Dinner and a Show A melodrama by Rachit Agarwal

CHARACTER NAM E Jai Arora Archana M ahapatra Ila Singh Harsh Gupta Arjun Joshi Abraham

AGE 28 28 28 28 28 50

GENDER M ale Female Female M ale M ale M ale

SCENE ONE. JAIS HOUSE (DARK STAGE) ARCHANA (voice trembling) Im scared. FADE UP: We open on a couple, standing towards stage right, facing each other. The male is JAI, and the female is ARCHANA. Archana is broken, her hair slightly over her face. Her PHONE is in her hand. Jai is trying his best to be calm, but we can see he too is a little scared. JAI Dont be. Its all fine. Itll all be fine. We have each other. ARCHANA But what after tomorrow? JAI Does it matter? Does anything matter after tomorrow? ARCHANA (not sure) I guess not. But all that weve lived for, all that weve worked for...why does it have to end like this? JAI Everything ends. Sometimes its more important to know that you had something than to try and hold on to it forever. Frankly, I cant hold on to everything forever. Can you? Archana doesnt react. Her head is still bowed down. Pause. JAI Together, you and I in this moment of time. Isnt that all that matters? Lets not think about tomorrow. Lets not ruin today.

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ARCHANA (still not sure) Hmm...I guess youre right. Jai moves towards Archana. Calm, reassuring. He gently brushes her hair and tucks them behind her ears. He then hugs her tight. JAI (hugging) Its alright. Right now, nothing matters except you. Youre the only thing that has mattered, and if I were to go, this would be the way Id like to go. Archana doesnt react. Gradually, she hugs Jai back, placing her hands on his back. Shes still holding her phone. Presently, Jai pulls back a little from the hug and looks at Archana. He starts leaning in for a kiss when-Archanas phone rings and she withdraws. ARCHANA (reading a text) This is weird. So engrossed is she in the text that she doesnt notice Jai get very agitated. He wanders upstage. Presently, she looks up at him. ARCHANA Its Arjun. Hes invited us for dinner and a show. Tomorrow. Jai doesnt answer. He only looks back at her, angry. ARCHANA What is the matter with you? JAI Nothing. Nothing at all. ARCHANA It doesnt seem like that. Pause as Jai composes himself a bit.

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The other half of the stage lights up to reveal 3 new characters. These are ARJUN, ILA and HARSH. They all pretend to have a GLASS each in their hands. They are standing, talking, but we cant hear what theyre saying. The only thing well hear from this side of the stage is Arjuns laughter, which will serve to mock Jai at key moments of his fight with Archana. Ila and Harsh are married, and Ila is pregnant and expecting any day now. Harsh is protective of her, but at the same time, this protectiveness appears to be an after thought. Arjun is the only one enjoying this conversation. It is implied that Arjun is the host and the other two are his guests. JAI Are you going for the party, then? ARCHANA (slowly) I think we should go. JAI (cutting) Since when did parties become so important to you? ARCHANA Its Arjun. I cant ditch him like this. Arjun starts laughing. M ocking, maniacal. ARCHANA Not tomorrow of all days. And I need you to understand that. JAI Oh yea. Why would you ditch Arjun? ARCHANA Can you stop being so kiddish? Laughter dies down. Conversation ensues.

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JAI Seriously? After all I just said to you, this is what youll give me? ARCHANA What do you mean? JAI Youve always had a thing for him, havent you? If ever there was a time to set your priorities right, dont you think this is it? ARCHANA I do have my priorities right. Which is why I want you there, by my side, at Arjuns place. JAI That man is a drunkard, a philanderer and he gets too cozy with you. Arjun touches Ilas baby bump. Harsh looks away, perhaps angry at the attention the baby bump is getting. Arjun then hugs Ila. JAI I will not have any of it! ARCHANA That man is also one of my closest friends, and he needs me. On the other side of stage, Arjun smiles, as though at something Ila and Harsh have said. Jai just stands there fuming. Archana walks to him, calmly, and places a hand on his shoulder. ARCHANA (pleading) Cant you put aside your differences? What good is it bearing that grudge now? Surely after tomorrow, nothing is going to matter. Ever. Right? Jai doesnt say anything. Arjun looks at his watch, as though hes waiting for someone. ARCHANA Can you do it for me? As a final favor?

