I was running as fast as I could. Weaving through the smattering of people, deftly avoiding obstacles; I even managed to make a mental note about a banner I saw. All the fast running in the world, however, was not going to help me be on-time for the class. That may partly have been because I had realized that I had a class to attend only five full minutes after its start time. There were other causes too, but, those I will come to later.
There I stood, huffing and puffing like the most powerful wolf in town, at the entrance to the lecture hall (not classroom). It was funny what lengths people would go to trying to act grown up. The professor was thankfully busy writing lengthy equations on the board. This meant that I was ushered into the classroom (sorry, lecture hall) with a grunt and a wave of the free hand.
Apart from the normal reasons for disliking lateness, I was suddenly confronted with the worst one. I called it "The Blare"; short for "The Blank Stare". No one had paid attention to the professor rambling or writing on the board, but, a late-comer made all the little meerkats look up. I imagined myself being some alien from a sci-fi show that can only move when no one is looking at it. Had I been such a creature, my dear classmates would be spared a gruesome and painful death (for now). Of course, I would be lying if I said that I never blared anyone to their place. I have tried controlling it, as I am sure, have other people. But, I discovered later that human eyes are built to focus on moving objects; something to do with detecting predators.
I reached my desk safely, cursing at my inability to strike at my potential victims. I pulled my notebook and pen from my bag and set them on the table. With that ritual complete, I moved to the next step, sinking to the mindless stupor that will help me drown everything out and help me concentrate on the important things in life. Things like, wondering what new tragedy is going to befall the captain of the spaceship tonight in my new favorite T.V. series. Just as I was getting to the part about his ship being blown up, I was nudged out of my trance by my classmate, nay, benchmate. His eyes were wide open and his lips sealed. He was looking straight ahead, frozen in place like a cat sensing danger, ready to flee. Before I could ask him what his bleeding problem was I heard a voice call my name out. If I had been the kind of student who paid attention in class I would know that the voice belonged to my professor. However, I had to reach that conclusion through careful deduction of the fact that no one would be calling anyones name out during a lecture, except the professor.
I looked up slowly and found my deductions to be accurate. My professor, however, was not aware of my breakthrough, hence did not allow me time to pat myself on the back before asking me to stand up. I stood up; there was no other alternative. Not knowing if I had done something wrong, I had no reason to be shameful. As a result, I looked straight into the eyes of my suitor and spoke.
"Yes, sir?"
Preferring not to grace my response with any sort of acknowledgement, he proceeded to ask me a question. Having never concentrated on his speaking before, I found myself drifting into the analysis of his speech patterns, the phrases he was using and the hint of an accent. By the time I was reaching the conclusion of my hastily begun research, he was done with his asking and was now waiting for me to begin the answering.
My facial expression must never have been as blank during all those lecture-trances as it was just then. I checked the board to see if I could glean the question he was asking me; not even caring about the answer.
"Psst! It's asymmetric!"
The voice was barely audible and I dared not turn to look at the person trying to help me. I had no reasons to believe that the answer was correct, but, reasons are a luxury afforded only to those with time. I had no time, hence, did not look for any reasons.
"Asymmetric, sir."
The inflated chest of the professor went down about an inch and the taunt he was ready to deliver had been stopped before it even began. His face lost its smile and not bothering to tell me to sit back down; he simply motioned with his hand.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned around to face my savior. Words suddenly failed me. I had never seen her in the class before, or maybe I had just never noticed her. Yet, there she was. Long, soft hair flowed over her ears down to her shoulders. Her skin was soft and smooth. Her eyes held the softest of expressions and her lips curved softly into an enchanting smile. She was the epitome of softness, this girl. This is what evolution would gloat about to all other theories; 'I created this!', I'm sure it would say in glee.
I wondered what I should say to her. Maybe I should thank her for the help, or should I introduce myself? Maybe I should ask for her hand in marriage, or at least, ask her out for a coffee. Or maybe...
"Who are you?"
-- To Be Continued
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The Would-Be-Bride
Written for Upasana Gala... Idea supplied by Upasana Gala
She didn't know how long she was going to have to sit in front of that fire. The fire that was supposed to signify the God of Fire Himself presiding over the ceremony and bearing witness to it.
