The rain .

As a kid we all grow up with dreams , dreams no less than a fairy tale with a beautiful princess and a happily ever after . For some its exactly as in the book .

Ishaan was just another ordinary kid with a pretty dream . He grew up in the mountains ,with the butterflies and the clouds .(Rest left to the readers imagination ).

Nivedita was not just another ordinary kid . She was a princess who grew in ............. well obviously the capital of a big empire .(Rest left to the readers imagination ) .

This story is not about their childhood . Lets just say its a summer day in their mid life or so .

The summer has been hot and humid lately . Inspite of the weather forecasts ,earth was yet to be blessed with showers of love . But that day it was different , the dark clouds had taken over the city and a refreshingly cool breeze was blowing . Science has made life so boring that you seldom need to pull down the curtains and see what's going on outside .But then nature has its own ways to seek attention .The rumbling of the clouds were so loud and clear , as if they were angry with some one .

Ishaan stood by the window of his office looking up at the clouds . They still remembered him , and every now and then were there to keep an eye on his well being . Only that he had been too busy in his little insignificant life that he couldn't find time to look up to them .Some times we are so lost in our lives that we don't want to change a thing about it , and that changes everything . His hands had opened the windows by then , and he could feel the breeze rushing to hug its good old childhood friend .

Nivedita too must have been looking up to them from her office . How the hell do I know what she's thinking .The only thing I know is that she liked dancing in the rain . That's what they did together ...... ummmm sometimes .

As the dark clouds embraced the city into its arm ,and the cold breeze swept it off its feet ; Nivedita crossed his mind . Memories started to pour . Memories that had been burried under several layers of dust and sand . Surprisingly there had been no recent memories that made his lips smile .

He packed his stuff and left for home . There are somethings in life that matter more , and work is not one of them .They say that when you call some one with all the love in your heart , they feel it no matter how much the distance . So he left a message with the cold breeze to be delivered to her that he would be waiting for her , to get drenched in love all over again .He believed that she would come and belief is what makes things happen ,don't they .

He reached home and realized what a mess his house has been lately . He arranged his house , made his bed , and the food and arranged for the right kind of music she liked to dance to . All this had been done so easily , the toughest part was yet to come - wait for her to come over .

He had been on the roof top for quite some time and the clouds seemed too heavy to hold the rain long enough .The wind also seemed tired of playing so hard against the buildings .He closed his eyes and said , " Don't make me wait , just because you know I would ". Heat was oozing out from the earth and the clouds could hold no longer . Droplets of rain started falling to quench its thirst . He could feel the fragrance that rose into the atmosphere , it was as exotic and mesmerising as her's .

He was drenched in love , still with a hope that the clouds would hold on until she arrived . Soon enough he heard foot steps climbing up the stairs . A few moments later there she was with a smile on her lovely face . It has been a long time since he had made her wear that smile . There are times in your life when words can not speak for you , but silence can . Let everything but the tongue do the talking .

He was standing at twenty three steps from her .Twenty three signifies that he remembered her birthday and that in a world where primes were not meant to be together , actually they did . Never in his life had he been more jealous of the rain before , maybe because it smelled her hair , rolled down her cheeks , kissed her lips , held her hand and made her wet while he waited . But it was okay as she did not care about anything else and she was coming for him .

As he held her cheeks in his hand he could see the rainbows across the droplet of water that clung to her nose .It was then only when he realized that his life would rather have been b/w lest for the colors that she brought into his life .He looked into those dark eyes and made a promise that in this life and the next she was the only one that he wanted and then the silence was broken with a kiss .Whoever said that water is the elixir of life must have had it on a woman's lips .

With the clap of a hand , music started to play and they danced into each others arms until it was dark . The clouds were gone in search of more thirsty lands and so was she . He stood alone on the edge with the twinkling stars .