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Arjun takes his cellphone out and types in a number. Jai breaths in andJAI Ill come if it means so much to you. Ill come with you tomorrow. Archana smiles a little. Jai and Archana take their tops off to reveal another set of clothing under it. They throw the clothes theyve taken off into the wings. Arjun places his phone to his ear. Archanas phone rings. She picks it up. SCENE TWO. ARJUNS PENTHOUSE Arjun excuses himself from Ila and Harsh as he marches centre stage to take the call. Archana and Jai also march a little to centre stage. ARCHANA Yea Arjun? ARJUN Where are you guys? ARCHANA Open your door! Arjun gestures to open a door, and welcomes Archana and Jai in. Jai is still peeved. ARJUN (playful, while Archana and Jai are greeting Ila and Harsh)...and what can I say to you guys? Even today! ARCHANA Sorry na. The usual relationship-y shit. Jai gives Archana a dirty look.

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ARJUN Ha. Even today? Isnt it all a little inconsequential? JAI Talking about inconsequential, why are we all here? Dinner and a show. What could you possibly want today? ARJUN I just wanted you guys by my side. Thats all. HARSH But why the drinks? Is today the best time for drinks? Why this frivolous gayness? Its all coming to an end, Arjun! Surely we should grieve. Surely we shouldnt be going about our lives as though nothings happening. How can we pretend that today is just any other day? How? ILA What Harsh wants to say is that no matter how much we mean to you Arjun, this party atmosphere that youre trying to create doesnt quite fit something as grave as the end of the world. Arjun looks at Archana. ARCHANA I agree, Arjun. How can you be so happy today? JAI Look around you! People are grieving! People have abandoned all hope! The bloody world is ending, Arjun. Its not a small deal. Let us mourn, for tomorrow there will be nothing to mourn for. Tomorrow, there will be nothing. There is no joy. What gives you the right to be so happy today? Are you deranged? Arjun takes a sigh and a sip from his glass. ARJUN I agree with you guys. The world is ending and there will be nothing left tomorrow. I understand why you guys would want to kill me for organizing this little party of mine. Ha. Kill me. But it doesnt matter, does it? Nothing matters today. There will no one to judge any of us tomorrow. People grieve for the dead and they fear death. But knowing that your life is about to end in less than a day, doesnt that give you hope? HARSH Hope, Arjun? Seriously?

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JAI He really is deranged. (to Archana) I told you, didnt I? ARJUN No Jai, Im not deranged. All I want to leave you guys with is a little happiness. Life is ending, true. Why should we make our final few moments on Earth miserable, eh? Can we not go out enjoying? Today is the day we all are finally free. Today, there is no deadline to be met. There is no report to be submitted, no boss to answer to, no race to be won. Can we not live today just for ourselves? ARCHANA (calm) M aybe our way of living for ourselves is to grieve for what we are about to lose. ARJUN What utter nonsense! You really want to tell me that on the one day you have nothing to worry about, you want to grieve for what youre about to lose? Ha. Where is the joy of living? You arent the same bubbly girl I grew up with, Archana. Archana bows her head a bit. ARJUN The end is inevitable. When that asteroid smashes into the ocean, everything we know and care for will be wiped out. Ha. Who am I to doubt those scientists? We only have a little more time to live. Lets live it up! You guys, you four. Youre the only people I care for. Which is why I want to live this moment up with you guys. Which is why it would pain me if the last memory you have of your lives is a depressing memory. JAI Youre being extremely childish. Youre completely ignoring my free will. By asking me to be happy and gay at this hour, youre completely ignoring my right to feel the way I want to. And I will not stand for this nonsense. ARJUN This is what I respect about you, Jai. You have always been a very strong personality. You have always known what to say. You have always been wise to the ways of the world. I am but a naive fool, bumbling around, trying to make sense of the world. Trying to find a little happiness in this twisted little world of ours. Arjun looks at everyone. ARJUN None of us has really had a pleasant life. Everyday we wake up and will ourselves to go through the usual motions. Today is our day of freedom. You all can either think of today as the end of everything you know, or the start of your period of freedom -- not unlike childhood. Im not trampling on your free will, Jai. Im just giving you a choice.

