It was eleven o' clock in a chilly winter night. I was in my room dead to the world outside cramming as hard as I could for my forthcoming examinations.
The few friends I had, had promised not to disturb me at night, knowing I was at last studying in earnest.
It was therefore with feelings stronger than surprise that I heard my doorbell ring on that particular night.
I jumped up from my seat with an exclamation of anger.
The bell rang for the second time with more urgency and I said to myself: ?The fellows all know that I am studying for this exam. Why in the world do they bother me at this unearthly hour??
As I opened the door still clutching my book, I saw a stranger. He was a short and youngish man. His face was a pallid white with eyes, which were very bright and had a strange mischievous glint in them.
Though his cheek and chin were unkempt and unshaven, he looked like a gentleman as he was well-dressed and bore himself with a certain degree of finesse. But strangest fact was that he had no umbrella although it was pouring heavily outside.
A hundred questions sprang to my mind. But chiefly I thought: Who in the world is he?? But none of them came out from my lips because as he turned a little, light fell on him from the bulb.
I exclaimed: Gorky! Man! Your alive? Is that you??
Come in man. Is there something wrong, you okay?? I hardly knew what to say as I stammered with excitement. We had been the best of buddies since childhood, sharing all our joys, sorrows and secrets.
Then suddenly we were completely cut-off from each other. He went on to pursue law while the engineering bug caught me.
As I led him through the hall I noticed he was tad unsteady and evidently much exhausted. How did he get here? But the questions seemed less important as I saw my friend after such a long time.
Come along, I said gleefully. I was just going to have supper and you are right on time.
He made no reply and was more unsteady, so I took his arms to support him and felt that his clothes hung loosely on him. He was as thin as a skeleton.
I said: Let me get the supper ready on the table, and made him sit on the sofa.
Afterwards as he finished eating I happened to look at his face and it sent shivers through my body.
His face was white as a chalk piece. I said to him: How foolish of me not to offer you beverages. Would you like something to drink? .....Are you feeling all right??
As he drank from the glass, I noticed his overcoat which was dry and covered in dust and mud, as if he had rolled on the ground.
I was starting to ponder over this but Gorky was looking terribly drowsy so I took him to my bedroom and made him feel comfortable.
He fell asleep instantly with a rhythmic loud snoring. Poor chap, must be exhausted, I thought.
I returned to my cramming in the study room. In the wee hours of the next day before I went off to sleep, I went to see if Gorky was all right.
But I was surprised not to see him on the bed although I could hear him snore even then.
I called out to him but there was no answer. Then I searched the room going through every nook and corner, but no luck!
I lay down where he was sleeping before and soon exhausted by the hours of studying I dozed off waiting for my friend. I don't know how long I slept but I was woken up with a start by the loud snore that came from right beside me. I turned and found no one.
Now my mind was hyper active. I gulped down three glasses of water.
Am I hallucinating? Was my exam stress making me imagine all this? Was my hope to see my dear friend making me hallucinate? But I thought of the supper we ate together and the water he drank.
I went to the kitchen and saw all the food I had laid out for him was still there. I had been feeding no one!
Then it came to me that during the whole time Gorky had not spoken a single word. But what about the snoring, which was still loud and clear
My eyes fell on my wrist where there was now a fresh line of blood and my mind raced back to our school field where Gorky and I had cut each other's wrists and exchanged drops of blood.
We had promised to meet each other before we died. It was a promise that was sealed by blood.
Suddenly, the bell rang and I jumped. It was the postman. He gave me a letter. I opened and it read
Dear Max,
It pains me to tell you that Gorky was found dead on his bed today morning. Doctors assessed he had died of a heart attack 12 hours before.....!!
12 hours before, Gorky kept his promise you see...
The few friends I had, had promised not to disturb me at night, knowing I was at last studying in earnest.
It was therefore with feelings stronger than surprise that I heard my doorbell ring on that particular night.
I jumped up from my seat with an exclamation of anger.
The bell rang for the second time with more urgency and I said to myself: ?The fellows all know that I am studying for this exam. Why in the world do they bother me at this unearthly hour??
As I opened the door still clutching my book, I saw a stranger. He was a short and youngish man. His face was a pallid white with eyes, which were very bright and had a strange mischievous glint in them.
Though his cheek and chin were unkempt and unshaven, he looked like a gentleman as he was well-dressed and bore himself with a certain degree of finesse. But strangest fact was that he had no umbrella although it was pouring heavily outside.
A hundred questions sprang to my mind. But chiefly I thought: Who in the world is he?? But none of them came out from my lips because as he turned a little, light fell on him from the bulb.
I exclaimed: Gorky! Man! Your alive? Is that you??
Come in man. Is there something wrong, you okay?? I hardly knew what to say as I stammered with excitement. We had been the best of buddies since childhood, sharing all our joys, sorrows and secrets.
Then suddenly we were completely cut-off from each other. He went on to pursue law while the engineering bug caught me.
As I led him through the hall I noticed he was tad unsteady and evidently much exhausted. How did he get here? But the questions seemed less important as I saw my friend after such a long time.
Come along, I said gleefully. I was just going to have supper and you are right on time.
He made no reply and was more unsteady, so I took his arms to support him and felt that his clothes hung loosely on him. He was as thin as a skeleton.
I said: Let me get the supper ready on the table, and made him sit on the sofa.
Afterwards as he finished eating I happened to look at his face and it sent shivers through my body.
His face was white as a chalk piece. I said to him: How foolish of me not to offer you beverages. Would you like something to drink? .....Are you feeling all right??
As he drank from the glass, I noticed his overcoat which was dry and covered in dust and mud, as if he had rolled on the ground.
I was starting to ponder over this but Gorky was looking terribly drowsy so I took him to my bedroom and made him feel comfortable.
He fell asleep instantly with a rhythmic loud snoring. Poor chap, must be exhausted, I thought.
I returned to my cramming in the study room. In the wee hours of the next day before I went off to sleep, I went to see if Gorky was all right.
But I was surprised not to see him on the bed although I could hear him snore even then.
I called out to him but there was no answer. Then I searched the room going through every nook and corner, but no luck!
I lay down where he was sleeping before and soon exhausted by the hours of studying I dozed off waiting for my friend. I don't know how long I slept but I was woken up with a start by the loud snore that came from right beside me. I turned and found no one.
Now my mind was hyper active. I gulped down three glasses of water.
Am I hallucinating? Was my exam stress making me imagine all this? Was my hope to see my dear friend making me hallucinate? But I thought of the supper we ate together and the water he drank.
I went to the kitchen and saw all the food I had laid out for him was still there. I had been feeding no one!
Then it came to me that during the whole time Gorky had not spoken a single word. But what about the snoring, which was still loud and clear
My eyes fell on my wrist where there was now a fresh line of blood and my mind raced back to our school field where Gorky and I had cut each other's wrists and exchanged drops of blood.
We had promised to meet each other before we died. It was a promise that was sealed by blood.
Suddenly, the bell rang and I jumped. It was the postman. He gave me a letter. I opened and it read
Dear Max,
It pains me to tell you that Gorky was found dead on his bed today morning. Doctors assessed he had died of a heart attack 12 hours before.....!!
12 hours before, Gorky kept his promise you see...
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