It has been four years since he called her .She recognized his voice ; he could have died of happiness , but he didn't . A few moments later he heard a voice and she had to go , it was bed time . She asked ," Do you still ............. " .And he hung up the phone . He could have died with grief , but he didn't . He still walks the land under the dark sky as an illusion to the living and the dead ............................................................ alike .

Of all the sad words of pen and tongue , the saddest are these ," It might have been .................. ".

For some its exactly as in the book .but for some its not . If only life were a fairy tale ................. luckily for some its a nightmare .

Note :- Written at 5: 24 A.M in notepad. If anybody reads this , do not complain about the fonts or gramattical mistakes or errors in parts of speech or elsewise .

The Smoke .

Disclaimer – Total pathetic stuff .Read at your own risk, and that too only when you need something to kill time.

It’s been ten years since they have met. Everyone has been so busy in their own life that nobody found time for old friends’ .But at some point you realize what’s life without them? Badal was having similar thoughts when he entered the gates of his home. He noticed that the window panes were broken and everything around was a mess. Vasu (his wife) must be really upset about something. She was in a habit of destroying things when upset. He rushed the stairs up, the gates were open.

When he entered the room he was awestruck.

Aakash had entwined his wife like a creeper. His right hand resting inches below her waist and the fingers of his left hand stretching itself to feel for her heart .She had her arms around his neck. His eyes were wide open and he was having a good time, besides uttering a few words from his watering mouth.

In the reflections of the broken mirror he saw Vasu’s face. Her eyes were red and her cheeks black with the kohl flowing down with tears. So much for laying a finger on his wife he could have killed any man, but Aakash was still alive because she had granted him the liberty to live. Something must have been terribly wrong and she must be having her reasons for everything. But for now he needed a glass of cold water to quench the burning rage in him. He walks towards the kitchen and gets lucky to find a bottle of water, 3 glasses and a few ice cubes left .The rest of it were all broken and messed up. He assumed that burglars might have broken into their house and that pretty much explained the situation.

He walks up to them and says have some water guys, it’s no use crying over spilt milk. It seems like we had some burglars yesterday, but nothing to worry everything’s insured. Stop whining like a child Vasu, we shall renovate the house .All the stuff were quite old, it’s good that they are gone. May be someone needed them more than us.

She turns around and slaps him hard in the face. Ok so we shall call the police, looks like he took your mother’s jewellery as well. Don’t worry we will get it back.

Vasu started shouting at him, with tears helplessly rolling down her cheeks. Don’t act so naïve Badal, I know everything now, I know what you did last night. Tell me Badal, what’s with that bitch that you couldn’t forget her. All this reunion drama, this friend get together thing, all this you planned only to hook up back to her. Tell me you dog, was one night with the bitch worth losing all of it. I trusted you with my life and I loved you with all my heart, why did you do this to me? How could you do this to me? Tell me is she any good, is she better than me? Tell me you pig, I need to know. Why did you break my heart and shatter my trust. You make me feel like a complete idiot and stupid.

He was clueless about which bitch she was talking about .She was weeping her guts out and he knew nobody could stop her except herself, so it was no point arguing with her, which would only add fuel to fire. Fire! Ah that reminded him of something .He turns to Aakash,” You got a cigarette “.

Thy crying got louder. Damn theoretically smoke could cut out fire, but practically it proved wrong.

She again held on to Aakash and chose his shoulders to weep on. DO you remember Aakash; the day he proposed; he promised that he would never break my heart and would never smoke my eyes from truth because trust develops from it. Overnight he has broken both his promises .Oh my God! I have been fooled, I married a man who cheats on me every possible night and even smokes a fag before my eyes.

“What about the other half of the promise? “, Badal protested.

This was getting worse, she was entering a rage .He better get his ass out of there soon or he was going to get kicked real bad. Maybe he could come back later when she could actually think and talk.

He slowly headed for the door .On seeing this, she rushed to her room and came back with a gun .Hold your steps, you son of a bitch, I am not yet finished with you .Today is the Judgement day, I need to know everything.

This isn’t happening for real, is it? Badal asked.

