Autobiography of a secret

Written By Yashvi Jalan (Grade 10)

‘If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you have not got me.’

That is right! I am a secret. I was born on a misty day when Kartik, a handsome orphaned youth lied about his profession to the love of his life, Sonia. 

Being a RAW agent, Kartik could not possibly reveal me to anyone. He was forced to keep me clandestine. Therefore, for the world, he was nothing more than a businessman. There were times, when Kartik wanted to unveil me as he hated the thought of lying to his soulmate, but he did not have an option, did he? This is because, he very well knew that if I were to be uncovered and thereby killed, he would be a vulnerable target of millions of enemies and subjected to the RAW’s harsh and exasperating wrath. Maybe, he would be dead like me too in a month or so. Anyways, that is merely speculation. Bringing me back to reality… within a year, Sonia and Kartik got engaged. Soon enough, Kartik was sent away by the RAW to Afghanistan for two months to assassinate a dangerous terrorist. I was back into the game once again as he told his fiancé that he was off on a ‘business trip’. Weeks passed and Sonia was still unaware of my existence. However, after a month, she got suspicious and anxious as Kartik dodged all her calls and was ‘missing’. She contacted the police, but all her efforts went in vain. She spent hours clinging to Kartik’s photo and crying incessantly and praying relentlessly to the almighty! It was excruciatingly painful to see her like that and how I wished Kartik had spilt the beans, but it was not in my hands to rectify now.

Three weeks later, he returned. His traumatizing appearance reduced me to nothing but an endless river of regret, guilt and concern. I stood stupefied, in dismay, on seeing his head being severely injured, both hand and leg fractured, and innumerable stitched cuts all over his body. Not only was I petrified but also, something inside me knew that it was time for me to depart from the world. Ironically, fate is so unpredictable. Upon being questioned, Kartik told Sonia that unfortunately, he had met with a fatal accident and was unconscious all this while. All that I could say was that he indeed was a smart fellow! On the other hand, Sonia hugged him tightly but somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew that there was more to it. Since that day, I am no longer a ‘pure secret’ but I am still sticking around. And for all that I know, I will till the time Kartik, my legitimate father is alive or probably, if God willing, even longer! 

Featured Image Courtesy – CBC