Dreamy Red

Epilogue

I could hear two voices of young boys arguing something almost inaudible. With difficulty, I tried opening my eyes. They were burning and the light around was too much. With one or two blinks, I could open my eyes completely. I was in my room in Sawanth Villa. There was a pulse monitor and drip stand beside me. My hands were fitted with drips. I wiggled my toes and fingers slowly and tried to sit upright, but couldn't as I had no strength. Two boys around 2 years of age stood near my bed. They saw me trying to move and shouted, "Mommy woke, Mommy woke!" And they ran out of the room shouting the same until it was not hearable anymore.

Mommy? I was shocked. Did I have a trauma that made me forget my own children? Was whatever happened at the cliff, whatever happened with Nishanthi, Rahul all a bad dream? I was confused and blank and weak.

After a few minutes, I saw Viku enter the room. He was so happy to see me that tears rolled down his eyes. He was very different from the last time I saw him. He had long hair and an even longer beard with a moustache. But his magical eyes were the same, full of love. He walked closer to me and dropped down to his feet. He held my hands with his cold hands. I felt a shock pulse run through me. My heart got warmer. I smiled. But I couldn't move much. I tried to get up again, but couldn't. "Wait, no hurry. It will take some time. Relax", Viku said calmly. His voice had changed too. How long had I been sleeping, I wondered.

He smiled and told me, "You survived the fall just like I did. But it took only five days for me to recover whereas unfortunately, it has taken five years for you." I was shocked. I had been lying there on the bed for five years. That was too long. The kids were sneaking up from behind the door. I looked at them. Who are they, I thought. Viku smiled and answered me as if he had listened to my mind's voice, "They are your tiny brother, Sashwath's twin boys." What? Well, I had no strength to bring words out of my mouth. So they had probably said 'Mami woke' and not 'Mommy woke'.

Mamu came running inside the room. He was happy to see me too. His eyes filled up too. He walked to me, knelt beside Viku, placed his palms on my cheeks, and said, "I missed you a lot, Bibbi dear". I missed you too mamu, I told him in my mind. I smiled back. He told me, "I have informed your dad and chachu. Kamal, Bhairavi and Adharv will be here within some time. Vichu and Shamesh will be coming tomorrow." I smiled. I gave a deep breath. My mouth felt dry. I wanted some water. But I did not know how to communicate that to them. But somehow my dear Viku understood and he got up and brought a glass of water from outside the room.

Viku and mamu helped me sit upright and gave the glass with water to me. After just a few sips, my sore throat got relieved and I could utter some words. "Thank you", I told them. At that moment, I noticed something on my bedside table that made my jaws drop. It was yet another copy of a booklet from Samrahul Shabafaaz. It was titled 'White' and was pearl white with a glossy finish. I looked fixedly at it. Viku laughed, picked up the booklet and handed it to me. I threw the book down repulsively. To me, it was like black magic. I had just gotten relieved and I didn't want more trouble. Viku laughed again and said mockingly, "Bibbi, this one is yours. I got it from Rahul before he was sentenced to death." "What? Did Rahul really die?", I enquired eagerly. "Yes, and I saw it with my own eyes or else I know you won't believe it", said Viku assuringly. "Really? I still can't believe it!", I expressed. Somewhere deep down in my heart, I felt remorse for the fact that Rahul was dead even though he was the vicious man who broke my heart, killed so many innocent people and also took away my loves from me, and all for nothing.

Viku placed his hands on my head, kissed me gently on my forehead and told me, "Everything is fine now. Don't worry."