Till The End of Time
The crisp air of Mussoorie enveloped me as I returned to my
ancestral home after thirteen years. Memories flooded my mind, especially those
of a childhood friend whose laughter lingered in the recesses of my memory. Her
image remained vivid—a bubbly girl with lush black hair intertwined into curls
framing her rosy-cheeked face.
It was the summer of '99 when we shared a tender moment, our
first kiss, just before I departed for Delhi, merely a month after my 13th
birthday. Fate had swept me away, leaving behind cherished memories and an ache
in my heart.
Returning to Mussoorie, I sought her amidst familiar streets
and homes, only to find her residence occupied by strangers. But fate always
has a peculiar way of reuniting kindred spirits, I liked to believe so for
faith was one of the few things keeping me together nowadays- I sighed.
One particular serendipitous day, while lost in the reverie
of our past adventures, I glimpsed a figure in the woods—familiar, yet surreal.
I raced out of the house at her sight and dashed after her, my heart pounding
in anticipation but before I could get to her, she vanished into the foliage.
Disheartened, I scoured the woods almost at the brink of losing hope of ever
meeting her again until a tap on my shoulder jolted me. I whipped around and
there she stood, the embodiment of my memories, in her spotless floral gown
with her deer-doe eyes mirroring the longing buried within my own.
“Naina” My chest rose and fell unsteadily, my heart heavy in
this surreal moment.
Though a stoic, her eyes ignited with fervency with her
lips twisted into a tender smile as a wave of familiarity passed through her.
“Nikki...” She uttered under her breath. A smile played on my
lips as I nodded, my eyes tearing up with joy- only she could call me that out
of all the people dear to me.
No more words were said, none were needed as she fell into my
embrace. Even after all these years, I felt the same warmth as I had before
leaving this place.
That evening we walked down the trail like we used to in the
sweet bygone days. Our conversations flowed effortlessly, weaving stories of
the past. She recounted her absence, the sale of her childhood home, and her
new life in another part of town.
“It’s so beautiful, this moonlit night” She remarked as we
trotted our way back
“Sure it is… just like the old days” I remarked and then,
partly hoping to spend more time with her, offered to walk her home.
“Thank you Nikki but don’t worry yourself with it… I know
these woods better than anyone, they don’t let anything happen to me” She
replied. I found her response peculiar but decided not to press her further.
We met frequently after that, sharing moments lost to time,
culminating in the reawakening of our young love amidst Mussoorie's enchanting
fall. And then one evening, below the same deodar that had witnessed our
selfless love blossom years ago, our love rekindled as stolen glances said more
than what words ever could.
Yet, fate seemed to play its hand once more. Days turned into an anxious wait as she vanished, leaving me adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Desperation crept in, questioning my actions. The reunion that once kindled hope now brewed doubts.
Yet, fate seemed to play its hand once more. Days turned into an anxious wait as she vanished, leaving me adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Desperation crept in, questioning my actions. The reunion that once kindled hope now brewed doubts.
I wandered amidst the woods,
seeking her in every familiar corner, each rustle of leaves raising hope and
despair in equal measure. It was in those woods, in the hallowed serenity of
our cherished spot beneath the deodar tree, that I found her again.
I confronted her, partly relieved to see her. Perhaps I had been too bold that evening, maybe I had misinterpreted her gaze for loving glance… I thought
I confronted her, partly relieved to see her. Perhaps I had been too bold that evening, maybe I had misinterpreted her gaze for loving glance… I thought
But this instance was different for her eyes,
usually brimming with mirth and mischief, now held a sorrow I couldn't
comprehend. She hesitated, her voice barely a whisper.
"Nikki, there are
things... I've been hiding."
I urged
her gently, reassuring her with a comforting squeeze of her hand. "You can
trust me, Naina. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
With a
deep breath, she recounted an unsettling revelation. Traces of anguish laced
her words as she spoke about inexplicable marks on her wrists and neck- I
noticed- a haunting reminder of a date etched into her memory—16th October
2003- Her 18th birthday.
Her words
came as a blow to my conscience as I failed to wrap my head around it. Yet her
eyes were convincing enough to make me doubt my own perception of reality. Questions tumbled in my mind like leaves caught in a tempest but this tussle
inside my mind subsided as soon as she revealed a piece of paper- a newspaper
clipping.
I took it
with my fingers which trembled- my conscious filled with terrible foreboding.
My heart sank as my eyes stumbled upon the headline- “Mussoorie in Mourning:
The Unsettling Truth Behind Murder of an 18-Year-Old” the newspaper screamed,
mentioning the name of my childhood friend, Naina.
My chest started
feeling heavier as I found it harder to breath with each passing instance. I
tenaciously tried to keep myself together, to hold back the tears that had
started to well-up in my eyes but a mere glance upon her lush black hair
playing willfully in gentle breeze save two curls that guarded her round,
pretty little face pushed me over the brink as I started to cry my heart out.
She was the sole remanent of my childhood that I adored… I found myself
mourning the death of that part of me that ended with her.
“Why did
you come again for me Naina…?” I sniffled, remorse of leaving the town along
with her weighing heavily on my conscious
"I
could never leave you, Nikki," her voice trembled, choked with emotion.
"I had to protect you."
Confusion
mingled with the ache in my chest. "Protect me? From what, Naina?"
She placed
a tender hand over my eyes, calming the torrent of questions inside me, and
placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, a bittersweet gesture laden with a cascade of
emotions. Her whispered words stirred the very fabric of my being.
“Why did
you have to go Nikki?” her words tore through my chest.
Tears
cascaded down my cheeks, mingling with the remnants of her love. Eyes closed, I
dared to surrender to the warmth of her touch, finding her face and drawing her
close. Our lips met, an affirmation of an enduring bond, a union transcending
the boundaries of time and fate.
"I
won't ever leave you again... promise to stay with me till the end," I
vowed, the words carrying the weight of a lifetime of longing. She enveloped me
in her embrace, allowing us to melt in each other’s arms and together we
reclined on the grassy bed, reminiscent of our carefree days.
-The end
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