Posted:
Nice update..
Living it very much..
Superbly written..
You described the emotions beautifully..
Please con soonz..
Don't Fall.Rise in love!
Part-1:
Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart fly at your service.
-Shakespeare.
The rising:
The first day!
The first question he raised once clutched her hand was, "Why didn't you come to see me before?"
Uncle, who was standing with a nurse had told him a thousand times, at least that she would, once she could that she was a bit weak and uncle had asserted him that she was asking -every time he entered into her room was just about him only. But still Arjun wanted to ask once more.
He was searching her face for any recognition of that face. But he could not recollect his memory of her, how hard he tried, though.
She blinked a moment before saw every face around, then said slowly, "I too was waiting for a long time,"
She was telling with a lot of animated expressions that even Ayesha raised an eyebrow at her, who was not happy with the very idea of sending Sakshi to Arjun like this.
Arjun smiled and turned to his uncle, "Thanks uncle,"
"It's ok Arjun-"
"For at last let her see me,"
Embarrassed, his uncle was trying to say something, but he had gone back to his wife.
He touched a plaster on her wrist.
"Does it hurt?" he asked softly, forgetting the bandage covering his own hand.
"If I had said yes, would they have allowed me to see you?"
She said with a smile.
But he was not satisfied.
"Now tell me if it hurts,"
She hesitated a moment then leaned forward to him and whispered something. He looked up at her once, before laughed aloud. His body ached in many parts, but he was in no mood to mind.
Everyone in the room tried to relax, when a doctor came in and dispersed everyone, apologetically.
Arjun took the injection happily.
Sakshi went out as Arjun slept peacefully, to take a breath.
Chottu and I crowded her as Ayesha went straight to the uncle/psychiatrist's room in the other wing.
The falling:
Sakshi was walking- on her own- up the hill, aimlessly.
No, it was the false statement of the week. She was walking for some purpose. Important purpose. One purpose.
She was going to die- simply going to fall from the hill.
No one will trace her back. No one will annoy her anymore. Soon this world can forget her.
Who is there to remember her, anyway?
'Orphans can come and go," as he said, Without question, in this world.'
It seems none expected, except herself, that, she wanted to earn and give it to her little brothers and sisters in the orphanage.
She clutched the bag tight and walked more and more up, fast.
What did he say?
I''ll give you this job, but with one condition.'
Idiot!
How could she go back to Father and tell this?
Suppose she could tell to Sheela aunty, but she knew well, how the cook would react. It was always her talk that if a woman behaved well, no man would annoy her. Why should disturb him and why should face the consequences.
Even Sakshi had returned well a dozen times whenever aunty tried to provoke her anger with this sort of arguments.
But now, what she could tell, if aunty told something as if it was her fault for the condition the manager announced.
She could tell her only mistake was to born as a girl. But what she could do for that?
Sakshi reached the side barrier and peered out.
She thought about the possibilities.
No one should get the body, she decided, before resumed walking up.
Perhaps, Father will feel for her, for a short period of time then he too has to move on, right?
He has other children to take care of.
He clutched her hand suddenly and forced her to kiss. Even if it was a big shock to her, she acted boldly with a sudden rage.
She took a table lamp and broke his head. She was still standing there in that room, while he was lying unconscious on the floor, trying to compose herself.
Carefully, she left the suite and walked out quietly.
There was no problem up to that. Suddenly terror caught her.
What if someone blame her for the attack? Even worse... police?
'I'll do anything to get you.'
What a shame for Father while he did nothing but brought her up this long!
She can't be a burden to him anymore.
She thought of the new baby arrived at the home a week before.
She smiled bitterly at the thought of the child's giggling.
She too has none, but she was all laughing.
It's not permanent, she will come to know.
What time has planned for her will be revealed one day as was done to Sakshi.
She was exhausted of walking when she heard a voice, from the next turn below her.
She guessed the depth would suit her now and once the voice behind crossed her she would do the job.
She waited patiently hugging the bag, her last property, near the barrier and acted as if she was there standing leisurely sight-seeing.
Two figures came into view and passed her. A pair. Perhaps lovers.
Sakshi could not say what they saw in her face, they suddenly fell silent and went away.
Suddenly Sakshi got panic-stricken that what if they were good enough to notice and try to stop her.
Why should take chances?
She walked briskly to a rock on the opposite side of the hill road and sat on it.
What she had done to face this fate was still a mystery.
Born as a girl- alone, in this world- is really that much a sin?
'You will come to me. You can't go anywhere that I can't find you where.'
If there was a general law, for anyone could live as they wished, why should Sakshi-s seek hill?
Suddenly she remembered that some residue of the stain was still with her.
She almost tore the bag before came out with a white sheet of paper.
It was the letter that beast had sent to her to meet him.
Now she would not meet anyone in this damn world except death.
It won't ask you anything in return, but will give you peace, instead.
Father one day, perhaps will pray for her soul to rest in peace. But without doing anything for him she is going now.