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Only one of the options guarantees happiness. I trust a person as smart as you will make an informed choice. Everyone, except Jai is won over by Arjun. Its on everyones mind, but nobody is saying it. Jai is still fuming. Then finally, Ila, rubbing her baby bump, looks at Jai. ILA I guess hes right, Jai. Our entire life we were chasing happiness. M aybe happiness is this. Few close friends. Judging by our track record, great conversations to bide our time till our time here ends. M aybe happiness is knowing that the end is near. Archana rubs Jais shoulder, trying to calm him down. ILA (looking at Harsh) M aybe happiness is holding my own child before it all ends. M aybe happiness is that fleeting moment of pain when the tiny little head comes out. ARJUN Wont that be something? Ila delivering here, in my house. Happiness can really be found even in the darkest of hours if one only remembers to switch on the light. HARSH (agitated) No no no! How can you all even think about having another life enter the world at this time? How can you all be so insensitive. (to Ila) We really should have ended this while we still had the chance. Archana looks up. ARCHANA Are you talking about an abortion, Harsh? And you call all of us insensitive? Ha. I love the irony. HARSH Insensitive, you say? What sense does it make to get one more life into this world only for it to be wiped off in a matter of a day? Wont that be insensitive? Archana has crept close to Ila by now. ARCHANA So youll just put an end to that life yourself?

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HARSH Sometimes youve got to be harsh and brutal to show your love. M ake no mistake, I love that child. (stroking Ilas tummy) If wed gone on with the abortion, I would have been the sadest of us all. ILA What bull! You never wanted this child, did you? Archana is trying to calm Ila down. HARSH What you guys are doing is even more pathetic than an abortion. Getting the child into the world, and then letting him die with the rest of us? You guys are condemning my child to the butcher! JAI You know what I find funny in all this? Everyone looks at him. ARCHANA (very stern) You better not be making a childish joke about this too, Jai. JAI Ha. Were all supposed to be friends, right? Everyone nods. JAI Very close friends, at that. (pause) What I find funny is how these two (pointing to Ila and Harsh) didnt even bother telling us that they were contemplating getting an abortion. Ha. We could have helped, you know. ARCHANA Are you going to feel bad about that now, Jai? Jai doesnt reply, perhaps realizing that hes spoken something wrong. ARCHANA Not everything is meant to be shouted from roof tops! Arent they allowed to have their secrets? Arent they old enough to take mature decisions themselves? JAI I was only offering help.

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ARCHANA Fine then. (to everyone) Everyone? We have a problem here. Jai here thinks Arjun has a thing for me. He wont stop giving me hell because of that. Everyone is shocked. ARCHANA Hes driving me insane with his jealousy. All I want to do is end it all. End of the world coming and other such bull, you say. Ha. It couldnt come soon enough! Arjun moves to comfort Archana. JAI You didnt have to tell everyone about this! ARCHANA I was hoping theyd be able to help. JAI You really didnt have to do this. Who do you think you are, tormenting me about every little thing? I love you like crazy, and I will be jealous about other guys. You have no right to do this to me. ARCHANA (half laughing) What are you scared of Jai? That they will judge you? Nothing matters anymore! Get that into that thick skull of yours. ARJUN Ok. This has gone on for far too long. (to Jai) Jai, Im sorry to be doing this to you, but I have to do this. (to everyone) I have lived for most of my life bearing this great secret. Ive been miserable because of it. M iserable to the point of detaching myself from every known human emotion. All I look for in life is happiness. I know where to find it, but till now Ive just been too scared to do anything about it. Today, I want to break out of this cadaverous existence. (to Archana) What Im trying to say is that, Archana, from the moment I saw you at Rahuls party all those years ago, Ive known that youre the one for me. Everyone is shocked again. Archana, more than others. Jai, furious, rushes up to Arjun and grabs him by the collar. JAI I will smash every bone of yours.

