Munna: Oye, this bottle is mine, you dumb fool! Why do you keep coming to my side of the pile? Even yesterday you took all those poly bags from my side. I am telling you that if you do not stop then I am going to slit your throat with my knife.
Bablu: As if your mother has brought you a knife, (smiling cunningly).
Munna: Oye Bhenchod(Abusing), even my nails are sharp enough to kill a rat like you. They are sharper than any knife. Do you want to be a scapegoat? Let me see if they work well on your throat. By the way here it is. Munna showed a pocket knife to Bablu.
Bablu: Ohh God! Where did you get this from? You are a Bhai now (Gangster).
Munna: See, I told you that I will be like Dawood one day.
Bablu: Yes you are but let us just focus on finishing our work then we have to go rub marijuana as well else it will get dark and there are too many poisonous creatures near cremation ground.
Munna: Ohh yes! Bablu, I must tell you that the plant we rubbed last week was incompatible. I have never smoked such a delicacy in my entire life.
Bablu: True brother but this time we will use paper. I have saved 10Rs. I always wanted to smoke it in a paper.
Munna: Wow my tiger. You have made my day already. I have seen those rich motherfuckers smoking it in a paper. Now Bhai will become one of them. (Giggling)
Bablu: Don't worry brother. Today we will smoke like the Gentlemen. Come on, let us finish our work.
Munna and Bablu were orphans living on the footpath near Dongri chaal (A Slum in Mumbai). Bablu was 12 years old. Dark complexion with big white eyes and very week body. Munna was a little taller then Bablu. Wheatish complexion, small but clever eyes. They both used to collect plastic waste from the Garbage dump of the city and then sell it to a trader of recyclable waste. They used to earn 20 to 30 rupee a day.
Munna: Brother, I am telling you that the Cannabis plants near the cremation ground are the best. I never felt that high which I get from those plants. It's like floating in Paradise after smoking it. Even if I pass from there, the smell makes me crazy.
Bablu: I know that brother. Let us go there now but we gotta buy paper first from that fancy cigarette shop.
Munna: Okay, let us first buy the paper because once I am done with rubbing plant, I cannot wait to smoke it.
Both of them went to the shop and bought the paper. Both were so happy and were walking in a dancing mode. Today they felt like as if they have entered into the elite class of the society.
Munna: Did you see that Motherfucker came out of the shop to give us paper. It is all because I am getting famous now. People are scared of me because now I carry a knife with me. This scares the shit out of them.
Bablu: True brother. That motherfucker was in a kind of hurry. He would have given us the paper for free. Next time you deal with him. Now we will only use paper. Our lives are going to change now, Munna.
Both were now walking swiftly towards the cremation ground to feast on to what they have earned. They were now least bothered about anything else.
Right outside the cremation ground, there was a row of fancy houses. Fancy houses with luxury cars. Once they jumped the front gate they picked their spot and started rubbing Cannabis leaves in between their palms. Suddenly Bablu sniffed in the air as if trying to smell something.
Bablu: Brother, I think someone is cooking mutton in those houses.
Munna: (smelling) Ohh yes! you are right my tiger. Wow, it smells amazing. I wonder how will it taste?
Bablu: Ask me. I have eaten Mutton many times. A few months back when I was collecting empty water bottles outside a marriage palace, I found a tub. It was full of plastic plates but half of those plates still had food in it. Mutton, chicken, Cheese and what not. I tasted all but I liked mutton the most. Those idiots were throwing such a delicacy. I pitied them. I ate until my stomach was packed. I even packed a lot of it in a plastic bag for the next day. It smelled like it was cooked in Desi Ghee (Purified Butter).
Munna: You motherfucker, you did not give me any of it. You are such a bastard. Let my time come and then I will show you.
Bablu: Don't get angry for no reason. You were not there with me. I believe that you were with Aslam. Remember when you went with him to steal all those street Bulbs! Why fight over it now. Keep rubbing while smelling this wonderful delicacy.
Munna: You are right and I think that they too are cooking it in a Pure Ghee.
Bablu: Ohh yes, Mutton should always be cooked in Pure Ghee. It not only adds on the flavour but is also good for the strength. I am sure it is the smell of Pure Ghee.
Munna: You motherfucker, will you shut your ugly mouth now? You bastard, you did not tell me about it till today.
Bablu: Leave it Munna. Awwwhh, Just smell it. I believe that they have added some cinnamon too. I can smell it. It smells so good.
Munna: Yeah, I can smell it too. I think that they have added some Black Pepper also. I know the smell and the taste of the Black Pepper.
Bablu: No no, I don't think it is the smell of the Black Pepper. It must be some other spice. I know the taste. I did not taste black pepper when I ate it. They do not use Black Pepper in Mutton.
Munna: Fuck you bastard. It is the smell of the black pepper. I know it as I have once tasted it at Lalla's shop. It smells like this only.
Bablu: You don't know anything about the mutton Munna. I know the smell and taste too. I know about it and do not forget that I have tasted it before.
Munna: Don't show off Bablu. You claim to know the taste as if your slut mother gave you birth after eating Black pepper.
Bablu: Mind your language Munna. Do not cross your limits else!
Munna: What else you pimp? Do not try to be over smart with me, else I will slit your throat and will throw you in the same hole where you have come from. He opened his pocket knife and waved it in front of Bablu.
Bablu: Try it asshole and then I will show you what I am capable of.
Munna: Really, then show me! Saying this he slung Bablu's throat with his knife.
Bablu fell on the ground with blood oozing out of his neck and eyes wide open looking at Munna as if he was saying, What for?
Munna was standing there frozen. For a moment, he looked at Bablu and saw the blood fountaining out from the cut and then he turned his face towards the houses and took a deep breath.
I have a few questions to ask myself. Am I a very good writer? Am I someone who could bring a change in the way people think? What is my contribution to the society? These questions are still unanswered. I am looking for the answer and I don't know, how long I will have to wait for it.
All I know is that I have some work behind me to announce myself as a writer i.e. "Hennerieta Isabella", "1947 A Love Story", "Jihad". Am I satisfied with what I have written? No, I am not but now I have written "Black Pepper". It has satisfied some part of inner me. Some of you will like it and some of you will reject it but as a writer, it surely has satisfied me somewhere. I would request you all to say whatever you feel like in comments. I will be glad of receiving all type of feedbacks.
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