Her husband-to-be had not come yet. In fact, he had not been seen the whole day.
She was getting worried. So were both the families. He had last been seen with a good friend the night before. He was leaving with that friend to enjoy "one final night of freedom" (as he jokingly put it). No one knew what time he had come home, or if he had come home at all. The friend was nowhere to be found either.
As time passed, theories as to his whereabouts became more and more gruesome due to which, they were not vocalized as much. The mother of the groom was suffering a nervous breakdown and had at least 4 people tending to her. Not because, she demanded it, instead it was the people who were anxious to occupy their minds with some work or the other, just to keep unwanted thoughts out.
All his favorite haunts were visited, all his friends were contacted even the possibilities of him eloping with someone else had not been left unexplored.
The people closest to the groom were busy trying to find him. The people closest to the bride offered all the resources at their disposal to help find him. Most of the remaining people had left. The few that remained were talking amongst themselves. They talked about the unreliability of 'the younger generation'. They talked of the groom being an alcoholic and how nothing good could come from such a habit. None bothered about keeping their voices low. That would beat the very purpose of the talking.
In all the commotion, the bride sat forgotten. Bedecked in expensive jewelery wrought from the best quality of precious metals, she merely sat; unable to move a muscle. She wasn't crying, she wasn't doing anything. This inactivity, however, could not be mistaken for lethargy. Her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts making their way in and out. She heard every voice in the room, she was waiting for someone to say 'We found him!'.
No one ever did.
---
It is now a year since that day. Today would have been their first wedding anniversary, had he ever made it to the wedding.
Soon after that day his name had been added to the missing persons list, a list which already ran into the tens of thousands.
As she wakes up today, she doesn't know what she should do. She wonders how she is ever going to get through this day. She takes in a deep breath, gets off the bed, completes her morning routine and finally leaves her home as if she was merely leaving to meet with a friend of hers. She nods and smiles in the direction of the guard sitting atop a stool at the entrance of her apartment building. As he holds the door open for her she says 'Thank You!' and smiles and nods in the direction of the guard.
That is the last anyone is going to see of her.
Like her husband, she too seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. It is thought that she might have taken her own life, not being able to cope with the loss of her husband.
This theory is confirmed but only partially. Her family rummages through her room looking for some clue that might tell them where she could be. That is when they find the letter. It is placed in an envelope addressed, very simply, to 'You'.
"Don't look for me, there isn't any point.
Just know that where I am no one can touch me or harm me.
You may not know this, but I killed him.
I know I don't need to tell you who I am talking about, you know it already.
Don't ask me why I did it. I won't tell you. Only know that he knew why he died and he accepted that he deserved to die.
I know I don't need to give you any proof of any kind. You already believe me. But, maybe you need to see him 'One Last Time'? Behind this page are directions that will take you to where his and his friends body is buried. I should warn you that it has been a year, so you might want to take it out cautiously, it is going to raise quite a stink.
I'll leave now."
Behind the page is a neatly drawn map along with detailed directions both pointing to the place where the body of her would-be husband has laid for a year.
She didn't know how long she was going to have to sit in front of that fire. The fire that was supposed to signify the God of Fire Himself presiding over the ceremony and bearing witness to it.
Her husband-to-be had not come yet. In fact, he had not been seen the whole day.
She was getting worried. So were both the families. He had last been seen with a good friend the night before. He was leaving with that friend to enjoy "one final night of freedom" (as he jokingly put it). No one knew what time he had come home, or if he had come home at all. The friend was nowhere to be found either.
As time passed, theories as to his whereabouts became more and more gruesome due to which, they were not vocalized as much. The mother of the groom was suffering a nervous breakdown and had at least 4 people tending to her. Not because, she demanded it, instead it was the people who were anxious to occupy their minds with some work or the other, just to keep unwanted thoughts out.
All his favorite haunts were visited, all his friends were contacted even the possibilities of him eloping with someone else had not been left unexplored.
