Note: this story is meant to be distributed for free, however it remains my property, so if you attempt any form plagiarism, I will sue your ass in court.
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The only thing predictable about life, is its unpredictability - unknown
Santhosh stirred in bed, it was 5.00 am, and it was January, groaning and cursing he waved his hand in the general direction of the clock, failing to reach it, he sighed; opened his eyes and reached for his glasses, partially awake but still in the dregs of last night's dream he shut the alarm off and got of the bed; only to fall immediately back on it and resume his sleep.
At 5.45 am the secondary alarm rang, and Santhosh performed the same ritual but this time he managed to rub the sleepiness of and got a good look at the clock. "Not again!" the colleger (like so many of his peers) groaned and scrambled to get ready, pausing only to switch on the music, and as he rushed through the morning tasks, the deck, rather fittingly blasted out "the final countdown" by Europe. At 6.15, he was ready, he grabbed his keys, wallet, phone, and switched off the deck which was just starting "have a nice day" by bon jovi.
Descending the stairs, there stood his pride and joy; she was a beauty, with the grace of a cat and the heart of a tiger, stood his crimson pulsar 220; a gift on his 18th birthday. He loved the bike and it probably loved him back, Santhosh started the bike and listened to the satisfying roar and purr as the petrol flowed and the modified 220 waited to be put into gear. He wore his helmet and leaving the apartments he headed for college.
Santhosh Krishna was 19, and a 2nd year automobile engineering student at john Andrews institute of engineering, Chennai. As he cruised through the city and headed for the highway, he looked forward to the day, semester was ending and he could head home for the vacations, and he a lot of plans. First he wanted to laze around his home town for a few days, his cousins would be visiting and he looked forward to some hero-worship by the younger ones. Next He intended to tour the entire southern India on his bike accompanied by his best friend Edwin Richards.
They had met on the first day of college and been inseparable since then, while Santhosh was obsessed with cars and bikes, Edwin was far more interested in photography. The plan was for Santhosh to visit home for a few days and then meet Edwin back in Chennai for the trip.
As Santhosh daydreamed of spicy and hot southern chicken and perhaps even hotter kerala girls (his highly imaginative brain forming some very ...'unique'... images), he failed to notice the massive 18-wheeled trailer in front of him slow down and change lanes, and now just meters in front of him, he braking with full force and as the discs screeched and the tires squealed, he managed to halt mere inches from the mammoth vehicle. He could not believe it, a few seconds more and he would have rammed the truck. And helmet or not, he would have been crushed, in the chaos he did not hear a metallic "pop". The drivers behind him yelled and Santhosh sheepishly moved on, this time far more focused and slower, at 7.00 am, he saw the college arch, leaving the highway he entered college, parked the bike and headed for the canteen, he saw Edwin waiting outside the main hall.
Edwin saw Santhosh and smiled, unlike his friend; Edwin was more of a book-worm and preferred the college bus. "You are a bit late..." he said "yeah, I almost rammed into a truck on the way" Santhosh explained. "You dope! What were you doing? Dreaming of the tour?" Edwin yelled, angry.
"Among other things..." Santhosh said, grinning. As Edwin droned on about road safety, the two headed for the canteen. Breakfast in hand, the two were joined by their friends; Narendran from IT and Arun from Mech. "morning you lot!" Narendran said and added "and Santhosh, brilliant braking on the highway!"
