Unreachable Destiny- The Curse Of Your Love

Chapter-64: A Dreadful Reality and A Promise Never Kept.

As soon as they recover from the shock, All three of them leave for the Hospital. Since the news shakes both Maya and Atul, Ranav takes the wheel.

Maya's mind was a chaotic whirlwind, replaying the news she had just received over and over again. The world outside the windows blurred into a series of indistinct shapes and colours, her focus shifting between the dead silence in the jeep and the heart-wrenching reality she was racing towards. Maya can easily count the number of times that she met Ketki and every time she did, she anticipated the sight of her Bua, but today Maya really hoped not to see her. Maya hoped that it all would turn out to be a misunderstanding. Somehow, the theory sounded like nothing but an excuse to make herself feel less guilty. After all, it was Maya herself who had promised to protect her. Maya's thoughts trailed off as she looked into the distance feeling confined by her fate and the inevitable truth.

No sooner do they reach the hospital than Atul gets down and marches inside. Ranav looks at Maya in the back seat, who sits still, spaced out. She looks so lost in that moment that he feels a strong urge to pull her into his arms, shield her from the pain that was evident in her moist eyes. Yet he refrained from his wishes just like he hid his desires behind the restraints of their reality, which was that she belonged to someone else. Someone she probably loves more than anything and someone who can make her the happiest woman on this planet. He just knows he has no place in her thoughts. Ranav gets down from the Jeep and walks around to Maya's door. He opens it and stretches out his hand, offering support. He can't occupy her thoughts, so all he can do is give his everything and hope to find his place in her life.

Maya sits there, feeling lost in the vastness of the jeep. This was the first time that Maya felt so afraid of entering a hospital. She'd rather stay back with an illusion than reach out for the fearful reality. Only when a hand obstructs her vision does she snap out of her stupor. She follows the hand and looks at Ranav. The look on his face seems to tell her a million things yet the silence between them holds them back. Maybe... it's not her body. The thought served as a push for her to reach out, to take some support. She needs it.

Her trembling hand reaches out to Ranav's, hesitation clear in her movement. Ranav gives her an assuring smile as he takes her hand, helping her out. They both walk into the hospital to find Atul waiting at the reception. A nurse approaches him, leading him into the hospital. Maya and Ranav follow them, keeping their silence. They approach the mortuary and Maya walks forward quickly, letting go of Ranav. Atul and the nurse enter the room and Maya chooses to stand at the door.

A sense of dread barely held back at bay in her body started to fight its shackles as Maya looked at the white sheet that covered the body, not blinking once. Ranav stands right behind her, feeling a sense of fear now that they are only moments away from the truth.

"Please take a look." The nurse lifts the white blanket over the body that was second to the right.

Maya froze at the sight. The corners of her vision darkened as she clutched the hem of her dress tightly in a fist. Her right hand reaches out to feel the necklace on her neck only to be met with emptiness. The emptiness that she feels in her body. She takes an abrupt step backwards as her head swims. Her breath hitches as her vision grows dark around the corners.

"Bua?" Maya calls out unaware if she said that out loud or just in her head as her legs give out. Ranav, who stood behind her, catches Maya with both hands. Ranav's heart leapt as Maya fells unconscious in his arms. As Maya's eyes closed, the last thing she saw was the pale unconscious form of her Bua and the fearful look on Ranav's face.

***

"Maya!" Ranav shouts out in panic. Before his brain could even comprehend what happened, he was lifting Maya in his arms, rushing out of the room as his heart raced with fear. Pain shoots through his brain as memories rush to the front of his mind.