Across the River.

8:45 p.m.

He has 15 minutes to complete his assignment. It is not a tough set to finish, but he should not waste even a second. He took out his book and got with it.

8:55 p.m.

He was done with the home work, but he decided to wait till 9 before starting with the procedure. He knew he was not going to turn back; he had decided to do it.

9:00 p.m.

Time to start. Took out the paper and pen and started writing the note. He had decided on the contents long ago; in fact that was the first thing he had decided.

It was a short note, nothing melodramatic, matter of fact note. No remorse no pain nothing.

9:10 p.m.

He took out the syringe and the vial of Mercury that he had obtained from the lab. You might think he had to hide these, but he had absolute privacy in his room, something which his parents were really particular about. He had read that since Mercury is thick normal hypodermic needles won’t help. He had done enough research on this. He injected himself with it.

9:15 p.m. +

He switched off the lights and lay down on his bed. He had read about the effects of Mercury, but he had decided to write down symptoms as and when he was going through it. His lips were getting heavy. His eyes were starting to droop. He could no longer write anything.

** There was a news about a teenage boy’s suicide in Kerala more than a decade and half ago. The boy was a perfect 10 - be it academics, relations or extra-curricular activities. He had no known love affairs or failures; family was well to do. No domestic issues. Nobody knew why he committed suicide and why he chose Mercury. I hope he got what he wanted.