Yes it is .If you can break my heart, I can break your skull too.

You talk about trust .Let me tell you what trust is? Look into my eyes and tell me if last night I did anything meant to offend you. How could a few words spoken by someone sentence the trust developed in so many years to death. Trust in yourself first, only then you would come to trust in me .And if you couldn’t then go ahead and shoot me.

Shoot me between my eyes and if a few moments later, I stand before St. Peters and even if he says that you shot me, I wouldn’t believe him. I would ask him,” Tell me Lord what’s in it for her? Why would she shoot the man she so dearly loves” .It was the anger that took over her and pulled the trigger and I know that she would avenge my death and kill that anger too.

I know you are good with words, but I will not be fooled again. Let me see you speak to him that way .I shall follow you there .And she started pulling the trigger. One, Two, Three, Four, Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nobody spoke .There was silence in the room for moments. Then Badal spoke.” Holy Shit! You bitch, you actually fired at me. May God bless the one who emptied the magazine or else I would have been with him by now.

You know what Varsha is a million times better than you .At least she would never fire at me .She has always loved me, she still loves me .But no , I wouldn’t love her because I was madly in love with you , and how stupid I was to think that you too loved me back and maybe more than her. And that’s why I assumed we got married , because we were meant to be together .But you know what only if I could turn back times I would have married her . She is better than you at everything, and I mean everything.

Vasu started crying all over again .You see now he admits it .He admits that she is the bitch I was talking about all the time .He has been cheating on me .Oh my God! Why did I live long enough to see this day .Take me with you lord, I don’t want to live any more. That bitch Varsha is better than me at everything, why didn’t you make me good enough.

Badal held his head in his hands .Women they only understand what they want to and nobody can change their opinion, no matter how hard one may try.

After a while, the room was filled with laughter .Both Badal and Vasu raised their heads to see Aakash and Varsha standing together with the rest of the class that has gathered for the reunion.

What’s going on? Both Badal and Vasu asked unanimously.

Vasu, I got over your husband a long time back, and since last year when Aakash proposed we are happily married. I have finally met my man .You guys were like legends so we only meant to see if the spark still existed between you or is it that the only thing that’s left between you is smoke.

We are happy to see that you guys are still madly in love with each other; ready to kill and die, right.

Ok, so all this just for a bet, huh! .My house is a mess and I almost got shot. But I guess the fun you guys had was worth it. Now the party is on only if you guys clean up the mess .Me and Vasu are going on for a drive and by the time we come back better get my house look good or else the guns would be loaded this time.

Sorry dude for the mess. I never knew she had a knack for search and destroy things. She literally broke everything you might have ever touched, except for the gun which I emptied and you should thank me for that.

Oh ya! Thank you for everything .Thank you for the lesson you taught me. I will never ever have a second reunion planned again. One more for the lessons you taught me let me repay with two teachings ; One – Never play a prank on me ;Two – Never lay a finger on my wife ever .

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz !

The Tryst.

The tryst

One night I just woke with an awkward look on my face. I looked around to find myself in a large room with exquisite paintings from the medieval age all around .The walls were filled with swords and shields of gold and the chandeliers and lamps in the room were of diamonds and pearls. My bed was made of Sandal wood that dispersed sweet fragrance in the room. The moonlight pouring into the room was nothing like I have ever seen. It shone so bright that I almost mistook it to be day. I walked across the room to look into the mirror. And to my surprise I was all dressed in silk, satin and velvet like a prince with amazing long hairs.

I looked out of the window and I could see miles .It appeared to me that I was in a castle like place on some peak. I found my way out of the hall into the gardens which had all kinds of marvelous flowers extending beyond my eyes could see. Oh! What a dream I am having.

Just when I was tired wandering and exploring around the palace, I saw a man peacefully sitting near a peach tree on the other end of the cliff. I couldn’t overcome my curiosity and I headed towards him. He greeted me when I was still a few paces behind him .How do you know my name. Where am I and what am I doing here and who are you?

