The Manipulator, by:The Sanchari.

I thought of the story and wrote up an outline - see below. The dialogues need to be added.
The characters need to be expanded and made real. Lots of mistakes - forgive me.
Please feel free to comment, add and subtract, extend or shorten, write pieces of dialog, change the progression or flow of the story, whichever way you wish to vent your creativity.

Characters in the Play:

1. DEATH (Yama) who is depicted as a skeletal figure holding a scythe and hourglass with a crow nearby. The personification of death. Death is depicted as a man or cloaked skeleton holding a scythe.

2. ABHAY (Protagonist) - a young man just recently married to ASHA. Abhay is psychic by nature and very often sees DEATH as it performs its task of dragging away the soul from the body. Abhay is also a clever and upwardly mobile person who has his share of negatives. He does not believe anything that his brother tells him regarding business and he hates it when his father constantly calls him a “Dreamer” - “Nalayak” – “Nikamma” etc.etc. His father does not like him very much compared to Bhaiya.
3. ASHA - a young woman just recently married to Abhay. Asha is a religious character who fasts and prays for her husband’s health and happiness and who
believes implicitly in ‘pathivratha’ and the power that gives to married women. She has been brought up in a rich family in spiritual surroundings.
4. ADITH - Abhay's colleague from work. Adith is a no nonsense, matter of fact, character and believes in being transparent.
5. PITHAJI - Abhay’s father. A business tycoon who does not allow anyone to
Interfere with his business – not even his sons or wife. Babuji does not believe in any religion. His god is money! He does not like his younger son as much as he likes the older one.
6. USHA MA - Abhay’s mother. A god-fearing, prayerful housewife who is very devoted to her husband. She too prays daily for his health and happiness. She has been married to him for over 30 years now and knows him inside out. She treats her daughters-in-law very well with a lot of love and respect.
7. BHAIYA - Abhay’s older brother. He had a good education and is almost taking over from his father. Bhaiya is married to his college girl friend – who trapped him by faking pregnancy. Bhaiya does not like Abhay going to the office and checking on things.
8. NILOO – Abhay;s Bhabhi, Bhaiya’s wife. A real floozy. The clubbing type – and loves to collect MEN. Bhaiya has no time for her. She is not the least spiritual and does not believe in any of the rites and rituals.

OPENING SCENE

Abhay is dying. The sick room is full of machinery droning on endlessly with a kind of white noise. Asha has her eyes closed - praying, but suddenly awakens, and in the dim morning light notices a tall figure standing near the dying person. Startled and frightened, Asha is frozen in awe. The figure is wearing a long, dark, flowing robe, much like the robes worn by ancient monks, but no face or extremities can be seen. It seems to be in a meditation-type state.
Abhay’s breaths become labored. Asha gathers up courage and jumps up and on top of Abhay covering him with her body. Turning her face towards Death she says.

ASHA: NO! You cannot take him from me. STOP! She takes the Kumkum she wears on her forehead and puts it on Abhay’s forehead. She starts chanting –

“Mruthyunjayaya Rudraya Nilakantaya Shambhavey Amrutheshaya Sarvaya Mahadeva yathey namaha”. She chants faster and faster.

Suddenly, Death gives a loud resounding laugh and says -

DEATH: Nobody! Nobody can live forever. I shall be back! I shall be back! ..

Repeating this Death leaves the scene (actually disappears into thin air)

Asha is sobbing and continues chanting.

Suddenly Abhay opens his eyes. His breathing is normal.

ABHAY: ASHA - I am still alive! Thank God. Thanks to your prayer.

Asha gets up and stands beside him wiping her tears - “As long as I have this Mangal Sutra Death will not be able to touch you – I challenge”.

ABHAY: He will come again – Asha! Believe me! He Will….

Scene Ends.

SCENE-2:

Flash back to about six months ago. When Abhay is a bachelor and he has not yet expressed his feelings for Asha. Abhay;s friend Adith is trying to woo Asha, but she has not let it go far. Abhay hates Adith ever since he found out.

