The blinding light of the moon cast an eerie glow over the young woman running breathlessly onward. There was a fire blazing somewhere in the depths of her heart, that threatened to burn through her very skin itself. I can't do this... She thought, feeling the hot stains left by the trailing tears. I can't do this without you Arnav...I can't live the rest of my life, simply hoping...that one day, you'll be mine once more. A sob of defeat escaped her throat, as she felt her knees weaken underneath her. She was crumbling. Life had simply become another means to deliver pain to her already scathed heart. Every moment, she felt the guilt. She felt the excruciating burn rush through her skin like wildfire swallowing a forest. It hurt. Oh it hurt so much.
Khushi collapsed to the road, helplessly burying her face in her hands. All the tears that had been hidden within her for three long years, escaped like restless waves of the ocean. "Arnav come back!!" She screamed into the air, with a twinge of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, her Devi Mayyia had acknowledged her pleas. But the night remained silent...with nothing to be heard except for her own, pitiful wails.
The rain began to pelt down, engulfing her within their arms. Thunder grumbled above, and lighting pierced the sky. Khushi closed her eyes, allowing the rain to swallow her up. Please God... kill me... I want to be with Arnav... Please... She sat, in a pool of water, wanting the ground to simply open up and suck her inside. She was trapped. Trapped in this life...no...not life... there was no life without Arnav... She was trapped in hell. What have I done, that destiny is punishing me so cruelly? With each thought, her pain grew...and her strength faded. She didn't have the energy to fight anymore. She didn't have it within her. She closed her eyes, feeling herself weakening. The darkness seemed to be sweeping in on her, enveloping her entirely. A curtain of black slowly covered her eyes, as tiredness took over at last.
He found her in a state that he had never imagined to see. The bright, chirpy girl that he had known once upon a time, had changed. He pushed away a strand of hair that kissed her cheek, and gazed at her. The moment his eyes fell on her, he sat transfixed. He was no more concerned with the thunderous warnings of the sky, or the rain, soaking through, to his very skin itself. He could do nothing but gaze at her, and wonder, how he had managed to spend 3 long years without her. "Khushi..." He whispered, closing his eyes, at the feel of her name on his lips. "What have you done to yourself...?" He asked quietly, to the girl who lay unconscious at his feet. He bent down sliding his hands underneath her head. There was one thing that time had not been able to change--Khushi's innocence. The one quality which had led him to realize his love. He crouched down, pulling her head into his chest. He hugged her, tightly, tears seeping from his longing eyes. "Oh Khushi..." His hand trailed to her knees, lifting her into his arms, yearning for the feel of her skin. His heart was racing, quicker than ever before. He had found Khushi. He had found her at last.
He slowly brought her to his car, placing her lightly on to the seat. He gazed into her closed eyes, simply wanting to melt within them...but he couldn't do that...Khushi was hurt... she needed help... He pulled back reluctantly. "I love you Khushi..." The man whispered, before reaching for the door handle. But something stopped him. Her hand clutched onto the collar of his shirt, Her neck was craned towards him, and her eyes were closed. The man's heart skipped a beat, only to be quickly settled, after noticing that she had not seen him yet... He didn't want her to. He winced, before gently sliding her hand off of him, and rushing to get into the driver's seat of the car.
The trip was silent. Khushi's face became paler with every passing moment, causing his anxiety to rise. His eyes were constantly flickering from the wet, slippery road ahead of him, to the angel sitting beside him. His angel. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, knowing that things were no longer the same. Everything had changed. And he would simply have to understand that. He looked ahead, sternly, warning himself against gazing at his beloved. Suddenly, he heard a light moan beside him. He turned around immediately, forgetting his vow. "Khushi?" He called, worriedly. But she didn't respond. Her body was frail, shaking violently with every motion. He stopped the car. The pain was unbearable. The pain to see her in such a state was simply unimaginable. He moved forward, taking his jacket off in a swift movement. Without a second thought, he draped it over her shivering body. She curled within it, a look of relaxation overcoming her. She seemed to be nothing less than a fantasy itself. There was no beauty that was even comparable to her beauty...her innocence... it was driving him crazy.
