bites stretched towards the alarm and shut it down. A man with a white pajama with grey stripes flopped out of the bed and slowly made his way towards a wide window. He drew apart the curtain and let warm sun rays spread towards the damp room. Scraps of papers lied here and there on an untidy table. At the corner of the table, a plate with some half-eaten meal appeared with a stale smell.

He released a heavy sigh with a lengthy yawn. The man in a flash got himself undressed and went into the adjoining bathroom and had a quick shower. He dressed and stared at the weary reflection in the mirror. He was getting thinner and thinner. He wondered whether the pressure boiling up inside his head was devouring his body bit by bit. He glanced at the grey clock and got reminded of the fact that there were only a few minutes to present his newly completed project. Also, the unpleasant thought that failing this project would result in firing off from a company, for the tenth consecutive time, worried him a lot.

On the way to his office, he visualized how all his mates had already bought comfortable and expensive cars, built houses according to the latest architecture, and got themselves married to pretty and elegant girls. All these things were far away dreams to him. He reminisced the most desperate moment in his life. The way the doctor pronounced the string of words, “Young man, You are in the most blissful period in life, but I am sad to say that I diagnose you with a mental illness which needs life long treatment.

Tears rolled down his cheeks when he walked down his memory lane reminiscing upon how his life had altered since this revelation. He felt heartbroken because his friends made his illness a source to crack jokes at him. He frequently failed in his professional life.No one on earth came to soothe his mind. He angrily looked at his medicines and cursed at them for the hundredth time.

He arrived at the office as usual. He was not surprised to receive the daily dose of insults from his office mates. He knocked on the door of the project manager’s cabin. “Sir, I am George. I am here to present to you my new project” He looked at the project files which he spent sleepless nights to complete resting inside his bag. “Ok, let’s have a look come in George” It was the voice of the manager.

The manager’s hands ran swiftly through the project files.”George what is this nonsense. You have failed the project for the second time also. You are fired off. I don’t need mentally ill people in my company” It was the manager’s remarks.

He collected his files and stepped out of the office. He was sure that his project was fine but the only reason for being rejected was he being a person with mental illness.

The sun was shining and it was a bright day. Yet inside his mind, it was the gloomiest day. Thousands of thoughts were revolving around his mind. He felt desperate but he had a ray of hopes inside his mind. He knew he could do better if he had the support from society instead of the usual disgrace he received. He had thought to start his own business and achieve his dreams. He just needed a shoulder to weep and share his thoughts. He was walking on a railway track. His complete attention focused on pondering about strategies to overcome his illness and pursue his dreams. Not knowingly, one of his feet got stuck in the tracks. It was then he came out of his thoughts and realized that, he was on his way walking in the railway tracks and a train was coming nearby. He tried his best to get his foot out of the track.

A few moments later, people flocked to witness the sight of the remains of a young man laid across the railway track. A police cop stooped down to examine the files which covered the body of the deceased.

Mental illness; the silent killer, what is the fate of such lives.

Mentally ill lives also matter.