A Different Path

Glass

Then Karna lunged forward, slammed Duryodhana to the floor, and locked both his hands in his own, immobilizing his friend underneath him. Durydhana thrashed his arms and limbs wildly but he was weaker now and still under the influence of the sura so his attempts were frankly easily.

"Let me go," Duryodhana screamed at him, trying to kick him in the chest but Karna held him hard, almost bruising his wrists with the intensity of his grip.

"No."

"You fucking---aarghh" Duryodhana growled and Karna could feel the anger building inside his friend, his stance recovering to that of the fighter he was. "I'll kill you..who are....I'll kill-"

"Your brothers are dead."

Duryodhana stilled immediately, mouth frozen with unspoken obscenities as Karna's words hit him straight through the fog of cartloads of alcohol and his harrowing lamentation. A wild, ominous streak of insanity swirled in his eyes, his weary face flickering with dread.

"But see," Karna's voice caught in his throat and he looked up "there's Dushasan. He's still here. He's your brother too and he's still here."

Duryodhana blinked. He swallowed and raised his head slightly at Dushasan, who stood mute, breathing heavily, too overcome with shock to do or say anything.

"You hit him Duryodhana...... he's your brother....your favorite...he loves you and you hit him. You hit HIM !"

Duryodhana' eyes fluttered and Karna saw, he actually saw the self-destructing hysteria, that immeasurable sorrow, that wretched shame slowly ebbing away in waves. The silence hung around them, heavy with emotions so intricate and tangled that a century wouldn't have enough time to scrutinize and make sense of them.

And then he looked at him. Actually looked at him and Karna saw recognition flood his face.

"Karna? Is that you?"

Karna heard Dushasan gasp aloud but he maintained his steady gaze on Duryodhana.

"Yes." He whispered lightly, the word drowning and dissolving in the tension that filled the room.

"But you left.....Have you returned?" Karna flinched at the raw emotion in his trembling voice, entwined with a frightening, ghastly optimism.

"Yes" Karna choked out. His voice was broken and cracking and sounded completely unfamiliar to his ears.

"But you left........you left....you" Duryodhana's expression changed, dark anger overcoming his handsome features "You....you are with them....aren't you? You betrayed me....you left ......those Pandavas...they got to you, didn't they?"

"No....I...."

"And you too!" He accused a horrified Dushasan "You're with them too, aren't you? You're all with them! Go on do it....what are you waiting for?"