Dreaming of White ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 13 - Epilogue : Circle of Life

The streets of Barnes Hollow were empty, all windows and doors closed, most even still heavily boarded up, even though the storm had already been over for more than 24 hours and the air was cold but calm, the sky blue and bright. What had started as a simple and familiar health-and-safety-measure against the forces of nature, seemed now to have turned into a desperate attempt to build a line of defence against the forces of evil. Kabir couldn't really blame the people of this small town at the foot of the mountain for doing so. It was what people did. Improvise. Adapt. Make the best of things. And in a few days, they would calm down, start talking about how no one saw "that" coming or how the sheriff had always seemed "odd" and they would take down the boards and turn them into a defence against the cold by burning them in various fire-places. Circle of life. Without talking lions or baboons wearing make-up. Somehow a lot less creepy, Kabir thought.

The sound of a door closing and the crushing of boots on ice-covered concrete cut through the silence and Kabir's thoughts. He looked up. Karan came over, overnight-bag over his shoulder, car-keys in hand.

"Ready to go?"

He tossed the keys to Kabir and turned around, when more boots carefully crossed the ice-covered pavement. Since they'd already discussed everything case-related, exchanged details, comments and complaints about their various travel-arrangements during, and said their good-byes after breakfast, there was no need for further discussion or small talk. Which was good. Because all of them wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. For various reasons. So Vansh and Riddhima just smiled, waved at them and headed for the second car. Kabir waved back. Karan just nodded. And even that had taken some serious effort.

"I'd be smiling, too, if I was them", Kabir said.

"What?"

"Getting last direct flights back home?"

"Oh, that", Karan said.

"I don't even want to know how Vansh managed that", Kabir said.

"Hmm", Karan replied, his attention clearly not focused on his vocal cords, but on the two people further down the street. He watched Vansh lean closer to Riddhima, gesturing with his hands and apparently telling her something funny, because she started laughing and shook her head in amusement. Karan looked at them walking to the car side by side, comfortable around each other, laughing, relaxed.

Riddhima. Laughing, relaxed, comfortable.

Nothing like the woman he had last seen in front of the sheriff's office standing in the cold, an awkward and painful silence enveloping her, eyes tired and cheeks pale. Suddenly he was angry. He rammed his hands into his pockets, then pulled one out again to point an accusing finger at Vansh.

"He's reckless. Look at him. Joking as if nothing has happened. They could have gotten killed. He could have gotten HER killed! Talking her into going into that ravine in a freaking snow-storm! That man…"

Kabir looked at Vansh and Riddhima, not acknowledging the pleading stare asking for agreement Karan gave him right now. He didn't want to encourage the man to throw a fit. But he had a feeling that any form of encouragement was, unfortunately, not really necessary anyway. And was proven right.

"I don't know, what they all see in him, Kabir. He's nothing but a liability. I don't get why she sticks with him. Why anyone sticks with him. And what was this cryptic "maybe" about the missing computers? If he knows something about the case he needs to tell us."

"He will."

"When?"

Kabir shrugged.

"When he's ready to. When he's sure, he's right about this."

"And you are okay with this? This is nuts!"

"This is Vansh."

Karan raised his hands above his head in a dramatic gesture.

"Exactly!"

Kabir kept his eyes on Vansh and Riddhima and just said matter-of-factly.

"I'm okay with this. We'll solve this in the end. We always do."

Kabir blinked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Which was the equivalent of a deep sigh. He had a feeling that this was going to be a very long and very annoying drive to the airport. But then again, he'd had lots of experience ignoring external monologue from upset travel-companions while navigating winter roads.

He cast a reproachful look at Vansh's back.

And blinked.

He watched Vansh putting his hand on the small of Riddhima's back in order to steer her towards the driver's side. As usual, Vansh's hand fell from her back, once directions of travel had been confirmed by her starting to step around him. But then, just as Vansh's arm was back down by his side, in the very second Riddhima went past him, he saw their shoulders brush, saw their hands touch and saw her fingers curl around his, just for the fraction of a second.

"Kabir? Are you listening to me?"

He slapped Karan's shoulder.

"Sure, man. Lets go."

While Kabir watched Riddhima and Vansh drive off into the bright snowy day, he heard Karan toss his bag on the back seat. It hit something with a dull clunking sound. Both bag and the unknown item tumbled to the floor.

"What the hell did he do in the backseat of this car?"

Kabir looked up into the white winter sky and took a deep breath.

He slid behind the wheel and felt the car shake, when his current travel-companion dropped heavily into the passenger seat. Karan made a sniffing sound, then groaned. Kabir ignored it and started the car. It came to life with a growl and a roar and a chuckle.

"God, Kabir, I hate the smell of cold tea."

Awkward. Long. Drive. Ahead.

Kabir sighed.

And smiled.

Because it was worth it. Every awkward second of it.

The End