She knew he would forgive her for that too.
She felt the tears running down her cheeks.
The man in that pair said something and the girl hushed him.
Once they reached a tree nearby and hid from view, the man said, "Pree, I think it's love failure."
"Veer, speak low. She can hear you."
"I bet it's a love letter. Can't you see she is crying looking at it? Perhaps...
They had gone out of ear shot.
'A love letter!'
If love has a deathly face, it is!
She started tearing that letter into pieces.
A sudden gust collected them from her and blew them across the road.
She thought if life could be whisked like that, she would be a piece of that paper, by now.
What if someone appeared suddenly and advised that suicide was not only an offence, but a sin? If you want, come with me, I'll give you a job and all- and to promise that never would think about committing suicide again- like in cinemas?
None will- even if they come, will you trust them Sakshi, after what you experienced today?
Isn't it a shame even to think like that?
On impulse, she stood up and rushed toward the other side of the road, where she could fly with that paper scraps in the air and could lose the burdens of life, once for all.
She was in the middle of the road as well as the floating papers, when she heard a sudden screeching of tires next to her and she tried to cover her face with the back of her hands a moment too late.
She was thrown away across the road.
The rising:
Uncle was explaining his plans to us.
Everyone was silent in confusion, but not me. He was talking about a morphing photograph, which had been prepared with Arjun and Sakshi's faces.
"I have some more here," he took them out of his desk drawer and tossed them on the desk.
"It worked well, you know-"
"Did he see them?"
I asked suddenly.
Uncle was taken aback, "Why, no. But she has one with her."
"Then, never let him see them. Hed find out."
"Bad work?" his voice showed his disappointment.
I shook my head.
"Worse."
Then I agreed to prepare some, but not without proper warnings,
"Better retrieve the one you gave her, before it ruined your plan altogether."
Part-2:
And ruined love, when it is built anew, Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater.
-shakespeare.
The rising:
We clutched Sakshi's hands and appreciated her for the wonderful performance as Ayesha sat before uncle.
"I think it's better if we tell her now,"
"She is better now I think," he smiled.
"See, it'll hurt her-"
"Ayesha, what'll you do if you go to the office in the morning with no emergency calls arrived, none needed you?"
"What?"
The doctor's smile faded.
"What'll you do if you have nothing to do, for a week, a month... I bet, you'll go mad, if you don't have anything to do, anything to work with. I've given her some work, Ayesha, to work with. Youve to think something, do something, right? It's psychology. Do you know how I met her a week before?"
"Doctor,"
"Didn't you see it worked, Ayesha?"
"Yes, it did. That's what I fear the most."
"See dear, we've already discussed this-"
"You informed us, yes."
"Whatever. They are happy. That's what we wanted."
"You wanted doctor," she corrected him once again, "What if he knows? What if she knows?"
"They can blame me. I-"
"This is not about who can blame whom about. It's about what's their position in life?"
"As I told you Ive spoken with Father. See, I adopted her before planned this. If you can see-"
"Not fair, doctor. She believes you."
"And I believe in her, Ayesha."
"How selfish!"
"No, I'm talking about her, not him. See, she'll recover soon. There is no brain damage. It's just a shock of the accident. Moreover, I ought to do her something. Can't you see, Ayesha? I can't forget ever that it's my son who is the reason for her present state. Now he needs a hand, that's why I gave hers to him."
As her face didn't clear, he added softly, "Wounded hearts entwine, perfectly."
She was not done yet, "What if she recovers from her memory-loss as you claim, soon-now?"
"She'll tell me the same, at once."
He laughed.
"Doctor this is not a laughing stuff!"
Her voice showed her irritation.
The doctor chuckled.
"See, dear, she'll do as I say, trust me. Nothing will go wrong."
A nurse entered in quietly and put a paper before the doctor.
He read it quietly and moved it to Ayesha.
It read, ''She is sitting in the next room.'
Sakshi wanted to see the doctor at once. As he had instructed, she sat outside his office, in the next room which was a rest room and she could hear the talk in the other room. She didn't suspect anything. She took it for some patient-doctor talk, for she came there well later.
The doctor said aloud, "So, if you trust your doctor go and take care of other things. Leave the patient to your doctor."
"Yes, doctor."
Ayesha said quietly, but her mind wished, Sakshi might have heard their conversation.
"See you Ayesha."
'It's Ayesha?'
Sakshi wondered.
The doctor stood up and opened the connecting door to the other room which was ajar.
"Oh, dear, are you waiting for me?" he asked Sakshi, "Come on in, Roshini," he invited.
She stood up apologetically.
Ayesha hesitated at the other door. She looked at Sakshi's face for any trace of over hearing.
It was clouded with confusion.
She waited.
"Any problem, dear?" the doctor asked softly.
"Uncle, it seems as though I'm cheating him."
Ayesha sighed and looked at the doctor as though to say, 'See, that's what I said.'
