Way And Direction

The Present

Chapter 29

"She died?" Ara asks, not willing to believe them. She heard the entire story in silence, just listening to Kiaan and everyone talk.

Even though she was not in anyone's place when that happened, a part of her heart felt numb.

"She did. According to Sizwe, he was at his room. he kept calling out for her and she never answered. He thought it must be a minor problem. He ran to the kitchen when he smelled smoke. Then he saw the most horrific site. Her body laid there, fully charred," Kiaan says, with his eyes to the ground.

"No," Ara says as tears start to well up in her eyes.

"She was unrecognizable. It's not clear what really happened, we only know that much. Sizwe got an extreme attack after he phoned the ambulance and saw her being taken away. He couldn't handle it," Dahlia says, with a distinct layer of concern in her voice.

Ara can't help but let all the tears flow down her cheeks. She continuously wipes them with the hem of her shirt.

"What happened to Sizwe? Where is he? Why did Ellie do this?" she asks, trying to put all the pieces together.

This time Sarita talks. They're having turns, to talk enough so that no one breaks down from all the hurtful things they have to say.

"He was sent to a mental care unit. He's been there ever since. Sizwe's condition was severe, he had to be taken otherwise his life was at risk. We haven't even seen him since. We tried, but the psychiatrists who were on his case forbid us from doing so. He just stopped responding to a lot, became withdrawn, very quiet, and there was nothing we could do. We could only rely on information relayed from the psychiatrists," she says.

Every word pierces not only Ara's, but everyone's heart at this moment. All the memories come flooding back, with a force that they can't dodge.

"Did she really..?" Ara still refuses to believe what she's hearing. It's all too surreal.

"According to all the reports and stuff that they did for her, it was clear that she had set herself alight, given the time and objects nearby. Till this date we don't have the slightest clue as to why she did that. We don't even have a lead that can help us figure it out. Poor Ellie had so much going on in her mind, and we let her go," Sarita starts to cry as well, letting all the tears out.

"Did you see..." Ara tries to ask her question without getting overwhelmed, "her body?"

Kiaan shuts his eyes and looks away from the fireplace. He clenches his fist and digs into the the couch with his fingers. Ara got her answer from his reaction, she did not want to place him in that spot again, so she chooses not to push it. She doesn't want to get shattered either.

That's when Susheel decides to complete the story. He thinks that she atleast deserves an ending, a closure, after hearing the whole story already.

Even if it's the worst ending anyone could possibly imagine.

Even if it's something that will tear everyone apart once again.

Even if it might almost be all too unbelievable.