I was sitting on a ledge, pointed like a nose, and covered with grasses; tall, green and dry. The huge banyan tree nearby, standing tall on that narrow piece of land, gave it a creepy look. No wonder, not many people went there. And there I was, sitting with my face down, mocking the beautiful February afternoon with my tears. I was sad, a broken heart was all I possessed and a remorseful I had already decided that I should die. The sky was bright blue with a little hint of clouds, the breeze blew calm, and flowers blossomed nearby-everything that would have normally made any person happy. However, deep in my heart, nothing could make me happy. I felt my end was near; I wish it was!
I sat there for quite some time, maybe hours, until I was startled by a hand on my shoulders. Surprised, I turned around to find a stranger standing before me. I somehow hated him at that instant only, maybe because I knew he would show some pity on me, the very last thing I wanted. Instead, he was calm and to my utter dismay, he ordered,” You want to die? Go and die, do it. You don’t deserve life if you can’t value it.” Confused, I sat there, doing nothing. I felt embarrassed by my stupidity. Thereafter, he was kind to me and I cried my heart out, in anguish. Tears washed away my agony, brought back my sweet innocence. Then and there only, he promised, to accompany me in every moment of joy and sorrows alike. I was elated; nobody had ever showered such kindness and love upon me.
Since then, he had there for me each moment as I carefully treaded the steps of time. Soon, acquaintance gave way to friendship, a close one; he seemed the world of my broken dreams. So many beautiful evenings lost their count in our never-ending talks; my songs blended in his tunes to create the music of love. Everything seemed perfect, and complete; I was happy.
It had been nearly a month of our first meeting, when we both decided to visit the ledge, again.
Somehow, unconsciously we hadn’t mentioned anything about the ledge till then. As we reached there, I saw a young woman, almost my age. She was sitting exactly at the same place and with the same posture and state, as I was once in. I stood there for some time, dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. He asked me to go and talk to her. I did as he said. The woman too cried her heart out in pain. I tried to heal the last shreds of my broken heart by trying to heal hers. My past, the doors to which I had once closed, came flashing back all at once, and we shared our grief. I looked behind for him, but he was gone. I searched, but he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had fulfilled his need, his destiny, and now it was time to fulfill mine. I looked towards the woman; she unconsciously walked towards the edge of the ledge, and in front of my eyes, jumped down. I could feel the sea waves raging below to take her in its arms. I could see the journey till death and the calm and peace that surrounds it. Soon, I realized the woman was none other than me. I had ceased to exist back then, if not for him. Death invited me as I could feel his absence, for he was just a dream I dreamt for some time, on my last day on earth.
Tezaswita
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