Sunday, November 24, 2013

THE END


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






2 comments:

lilith said...

Aweeesomeeeee .. Brad.. Dont stop pls

vinoth said...

Nice da Bharath!!!