The people closest to the groom were busy trying to find him. The people closest to the bride offered all the resources at their disposal to help find him. Most of the remaining people had left. The few that remained were talking amongst themselves. They talked about the unreliability of 'the younger generation'. They talked of the groom being an alcoholic and how nothing good could come from such a habit. None bothered about keeping their voices low. That would beat the very purpose of the talking.
In all the commotion, the bride sat forgotten. Bedecked in expensive jewelery wrought from the best quality of precious metals, she merely sat; unable to move a muscle. She wasn't crying, she wasn't doing anything. This inactivity, however, could not be mistaken for lethargy. Her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts making their way in and out. She heard every voice in the room, she was waiting for someone to say 'We found him!'.
No one ever did.
---
It is now a year since that day. Today would have been their first wedding anniversary, had he ever made it to the wedding.
Soon after that day his name had been added to the missing persons list, a list which already ran into the tens of thousands.
As she wakes up today, she doesn't know what she should do. She wonders how she is ever going to get through this day. She takes in a deep breath, gets off the bed, completes her morning routine and finally leaves her home as if she was merely leaving to meet with a friend of hers. She nods and smiles in the direction of the guard sitting atop a stool at the entrance of her apartment building. As he holds the door open for her she says 'Thank You!' and smiles and nods in the direction of the guard.
That is the last anyone is going to see of her.
Like her husband, she too seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. It is thought that she might have taken her own life, not being able to cope with the loss of her husband.
This theory is confirmed but only partially. Her family rummages through her room looking for some clue that might tell them where she could be. That is when they find the letter. It is placed in an envelope addressed, very simply, to 'You'.
"Don't look for me, there isn't any point.
Just know that where I am no one can touch me or harm me.
You may not know this, but I killed him.
I know I don't need to tell you who I am talking about, you know it already.
Don't ask me why I did it. I won't tell you. Only know that he knew why he died and he accepted that he deserved to die.
I know I don't need to give you any proof of any kind. You already believe me. But, maybe you need to see him 'One Last Time'? Behind this page are directions that will take you to where his and his friends body is buried. I should warn you that it has been a year, so you might want to take it out cautiously, it is going to raise quite a stink.
I'll leave now."
Behind the page is a neatly drawn map along with detailed directions both pointing to the place where the body of her would-be husband has laid for a year.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Banter
A couple...
The girl is in italics...
"So this is where you live?"
"Yes, you like it?"
"It's... it's beautiful!"
"Do you really think so, or are you just saying that?"
"I love it, I couldn't have hoped for a better place."
"Now I know you're just saying it for my sake, this place is very nearly a dump."
"A well-cared for dump."
"Yes, that it is."
"Well...?"
"Well what?"
"Are you going show me around? Do I need any 'orientation' or maybe some vaccination?"
"Now that was funny."
"I don't see you laughing?"
"I'm trying very hard to control my laughter. Positively struggling to not let it out."
"Hmmm, in that case, I am going to kiss you before you burst out laughing."
"That seems like a good idea."
"I've always loved how you kiss me."
"Why thank you. I've heard many good things about my technique."
"From whom, your pillows?"
"And the back of my hand."
"And me."
"Oh yes, you too."
"Now before we get carried away, I want to see the full apartment and I want to fix you dinner."
"What are we having?"
"Other than each other, I thought we could have some simple and very sinful chocolate mousse preceded by some heavenly portions of that spaghetti you love so much."
"You're going to kill me with all this sugar and starch, I love it. It's a wonderful way to die."
"Don't die just yet, there's a lot more than that waiting for you after the dinner."
"Interesting, but getting back to your original question, there isn't much to show you in this place. There's my room, I mean, our room, a guest room and the kitchen. Pretty simple isn't it."
"Simple enough. Now you go lie down and get yourself some sleep so I can change into my dutiful housewife costume and cook my man his dinner."
"I doubt I can handle a dutiful wife but I still like the idea of great food after great sleep."
"Sleep then, and you will have the great food waiting for you once you wake up."
"I can't hardly wait, Good night!"
***
"That was faster than expected."
"Good morning Sunshine!"
"Good evening you mean. You hardly slept an hour."
"Really? It felt like a whole night's worth of sleep. I feel like I'm fully rested."
