365 DAYS 365 TALES

The Bridge

"Come on Ashi, where are you?" Her boss snorted on the phone, "meeting is about to start..."

"I know boss," she cut him off, "I'll be there in twenty."

Ashwini knew it was well over an hour to go for the meeting. She had scheduled it herself. What does he think I'm a fool? Her boss always annoyed her. Yet, she stuck to the golden rule, "The Boss is always right."

Ashwini gulped her tea before racing for the door. If she had promised her boss to be there in twenty minutes, she had to atleast reach by half an hour. Thank god the car is already out of parking. It was a real battle in there.

"Thank you honey," she said kissing Rahul, "I'll be back soon."

They were living with each other for two years now. There had been many small fights, but it was in moments like this that their relationship really prospered. She waved him a final goodbye as she drove the car out of their apartment.

***

"The delegates have arrived Ash. Where are you?" her secretary asked on the phone, "Boss is getting furious here."

"I'm trying Sneha," Ashwini quipped, "but this rain is hell bent on making me late."

Outside the rain drops hit her windshield hard. Those vipers were making a vain effort of clearing the water. Traffic was heavy and rain was making it difficult to see.

-peep peep-

"Stop honking," Ashwini shouted, "Do you think I'm not getting late?" Idiots.

She thrust her leg on the pedal as the traffic started. Her car turned the corner by the café. She was nearing the bridge now. The bridge that had reduced the distance to her office by half. The bridge she hated the most.

Traffic ahead halted again.

"Meeting must have started by now," She said to herself, "Damn this rain, you had to come today!"

She can only see the car ahead of her, and it had come to a dead stop now. Even the engine was turned off. She did the same. Ashwini had no other option now but to sit back and listen to the tune of radio.

The old tracks took her back to those old days. She rejoiced the memories of the days when this bridge was not there. When the people travelled the old way along the hill. The road there was lined with trees on both the sides with a beautiful waterfall along the way. I miss those days.

Ashwini was dragged back in present by a thundering sound. Weather was in its full flow. But what followed was not the sound of nature.

-boom, doom, dhoom-

The noise boomed across the sky. The man from the car ahead of her came out. And so did several others. Ashwini too stepped out. Cool water drenched her whole. But that was not her concern at the moment.

People all around were running towards the bridge. Something had definitely happened.

"Excuse me," she stopped one, "What was that noise."

"I also don't know," the girl said confused, "But the talk is that the bridge collapsed."

"What!" Ashwini couldn't believe her ears.

She got back in her car and just stared at the dashboard. I didn't like the bridge anyway.

-tring tring-

"Have you reached office Ash?" Rahul sounded concerned, "There have been news..."

"No Rahul, I'm just before the bridge."

"You alright honey?"

"I don't know Rahul. It could have been on that bridge when it collapsed. This rain saved me Rahul," she said in between sobs.

"It made you late on purpose Ash," Rahul heaved, "It saved you!"

Yes, it saved me, Ashwini thought, but it took many as well. No Ash, it wasn't the rain, it was the bridge.

The same bridge she had dreaded since it was built. The same bridge which had clenched the beautiful road from her. And now it had dug graves for many.

Maybe a bridge is not needed always.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

cchinu (23/04)