09:40:05 P.M, Yesterday
He
was waiting for her. It was cold and overcast. He pulled his jacket closer. The
weather seemed to reflect his mood. He touched his gun to his cheek, feeling
the cold metal. He would do it today. He had to. He wanted to see those pretty
eyes widen in shock. This would be the final act. His Judgment.
She
must suffer for loving him; for leaving him; and for still loving him. Just as
he had borne all her wrath. Yes, the
mistake had been his, his alone, but the price he had paid was far too much.
And for that, she’ll pay now; with her life.
As he was rolling these thoughts around his head, he heard footfall.
It
was her. Those round, brown eyes; like a Japanese doll. His own moonbeam. He
was entranced, just as he always was. He
scurried behind some bushes, out of sight. She walked past, as if in a spell.
He realized that she must be thinking about him. He couldn’t bring himself to
do it. “Tomorrow”, he said to himself and hurried back.
09:40:05 P.M, Yesterday
The
pain was excruciating. She could not bear this emptiness in her. Leaving him
hadn’t been easy. She knew it never would be. They had been too close for that.
Still, she had to do it. There was no alternative. She tried to drive the
thoughts off her mind. The park was silent, which did not help her cause. Then
she saw him crouched behind some bushes, looking at her.
She
wanted run towards him, hug him and say everything was fine and they could go
back to being just as they were, but she knew it was beyond reclamation. All
spoiled by one moment of blind hatred. Part of her wanted him to run to her,
hug her and say everything was fine but she knew life did not work that way.
She walked past him; still hoping life did work that way.
09:30:33 P.M, Today
He
was waiting for her. It was a beautiful
clear night, and the moon was a thin two day crescent. Jupiter shone
brilliantly in the east amid the faint stars of Pisces. Even the night was conspiring against him,
sneering, reminding him of all those nights he had spent with her under this
same, star-dotted dome. That seemed a lifetime ago; those stolen moments of
unadulterated bliss. Now he was tensed, and felt his shirt damp against his
damp skin. The park’s nocturnal inhabitants were now waking up. He heard
crickets droning, frogs croaking and the rustle of leaves as a snake slithered
somewhere. “Focus”, he said to himself and mentally rehearsed what he had to
do, as he hid his gun in his jacket. Then he saw her.
09:30:33 P.M, Today
The
park seemed the same. She knew he would be there today too; waiting for her as
always. Today she wanted to talk. This stalking had to stop. All stories had to
end somewhere. May be this might end happily ever after. She looked up. Jupiter
shone brilliantly in the east amid the faint stars of Pisces. He had taught her
star gazing; she thought that the night was telling her how delightful those
days had been; those unending nights of looking at the stars, resting on his
shoulders. She made up her mind. They had to talk. Then she saw him.
09:31:00 P.M, Today
He
came out into the path. They stared at each other; all those years between
them. She ran into his arms, sobbing. She felt him stiffen, but he relaxed
immediately. They hugged, still sobbing. Slowly hand in hand, they started
walking back, silent. They just needed each other’s presence. No words were
necessary. No words would be enough.
He
felt her hands in his, warm and soft. She was his goddess, his muse, his unborn
child, his dead mother. He felt ashamed that he had even thought of a punishment.
He would make it up to her, he thought, devoting his entire life for her. Just
to be with her as she grew old and pale; to be always there holding her hand.
She
felt his hand in hers, hard and strong. He had taught her to appreciate the
world and life; he had made her who she was. Nothing would bring them apart
now. Everything was forgotten. It was all just a hazy dream in the realms of
her subconscious. She would have been happy even if the world had ended right
then. They walked back to his place and got married the next day. It was bliss.
It was an entire lifetime.
09:31:02 P.M, Today
He
was calm, as he took the Glock 17 out of his pocket. He saw her eyes widening,
scared. She knew. And he knew he couldn’t through with it if he heard her
voice.
“I
love you”, he said, his voice breaking.
Then
he shot himself.
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A Short Story by my friend, Bharathwaj Ranganathan, that lazy genius who refuses to write more
