Writing 101: Serially Lost: Part 2

Click here for Part I of this story.

Here comes the Part II:

The shrieking noise of the applied brakes, was hard to ignore.

“What was that?” asked a shocked Aarti.

“Maybe, there’s been an accident, I will check outside.” replied Ajay. “Umm, ok. See if they need help.”

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As Ajay was walking towards the gate, he saw a group of men approaching him, dragging a man by his Collar.

“What is it? Is there an accident?” asked Ajay.

“Saahib, Please forgive me. I didn’t see him coming.” and the man started crying.

“This fool is drunk, don’t trust him. We heard the noise made by brakes and rushed outside. We should hand him over to the Police.”

“Hold on. I didn’t get you? What’s the matter? Who is he? What has he done? And, why are you all here?”

“It happened by mistake, Saahib. I didn’t see him.” the man kept repeating.

“Who didn’t you see?”

For a second, he felt he knew what was coming next. His heartbeat started racing, and he felt his heart would explode. Without waiting for an answer, he ran towards the exit gate.

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The land beneath his feet vanished and his legs started trembling. The tears wouln’t stop, as he saw the body smeared with blood, lying on the road. The dead body of his only son.

He sat down, not able to believe his eyes. He caressed the innocent face, which was lying there lifeless.

“Get up, Aashu. Get up. I know this is not true. I didn’t know, you could act this good. Daddy won’t scold you ever. It’s a promise, kid. Get up now and tell me this was all a joke.”

He screamed, “Aaaaashuuuuuuu….You can’t leave your Dad, like that. Come back, Aashu.”

***************************************

“It’s Ajay, right? Why is he screaming? Did he call me? I think I heard him call, Ashish.”

Aarti left the room at once. She scanned the area up to the gate for any trace of Ashish or Ajay, but in vain.

“Ajay. Where are you?” She called out loud with panic settling, in her voice.

She noticed the crowd outside. She ran with all her might. Making her way through the crowd, she came face to face with the sight, which was going to haunt her for the rest of her Life.

“Aashuuuuu….!” She screamed.

“What happened to him, Ajay? What’s with the blood? He is unconscious, right? Why are you sitting here, motionless? Let’s take him to the doctor. Get up, Ajay. Don’t waste any time. Gg.. Get up. We need.. we need to hurry.”

Ajay, too shocked to reply didn’t utter a single word. Gradually, reality started sinking into the realms of the Mother’s heart. And thus began her long journey of dealing with the loss of her only child. The child, she kept  above everyone else, including herself. The child,Who had come to define her whole life, since the day his life began inside of her.

What followed after Ashish’s loss, was Aarti’s constant battle of keeping his memories alive and living the Life, which contrary to her wishes, kept moving. Not a day would pass, when she wouldn’t cry for what she lost with him. She would curse God, to have cut short the life of a flower, which was yet to bloom in full.

For the world, she was there and still she wasn’t. All hope, seemed lost. Nothing to look forward to. Her life felt like nothing but a black hole, except that it wouldn’t let her disappear to the place where her son had gone.

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The colors, which filled their life with the coming of Ashish, left them after he left. As his arrival, made their bond strong, for the shared responsibility of raising a child. His going away, made that bond even stronger. The difference being, that earlier they were bound by the thread of a common joy and now a common loss. They learned to be strong for the sake of the other. One would sent back the tears begging to come out, if any of them saw the other crying. They had their family to look after them in the day, but the lonely nights which they spent in the memories of Ashish, they only had themselves to clear away the tears decorating their cheeks.

Their love grew by leaps and bounds, just the way it grew in the initial days of their courtship.

They had lost him, but found the love of their relationship back.