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By this time, Archana has come up to Jai, and is gently rubbing his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Her face shows that shes had the stuffing knocked out of her. JAI (to Archana) I told you! I told you this bastard was up to no good! ILA Nothing matters today, Jai. Nothing matters. There is nothing you can do! Why bother with anything? JAI How can you say that? It matters to me! ARCHANA Jai! Leave him. I need to talk to you. Jai drops Arjun. JAI (mocking Archana) Now do you believe me? Am I justified now? And he marches off to stage right. ARCHANA (to Arjun) There is no easy way to say this, Arjun. But I think you should know that even though Im flattered that you loved me, there was never anything from my side. You were my closest friend, and Im happy that we were as close as we were. ARJUN I always knew this was coming. Perhaps thats why I locked myself in. But freedom. Ha. It doesnt taste any better than that prison cell I was stuck in for all these years. Is this even freedom? We just keep stumbling from one prison cell to another, dont we? ARCHANA Not anymore, Arjun. Today is our day of freedom, remember? (pause) Now if youll excuse me, I have a pissed off boyfriend to attend to. Archana walks up to a very angry Jai and places a hand on his shoulder. Ila is trying to console Arjun, while Harsh just looks on. He is still not over the abortion debate.

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JAI (to Archana) Oh so you finally realize that Im also there. ARCHANA Jai you have to stop doing this to me. JAI Why should I? Im pissed off, and the first thing you think of is to attend to Arjun? I am not right in being pissed off? ARCHANA Ok. Ive had enough of this. Just then the sound of shattering glass is heard. Distracted, Archana walks up to the edge of the stage, bends down, and picks up a make believe rock. ARCHANA They broke the window! (louder) They broke the window! Arjun comes rushing over with Harsh. Ila is struggling to match up to their speed. Everyone, Jai included, is looking off the edge of the stage, as though looking down from a great height. ARJUN Have to give it to them. I never knew anyone could throw a rock six floors up and break a window. ILA What is even happening down there? HARSH Its a guy! Theyre beating up a guy! ARCHANA Is that a... ARJUN Yes it is! ILA Oh shit! Theyre going to set him on fire!

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ARJUN Is that...? (pause) M adan M uktear! M adan M uktear has gone mad! Jai looks up. JAI Theyre going to kill him. I have to save that poor chap. And he rushes off stage right, into the wings. The others just look on. In this moment of adversity, slowly they start coming together. Harsh and Ila put aside their differences, and come close till eventually Ila is in Harshs arms. The din of the mob can be heard faintly in the background. ARJUN Should we even be messing with mother natures plan by saving that chap? The others look at him and he shuts up. ARCHANA How can someone be so childishly selfish, yet so mature, all at the same time? (to Arjun) Im sorry on his behalf too, for ruining your grand celebration of the end of the world. ARJUN I probably had it coming. ILA You could have picked your moment a little better, you know, Arjun. HARSH I mean who blurts out what you blurted out at the moment you blurted it out, eh? ARJUN (to Harsh) I dont think you should talk about blurting. ARCHANA Abortion, seriously?

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ILA Lets drop it, everyone. Whats the use fighting today? And havent we had enough fighting for one day? Everyone nods. Just then Jai enters from stage right, huffing and puffing. Following him is Abraham. JAI Wow. M obs are tough creatures to tackle. Everyone goes towards Jai and Abraham. Arjun takes Abrahams hand andARJUN Arjun. Nice to meet you. Youll probably be the last friend I make on earth. Its going to be a privilege. ABRAHAM Abraham. ARJUN Why were they trying to set you on fire down there, Abraham? ABRAHAM Its funny, actually. Its because Im Christian. They wont stop tormenting the minorities even on a day like today! HARSH Theres something about mobs. One person can be intelligent, but put that very same person in a mob, and he can do some pretty stupid things. ABRAHAM It doesnt bother me. The Judgement is upon us. I have lived a pure life. I have nothing to be afraid. ARCHANA This is absolutely ridiculous. ABRAHAM I do not question your faith, then why do you question mine?

