System No.32

Jayesh had been allocated to a new project.And to System No 32.
Nobody had used System No 32 for a long long time.
Cos it was previously assigned to Raman.And Raman had hung himself
inside his cubicle. It was the tenth time Raman had lost an opportunity to go abroad.To Canada.Disappointment,anger and frustration struck him.And he hung himself in the very place which was the reason for his decision.oh!What a gory sight it was!

Jayesh shivered at the thought of it.However he was one cool dude and didn’t have any kind of scary thoughts.He started his work on the project.Things were going on quite smoothly.Until one day.He was asked if he would be able to work from the client location.Canada.Jayesh was thrilled and broke into a smile.He started painting his future.Canada was especially good.Cos his college sweet heart Renu lived there.He could meet her.Make enough money.Buy a house.Propose to Renu.Finally “get settled” in life…

That’s when his Manager interrupted and told him that Rakesh, his team mate was also interested in travelling and either one of them might go. His dreams started crumpling slowly.His face fell.“What??Rakesh??That weirdo psycho??!!Can he write 10 lines of code without 20 bugs?he is such a jerk.…” However his manager made it all better by saying that he was the first choice.Good enough.

He decided to stay back that night and chat with Renu.It was nearly 11.Renu was not online yet.Waiting and waiting he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck.Damn!He went out to tell the security to increase the temperature.Nobody around.The office had an eerie silence.He walked back.Cribbing.Swearing. “Damn these security!!How can the management be so irresponsible??Do they even care about the employees?After all Iam working late!Now where the hell is she?If she is not getting online in 10 minutes Iam leaving!!”

He put on his head phones.”Mebbe some good music is all I need”
He was checking out the songs…And a sudden whisper from inside his head phones. “Jayesh!”
Jayesh held his breath. “Iam going to Canada!Iam going to Canada!”
Jayesh sat there feeling numb.Not knowing what to do. The whispers were slowly becoming loud.Finally shrieking.Jayesh threw off the head phones and ran for his life.He was white as a ghost.He forgot his bike and ran all the way home.

Morning came.He tried telling himself that it was all nothing.That he was halluncinating.He decided he would leave by six from now on.He locked up his head phones inside the drawer.The day seemed to move slowly.Late afternoon he gotto know that he had a client call to attend .At one in the night.Jayesh turned even paler.
He made up his mind.Whatever it is he would face it “After all Iam a nice guy.Why would Raman’s ghost bother me?I was always sweet to him”

He went to the nearby temple and prayed.Feeling slightly better he started preparing for his client call. Slowly people were leaving for the day.The office was emptying out.He was getting slightly scared.But he was trying to concentrate on his job. It was nearly midnight when he heard vigorous typing. He wanted to know who else could be working at that time.But he was half scared to leave his seat.The typing sound was growing louder.Sweat was dripping from his forehead even though the room was ice cold.He could not take it any longer and went around his floor to check.No one.He wiped his face and went back to his seat.And there it was on his desktop.There was a very crude drawing of a man hanging from the ceiling.And written below the image in red fonts..“I was to go to Canada…” He ran out of the building screaming.The security gave him a weird look and told the guy next to him “All these people are crazy.They stay late.No life.Just work work work and finally one day they go mad”

The next day Jayesh went straight to his manager and told him he would not be able to travel.He made up some reasons.He told himself..“Well,Renu can wait.And anyways if not Renu there is always Manju.Big deal!I can buy the house next year.I should just cut down on my pubbing.Then Ill have enough money”

Jayesh’s Manager called Rakesh and told him he would be traveling in two weeks time and he had to get ready.
There were a lot of formalities to be completed.Rakesh smiled wickedly to himself.So Jayesh had fallen for his plan..
He had scared him off..What a moron!Ha ha ha ha …He was laughing to himself.

A week later there was a big crowd in front of the office.Rakesh was found hanging inside the same cubicle. Jayesh stood there completely shaken.Half devastated.Half relieved.”That would have been me!!”
What he did not know was that the project had been scrapped and Rakesh had hung himself.