Two Sins

Fiction

The roar of the waves shattered the silence of the midnight. The tide was high. The full moon shone brightly in the cloudless sky.

Joel sat down on the evasive sand trying to immerse the rage within his heart in the rage of the Arabian Ocean. It didn't take much long for him to notice the figure that was lying at a little distance. It was a man. He was lying on his back. Curiosity made Joel get up, walk towards the figure and sit near him after watching him for a while. Was he sleeping?

Excuse me, said Joel.

The man opened his eyes. He considered Joel for a moment and then sat up.

I'm a traveller, said Joel introducing himself, staying in that hotel. He pointed towards a large building a stone's throw away.

I'm Amit, the man said listlessly. Usually no one comes to the beach at this time, he said after a while as if he was annoyed with Joel's presence.

I didn't mean to disturb you, Joel said. I couldn't sleep. So I took a walk.

What is stealing your sleep?

My hypocrisy, answered Joel.

What?

I was walking through my hometown last week when I saw a Muslim man of the nearby village being beaten up by some Hindu men. I knew many of them. Yet I didn't dare to approach them. I let them kill that man.

What could you have done?

I should have interfered. It was my duty to do so.

Why?

I'm a pastor.

That's sort of priest, right?

Yeah.

You think they'd have listened to you?

No.

Then.

It was my duty to try.

Well.

My entire life became a lie at that moment when I chose to walk away from that scene.

Amit didn't say anything. He seemed to be thinking of something.

Have you ever faced a situation like that? It's terrible to realise that your life was just a sham, a pretence, sheer make-believe.

You're a priest, right?

Hm.

You can absolve sins, can't you?

I belong to a sect that doesn't have confession. We seek forgiveness directly from God.

Still let me make a confession.

If you wish.

I was there too at that site when that man was lynched.

Oh!

I was not a mere observer like you.

Then?

I was one of the killers.

The Arabian Ocean roared loud.

One act can be repented, Joel said. The rest of your life can be the atonement.

I'm not sure, Amit said. There's a man within me who's angry with me.

That anger sustains my hypocrisy. Joel didn't say that.

I'm a coward, Joel said.

The Arabian Ocean roared relentlessly.

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