The Dead Dog
A small single storey house away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Old Avinash Babu used to live there alone. His only companion was a 'bagha'—a common country dog. But the tiger was ordinary but extraordinary; He could not speak properly, but understood everything in Avinash Babu's mind.
The tiger died last Tuesday. He was dull due to old age. Avinash Babu gave him soil under the mango tree behind the house with utmost compassion. It's been three days today.
A strange silence
The house is very quiet now. Earlier in the morning, Avinash Babu would wake up to the sound of the tiger's tail. Now I wake up habitually, but the warm feeling at my feet is gone. While eating lunch, Avinash Babu still took two extra rice in the plate, then suddenly remembered - there is no tiger.
A light rain fell in the afternoon. Avinash Babu was sitting on the balcony looking at the darkness outside. Suddenly he felt a familiar shadow moving in a corner of the yard. In his blurry eyes, it seemed like the tiger was getting wet in the rain and was looking at the door and wagging its tail.
"Come in, tiger come in!" he shouted.
But soon Sambit returned. There is only rain water, no one else. His chest twisted with an unknown pain.
Last farewell or new beginning?
That night Avinash Babu saw a dream. He saw that the tiger was sitting on the mango tree. But he is not as weak or sick as before. His hair is shiny. He looked at Avinash Babu and gave a satisfied call. It was as if the tiger wanted to convince him in his dream—he is no longer in trouble, he is free.
The next morning, Avinash Babu's mind felt a little lighter. He realized that death can happen to the body, but not to the memory. He came out with the market bag. On his way back, he saw a small puppy covered in mud and shivering at the crossroads.
Avinash Babu stopped. He called out a biscuit from his pocket. As the young dog came towards him, he saw a glimmer of faith in its eyes, just like a tiger's.
Bagha may not have returned, but the place of love he has created in Avinash Babu's heart, there is no stopping anyone else from taking refuge there.