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ILA I think what Archana is trying to say is that all our lives, weve lived under fear of judgement. ARJUN Judgement by friends, family, society, everyone. HARSH Can death at least not set us free? M ust we also be fearful of the final Judgement? ABRAHAM If it helps weed out moral excesses and keeps us on the righteous path, then why not? JAI Because I refuse to live up to anyone elses expectations now, except mine! Why should I do it? Its driving me insane. Always the straight and the narrow path. Always do the right thing! What does right even mean? There are tribes in Africa which indulge in cannibalism. Is that not right for them? How does your Lord weigh us against them? ABRAHAM Your Gods have their ways, my Lord has his own. Am I to be singled out and attacked by you guys now? Slight pause. ARJUN I think we got off on the wrong note, Abraham. The intention was never to corner you and attack you. Were all here to just have a good time and witness the end all together. Youre welcome into this little group of ours. Pause. ARJUN I think introductions are in order. (pointing to each) Jai and Archana, Harsh and Ila. Abraham bends down next to Ila, stroking her baby bump. ABRAHAM Whenre you due? ILA Any minute now.

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ABRAHAM Pity the baby will come into a world which will soon be destroyed. Its all a cruel joke. HARSH Why thank you, Abraham! See? Someone agrees with me! Its cruel to get the baby into a world like this. ABRAHAM What other option is there, Harsh? HARSH We should have had an abortion while we had the chance. (to the rest) Thats right, I said it again. Go on, hate me for it. Unknown to all of you, Im making absolutely sublime sense. Abraham also agrees with me! ABRAHAM No Im not. Abortion is murder. HARSH And what is about to happen now is not murder? ILA What are you talking about, Harsh? What? How is this murder? Why would I want to kill my own child? HARSH And yet, that is exactly what youre doing! At least the baby would not have experienced life and then have it snatched away! ARJUN Isnt this all getting too heavy? We came here to have fun, not to pick a fight about everything. Honestly, how does it even matter now? ABRAHAM We always should be mindful of our acts. Even when the end is staring right at us. Thats the difference between the civilized world and the uncivilized world. We dont live in a jungle! JAI Is that how you explain what happened to you outside? ABRAHAM Those people are idiots. They will be the ones to succumb first.

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ARCHANA What do you mean? ABRAHAM When that asteroid smashes into the sea, everything is going to be submerged. Itll wipe out the gluttons who feed on excesses and return the worthy back to simpler times. Sort of like the great flood of M oses. HARSH Ive had just about enough of this conversation. And Harsh slinks off. He walks deeper into the stage, to the imaginary bar. He pours six drinks. He then switches on an imaginary radio. We hear the faint sounds of the radio being tuned into a channel, but nobody notices anything. ARCHANA You dont honestly believe that anyone is going to survive this, do you? ABRAHAM The worthy might. The question is, are you worthy? ILA No ones surviving this, Abraham. The end is near, and yet you hold on to your faith that somehow youre going to survive. ABRAHAM If the Lord didnt think I was worthy to survive, then why did he lead me to higher ground? JAI Oh my God, what have I done? Ive invited another nut case into this house! ABRAHAM When the flood comes, well all be safe. Its only because he thinks were worthy enough. Its not chance. Its his design. ARJUN Open your eyes, Abraham. All calculations prove that everything is going to be wiped out by this time tomorrow. This is the end, and I really think you should accept that. Accept your mortality, my friend. Harsh has joined the rest, and is now handing around imaginary glasses.

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ABRAHAM Have you accepted your mortality? ARJUN Yes I have. I know Im going to die, and I bloody well dont need the support of any faith to tell me otherwise. HARSH Everyone? Listen! Ive had just about enough of this nonsense! Everyone shuts up and looks at him. HARSH Each one of you has a glass in their hand. The end is coming, and we havent even started drinking. What is wrong with everyone? ABRAHAM I dont drink. I think Ill sit it out. HARSH Its wine. The best one I could find. Enjoy it while you still can, Abraham. ARJUN And this is why Harsh is a friend! Finally someone who gets what Ive been trying to say all evening! Cheers, guys! Everyone raises their glasses. ARCHANA To us. And to our fights. They seemed consequential, but in the final say, it is moments like these that we will remember more than who fought with whom for what. ILA To never giving up on each other! Everyone downs their drinks. ARCHANA That tasted a little odd. JAI Are you sure it wasnt corked?

