CAN IT BE THE SAME AGAIN???

ENTANGLED LIVES

"Papa please save me papa. I don't want to die."

"Nothing will happen to you beta. Shubham you are listening to me right. Nothing will happen to you till the time your father is alive."

"Papa... I... don't want... to die..." His breathes getting shallower. I can't think straight now. I have to save him anyhow. That's the only thing I know right now.

"Papa. Save me", I hear a voice from the opposite side. In an instant I know it is Karthik. I see him getting plunged into the hollow darkness. I look back at Shubham struggling for his breathes. On the other side I see the harrowing darkness inching closer to Karthik. I sprint towards his direction in order to pull him back. I stop midway to glance over Shubham. He is already GONE!. Nothing can be done now. I have to save Karthik. As I struggle to move forward and save Karthik, I see him succumbing to the murkiness.

"No", I yell, but it's too late. In a matter of seconds the bleak evil embraces him and engulfs him completely. It's too late...

"Karthik!!!"

I wake up with a start and find sweat dripping off my forehead. It's been 2 years, but the past continues to haunt me even now, I can hear my heart throbbing wildly in my chest. My chest, ahh yes it hurts. Quickly grabbing the pills kept on my side table I try to calm my heart. Turning to my right I see Swarna sleeping peacefully beside me thanks to the new meds she is taking. At least one of us can have a sound sleep. As far as I am concerned, I have really come to find a little solace in these sleepless nights, with the whole world sleeping around me I don't have to fake anything or hide anything. This is the time when my emotions and pain slowly try to crawl out of the deepest rendezvous of my heart tired of being subjected to suppression all day long. I force them to stay where they are for expression of emotions is the only thing I fear as I would not be able to hold myself together if that happens.

Be strong papa. For me. No I can't break. I have to be strong even if it kills me. I shift my gaze towards Swarna. How peacefully she is sleeping. For an instant I see a glimpse of my old Swarna there. Somehow I know deep down that she is the same old Swarna and I will bring her back. Adoring her for sometime, I get up from the bed slowly making my way out of the room. The first thing that comes to my mind is Karthik. Already scared from the nightmare, I straight away head to Karthik's room to check on to him. These kind of dreams though usual are enough to turn my blood cold. As I inch towards his room, a part of me expects to find Naira there. It starts picturing them together happy and so madly in love like they had always been.

The thought of them being together and happy fills my heart with vivacity momentarily but as the shape of Karthik's room come forth, my happy reverie breaks and reality strucks in.

Karthik! AHH! My life he is.
There he sleeps cuddling the pillow just like a small kid. Peacefully? Nahh! He was trampled to death by peace marchers. Though its quiet strenous for me to come out of that deadly nightmare but a glance of him laying there gives me a sense of satisfaction.

Seeing my lil kid my feet move towards his side. He lived no less miserable life. Once Naira left, he chose to be a loner. Loner? Yes, he had always been one. Never too expressive about his pain, dealing it all alone. Anger is the expression of all the problems, he is dealing with. After all who's boy he is? I sigh!

He acts to be a grown up, actually he is one but for me? No, my heart still sees him as that little boy singing out Papa and Papa the entire day. The mere thought of that beautiful past is enough to put a beam of happiness on my face. Yes I smile fadely but the trance is soon broken by a moving kartik. Probably, I am disturbing his sleep. Trying not to be a hindrance in his sleep, I decide to take a leave.