Abhay and Adith are walking in the park and they talk about each other's lives and interests. Adith tells Abhay how much he loves Asha - their colleague. Adith is shocked. Adith has intentions of marrying Asha, how dare Adith come in his way. Abhay decides to disclose to Adith his intentions.

During the conversation, Abhay tells Adith about the trauma he suffered in his childhood when he saw his grand-parents being killed by unknown gunmen, while he was thrown against the wall and fell unconscious. When he opened his eyes – he saw a tall dark figure holding a long stick with a scythe on the end of it – making strange sounds (like chanting) and waving his open pal, over the bodies of his grand parents. What he saw next made him hysterical and confused. He saw both the dead people stand up and move away with the devilish tall figure – and yet - the two of them were lying dead right there on the floor.

Abhay tells Adith about how he has been able to see the same figure several times and has even been able to converse with him . He tells Adith that the creature is YAMA – the messenger of death. He is DEATH personified.

Adith does not believe the story. He ridicules Abhay. Adith thinks that Abhay is trying to cover up his shortcomings and inadequecies by putting the blame on his upbringing. They argue. Abhay is irritated and leaves vowing to take vengeance on Adith.

End of Scene 2

SCENE-3

Abhay decides that it is time to get rid of Adith because he is blocking his path towards love, happiness and sex – his object of love Asha.

He realizes that he can get rid of all his problems and his enemies if he could just manipulate Death.

Abhay has a conversation with Death and he asks Death to help him overcome his enemies. Death agrees to help him provided he helps Death with some “transitions” that Death is unable to accomplish on his own. Death is after all a representative of God and Time and hence has a covenant that he cannot “transition” any unwilling living being who follows the principles and commandments laid out by God. Such a being has to willingly go with dearth through the “transition”.

So Death asks Abhay to do the job for him. Abhay thiuks he has tricked Death into doing the dirty work for him. Little does he realize what Death has in store for him.

SCENE-4

Abhay has called Adith for a reconciliation meeting in the park at dusk. They meet and Abhay makes up with Adith apologizing for his earlier flare up. Abhay also tells Adith that he loves Asha and needs to marry her and will let nothing come in between them. Adith is listening and is extremely saddened by Abhay’s request to let go of Asha. He is depressed. He goes off wandering under the trees when suddenly - the branch from a tree falls o him and he is fatally wounded. He calls out to Abhay for help. Abhay looks around and sure enough – he finds Death standing nearby ready to take away Adith. Adith ends his life with a plea to Abhay - he asks Abhay to be very good to Asha and that he will watch over her from above. Death chuckles – only Abhay can hear it – Death tells Abhay now it is your turn to do my bidding. Saying – I will be seeing you soon - Death walks off with Adith’s soul in the noose.

SCENE - 5

Abhay meets Asha and tells her about what happened to Adith. She sobs and tells Abhay what a good friend Adith was. They have a conversation in which Abhay begins to woo her and capture her love. They decide to meet again and split. As soon as she is gone Death comes before Abhay and tells him that he is unable to take the life of Usha Ma (Abhay’s mother) and he wants Abhay to do that for him. Abhay is shocked – he never expected Death to come up with such a terrible impossible request. However, he tells Death he will keep his word but since this is a very difficult thing to do and he has to suppress all his feelings to do it, Death has to do him one more favor. Death tells him he will think about it after he has completed this task.

SCENE-6

Its 11pm and everybody in the household have gone to sleep. He slips a particular herbal poison into a glass of warm milk and takes it to his mother. This poison will go undetected and everybody will think it is death by heart attack. On the way, his father meets him. Pithajee tells him t go back to sleep and that he will deliver the milk to his mother. Pithajee thinks that Abhay has really changed for the good and is now being a dutiful son. He feels a sense of pride. He thinks – I wonder whether the milk tastes better when it is given with love (I mean served with love!!!).

He takes a sip and likes the taste. He decides to drink it all and later get another glass of milk for Usha. The whole household is shocked to see Pithajee dead. Doctors pronounce that he died of Heartattack. Abhay cries. He is shocked and screwed from both sides. He hasn’t fulfilled his promise to Death and second he has killed Pithajee before he could get all the property transferred to his name.

