THE HIDDEN HALF

Chapter 42: The Last Thread

*** CHAPTER 42 ***

Sanskaar's eyes flutter open as he breathes in the misty fragrance of the surroundings and the cool breeze with a hint of drizzle splashes across his face. He can hear the leaves rustling and the wind whistling around the branches. Is that the sound of a forest that he can hear? Tar-dark surroundings greet him the moment he opens his eyes, and all he can figure out are the silhouette of his blurry surroundings. Breathing heavily, he tries feeling the surface underneath him, only to realize that it was something hard rock, something like, maybe a boulder, that he has been sleeping on. Grumbling, he hoists himself on his palms to sit up straight when he hears a chuckle. His heart soars with a feeling so surreal yet so familiar.

"Bhai, is that you?" The words escape Sanskaar's lips without even realizing.

And as a milky white light filters from tree tops cascading a shadow underneath, he finally gets a glimpse of Shlok standing behind a nearby tree. With a hum of agreement, he comes and sits beside Sanskaar, who still seems in a daze.

Sanskaar: Where have you been all this time? Do you even realize how long has it been since you visited me last? And what is this place? It is so different from before! Are you...

Shlok: Gosh, Sanskaar! Slow down. One question at a time.

Sanskaar: (rolls his eyes) Fine. Sorry. What is this place anyway?

Shlok: Somewhere better than where I have been before. What you are seeing right now is the realm that forestalls the proceeding of the lost souls towards afterlife. Only when I cross this realm, will I be able to enter afterlife.

Sanskaar: But... W-Why are you here?

Shlok: Because of you.

Sanskaar: Because of me? What did I do? And what about the place you were before?

Shlok: Those were the Dungeons of Obsidian. Any soul that might go astray or might become evil sooner or later is held captive there. I was held there because I had no hope of reaching the afterlife. I was held back somewhere in between and if I was not kept under control, there was a sliver of possibility that I might become evil too. That was until I found you.

Sanskaar: Me!?

Shlok: You and I are like two faces of the same coin, Sanskaar. You became the medium with which I could contact the world of living. If I say that you are my liberator, it will not be an exaggeration.

Sanskaar: (smiles) So, now that you are out of those dungeons and into this realm... It is a good thing, right?

Shlok: (chuckles) Of course, it is! Thanks to you, my dear brother! Now that I am able to enter this realm, this signifies only one thing that whatever you are doing out there in the world of living, you are in the right direction. You are a step closer to finding out what happened to me.

With that being said, reality hits him hard. Sanskaar sucks in a deep breath unsure of what he is supposed to feel. What an irony of life it is! Knowing that he is a step closer to the truth, he cannot help but realize that it means he is now a step further away from his brother. Once Shlok enters afterlife, he will never be able to see his brother ever again, not even in his dreams. But only when he enters afterlife, will his brother be able to enter the world of living again, only then Shlok will be able to born again. For sure, he will never see his brother ever again, but is that not better than having his soul lost forever!?

The pain that hauls incessantly at his heart will not cease to exist, but he will be at ease knowing that he has not failed his brother, that he is somewhere out there. Though not with him, but Shlok will be out there living a life as new as a blooming bud. Maybe if on the crossroad of life, they meet ever again, even if they do not recognize each other, he will always know that his brother will once again have a life that he so earnestly deserves. And the thought itself brings peace to his heart.