"That's good, that'll make it easier for you to sit down and dig in."
"This food is amazing."
"That's all it is? Just, amazing?"
"I can't think of a better word."
"I can."
"Oh can you now? Please, enlighten me with this superlative description of your own handiwork."
"It's poisoned."
The girl is in italics...
"So this is where you live?"
"Yes, you like it?"
"It's... it's beautiful!"
"Do you really think so, or are you just saying that?"
"I love it, I couldn't have hoped for a better place."
"Now I know you're just saying it for my sake, this place is very nearly a dump."
"A well-cared for dump."
"Yes, that it is."
"Well...?"
"Well what?"
"Are you going show me around? Do I need any 'orientation' or maybe some vaccination?"
"Now that was funny."
"I don't see you laughing?"
"I'm trying very hard to control my laughter. Positively struggling to not let it out."
"Hmmm, in that case, I am going to kiss you before you burst out laughing."
"That seems like a good idea."
"I've always loved how you kiss me."
"Why thank you. I've heard many good things about my technique."
"From whom, your pillows?"
"And the back of my hand."
"And me."
"Oh yes, you too."
"Now before we get carried away, I want to see the full apartment and I want to fix you dinner."
"What are we having?"
"Other than each other, I thought we could have some simple and very sinful chocolate mousse preceded by some heavenly portions of that spaghetti you love so much."
"You're going to kill me with all this sugar and starch, I love it. It's a wonderful way to die."
"Don't die just yet, there's a lot more than that waiting for you after the dinner."
"Interesting, but getting back to your original question, there isn't much to show you in this place. There's my room, I mean, our room, a guest room and the kitchen. Pretty simple isn't it."
"Simple enough. Now you go lie down and get yourself some sleep so I can change into my dutiful housewife costume and cook my man his dinner."
"I doubt I can handle a dutiful wife but I still like the idea of great food after great sleep."
"Sleep then, and you will have the great food waiting for you once you wake up."
"I can't hardly wait, Good night!"
***
"That was faster than expected."
"Good morning Sunshine!"
"Good evening you mean. You hardly slept an hour."
"Really? It felt like a whole night's worth of sleep. I feel like I'm fully rested."
"That's good, that'll make it easier for you to sit down and dig in."
"This food is amazing."
"That's all it is? Just, amazing?"
"I can't think of a better word."
"I can."
"Oh can you now? Please, enlighten me with this superlative description of your own handiwork."
"It's poisoned."
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tamanna
The bus was stationary, standing directly opposite the bus-stop. From where I was sitting all I could see was her face. It was resting on palms which in turn were resting on her knees, which had been brought close to her mid-rib. She was looking straight ahead but not at anyone in particular. I imagine her name must be something strong, something like Tamanna.
Her forehead was showing lines of worry, I wondered what she was worrying about. Was it work-related, or was someone in her family in trouble? Maybe she had just lost something very important to her...
Her eyes were moist, she had been crying. I didn't know who she was, but I wanted to know what was troubling her. I wanted to share her sorrows, I wanted to let her know that she was not alone.
All of a sudden she started rummaging through her backpack. After a few seconds of frantic searching she quickly extracted her cell-phone, it was ringing. One look at the number instantly brought a smile to her beautiful face. She knew this person and was apparently very glad he/she had called. She answered it and gave a hearty laugh. It brought about an unmistakable change on her face. She looked young and free; no trace of her earlier sorrow was now evident in her face.
I didn't know what forced me to do it, but, I decided at that very instant to find out who she was. I got off the bus and moved toward her slowly. She didn't notice the man coming toward her, I was just another person getting off a bus to catch another one. I was standing next to her, leaning against the bus-stop; trying very hard not to look at her. But, I invariably did look at her; her beauty, her clothes, her bag and also her cell-phone.
The bus had arrived and I found a place a few seats behind her. She took a ticket and brought to my attention the one detail I hadn't thought of; I needed to take a ticket, yet I didn't know where I was headed. An idea struck me; I stood up and my way to where Tamanna was sitting. I glanced down discreetly and tried to see the price of the ticket she had taken, luckily she still held the ticket in her hands. Knowing the price, though, was not enough; I had to know where to actually go. Right then I heard another man nearby purchasing a ticket. I would not have looked had Tamanna not looked up; I tried to see what the ticket price was and sure enough it was the same.