Relax kid it’s nothing new; you ask the same question every year .Every year? What do you mean by that? He smiled at me and then asked me to walk him down the hill. You are just the same kid I have been so fond of. And as I do every year I will tell you everything all over again for you to forget next year. Every thing about this place and you is freaking me out .I bit my hand just to confirm if I was dreaming and ouch it did hurt.

I am Gabriel. Oh my God am I dead and is this heaven .How could you do this to me, I haven’t lived enough yet .Oof! No you aren’t dead and I am not an angel .I am just a magician and I have you here to spend some time with you and off course tell you a story too . The story I am about to tell you is one of the greatest love stories in history of all times and yet no one knows about it. And why should that be? It was Andrews’s last wish to be that way. Who is Andrew now? How am I associated with all this? Just send me back; I have a class to attend to. I know how much attentive you are, don’t give me that ****, just be calm and listen carefully .I intend you no harm and stories are always fun.

So can you tell me the story please?

Once upon a time there were two kingdoms Adrastea and Amalthea on the two banks of the river Sabrina. Nobody knows since when they have been fiercest of enemies and for what reasons. It has just been carried in their blood lines for ever and ever. Andrew was the prince of Adrastea and Carolina was the pristinely beautiful princess of Amalthea. What about Andrew, wasn’t he handsome? Well I leave that up to you to decide later. It was prophesized by my father that they were meant to be together, so I had to find a way. I being the secret ally of both the states convinced them to have their kids study at my Paideia. Both were four years old when I brought them here.

Ok so this is the great story that you were talking about .Indeed it is a new plot that kids at four fall in love and no wonder why it isn’t in history .So now if you are done with it can I go back to my own ways.

If you insist I can send you back but then you will never know what happened to them and why you are here. Moreover my spell will only last until the first rays of the sun falls on the castle and then you are gone .So if you waste another minute you may miss something that won’t let you sleep for another year.

I hope you can speed up a little and maybe we can finish it fast. Ok so let me start from the end and then maybe you will remember the rest all by itself.

It’s a well known fast that the fragrance of love cannot be hidden and it spreads on its own. So finally the word of Andrew and Carolina’s love reached both the courts .Both the kings were so enraged that they declared their children to be slayed and set an example. I hid both of them with magic until they decided it was time they talked to their parents .So for the first time since ages both the kings gathered together to put an end to a life which they had nurtured with their own blood.

Holding hands together they entered the court, fearless and unstrained. The whole court held their breath and wished them to be spared .They bowed to their parents and begged for a few moments to let their heart out before the thread of their lives were snapped.

We understand the severity of our blunder and we are not here to seek forgiveness as we are not sorry for what we are accused of. But then there are a lot of other reasons we would like to be forgiven for.

We are sorry beyond words to have pained your hearts. Never in my life have I intended to do something which would not please you. When I opened my eyes for the first time, I wasn’t crying because this was the place in the entire world I wanted to be in. All my childhood I never cried because I just couldn’t withstand desperate looks on your faces. In all my life I have never intentionally disobeyed you, and if ever I did, you had always forgiven me without me pleading for it. So what suddenly made the difference? Had it for any other girl, wouldn’t you have blessed us with all the happiness in the world. Look into her eyes and tell me if you see anything except love for me and you. How could your heart grow so cold to nurture hatred for an innocent girl who loves your son and his family more than her life?

God was skeptical, but we choose you as our parents because we had faith in your unconditional loving heart. If a ray of light could defeat legions of darkness, how could love be defeated at the hands of hatred? If we were conceived out of love how could we have inculcated hatred in us?

You have always bestowed happiness in our life without us asking for it. So now what makes you deny us eternal happiness .Why in the world did the happiness of your enemies become more important to you than your own children’s? How could you care more for your enemy than your son?

