Posted:
The last breath
She had been contemplating for a while now...a million times in her mind and a million times in her heart...
She had thought it over till the sounds of the ticking clock became distant and she lost all sense of time and space. ..
But she knew she had made her decision and she had made her choice. .
7 yrs back life had dealt her a blow that she couldn't quite recover from and now life was giving them a second chance ..or was it?...
Was this the man she had loved 7 yrs back...was this the heart she had once owned ...was a drunken apology enough to bring back their 7 yrs ...was a broken man's tears enough to stop her in her steps. ..
Would just their togetherness have any meaning after all that had been said and done. .?
Would they really be able to start all over again ?
These 7 yrs might have been painful but the trip back had been excruciating. ..
Was this love or was it pain ...or was it both..?
Was love worth this pain?
Wasn't love supposed to uplift ...wasn't love supposed to bring joy...wasn't love supposed to liberate. ..then why did she feel only pain?
Did he love her as much ?...did the love hurt that much...did both of them need this hurt...did both of them need this love..?
She needed to decide and she would decide. ..for both of them and put them out of their misery ...that would be her parting gift to him...she thought fondly ...he would struggle a while but he would someday realize that she was right...
She picked up her bag ...dragging it now through the hall and the lobby ,...till she saw Mani at the door. ..
Are you sure Ishu?...he asked...
Yes mani ...it's for the best ...she answered...he will be happy without me around...he will learn to live without me...
And you ishu? Will you be happy too? ...i will live mani...she said...i will live. ..she said as an after thought.
For a moment she paused ...as if reaching into the air for something ...and she felt his voice ...and if calling her from a distance ...but she brushed it off...nope not this time ishita. ..she told herself ...and walked on..into the bright sunlight...into life...
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Behind the closed store room door...
His hand reached out ...and felt nothing. .he thought he heard her footsteps in the distance ...and he just couldn't do anything, .
His life was leaving and he was helpless. ...
One Last time. ..he hoped. .he dreamed ...and he loved.
And then love was no more...
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Anupamaa
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