Having safely procured the ticket all I could do was wait for Tamanna to get up. I kept my eyes fixed on the back of her head and impatiently waited. Eventually she got up and so did I. I got off the bus and saw that she had already started walking down a street adjacent to the bus-stop.
Keeping a safe distance I trailed her. I still didn't know what I was doing or what I was going to do once she entered her home. I kept trying to push that little detail out of my head, but it kept coming back to nag me. Could I try and talk to her? I did have a reasonable pretext of beginning conversation, we had both been at the same bus-stop, traveled on the same bus and alighted at the same bus-stop too (the fact that the whole ordeal had been orchestrated by me need not be mentioned). There was only one flaw: I would be expected to have some knowledge about the neighborhood I was in right now, I had none.
I had been thinking so intently thinking that when I now looked around I could no longer see Tamanna. Another scan of the area showed that contrary to losing ground I had made it up and was moving rather closer to her than when I started. Still walking at the same brisk pace I didn't notice the drunken man making his way in the opposite direction drawing ever closer. This resulted in an almighty crash and the man was flung back, his bottle came crashing to the ground and shattered on impact spilling the alcohol.
The fallen man had instantly began flinging curse after curse at me. He seemed to have a problem not just with me but with the rest of my family too. I held out a hand to let the man up, not listening to a word he was shouting; I was scanning the crowd that had now gathered around us for Tamanna. I almost felt like calling out to her, that would have been stupid because she was not supposed to know I was following her and I didn't know her name. The man could hardly stand up on his own two feet but once up and wobbling his demeanor changed from that of boiling rage to one of warm and overwhelming gratitude.
I left him where he stood and ran in the approximate direction of where Tamanna might have gone. I was running because I was looking for her, but I was surprised when I did find her. I hadn't expected to see her ever again. I saw her and noticed that something was wrong. She had seen me!
Her pace had quickened and she kept glancing back at me. I too, had kept moving. I was moving in a state I couldn't describe, my legs were moving without any clear command. I was following her even without wanting to do so anymore. The urge to follow had only been there till she had not noticed me, but now that she had, her whole body had changed. She was stiffly moving forward and as she sped up I broke into a jog. Petrified, she did the same thing.
Looking back on it now, I can't help but feel ashamed. I was responsible for her not noticing that speeding bike. I was the reason she had been flung into the air by the sheer force of the impact. It was because of me that her last words were calls for her mother amidst loud screams of pain. People who had gathered at the spot said she had lost too much blood. That had been her Cause Of Death, but I knew better.
I don't remember much of what I had done after I had seen that happen. I had just stood rooted to the spot watching the ambulance cart her off. I had reached home some time early in the morning of the next day; I had walked home.
It's been a year to her death, but it feels as if I have just come back home after walking all night. I was a coward for not stepping up and helping her or even talking to her before hand, maybe that could have avoided everything. I feel like a much bigger coward now; but I just hope this fall kills me and I may see her again and I may be able to apologize to her... maybe I'll ask her what her name is.
Love,
Raunak.
Her forehead was showing lines of worry, I wondered what she was worrying about. Was it work-related, or was someone in her family in trouble? Maybe she had just lost something very important to her...
Her eyes were moist, she had been crying. I didn't know who she was, but I wanted to know what was troubling her. I wanted to share her sorrows, I wanted to let her know that she was not alone.
All of a sudden she started rummaging through her backpack. After a few seconds of frantic searching she quickly extracted her cell-phone, it was ringing. One look at the number instantly brought a smile to her beautiful face. She knew this person and was apparently very glad he/she had called. She answered it and gave a hearty laugh. It brought about an unmistakable change on her face. She looked young and free; no trace of her earlier sorrow was now evident in her face.
I didn't know what forced me to do it, but, I decided at that very instant to find out who she was. I got off the bus and moved toward her slowly. She didn't notice the man coming toward her, I was just another person getting off a bus to catch another one. I was standing next to her, leaning against the bus-stop; trying very hard not to look at her. But, I invariably did look at her; her beauty, her clothes, her bag and also her cell-phone.