True that we owe our life to you; you have all the right in the world to deny us life. We would be more than honored to lay it down if it pleases you. But then have you ever thought what were we born for? Don’t you realize that the only reason we were born was for each other .Somewhere in our heart we knew that you would understand us and stand by our side when se needed you the most. We don’t say that you have failed us .You must be having your own reasons for doing so, it’s just that we don’t understand. We know that our parents would never be wrong and how much it would have hurt them to pass the judgment against us. So respecting your judgment we lay down our lives and plead to be forgiven for our naïve thoughts.

There is just one last request that we have. Don’t let anyone know our fate or else love would loose its meaning and light would be afraid of the dark. Oceans of blood would conquer the world just because son’s and daughter’s would be slaughtered by their parents for the naïve reason that they hate their enemies more than loving their child.

With this last wish they sealed their tryst with a kiss and be gone they were to a different dimension, a world of two where they won’t be bounded by obligations and responsibilities .A place they can call their own and live their way.

How did they die? Ah! On their request I had given them a potion of death wish because they wanted to end their lives their way if necessity arose. I never thought they would use it but they did.

I feel sorry for them all, the hero, the heroine and their parents. Poor folks, maybe they would have changed their minds, but that stupid fellow never gave them a chance and poor heroine she did not even have enough dialogues to deliver. Don’t be, for their purpose was fulfilled .They had restored everything that mattered.

So can I go now .I am kinda sleepy. Damn I am a bad story teller, couldn’t make you believe it was you.

Maybe if you see Carolina, you would remember everything .She awaits you in the same room you awoke. I brought her from the same dimensions you belong to. And I guess you have met her before a few times in this life of yours. The sunrise is few moments away, run and you can make it.

“Happy b’day Andrew, see you next year “, I heard him say as I ran towards the palace. I did not believe in reincarnation the first time I was here. But as I saw her standing by the window, my heart beat was racing like a Ferrari. What if she is not the one I am so uncontrollably in love with? And what if she is the one? In all my perplexity, I suddenly noticed that her silhouette was exactly like her’s and in all my anxiousness; I called out a name (the one I use back on earth). As she turned to look at me, I was blinded by the first rays of the sun and I woke up sweating and panting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Pursuit Of Happiness -The Eclipse .

5:20 AM .I was at the Regional Science Centre, Bhopal and no prize for guessing that I found her. Clad in a black &white striped top, blue jeans and a black jacket with hairs fluttering in the air and those cute little earrings; I couldn’t help but be mesmerized at the sight so much that I did not notice when she ended up her conversation with the professor and was standing before me awaiting an answer.

Was it you whom I saw yesterday? Do you live in the city? What brings you here? Are you with expecting someone? Whom are the flowers for?

Oh! I thought females had a bad memory recognizing men but it seems I have been wrong all those years. I don’t know about you, but I definitely saw you yesterday. Moreover, I don’t live in the city, I just came for the eclipse .I am not expecting anybody now and these flowers are for someone I like so you can have these flowers if you like happen to like them. I guess I answered all your questions. Now I suppose you wouldn’t mind answering mine.

You definitely are not from this city. So what brings you here? What do you do for a living and if you have an uncle in the city, why isn’t he around?

Yeah. I am not from the city .I came here for a short vacation .I am a Criminal Psychology student and it’s I who am interested in the eclipse, so I came all by me. By any chance, are you stalking me?

Don’t worry, a wise woman once told me that you shouldn’t desire what you don’t deserve although you can admire them .And I being insanely perfect for anyone to deserve, totally defines me being single. So there isn’t a chance of stalking you as I prefer being a bachelor than a master (or you can call it as slave).

So given the weather, how do you suppose you would see the eclipse?

I guess I am not that lucky today .Maybe next time. What about you?

I don’t give up that easily .I believe I would see what I came for. So if you really want to see the eclipse then you can come with me lest you have no problem trusting people at least one’s like me. So are you coming or not ?

Where do you suppose to see the eclipse and if you insist then I can come. Let’s see if your faith can at least move clouds if not mountains.

