RagLak- Death couldn't keep us apart (One shot)
[Note- The story is not at all linked with the original plot.]
Ragini and Laksh, two soulmates had been together for more than 7 years. They were perfect examples for what we call "lovebirds'. The amount of care and love they had for each other was beyond limits. Ragini was Laksh's heart and Laksh was Ragini's heartbeat. Their day started with talking to each other and ended with the same. But...
Not always two lovers are destined to be together. Not everyone's future holds happiness and love. One incident and everything changed.
It was Ragini's 22nd birthday and Laksh was supposed to be at her place to meet her parents in order to fix their alliance. This was what Ragini had always wanted. She couldn't ask for anything more. Laksh was giving her the best gift of her entire life. He was going to meet her parents for the first time. Both Ragini and Laksh were very excited. Ragini had already told her parents about him and they seemed to be okay with it. They just wanted to meet him first. Laksh was supposed to arrive sharp at 10 in the morning but it was nearly 12. He was 2 hours late! Ragini had called him a hundred times but he wasn't receiving her call. Suddenly, her phone rang and she received it on the first ring itself. Too much excitement, you know?
Ragini- Laksh, where the hell are you? I'm waiting.
But to her surprise, it wasn't Laksh but his mom who was crying.
Mom- Ragini beta, can you please come to city hospital now?
Ragini- Hospital? What's wrong aunty? Is everything okay?
Mom- Laksh...
Ragini- Aunty? Laksh? What Laksh? Where's he?
Mom- He got hit by a car while buying flowers for you.
This was enough to kill Ragini. She got the biggest shock of her life. Her phone fell from her hand. She drove to the the hospital as fast as she could. After about 10 minutes, she reached the hospital and saw Laksh's parents crying.
Ragini- Aun..Aunty? Where's Laksh? Is he okay?
Her voice was shivering. Laksh's mom hugged her and started crying. Just then, a ward boy came out with a wheeled patient bed. The face of the patient was covered with a white cloth. Ragini looked at the bed and slowly walked towards it. She was shivering. She didn't know what to do. She slowly removed the cloth from the corpse's face and IT WAS LAKSH! Yes, he left her forever. Ragini's world seemed to have turned upside down. She had no emotions left. Her face was blank. She was not even able to cry. She seemed to have lost her world.
Ragini- Liar! You cheat! You made many fake promises to me, Laksh. I hate you. You said you'll always be with me but damn your words were fake. I hate you for leaving me alone. I hate you for taking my world away from me. Why did you make such promises if you weren't able to keep them? Why did you make me fall in love with you if you were to leave me? Why Laksh, why? I HATE YOU LAKSH MAHESHWARI!
And with that, a tear drop escaped her right eye. She broke down and started crying vigorously. Laksh's corpse was taken to the cemetery despite of Ragini and Laksh's mom's continous pleads to let him stay with them. They didn't want to let him go. After about 3 hours, Ragini's father came to take her home.
Father- Ragu, I know this isn't easy but you have to move on. Laksh would never want to see you in tears.
Ragini hugged her father and cried like never before. Her father then took her back home. She refused to have dinner and directly wen to bed but how could she sleep? She was standing near the window when suddenly she felt a cold breeze touch her face. She closed her eyes and tear drops slipped down from her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a finger wiping her tears. She opened her eyes and saw Laksh. She didn't know if he was real. She didn't know if he was a ghost or whatever but she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tighter than any other shit. She cried, cried and cried. Laksh was smiling and gently carrassing her hair. He was in full white attire. White shirt, white trousers. He looked pure.
Ragini- Laksh, I hate you. Why did you leave me? Why did you break your promise?
Laksh- I didn't break my promise, Ragini. I didn't leave you. I was made to leave you.
Ragini broke the hug and looked straight into his eyes.
Ragini- What? I didn't understand.
Laksh- I will surely explain everything to you one day, Ragini. But for now, I wanna tell you that I'm no more a breathing being. I don't have a beating heart.
Ragini- What? You're...You're kidding me, right? Now I know, all that hospital scene was a drama to scare me.
Laksh- How I wish it was! But Ragini, this is the truth. I'm dead.
Ragini- Shut up, Laksh! I don't like such jokes.
Laksh- keep your head on my chest once again and try to listen to my heart if it beats. I bet you won't hear a sound.
Ragini hugged Laksh and kept her head near his chest to hear if his heart beats but it didn't! Like he had already said, he had no beating heart. She broke the hug and looked at his eyes with tears. Her mouth was literally open out of shock. She wasn't even able to speak a word.
Ragini- Lak...Laksh, how is this...
Laksh- None but you can see me, Ragini. I just wanted to make sure you're safe and hence, I'm here.
Ragini couln't control anymore. She hugged him even tighter and cried her heart out.
Ragini- Laksh, I'll kill myself too. I'll go to you and then we can live together forever.
Laksh- Who are you? My Ragini was never so weak. She would never give up on life.
Ragini- Without you my life has no meaning, Laksh. I don't wanna live.
Laksh- You have to live, Ragini. You have to live for me. I want you to do me a favour.
Ragini- What is it?
Laksh- I'll let you know when time comes. For now, just remember I'm always near you.
With this, Laksh kissed Ragini's forehead.
Laksh- I'm sure you haven't had you dinner.
Ragini- Hmm.
Laksh- Go and bring your plate. I'll feed you.
Ragini wiped her tears and immediately ran to the kitchen. After a few minutes, she came back with the plate. Laksh made her sit on the bed and fed her with his own hands. Ragini kept looking at him the whole time. He looked divine! Laksh then made her lay down on the bed and kept carrassing her head until she fell asleep. He then kissed her forehead and vanished.