The bus had arrived and I found a place a few seats behind her. She took a ticket and brought to my attention the one detail I hadn't thought of; I needed to take a ticket, yet I didn't know where I was headed. An idea struck me; I stood up and my way to where Tamanna was sitting. I glanced down discreetly and tried to see the price of the ticket she had taken, luckily she still held the ticket in her hands. Knowing the price, though, was not enough; I had to know where to actually go. Right then I heard another man nearby purchasing a ticket. I would not have looked had Tamanna not looked up; I tried to see what the ticket price was and sure enough it was the same.
Having safely procured the ticket all I could do was wait for Tamanna to get up. I kept my eyes fixed on the back of her head and impatiently waited. Eventually she got up and so did I. I got off the bus and saw that she had already started walking down a street adjacent to the bus-stop.
Keeping a safe distance I trailed her. I still didn't know what I was doing or what I was going to do once she entered her home. I kept trying to push that little detail out of my head, but it kept coming back to nag me. Could I try and talk to her? I did have a reasonable pretext of beginning conversation, we had both been at the same bus-stop, traveled on the same bus and alighted at the same bus-stop too (the fact that the whole ordeal had been orchestrated by me need not be mentioned). There was only one flaw: I would be expected to have some knowledge about the neighborhood I was in right now, I had none.
I had been thinking so intently thinking that when I now looked around I could no longer see Tamanna. Another scan of the area showed that contrary to losing ground I had made it up and was moving rather closer to her than when I started. Still walking at the same brisk pace I didn't notice the drunken man making his way in the opposite direction drawing ever closer. This resulted in an almighty crash and the man was flung back, his bottle came crashing to the ground and shattered on impact spilling the alcohol.
The fallen man had instantly began flinging curse after curse at me. He seemed to have a problem not just with me but with the rest of my family too. I held out a hand to let the man up, not listening to a word he was shouting; I was scanning the crowd that had now gathered around us for Tamanna. I almost felt like calling out to her, that would have been stupid because she was not supposed to know I was following her and I didn't know her name. The man could hardly stand up on his own two feet but once up and wobbling his demeanor changed from that of boiling rage to one of warm and overwhelming gratitude.
I left him where he stood and ran in the approximate direction of where Tamanna might have gone. I was running because I was looking for her, but I was surprised when I did find her. I hadn't expected to see her ever again. I saw her and noticed that something was wrong. She had seen me!
Her pace had quickened and she kept glancing back at me. I too, had kept moving. I was moving in a state I couldn't describe, my legs were moving without any clear command. I was following her even without wanting to do so anymore. The urge to follow had only been there till she had not noticed me, but now that she had, her whole body had changed. She was stiffly moving forward and as she sped up I broke into a jog. Petrified, she did the same thing.
Looking back on it now, I can't help but feel ashamed. I was responsible for her not noticing that speeding bike. I was the reason she had been flung into the air by the sheer force of the impact. It was because of me that her last words were calls for her mother amidst loud screams of pain. People who had gathered at the spot said she had lost too much blood. That had been her Cause Of Death, but I knew better.
I don't remember much of what I had done after I had seen that happen. I had just stood rooted to the spot watching the ambulance cart her off. I had reached home some time early in the morning of the next day; I had walked home.
It's been a year to her death, but it feels as if I have just come back home after walking all night. I was a coward for not stepping up and helping her or even talking to her before hand, maybe that could have avoided everything. I feel like a much bigger coward now; but I just hope this fall kills me and I may see her again and I may be able to apologize to her... maybe I'll ask her what her name is.