Clouds won’t be everywhere, so we can drive along the central eclipse path .Sanchi and Vidisha happens to be in it. Sanchi is an isolated divine hill some 50 kilometers away and as far as I have known hills, they don’t disappoint anyone. If it does and we still have enough time, we can go up to Vidisha. Even if your bad luck over rides mine, it would be a good morning drive and you can enjoy the caves there. So if that sounds ok then we can go get a ride.

Lucky enough I did not have to call the autowala from yesterday as she had a car, which she drove fast. It was about 45-50 kilometers away and I feared that the journey would end rather soon.

We talked little as she drove because she concentrated on the roads and I lost myself in the clouds somewhere.

Sometimes later, she broke the silence. What is that thing in your hand? Ah, it’s an equipment I was taught at school to know how much solar eclipse we have missed.

Just then, I noticed a little toy tiger on the dashboard and asked if it were her’s. She replied that it was her beloved tigress toy, which someone has made for her.

We luckily found a very beautiful place amongst the woods, which had a clear sky. We had missed quite a lot of the eclipse but totality was still a few minutes away.

Aren’t you scared of this lonely place or me? No, I like them both. What are your opinions on flattery? Does it work on you? Not until you tell me something that, I don’t know and you haven’t said before. So would you be flattered if I say that you look more beautiful than the eclipse. I know that for sure. People can miss the sight of the sun but not me .Look at you, aren’t you looking less at the eclipse and more at me?

Ok then let me think for a moment .The totality had just begun and I just a couple of minutes were left before the most spectacular sight of the century.

Have I ever told you that I am in love with you? I guess not so let me now. I held out the flowers and started pouring out words from my heart.

Ever since I first met you, I felt something missing in me. It did not take me much time to know what was missing because instead of my heartbeat it was always your name .There wasn’t a single instance when my eyes did not perceive you in everything it saw. All the bits in my memory have your image and a question as how to find you ever since the day we first met. All my wishes and prayers have been to see you again and tell you how I felt because without it my spirits wouldn’t rest in peace. I have been searching for you these entire days and you have no idea how I finally found you.

I could only get you flowers from the city, as I couldn’t find a ring better than the one in the sky, as I do not have friends or family in the city so I sent invitations to Mercury, Venus, Mars (from our solar system) and Procyon, Sirius and Rigel (stars) to witness the moment .I couldn’t find a better place than Sanchi, so I brought you here.

You just have 30 seconds to wear the ring or else it will be gone forever and so would the honorable dignitaries I have summoned. I lifted her hand towards the sky and the ring did seem to fit best into her lovely fingers.

She kept staring at the ring and those heavenly bodies until they bid adieu as the moon parted ways with the sun.

She looked stunned for some time. That was flattering, you are good at it aren’t you. So what favor do you expect in return?

Now that I have succeeded in flattering you, .You must show me around, as I leave not before night.

Do not take my words seriously .They were just meant to make this eclipse memorable .We came all this way long and so I just wanted to make it a point for you to laugh at with your friends. The eclipse would be boring to them but not this story if you tell them.

Life seems to be a joke for you right. Why does life have all the pleasure laughing at us .Sometimes we should laugh back too, isn’t it.

We stayed in the woods for a while and then got back to the wheels. We visited a few caves ,rode back to the city had lunch ,got on a steamer boat ,caught a movie in the evening ( Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince – I haven’t seen any of its earlier episodes ,but who was interested in the movie anyways ).

Then finally, I was at the station not sure, if I should stay one more day. I decided to leave as there is always a next time. However, then something stopped me from boarding the train and I returned to where she was standing.

I opened my bag and I held out a tiger for her .My tiger refuses to go with me .He says he is in love with your tigress .Can you keep him along with her.

That’s it .That’s why you came back .I thought you wanted my number or something.

It’s very less likely that you would like to see me again and if you gave your number, that would be correct. Moreover, when I desperately need to see you again I will find you as I found you this time. Let me see if you remember me then. Thanks for the wonderful day. I wouldn’t forget anything about it.

Then my train left . . . . . . . with her waving at me .