To Heaven and Back(Fantasy)_ Shivika SS_Chapter 6_(25.11.18)_Page 20 - Page 14

Part: a.(A search for the hidden )

The place was dark, the roof was leaking. The walls were damp; there were puddles of water on the uneven rocky floor. A thin ray of light was coming from a crack in a wall. If one puts own face against the crack, he/she may inhale some salt from the air. The ocean lay not far, the waves could be heard. It had been raining, continuously, for days. 

Anika was half laid in a corner, taking short heavy gasps.  She hadn't eaten for days; her weakness apparent in the shallow breaths she took. There was a thin ray of light coming from a crack near the entrance which might have been the only hope Anika had and she had kept her eyes fixed on it until her tiredness forced her to doze off.  Now she was even unable to look straight at the light, her eyes twitched as if in pain. 

It was another dark day exactly like the previous day until the narrow ray grew into a gush of sunlight and he entered. 

"Baba she called. 

"Come, get up! the man took her hands and helped her to stand up. He led her outside into the world of light from the darkness. 

Anika opened her eyes in the hospital room. She was lying on her bed. She was alone in the cabin. The petal of the flower was still there on the breakfast tray. With faltering steps she went outside. As she stepped outside her cabin, she felt someone's palm on her shoulder. She turned back quickly and saw the man from yesterday, Anant Mrityuputra, (she clearly remembered the name). He was standing in front of her. 

"You must have seen the petals? 

"I-it was you? 

"Yes. 

"How do you know all these things? Who are you? 

"Shhh! Anant placed his index finger on his lips and whispered. "I got to go.  Shivay is coming. We will meet again, soon. Till then beware!  

** 

Shivay was in front of her eyes, doing her chores. She kept observing him as she sat on the couch in the living area, while Shivay was putting the room to rights. 

Now Shivay was taking things out from a jute carrier bag. He took out a rope, then a knife. He took out a tiny bottle filled with red liquid. Blood! Gulping, Anika realized her mouth had gone  dry. She remembered when they were coming out of the hospital she saw Anant gesturing her to beware! 

"What? 

She heard him say. She saw Anant's right index finger coming up to his lips slowly, and in slow motion Anant whispered into her ears, "Ssshhh!!! 

Closing her mouth with silence Anika answered nodding her head in a negative. 

"Why are you looking at me like that? Shivay laughed, squinting his eyes in confusion. He took the knife from the table beside the couch.  

"Beware Anant whispered into her ears, startling her and she stood up hastily. 

"NO! she shouted. 

"What no? Let me do the dressing. Shivay said helping her seat. He kneeled down on the ground and took the wounded foot of a dumbfounded Anika on his knee. He cut the previous bandage with the knife and then applied the red liquid ointment and bandaged  again. 

Anika let out a sigh of relief. 

** 

From the glass window of the airplane Surve noticed that Bombay was not so far away anymore, the thin blue line of the Arabian Sea was getting thick gradually. If Anant hadn't informed him about Anika's condition...

** 

The thick curtains had hidden the afternoon sunlight and gave the room a soothing darkness where Anika was resting. Her head was on the cushiony pillow and she was breathing in a regular rhythm. Her wounded leg was resting on another pillow on which Shivay's head was resting too. He was looking at her wound, his eyes cloudy. The smell of wounded flesh was one of the very first things that had attracted him to this earth and Anika. A drop of tear freed itself from the cloud that had formed in his eyes and went down, paving way for many other trapped drops. After some time the soaked pillow wetted the bandage and created a new musky smell. As Shivay nuzzled on her wound, his eyes went to contact her eyes, which were closed and peaceful. He wanted to fly around her peaceful face, kissing her brows with his wings. A blue butterfly, his favourite disguise. He always loved living as a butterfly that too a blue one. He lifted his head up from there and tried with all his might. He clenched his muscles, joined his claws together and he tried, he tried hard. His teeth rubbed together, his brows squinted, his face twitched. A large howl came out of his mouth. He failed. He failed to reduce his density. He cried, he cried screaming. 

His tensed muscles relaxed as a slender pair of hands circled him in a warm hug, fingers soft as feathers rubbed his back in a semicircular motion. His tears soaked the fabric of her dress as she tried to soothe this unfortunate child of God. Her own eyes tearing up. Somewhere in her mind, she knew it was all because of her. It was time to make a decision, she thought. 

"I'm ready for you death she whispered in her mind. 

Thanks to you Twerping like always! ❤️