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Harsh looks around at everyone, sad, disturbed, almost on the verge of tears. HARSH Im certain it wasnt corked. JAI Then what was that odd after taste? HARSH It was drugged. ILA What do you mean? HARSH I couldnt bear it anymore. I couldnt. I couldnt bear to let all of you die. ILA So you poisoned us? HARSH Think of it as my final favor to you all. Nobody has to witness the end now. Nobody. ILA You betrayed me! You betrayed our little baby! HARSH Im sorry, but it had to be done. It was in everyones interest. ARJUN How was it in our interest? HARSH It all ends today anyway. Hows a few less minutes going to hurt? Just like everything else, this too isnt going to matter. Everything will just collapse into one big ball of nothingness. ARJUN What gives you the right to march into my house and then rob me off my last few minutes on earth? What gives you the right to decide how my life should end? I dont want to die right now! I dont want it to end right now! ABRAHAM Ill ask you once again, Arjun. Have you accepted your mortality?

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ARJUN M y last memories on Earth should have been happier than this! How is this fair? HARSH How do memories matter, Arjun? Who is going to review your memories? There is no final judgement. There is no after life. There is no one to judge you. There is no one to cherish your memories. How does it matter? ARCHANA How could you, Harsh? HARSH Im sorry, Archana. I had to do it. I couldnt let my baby be born. I couldnt see you all suffer life anymore. So I decided that the sooner I end everything, the better itll be for all of us. JAI Suffer life? What do you mean, Harsh? Who is suffering life? HARSH Look at your life, Jai. Are you happy with it? Are you satisfied with the way things are going? Is anyone happy with their life? All I ever hear are complains about how bad life is. How then can you say that you arent suffering life? Life is nothing but a disease. And we're all terminally ill from it, anyway. ILA But isnt that how life functions? No one will ever be satisfied with their life. There will always be complaints. But you dont just quit life like this. You take blow after blow. You get up after each blow and enjoy till the next blow comes along. ABRAHAM Youve been nothing but a coward by poisoning us. HARSH Coward. How does it matter? Your judgement doesnt matter. Youre about to die. Im about to die. The world is about to end. No judgement counts. Coward, indeed! ABRAHAM What did I ever do to you? Did I escape that mob only to be felled by this mob? HARSH Every good deed invariably involves collateral damage. You are nothing but a martyr, Abraham. But even that doesnt matter. Thats how futile existence is!

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Everyones falling to the ground by now. HARSH You believed that your Lord had led you to safety when Jai saved you. Your Lord is a sham! Nothing but a sham, Abraham! Your so-called purity is as fallible as my apparent corruption. ARJUN I thought we were friends. I thought we were in this together. A piercing noise is heard, as though a plane is spiralling out of control, towards the ground. One after the other, everyone keeps falling down, dead. HARSH We are friends, and we are in this together. Were all dying together. It was good knowing all of you. You guys made each moment worth living. In a fairer world, you would have thanked me for what Ive done. And he falls down too. A loud thud is heard, andFADE TO BLACK. The radio, which had been broadcasting white noise till now, suddenly crackles to life. RADIO Every person who smiled. Every bee that hummed over every flower. Every rainbow in the sky. Every little kid who demanded an iced lolly on a hot summer day. Every snow man. Every tree house. Every kiss. Every new born. Every rain dance. Every fleeting moment of happiness. Every fleeting moment of togetherness. Everything. The asteroid has made contact. We will be losing the signal any second now. It was good knowing you all. Probably, in some after life, in some form or the other, we will meet again. Probably we would be friends. Probably we would have learnt from this existence. Probably we would cherish every single moment of our next life. Probably we wont live the same sad day over and over again. Till then, I think this is the end. And the radio loses signal, broadcasting white noise again. CURTAINS.