This became a regular routine for Ragini. Laksh met her everyday. People thought she had moved on but the truth was that Laksh was the reason behind her happiness. Wherever Ragini went, he was always around. After six months, one day, her father went to her room where she was watching TV with Laksh but her father couldn't see him.
Ragini- Papa, come in.
Papa- Ragini, I think it's high time you should start thinking about yourself. You deserve happiness.
Ragini- I am happy, papa. In fact, I've never been any happier in my entire lifetime.
Ragini looked at Laksh who was smiling.
Papa- Look Ragini, I too want to see you happy but with your husband. I want you to get married and start a new life.
Ragini- Papa, in that case, I'm sorry I'll have to ask you to leave.
Papa- Why? Don't you understand he's gone?
Ragini- Papa please, he's not gone. He's everywhere around me and I still love him. I cannot marry a man whom I don't love. I am never getting married. Do you get it?
Papa- Fine! Do hell with your Laksh.
Ragini- Papa! Think before you speak. You can say anything you wish to say about me but about Laksh? I'm sorry to say this but one more word against him and I'll leave this house. I am not gonna tolerate even a word against him.
Ragini's father left the room.
Ragini- Why don't they understand that you're not gone?
Laksh- Because I am dead, Ragini. They can't see me.
Ragini- Laksh, I hope the one who hit you six months back, rots in hell.
Laksh- No Ragini, you shouldn't say such things about him.
Ragini- Laksh, who's he? I always keep on asking you about him but you never answer. Who's he? You left me for him.
Laksh- I didn't leave you damn it! I was made to leave you. I was killed. They killed me.
Ragini- What? I...I always thought...I thought it was an...
Laksh- Accident? It seemed like one but it actually wasn't. I was killed. It was all planned.
Ragini's eyes started to water.
Ragini- Wh...Who were they, Laksh? Tell me. I promise I'll kill them.
Laksh- I can't, Ragini. You'll start hating yourself if I tell you who they were.
Ragini- Laksh, please tell me.
Laksh- I'm sorry, Ragini. I can't.
Ragini- If you don't tell me, I'll kill myself and this time I am not at all kidding.
Laksh- Fine! They were...They were your...
Ragini- They were my...? Who were they, Laksh? Tell me!
Laksh- They were your parents.
Ragini- What? No! You're lying. This can't be true.
Laksh- This is the truth, Ragini. I knew you would be hurt so I didn't want to tell you. I was alive, Ragini. I was alive when your dad's car hit me. I was just bleeding like anything. They put me inside the car and threw me off a cliff. They could've saved me, Ragini but they didn't. They even bribed the witnesses to keep their mouths shut. Your dad told me that he never liked me and he didn't want you to get married to me and so...
Ragini- And so THEY KILLED YOU? I...I don't...I don't believe this, Laksh. I just don't.
Ragini started crying and Laksh consoled her. Ragini's life was a mess. The three people she loved the most changed her life. Her parents killed Laksh because she loved him.
Ragini- If what you're saying is true then I promise you Laksh, I'll make them pay for it.
Laksh- But Ragini, they are your parents.
Ragini- And you're the one I love.
Laksh- I love you too my doll. But promise me one thing?
Ragini- Say.
Laksh- After all this gets sorted out, you'll marry someone and move on. Promise?
Ragini- Laksh! What the hell is wrong with you? How can you even say that?
Laksh- Look Ragini, all I ever wanted is to see you happy. I don't want anything else. I want you to keep smiling forever. If not with me, then with someone else. But what matters is you and your happiness! I cannot be with you forever. I wanted to live my life with you. I wanted to marry you, have babies with you, grow old with you and die with you. But death came to me too fast. Now that I don't have a life to live, I want you to live your life happily. Your happiness will keep me happy.
Ragini- Laksh I...
Laksh- Please Ragini, just for me.
Ragini starts crying vigorously.
Ragini- Okay Laksh, just for you. But remember I've always loved you and I always will.
Laksh- I love you too, my princess.
Next day, Ragini confronts her dad about Laksh's death and out of rage and guilt, he admitted it himself that he and his wife killed him. Both he and his wife were arrested. After a few days, a guy proposed to Ragini for marriage and she accepted his proposal only for Laksh. Laksh was happy to see his angel getting married. He accompanied her in all the rituals but she wasn't happy at all. Just few minutes after her wedding, Ragini talked to Laksh for the last time. She was crying.
Ragini- Laksh, please don't go.
Laksh smiled and hugged her.
Laksh- I have to go, Ragini. This is not where I belong.
Ragini- Laksh, I don't know how I'll live without you. Don't go please. Just allow me to take my life. Let me kill myself so that I can be with you. Please Laksh.
Laksh- If you say that once again, I'll not be able to go.
Ragini- Then don't go.
Laksh- Ragini, please try to understand. I don't belong here. This is not my place. I don't want anything else, Ragini. I just want to see you happy. Please let me go. Please.
Ragini- Promise me you'll be mine in the next life.
Laksh- I promise you, Ragini. In the coming six lives, I'll be yours and only yours.
Ragini- Okay Laksh, I'm letting you go. I free you.
Laksh- Take care, Ragini. Your Laksh loves you. And don't ever cry again.
Ragini- I promise Laksh, I won't ever cry again. Your Ragini loves you too.
Laksh kissed her forehead one last time and vanished. Ragini wiped her tears, brought a wide smile to her lips and walked to her husband.
THE END
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
Mangal Lakshmi