Love,
Raunak.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Seeing her
He was sitting at his desk looking at everybody walk in and talk to each other. Some moved to the coffee machine while some decided to visit the restrooms. By the time everyone was in, he had sorted through all his papers and was just idling at his station staring at a ladybug trying to make her way up to his desk. Once on top the bug made a beeline for the wall, he picked up the newspaper, rolled it up and was about to strike when he heard it. The voice was one he had remembered like the back of his hand. It brought the memories of Natasha flooding back and for a fleeting second he had a smile on his face. The smile vanished as soon as rational thought took over. He knew there was no way this was Natasha; thinking like that was only inviting more sadness. He kept staring at the wall straining to hear the voice, but couldn’t hear it anymore. He was about to get up and make sure no one was there when he heard her laughter. There was no doubting it, it was much closer than before and her voice was clear and loud, exactly as he remembered it. He stood up, and looked around. Where was she? Had nobody else heard her voice? None of the people in the office seemed to be bothered about the laughter which, incidentally, had now stopped again.
“Did you hear that?” He asked frantically to the man sitting in the cubicle adjacent to his.
“Hear what?”
“The laughter, that loud laughter! Did you not hear it?”
“I did, but what about it?”
Aditya didn’t know what to say to this. He didn’t know what to do now. He stepped out of the cubicle and went around the office looking for the source of the laughter. A second later he heard the laughter, it left no doubt in his mind that it was Natasha’s voice, he turned in the direction of the voice and there she was.
She looked as beautiful as ever. Though it had only been a month since he had seen her it felt like he had missed for ages, seeing her now quenched his thirst for her at once. Aditya’s heart was beating hard for the first time in a month and he felt it. He smiled at the sight of her, just because he knew how happy she made him. He almost called out her name, but didn’t know if he should. She had come back, but not to him, no, she had come back to the office and he had to understand that. Not once had he mentioned to her how he had felt about her, he didn’t think it was necessary.
“Our love doesn’t need to be proclaimed, it has to be felt and we both feel it” He had thought like this only until he had lost her, only then had he realized what a blunder that had been.
All this time he had stood rooted to the spot just staring at her, Natasha now looked up and saw him standing there. She smiled and made his way to him. Aditya was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize till she reached very close to him. Her touch brought him back to earth with a resounding thud.
“How have you been?” She asked still smiling at the expression on his face.
“I love you,” he blurted out without thinking, eliciting a lovely laugh from her, “I mean, I’ve been doing alright, how about you?”
“Well, I’ve not been bad myself and, by the way, I love you too.”
At those words his whole body went weak. He loved her and she loved him, there was nothing left to do. The ringing of a telephone suddenly reminded of the face that they were standing in the middle of the office and everybody was trying to avoid their eyes, some were even smiling. He felt a surge of warmth run through his body.
“Let’s get to somewhere a little more private.”
She laughed again and said, “Yes, let’s.”
“Did you hear that?” He asked frantically to the man sitting in the cubicle adjacent to his.
“Hear what?”
“The laughter, that loud laughter! Did you not hear it?”
“I did, but what about it?”
Aditya didn’t know what to say to this. He didn’t know what to do now. He stepped out of the cubicle and went around the office looking for the source of the laughter. A second later he heard the laughter, it left no doubt in his mind that it was Natasha’s voice, he turned in the direction of the voice and there she was.
She looked as beautiful as ever. Though it had only been a month since he had seen her it felt like he had missed for ages, seeing her now quenched his thirst for her at once. Aditya’s heart was beating hard for the first time in a month and he felt it. He smiled at the sight of her, just because he knew how happy she made him. He almost called out her name, but didn’t know if he should. She had come back, but not to him, no, she had come back to the office and he had to understand that. Not once had he mentioned to her how he had felt about her, he didn’t think it was necessary.
“Our love doesn’t need to be proclaimed, it has to be felt and we both feel it” He had thought like this only until he had lost her, only then had he realized what a blunder that had been.
All this time he had stood rooted to the spot just staring at her, Natasha now looked up and saw him standing there. She smiled and made his way to him. Aditya was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize till she reached very close to him. Her touch brought him back to earth with a resounding thud.
“How have you been?” She asked still smiling at the expression on his face.
“I love you,” he blurted out without thinking, eliciting a lovely laugh from her, “I mean, I’ve been doing alright, how about you?”
“Well, I’ve not been bad myself and, by the way, I love you too.”
At those words his whole body went weak. He loved her and she loved him, there was nothing left to do. The ringing of a telephone suddenly reminded of the face that they were standing in the middle of the office and everybody was trying to avoid their eyes, some were even smiling. He felt a surge of warmth run through his body.
