The Broken Stone

It was a bustling morning back in the early 90s. The men toiled away in the stone quarry, their efforts drowned by the sound of work. Amidst the chaos, Susai wandered into the danger zone, oblivious to the warnings echoing around. Suddenly, a deafening blast tore through the air as a bomb meant for breaking stones exploded. A fragment hurled by the explosion struck Susai's head from a distance. A few men witnessed the tragedy and rushed to his aid, but it was too late. Susai lay lifeless among the heap of stones.

Susai, a mere 20-year-old, had already weathered much hardship. Orphaned in childhood, he was raised by an unmarried uncle who too passed away when Susai was just 15.

Kicha, Susai's closest friend at 25, was stricken with disbelief at the scene. Tears welled in his eyes as he warned others not to break the news to Mullai, a young woman and Susai's lover. Mullai, who lived in the village with her widowed mother, was preparing for her day's work in the fields, unaware of the tragedy unfolding.

However, news travels fast, and despite Kicha's efforts, a boy named Mani rushed into the village and blurted out the news to Mullai. Frozen in shock, Mullai could hardly comprehend the loss she had just suffered.

As Susai's body arrived in the village, grief engulfed everyone. Nandhini, Mullai's friend, and even Mullai's mother wept inconsolably. But Mullai remained stoic, her eyes fixed on the horizon, refusing to shed a tear.

Observing Mullai's numbness, Kicha realized the repercussions of Mani's careless disclosure. Nandhini, trying to break through Mullai's emotional barrier, urged her to express her grief instead of bottling it up like a stone.

Recollections of happier times flooded Nandhini's mind – memories of laughter and camaraderie shared among Mullai, Nandhini, Kicha, Susai, and Mani during their trips to the fields.

A distant voice broke through Nandhini's thoughts, announcing Susai's journey to his final resting place. Nandhini urged Mullai to bid farewell to Susai for the last time, hoping it might help her confront her grief. Reluctantly, Mullai approached Susai's lifeless form, her expression unyielding.

Nandhini's wails filled the air as she mourned the loss of her friend. Eventually, gentle hands guided Susai's body towards its final destination.

That night, Mullai sought solace in Kicha's hut, requesting him to carve a stone for Susai's grave. Without hesitation, Kicha agreed, instructing Mullai to wait in his modest backyard, where he worked with stones. The scene was set – a canopy of coconut leaves overhead, a solitary bulb casting a dim glow, and a rickety wooden chair for Mullai.

With each strike of the hammer against the chisel, Mullai watched intently, her eyes reflecting the anguish within. As the night wore on, Kicha realized the toll this tragedy had taken on Mullai. He insisted she return home, promising to complete the task the following day.

The next evening, as Kicha returned from work, Mullai awaited him in the same spot. With renewed determination, Kicha set to work, mindful of Mullai's silent suffering. The clock ticked past midnight as Kicha painstakingly carved Susai's name into the stone.

With the task finally completed, Kicha urged Mullai to leave, assuring her that he would place the stone at Susai's grave the next morning. Mullai approached the stone, tracing her fingers over Susai's name, and whispered her final goodbye, a single tear falling onto the cold stone.

The following night, Kicha found himself once again in his backyard, the wooden chair empty. With a heavy heart, he began chiseling another name into the stone – Mullai. As the realization of Mullai's pain sunk in, Kicha abandoned his tools in despair, leaving the finished stone behind.