2
Rajeev opened the front door. With some creak the panels moved inside. An ancient foul stink came out. It was unbearable but Rajeev seemed unmoved by it. He cleared the cobwebs with a broom and took his baggage inside. Then he locked the door. He walked towards the bedroom and saw a bed in the corner of the room. He walked towards the bed and stared for almost like an eternity. A lot of memories and emotions went through his heart. It was covered with thick layers of dust. The sheet was unwrinkled. He lay on the bed. It had a scent of a lady. Everything around unhurriedly faded away. He was surrounded by the vastness of void and a fragrance which froze his memories to a single point. Slowly he went into a mild slumber.
“You came.” He heard a very soft voice. He felt that it came from deep inside a cave. He wished to respond but was incapable to speak.
He knew that a smooth hand was caressing his chest, warm breath patting his cheeks and a tender body is welcoming him. He enjoyed a serene kiss on his forehead.
“Five years … I was waiting for you for the last five years. Finally, you came.”
A soft whisper turned into a zephyr in his ears. He wished to reply something. He wanted to open his eyes and to see the origin of the voice. Only he knew he was beyond any dreams.
That voice, he knew he was being vanquished by it.
At that moment there was a knock at the door. Even in his mild snooze he knew something moving away from him.
He took more time to rise up from the bed. He didn’t want to.
He slowly walked towards the door and removed the lock. As he opened the door he saw a big crowd. He saw Naanu in between them.
“What happened?” He asked calmly.
“The rain and storm was heavy.” Naanu said.
“So what?”
“This house is very old. It is incapable to withstand heavy rain.” Someone in the crowd answered.
“But it is still unharmed.”
“We saw light from afar. We just thought we will just check.” Another person said. “No one has been using this house for last five years.”
“It is so unusual to rain in this season.” One person added.
Rajeev smiled at them.
“Did you have any difficulties?” Naanu’s concerned enquiry came. Not only him but everyone can feel the uneasy stench coming from the house.
“No. Only problem is the dust but I will manage.” Rajeev seemed unmoved of the stink.
Everyone was staring at him. Most of them felt that they have seen him before. They were trying to remember. This man, with unshaved face, long hair and his skinny body looked familiar. They were searching in their memories.
An old man in the group asked. “What is your name, son?”
His smile disappeared. Eyes were aglow with fire. Lips trembled. Like a whisper he uttered. “Rajeev.”
The whole village was panicked.
This name was in the history of this village before five years. There wasn’t fire with this name but love and compassion.
“No one should stand in this premise. Whoever will stay back will have to bear the consequences.” Rajeev closed the door with a heavy thud.
The mob slowly moved away.
Atmosphere filled with their whisperings and thoughts.
“Look at him. He lost all his essence.”
“He looks like a ghost”
“There is no doubt the storm came.”
“What is in his mind?”
“Why did he come back?”
“He will destroy this village”
“How cannot he come back? She was waiting for him all these years.”
“That’s true, she made him come back.”
“It seems the story will end today.”
Only Naanu was left standing in front of the closed door. He stood there and stared. Then he also walked towards the crowd to hear what they have to say about him. He had too many questions to ask. The first was who is Rajeev?
Rajeev took a moment to calm him. He let out a long exhale. His eyes affixed on the bed where he lay earlier. He wanted the feeling to come back. I can feel your presence, after all these years.
Rajeev lay down again on the bed. Again he felt the same scent, an unearthly aroma of a lady. Once again the vastness of void surrounded him. Within seconds he was under a mild slumber.
“I was waiting for you.” He heard that serene sound near him. He heard the melody of glass bangles in the dark. He knew smooth touch of fingers on his chest.
“Why are you silent?”
I was waiting to hear this voice for last five years. His heart thumped with joy. And yet, he couldn’t speak.
Those hands slowly moved up from his chest towards his neck.
He could feel something exploding in his veins. He could feel the rhythm of love in his heart. An unexplainable sensation enveloped his body. He has surrendered to the voice.
From his neck the fingers brushed his lips and breezed onto his hair.
He opened his mouth to say something. But the words were unvoiced.
Warm breaths fell on his face. A kiss rhymed on his lips. He was unable to move. He felt those lips moving all around his face like a fish. His face melted down in thousand kisses.
“Mridula.” In one of those moments he whispered. It resonated inside her ears. Her hands hold his head tight. Her lips trembled over his lips in an unearthly kiss. A breeze of unquenchable thirst and desire embraced them.
“This moment … I came back for this.” He was free of his slumber. He could feel a female body veiled in transparent cloud over him. His hands slowly gripped around the form.
“We will be together forever.” She whispered in his ears.
“Yes my love.”
“Your body is mine, so is your soul.”
He felt a zephyr blowing near his ears.
*-*
Not too far away an infant screamed at an open ground. Heavy lightning struck at the centre of the ground and the soil split open and made a small opening. A tiny hand covered with blood and dirt slowly moved up. The scream became louder but was soon silenced by a horrific thunder.
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