Stranger in the Night

                                                                   Part III

She served them dinner. Rini's drawing books were all scattered on the table..she started picking them - Amit was in earlier than her today -- had been complaining "you should start taking the car....being out in the rains, being adventurous in new city wont get you any story"

She smiled at him..."good you could come in early today.Rini's new school seems a task master..she'll need more attention"

He tried not to get distracted by her smell....the fragrance of her in the freshly startched saree....the whole day's tiredness melted away somewhere at the sight of her....but today he saw creases at her brows....her face was porcelain.....as he always felt...a single frown couldnt be missed........maybe the new city running around or the city she had run away from once.....he tried to not remark....

"The news room otherwise was quiet the whole day ...our next sponsorship deals looks like almost finalised"

She nodded and started clearing away the empty dishes...

Suddenly the Evening news on the TVstarted flashing Breaking news...

"Director Shekhar Ray in a car crash --today evening at 9 on the isolated street in south of ....."

Amit's phone buzzed...he looked from the screen to her...and cut the call....

"Shekhar was alone when the accident happened. "

She lifted her eyes and looked at the TV..but her hands went on with the work..

"Rini, finish your dal..."

Reporter shrieked almost....

"The star was at the driver's seat .. the car's wreckage......."

She looked at Amit....

"you need rice...."

He looked at her....she was calm.....composed.....the devastating beauty of hers masked any expression...."maybe.......it didnt matter..." he thought.

"Let me message the news room....they will keep me posted..."

She was helping Rini eat the last morsels...the TV went on unwatched...

Reporter had now shifted outside the hospital -- a small group of onlookers tried peeping into the cameras....it was still drizzling there...

"As per latest update here Shekhar Ray is in the emergency right now...his family members are all here...also the outpouring of Industry friends have been increasing steadily..........Police is trying to find if he was under alcoholic influence....."

"Shekhar Ray never drinks ."

And she switched off the TV.....turned and took the empty plate and walked away to the kitchen...

Amit looked at her walking away --- the rain lashed on the glass door.....he looked out -- wild thundering.....

He said softly, "Looks like a long night ahead of storms and rains....."

 

Stranger in the Night

                                                              Part 2

"Shekhar ??? "

She exclaimed......the night,the place,the wreckage scene that lied in front, the rains, the thunders - all swept away in that moment....

He loosened the grip on her wrist....she could see the blood trickling down slowly his forehead....

She only managed to say -- "You are bleeding.....I....I......let me get someone..."

She turned to walk away to get help....and heard the voice of her demons...the voice that defined her existence....

"Will you come back for me this time......."

She paused...and turned to look at him...

Drenched in the rain, her saree clinging to her svelte frame...water dripping her loose tresses...a sudden lightning lit her face.....in his pain, in the darkness creeping down his eyes....in the chaos of the throbbing pain in his head -- he saw it all....and those large eyes of her....tears or rain water rolling down them......and he before it all went dark.....he knew....she will never return back..........

She walked away......

He had remembered later ambulance sirens,men shouting to each other....carrying him....but he knew she never came back......her touch,her presence he would have felt even in the dungeons of darkness....

 

Fireflies

Evening fireflies danced around me
I sat there by the river,counting the pebbles
The breeze caressing my reflective whims
I caught the setting sun wispering to the dancing ripples

 Evening fireflies danced on the waters
I sat there by the river,counting the pebbles
He came from behind calling..."come home with me"
I caught the rising moon whispering to the dancing ripples

Evening fireflies danced at his feet
I sat there by the river,counting the pebbles
I took his hand...looked back at the waters..his reflection danced on the ripples
His voice broke..."come home with me"

Evening fireflies danced around us
I threw the pebbles...broke the ripples...his reflection into pieces
And then finally I caught the sparkling moon whispering to the crying ripples...

"Mirage",he whispered...and then he merged...with the night of fireflies

Darkness -- Crawling Back !!!

Its when the silence becomes the walls and noise keeps crashing at the corners....when the sunrays streaming in from the vents ,couldnt tear through the darkness of the room.....when the peeling paint of the walls reveal the scratches beneath....its when the chirping birds outside the window sill seem muted...........its when through the narrow cracks of the door , you can see the world outside - its everything that is the Life outside but that darkness still feels the soothing skin,those noises feel like the friends for life to hang onto, the scratches seem like the tempest in the soul within -- the cracks are the ways to step outside --- but the Futility of all -- that room becomes your place --- darkness is your companion -- the birds are the intruders of your space -- luring you to chirp with them -- but you want to hold onto the peeling flakes of the wall paint.....its when you love what you wanna love coz that makes you -- maybe thats your own mirror -- the world outside is for the rest .

Suddenly homless, dear Blog I come back to you -- but this will be remain the space for Darkness -- for the crawling sunshine through the vents, we shall find some other world, some other time......