But the doctor avoided her gaze and asked Sakshi to take a seat.
"Tell me beta."
"Uncle, if he knows the truth, he'll detest me, right?"
Her voice was shaking.
"Not if he knows that you did it for him and his doctor prescribed it."
'Hah!'
The doctor could visibly see Ayesha's reaction even though he was not seeing her.
Now he saw her, "Ayesha, come and sit. I think you can help us."
An aghast Ayesha took a seat.
"See, Roshini, what you are worrying the most is what if you couldn't tell him the right answer for his questions and what if he found out, right?"
Sakshi was silent.
"See, you don't have to give him the right answers, for he too doesn't know them, right now. All he wants is some answers, your answers, your nearness, a support. Can you get this?"
She nodded.
"Here, Ayesha will help you with some of the things that you've forgotten about yourself. The things, perhaps, happened in her presence. Won't you Ayesha?"
Ayesha speechlessly was watching him and thought, 'Doctor, you are a talker. And this's your show, I bet.'
#
The car stopped near the bridge.
Before she could say anything, he got out and extended a hand for her to get down.
She could not refuse it. But if it was to go any further she would not allow it, she decided.
He was telling about the river and its surroundings as was leading her to the edge of the bridge.
It was quite a view from the bridge, she should admit.
The evening sun was lazily going down behind a hill as laying his hands leisurely on everything one last time.
She would have missed this scene if she had discarded the idea of coming here.
Of all the things, it was Arjun who was enjoying it the most. That was what she wanted in the first place.
"Can we walk a little?" he asked politely as though asking her permission, but was moving toward the steps leading down from the banks.
She went with him with a smile.
"The water level is low for this time of the year," he was saying.
What she was enjoying was the freedom of walking with him hand in hand, alone.
Though it was her need too, it was somewhat embarrassing to hold hands- in a hospital- in front of everyone knew him.
Here in this silence, hearing just his voice- he stopped short and looked at her. Something in his eyes alarmed her. She could do anything he wanted, but why he?-
"Arjun?"
"Roshini, I-" he hesitated and looked away.
"Arjun, are you okay?" she got tense then.
"Yes- actually," he avoided her eyes and said nothing.
"What happened to you Arjun? It's all right. I call uncle. You talk to-" she pressed the mobile.
He suddenly wrested it from her and put it in his pocket.
"Arjun, what's this?-"
She wanted to scream, You are scaring me!'
"Roshini see if there is some water in the car," he said somewhat awkwardly.
"I'll,"
She rushed to the car without a word.
"Go slow," he said behind her.
To her fate there was no water in the car and the driver went to get some from any of the nearby shops, at the end of the bridge. After all it was not a tourist spot.
She could not stand still and wait for his return. If she could get Arjun back in the car, he could get some rest...
She rushed back to the steps and saw no trace of Arjun.
She ran to where they were standing, but he was not there anywhere.
'I should have seen this coming. He was planning this all along, God, what if he had gone into the river?'
The water is low...
'Who knows it for sure?'
I used to swim in it for hours...
'He must have gone into this!'
'Uncle has sent him with me.'
She took an unsteady step toward the waters and fell fainted.
Arjun could not resist his urge to kiss her.
The evening, the light played on her face, the peace around...
He knew he could not let down his uncle's warning that she was still weak and... But-
Resistance was not relevant, nor was possible. After those churning hours in the hospital, he thought, at least, he deserved a kiss.
What the devil?
He thought he had tried his best to control himself and walked slowly toward a bush near the banks, unknowingly.
Suddenly, he felt weak, something was not correct- as if he was going to hurt her in some way.
He stood still. From there he could see the whole river and the banks.
He saw her coming. He started moving toward her. He wanted to comfort her first that he was all right.
He saw that she was searching him.
He reached her and extended a hand from behind as he saw that she was staring at the water.
"Ro-"
The moment she collapsed in to his hands, he muttered an unreadable curse.
It was entirely his mistake.
He knew well he could not surprise her.
He should have been careful.
If only he had given some more thought to his uncle's warnings...
"Roshini!"- No reply.
He tried the water from the river.
If she was not lying there unconscious, he would have slapped himself for his fault.
He could not collect her with his one hand.
Without thinking, he removed the hand- support from the other and picked her up.
It ached like hell.
"Go..d!..." he cried aloud in pain, but didn't stop. He put her over his shoulder and tried as much as possible, not to disturb the bandaged hand.
He ran the steps and let her lie on the back seat.
The next moment he was over the wheel and put the car in reverse gear.
The car was now in the opposite side.
He was about to move the car, as the old man came back, panting, at last, with a bottle of water.
Arjun had nearly forgotten about him.
The driver was bewildered and cringed, "Sir, sir...please,"
But Arjun had no time for this.
"Are you coming or not?" he shouted from inside.
The driver hopped in and the car flew back to where it started.
The clock struck thirty minutes, on the dot, when he pulled up at the hospital entrance.
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