The windshield wipers worked quickly, fighting the heavy flooding of rain outside. Why did she do it? He wondered to himself, though he knew the answer well enough. It scared him. How was it possible to love anyone enough to give their life for them, as Khushi had tried to do? Of course, he wouldn't have thought another minute either, if the question had been about Khushi's life. He sighed. Is it normal to love anyone this much? He thought, an unknown fear striking him. What would he have done if he had not found Khushi? Perhaps gone mad. He'd done enough madness in the past three years to last him a lifetime. He shook his head, trying to clear his head of the disturbing thoughts. But despite his nervousness, he couldn't help but send a silent prayer of thanks, to the lord above, for protecting his life...Khushi.
The car came to an abrupt stop as he realized, that in the mess of his own thoughts, he had forgotten that they had driven past his house. He sighed, parking the car on the side of the road, and stepping out. Now for the tough part. To look at Khushi. There was something about her... something that made him crave for more and more. His desires never stopped with Khushi. In fact, the more his gaze sunk into Khushi's, the more he wanted to hold her close, and never let go. But destiny had chosen otherwise. He closed the door shut lightly, frightened of awaking the sleeping angel.
He bent towards her, avoiding her face at all costs. It would entrap him. As always. His hand travelled across her back, snuggling into her neck, as the other hand wrapped around her knees, lifting her in his arms once more. Her head slowly wandered up to his shoulder, pressing herself with him. The man felt his breathing quicken. The feel of her, wrapped snugly in his arms was richer than anything that he had ever experienced. It sent shivers down his spine.
"I...don't..." Khushi mumbled, still half unconscious. Arnav bent his head in surprise, at the unexpected voice. "I don't want this... please..." she whispered, her lips grazing his ear. He closed his eyes, shuddering at the sensation. The three years that he had spent without her seemed to be nothing less than an eternity. He remained silent, afraid, heart of hearts, that she might recognize his voice.
"I want... I need..." She corrected herself, sleepily. "I need...to be...with...Arnav... please... let me...let me die..." The man felt his breath hitch. He felt the tears, approaching his eyes, threatening to spill. He felt his heart sink, as he closed his eyes. He blinked, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Without thinking any further, he thrust open the door of his house, and proceeded inside. The Raizada mansion had always been special to him. It reminded him of his tragic past, and the beautiful future that he would have had with his wife...before...before the accident. But I've found you now Khushi... and nothing will ever separate us...nothing... I promise.
He walked up the winding stairs, leading his sleeping princess into the bedroom. He'd not entered the room for three years now. It gave him nothing but pain. The pain of losing Khushiā¦and the frustration for not being able to do anything about it. It held nothing more. But somehow, today, when he entered the room with Khushi in his arms, he had different feelings arousing in his heart. Things would return to normalā¦the way they had been before the tragedy. Everything would be alright and they would continue living their life from where they had left off. Despite this, he knew that it was near impossible that anything would return to normal. Three years of meaningless separation. It had to have some effect. He winced, trying to shake the uneasy thoughts from his mind. He slowly walked towards the bed, and hesitantly placed Khushi down. Who knew when he would be able to feel her in his arms once more? He closed his eyes, sitting down beside her. She was truly an angel. The pale white of her skin reflected the darkness of the room like the moonlight, and her fragile form was breathtaking. As if in a trance, he reached over, brushing away the strand of hair falling on her face. He could feel her relaxing under his touch, and couldn't help the slow smile that spread across his lips. He bent down, lifting Khushi's head in his hands, as his lips slowly caressed hers. His heart was thudding in his chest, at the feel of her lips engulfed within his own. It felt perfect. He hadn't realized how hard he was pressing, until he heard a slight moan from the small form underneath him. He quickly moved back, slightly embarrassed at how far he had gotten carried away. He gently lay her head on the pillow, positioning it exactly the way she used to like it. And ever so silently, the man, Arnav Singh Raizada, crept out of the room, leaving his wife to sleep in peace, after three long years.
Ganesh Kartikeya
Current Affairs
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