“Let’s get to somewhere a little more private.”
She laughed again and said, “Yes, let’s.”
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I haven't read this, I've just written it...
Not once did he look behind...
He didn't care about what he was leaving. He didn't want to care anymore. What was really ironic was the fact that his own thoughts were not under his control. He did care about everything. Over the years he had become so adept at hiding his thoughts and feelings from those round him, that the line between others and himself seemed to have faded. The conflicts raging on his mind, were fueled by the words of so many people who had tried to help him.
The decision had not really been made by him; things just happened. He had done things without thinking and knew that those deeds could never be undone. What had looked like the best, no, the only solution to his problems felt like it had been one of the worst decisions of his short life.
My life. I don't know about everybody else, but to me, my life feels so burdened. It feels like in the span of a few ears I have undergone a tremendous amount of change, yet it can not be anything compared to the lives of the people who have t much worse than this. To each his own, indeed.
A happy man can have the ability to turn even the largest of setbacks into a source of joy and maintain his happiness, without losing sight of the pain and anguish the people closest to his heart may be suffering. An unhappy man will refuse to see the joy in even the most festive of occasions. He is a man who will blind himself, knowingly or unknowingly, to the love he is given by all that are around him and in the process, not love them in return.
He didn't care about what he was leaving. He didn't want to care anymore. What was really ironic was the fact that his own thoughts were not under his control. He did care about everything. Over the years he had become so adept at hiding his thoughts and feelings from those round him, that the line between others and himself seemed to have faded. The conflicts raging on his mind, were fueled by the words of so many people who had tried to help him.
The decision had not really been made by him; things just happened. He had done things without thinking and knew that those deeds could never be undone. What had looked like the best, no, the only solution to his problems felt like it had been one of the worst decisions of his short life.
My life. I don't know about everybody else, but to me, my life feels so burdened. It feels like in the span of a few ears I have undergone a tremendous amount of change, yet it can not be anything compared to the lives of the people who have t much worse than this. To each his own, indeed.
A happy man can have the ability to turn even the largest of setbacks into a source of joy and maintain his happiness, without losing sight of the pain and anguish the people closest to his heart may be suffering. An unhappy man will refuse to see the joy in even the most festive of occasions. He is a man who will blind himself, knowingly or unknowingly, to the love he is given by all that are around him and in the process, not love them in return.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
3.g
The owner of this house had built it nearly a hundred and twenty years ago. He had died shortly aftet the completion of the construction. His dying wish was to be buried in the house itself next to his wife, who had died nearly a month before he did. In fact, at that time it was believed that he had died only due to the immense grief that came over him when she died. It had been his request to have her buried in the house and for him to be buried alongside her.
The reason the tomb was being searched for was because once found, it would help them lay bare the secrets of the house and so help them counter its actions.
Finding the house had been fairly easy, all they had to do was ask the villagers (who were a little disappointed on noticing they were not from the media) where the haunted house was. It wasn't really haunted but the villagers' stories all suggested the presence of ghosts. Once in the compound they proceeded to the great doors. The moment the team leader set foot on the threshold of the house they heard a loud thud coming from the inside, it sounded like a large latch was being unbolted, giving rise to a plume of dust. It then proceeded to slowly open inwards. What was strange was that despite the look of old age the doors seemed like they were as good as new,they didn't creak once during the whole time they were opening.
The reason the tomb was being searched for was because once found, it would help them lay bare the secrets of the house and so help them counter its actions.
Finding the house had been fairly easy, all they had to do was ask the villagers (who were a little disappointed on noticing they were not from the media) where the haunted house was. It wasn't really haunted but the villagers' stories all suggested the presence of ghosts. Once in the compound they proceeded to the great doors. The moment the team leader set foot on the threshold of the house they heard a loud thud coming from the inside, it sounded like a large latch was being unbolted, giving rise to a plume of dust. It then proceeded to slowly open inwards. What was strange was that despite the look of old age the doors seemed like they were as good as new,they didn't creak once during the whole time they were opening.
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