I stand there, i want to go after her but I stand there, refusing to accept what just happened. I am scared to tell Piku why I can’t travel to India. I am afraid that I will be transparent, people will see me as weak person. I don’t want their pity. I promised myself when I arrived here to work hard and my work with shut their mouth. I shared my fiery thought with Rajan and he agreed with me.
I need to talk to someone. I am losing my mind. My hands started to tremble as I pick up the phone and I can’t find anyone to call right now. I can’t bother Jay while he is at university, Rajan might be busy and it is probably night time over there. It’s been ages I called Shweta, there’s lot to tell her.
My hands are trembling, I can't breathe well.
I took keys and got out of the house. It’s a roller-coaster of thoughts in my mind. I haven’t brushed the teeth, haven't showered. I am in my night Pjs. I am a mess. I am out walking and I don’t know where I am heading. I am just walking till voices in my mind goes mute. Terrible flashback goes on and off, Piku’s words have found echo corner in my mind.
I found a bench to sit and process my anxiety train. ‘I am mess’ I keep repeating those words in my head, I feel I am about to cry.
I reached to my pocket for phone and it isn’t there. My phone is in my room, where I had amazing start of the day with my PhD application being accepted and my best friend coming to celebrate. I need my phone, I need to call piku and apologize. I can’t lose her. I need to go back and call her, meet her, and confess my messed past. I am sure she'd understand.
I stood up and look around. I have no idea what street this is or from where I walked from. All I know I took so many lefts and to go back I need to go right. I took three rights and reached weird five way crossing which I don’t remember seeing before. I walked bit more and I found the bench I was sitting earlier.
I tried finding my way back but I failed. I sit at the bench, giving up. I am alone again, hungry and waiting for some hopeless miracle. The clouds start to grey and it’s soon going to be dusk. I see no one, absolutely no one passing by all day. I would ask a human the way back but there is no human around here. Wait a minute, is this the ghost area? I am little bit scared now. I need to get back home. What was I thinking sitting here all day? I saw no human and I just think of it now. I need to walk till I find a human that I can ask direction. I took three rights and reached the same place again, I am sure that this is ghosts street. I took lefts and I am back to same place. I am terrified now, for real. I took left and right and left again and I am somewhere at different street follows up to villas. I see kids bicycling around and I see dog. Where there’s dog ,there’s no ghost. Thank god, I am on human street. I look around for some adult while taking notes on way I am walking.
I saw bunch of ladies chattering, probably the mothers of kids bicycling. I went to them and ask for direction.
“Excuse me, hello!”
They all look at me once and I was startled by that. I can tell I am being judged by them, I am judging myself too so whatever.
“I am little lost around. Do you know which street this is?”
“This is Albert street.” The lady in red dress says smiling.
“By the way, are you okay?” The lady in Blue polka dots asks and all other ladies looks at me with concerned eyes.
“I am fine.” I straight up lie.
“Umm... which way goes to John’s street?”
“You need to go the back way and take three left first and then one right.” The lady in red dress says while others nod along. I am terrified to go back to ghost street but I can’t tell them, I just nod along.
“Thank you so much.” I said and slowly start walking to ghost street.
“Three left and one right” I mumble. I need to be accurate this time. This day is the worst day of my life.
I am back to ghost street and I am going to run before I get caught by ghost. The lady said three left first. I look down, run, and took first left. I stopped for second to catch a breath. There is no human around, just huge villas. WOW! I start to run, looking down again and took second left. I bumped into someone. I hurt my head and fell. I bumped into ghost. My life ends here. The great Rashi lived well.
“Ouch.” The ghost spoke. I am still looking down. Dear god, I love you. Please don't let me take away by ghost like this.
“Are you okay?” the ghost asks.
I am still looking down. Eyes closed tight.
“Rashi?” my heart did a backflip inside.
“Hello, Rashi! Are you okay?” wait a damn minute, I know this voice. It’s him. He is not a ghost, he is human. I looked up. He is Aron.
“I am fine.” There goes my half-lie. I am relieved that I bumped into him and not to ghost.
“You need a hand.” He says and I nod.
He pulls me up and doesn’t let go my hand.
“I am sorry I didn’t saw you there. Are you okay?” I asked and he nodded.
“Well Then I’ll keep going.” I said and he still doesn’t let go of my hand.
“Where are you going in such hurry?”
“Home.”
“Mind if I walk you?”
“It’s okay. You were heading somewhere, I can walk by myself.”
“I was just walking around. Had a full lunch course.”
“Oh!”
"Shall we?"
"Sure."
He let go my hand, took his jacket and made me wear it. He walked outer side of footpath and hold my hand again, talking about his day. I am just glad he didn't ask me what happened or why I was there looking like this.. I know he figured it out but I just don’t want him to know much messy details.
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Bride Set off ✔
General FictionHello lovely readers, this story is a sequel of 'bride kidnapped'. The beloved Rashi is struggling with her new life at New Zealand and missing her home, family. she had promised herself not to look back but would she keep her promise? Will she wil...