Abhay’s plan was to get Death to kill his Bhaiya and then Pithajee will have no choice but to transfer all the properties and business in Abhay’s name.

SCENE-7

Conversation between Death and Abhay. Abhay tells death he will attempt to kill his mother tonight and death has to kill Bhaiya on Karva Chauth day (following week). Death asks – why on that particular day and Abhay gives an explanation.

SCENE-8

It is around 10pm. Abhay enters his mother’s bedroom with a glass of poisoned milk. He is shocked to see her sitting in front of the dressing mirror, all dressed up in her wedding saree and decked with all the jewellery. Usha Ma seems to be anticipating death. Abhay tells her she is behaving ridiculous dressing up this way especially since Pithajee just died a few days ago. What will people say. Usha Ma explains that she is going to meet Pithajee tonight and he will never accept her in a plain white saree devoid of jewellery. Hence she is all dressed and ready to go.

Abhay is shocked. He sees Death standing nearby and watching. Death is having a good laugh. This time his mother has cheated Abhay. He decided to leave the room, but, his mother calls him and asks for the glass of milk. She drinks it and says goodbye my son – may I never have a son like you again. Abhay is sticken with grief.

She’s gone. Death drags her soul off.

SCENE-9

It is Karva Chauth day. Asha has by now started minglig with the family. It is dusk and Bhaiya and Neelu are on the terrace. Bahiya wants Neelu to do the traditional pooja and look at the moon through the “Seive” and pray for his long life, as all wives do on that night. Abhay and Asha join them on the terrace. Neelu doesn’t believe in all this. She has a good laugh. She tells Bhaiya – I shall do it just this once in order to entertain Abhay and Asha. Nothing more.

As she starts looking at the moon through the “sieve” Death appears suddenly out of nowhere – only Abhay can see him and is shocked. He exclaims loudly - “Bhaiya look out”. Bhaiya turns and accidently knocks the “sieve” from Neelu’s hand. The Sieve is falling and Bhaiya jumps to grab it – he trips and falls head first on the floor and dies. Death grabs his soul and drags it away. Neelu is shocked and crying. She says she never knew her disregard of prayers and poojas will lead to her widowhood. The whole house is depressed. Abhay begins to feel terrible that he had to lose his only brother.

SCENE-10

Abhay and Asha have been married and leading a good life. Abhay is a business tycoon with a ruthless streak like his father. Suddenly Abhay falls sick and has to be admitted in the hospital. Abhay tells her of his meetings with Death and how it all started.

ABHAY: I have seen him several times. My grandmother saw him come out of the wood stove to take my mother away when she was a baby. I’ve seen him in my home since the time I was 7 years old. I remember when it all started. It was 2 am that night when I jumped up out of a dead sleep because it was really hot and I heard screaming and yelling coming from my grandfather’s room. So I went to his room and there he was – Death - standing over top of my grandfather and grandmother’s burning bodies. It scared the shit of me so bad that I ran to my room and left them to burn to death. Even today I feel guilty for that, and I have never forgiven Death. But every day of my life now I feel his presence, in our home, that will not let me sleep. I saw him when Father died, when Mother dies, when brother died and it is my turn to die. When he enters, the room gets chilled and he has that cold-blooded ruthless expression when he drags their souls out of their bodies and takes them away with scant respect. I tell you, ASHA, nobody must ever have to face him.

ASHA: Abhay I have a lot of faith in my GOD and HE knows I am siuncere in my prayers. I will never have to face him. I am sure when it is my turn to die, I will come to know if it much earlier so I can prepare myself to meet my GOD.

But, if he ever comes for your soul, he will see my God’s Shakti. Let him be warned. I am a Pathivrata and women like me have the power of Goddess Shakti in them.

SCENE-11

Flash Forward to the SCENE-1. In the hospital.

DEATH leaves Abhay for the last time saying - Do you really think immortality is the greatest boon? You will find out. One day you will beg for me to come to you, but I will not be there to let you manipulate me again!

END OF PLAY